SICARII

As Luna slowly opened the door, a sudden rush of wind hit her, swirling wildly despite being indoors. She eased the door open further, scanning the vast room and spotting Zak at its center, surrounded by at least thirty bodyguards. Luna furrowed her brow, wondering how wind could be raging inside a building, but she took a deep breath, focusing her thoughts to strategize a way out of this.

Before she could act, a deafening bang shattered the tension. A powerful gust of wind erupted from Zak, sending five guards hurtling through the air. Another mighty blast followed, and this time, seven more were launched back like ragdolls. Luna's eyes widened as she realized it was coming from Zak. He darted through the crowd, his axes flashing as he sliced through his opponents with fluid acrobatic movements, his every swing surrounded by whirlwinds. His axes seemed to be generating the fierce wind, whipping it at high speeds that pummeled the guards with devastating force.

Luna could only watch in awe as Zak systematically dismantled the crowd, clearing the room in mere moments. Bodies lay strewn across the floor, groaning or completely out cold. Zak dusted himself off, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

"Well, that was annoying," he said, looking up at Luna with a chuckle. "Sorry I lost track of time. These guys had me a bit… occupied."

Luna shook her head, half in disbelief, half impressed. "You handled it," she replied with a small smile. "Guess I didn't need to rush in."

Zak gave her a casual shrug. "What can I say? Sometimes you just need a little wind to clear things up."

"Okay, so we need to decide on a strategy," said Luna, her gaze darting around the room.

"Sure," Zak replied, brushing some dust off his jacket. "Before I got caught up in this mess, I managed to take a good look around." He pointed toward the door behind him. "This castle is a maze. It's expansive, with high ceilings and thick stone walls that make it feel both grand and intimidating. There are numerous rooms, all heavily guarded. Beyond this door lies a corridor that stretches upward to another level."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "How many levels are there?"

"From what I could see, there are multiple flights of stairs. The guards seem to be stationed at each level, and I suspect the person we need to rescue is at the very top," Zak explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "It sounds simple: we just need to fight our way up and eliminate anyone who gets in our path."

"Really?" Luna mused, considering the plan. "I thought it would be more complicated."

Zak nodded, a grin on his face. "Sometimes, the mission is a lot simpler than anticipated. It's a race against the clock, after all. We need to get to them before they're moved or worse."

"Okay, perfect," Luna said, her determination rekindled. "I'm ready to go. Let's win this thing."

Zak clasped his hands together, exuding a confident energy. "All right then, let's move. Stick close, and don't get distracted. I'll lead the way."

With that, they moved toward the door, adrenaline pumping as they prepared to take on whatever challenges lay ahead in the castle's depths.

Luna and Zak sprinted down the corridor, their footsteps echoing against the stone walls. The atmosphere buzzed with adrenaline as they raced toward the stairs. "So, Zak, I thought Berserkers were forbidden from using Inner. That was impressive what I saw back there," Luna said, glancing sideways at him.

Zak chuckled. "I know, but that's not Inner. Well, technically it is, but it's not coming from me—it's coming from the weapon."

"Wait, elaborate," Luna said, her brow furrowed in confusion. "How does that work?"

Zak smirked. "Don't they teach you anything over at the agency? What I have here is called an ancient artifact. These are weapons from centuries ago that have Inner instilled into them. Each one has its own unique ability, just like people can use Inner."

"How is that possible?" Luna asked, skepticism creeping into her voice. "A weapon using Inner?"

Zak shrugged, a playful glint in his eye. "From what I remember—though I didn't pay much attention in class—Ragra was always the bookworm between us. The weapons can use Inner because they were once very dear and important to their previous owners. They poured so much Inner into these weapons that they became a part of them. Even when the owners perish, the Inner remains within the weapon. The bond between weapon and owner allows it to continuously draw Inner from them, even after they're gone."

"Wow, that's interesting," Luna said, genuinely intrigued. "How can I get my own?"

Zak laughed, shaking his head. "Well, there aren't many known to people. Rumor has it there are about 25 registered artifacts in existence, but we Berserkers have 15 of them."

"What? How is that possible?" Luna exclaimed, astonished.

Zak nodded, his expression serious now. "Other organizations use Inner freely; we don't. These weapons help us, but they're only given to royal family members. We invest a lot of resources into discovering these artifacts. I got mine for my sixteenth birthday. It's called Storm Cleavers."

Luna felt a rush of envy mixed with admiration. "Storm Cleavers… it sounds powerful. You're lucky."

Zak shrugged modestly. "It's not just about the weapon. It's about how you use it. Now, let's focus on getting to the top. We can discuss artifacts later."

With renewed determination, they pushed forward, ready to face whatever lay ahead in their mission.

As Luna and Zak approached the staircase, they could feel the tension in the air thickening with each step they took. They ascended quickly, their breaths quickening as they reached the next level.

Once they stepped into the room, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. It was vast and imposing, with high ceilings adorned with ancient banners that depicted the history of the Berserkers. Stone columns flanked the edges, casting long shadows in the dim light. The walls were decorated with intricate carvings of legendary battles and prominent figures from the organization's past, their expressions frozen in time as if to watch over the room.

In the center, the floor was polished marble, reflecting the chaotic scene unfolding before them. Suddenly, Luna's attention snapped to the fierce showdown happening in the middle of the room.

"Oh no," Zak muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Before Luna could react, one of the Berserker members was sent flying across the room by a swift, powerful head kick from a giant of a man. The force of the blow echoed through the chamber, making Luna flinch.

The remaining member, a fierce-looking woman with determination in her eyes, lunged at the giant with a flurry of swift attacks, her swords glinting in the low light as she tried to slice through his defenses. But he dodged effortlessly, moving with an agility that belied his size.

In a blink, he countered with a rapid three-piece punch combo, landing each blow with precision. The woman's face twisted in surprise before he delivered a brutal roundhouse kick to her head, leaving her sprawled out on the floor, unconscious.

Luna and Zak stood frozen in shock as they witnessed the ruthless efficiency of the giant. The member who had received the initial head kick, now back on his feet, launched himself at the giant's teammate in a desperate attempt to regain control of the fight. But in another instant, the giant's partner drew his sword, slicing through the air with a quick, practiced motion. The attack was swift and brutal; before Luna could even process it, the Berserker was down, joining his comrade on the cold marble floor.

"Did we just witness a massacre?" Luna whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Zak nodded, his expression a mix of awe and concern. "Those two didn't stand a chance. Wait a second… that giant… that's Ivan, my cousin."

Luna's eyes widened. "Ivan?"

"Yeah, he's not just strong; he's one of the best hand to hand fighters in the Berserker clan. We need to be careful. If those two are that strong, we need to strategize."

Luna swallowed hard, the gravity of their situation sinking in. "Right. We can't just charge in like they did. We need a plan."

Zak scanned the room, noting the layout and potential escape routes. "Let's flank them from either side. We can create a distraction, maybe draw them away from their comrades."

"Agreed," Luna replied, her mind racing as she weighed their options. "Let's move quickly before they turn their attention to us."

With that, they steeled themselves and prepared to execute their plan, knowing they would have to be at their best to survive this encounter.