Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 360

Chapter 360: Battle I

Aiden’s expression didn’t shift, though there was the faintest flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Not when the boom paints a target on our backs. Let’s move.”

The team slipped back into the forest, their movements swift and disciplined. The air was thick with tension, but they were used to it. Silence was their ally now, and every step was measured, every breath controlled.

As they neared the extraction point, Aiden slowed, raising a hand to signal a halt. His Spirit Sense flared out, sweeping the area. Something felt… off. The forest was too quiet. No rustling leaves, no distant calls of nocturnal creatures. Just an eerie, unnatural silence.

“Myne,” he whispered. “Shadows. Spread out.”

She nodded, her eyes narrowing. The darkness around them seemed to deepen as her power surged. Tendrils of shadow crept out in every direction, probing the forest for signs of danger.

Reia materialized at Aiden’s side, her voice barely audible. “We’re not alone.”

“Ambush?” Cyris asked, his hands already on his blades.

“Likely,” Aiden replied. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his senses straining to pinpoint the threat. “Stay sharp. They’re waiting for us to make a move.”

As if on cue, the forest erupted into chaos. Figures clad in the Celestial Court’s distinct silver-and-blue armor emerged from the shadows, their weapons gleaming with enchantments. Arrows rained down from the treetops, forcing the team to scatter.

Aiden moved first, his blade a blur as he deflected the arrows heading his way. He surged forward, closing the gap between him and the nearest group of enemies. His golden sword sang as it met steel, cutting through the first guard’s weapon and slamming into his chest. The man fell with a gurgled cry.

Cyris was a whirlwind of motion, his twin blades carving through the air with lethal precision. He moved like a ghost, appearing and disappearing in the chaos, each strike leaving another enemy on the ground.

Reia took to the treetops, her bowstring thrumming as she picked off archers one by one. Her arrows struck true, each shot silencing another enemy before they could fire again.

Myne’s shadows surged forward, ensnaring enemies and dragging them into the darkness. Their screams were muffled, swallowed by the abyss she commanded.

But the Celestial Court’s forces were prepared this time. They moved in coordinated waves, their formations tight and disciplined. Aiden recognized their tactics immediately—this wasn’t a standard patrol. This was an elite unit, sent specifically to hunt them down.

“Reia!” Aiden shouted. “Take out their mage!”

She nodded, her sharp eyes scanning the battlefield. Amidst the chaos, she spotted the telltale glow of spellcasting. A robed figure stood at the edge of the fight, their hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. A barrier shimmered around them, protecting the Celestial Court soldiers from Myne’s shadows.

Reia loosed an arrow, the runestones on its tip glowing as it flew. The projectile struck the barrier, shattering it in a burst of light. The mage barely had time to react before her second arrow found its mark, piercing their chest. The spellcasting ceased, and the tide began to shift.

“Myne, push them back!” Aiden commanded.

With the barrier down, Myne unleashed the full force of her power. Shadows erupted from the ground, forming spikes and tendrils that lashed out at the remaining soldiers. Panic spread through their ranks as they realized they were losing control of the battle.

Aiden pressed forward, his blade cutting through the disorganized enemies. He moved with purpose, his strikes precise and efficient. Cyris was at his side, the two of them carving a path through the remnants of the elite unit.

Within minutes, it was over. The last soldier fell, his weapon clattering to the ground. The forest was silent once more, but this time it was the heavy silence of aftermath.

Aiden sheathed his blade, his eyes scanning the area for any lingering threats. “Casualties?”

“None,” Cyris replied, his voice steady despite the exertion. “They underestimated us.”

Reia dropped from the treetops, her bow slung over her shoulder. “That mage was their ace. Once they were down, the rest crumbled.”

Myne walked over, a faint sheen of sweat on her brow. “That wasn’t a random patrol. They knew we’d be here.”

Aiden nodded. “We’ve been compromised. We’ll need to adjust our plans. For now, we fall back and regroup. This fight was just the beginning.”

The team moved quickly, disappearing into the shadows once more. The storm had passed, but Aiden knew another was coming. And this time, the stakes would be even higher.

The team made their way through the dense forest, their movements silent and calculated despite the weariness from the battle. The extraction point wasn’t far, but Aiden couldn’t shake the weight pressing on his mind. They’d been ambushed—not by chance, but by a coordinated strike. Someone within the Celestial Court had fed their movements to the enemy, and that betrayal had nearly cost them the mission.

Reia was the first to speak, her voice low but sharp. “We need to find the leak. If they’re tracking us this closely, it won’t stop here.”

Aiden nodded, his expression grim. “Agreed. Once we’re secure, I’ll deal with it personally.”

Myne glanced at him, her shadowed gaze unreadable. “You think it’s an informant, or could they be tracking us some other way?”

“Could be either,” Aiden admitted. “But the timing was too perfect. They knew the exact moment to intercept us. That doesn’t happen without inside information.”

Cyris spoke from his position at the front of the group, his tone calm but firm. “We’ll flush them out. Whoever’s feeding them intel won’t last long once we’re back at base.”

Despite his words, there was an undercurrent of unease in the team. Trust was the foundation of their operations, and the thought of betrayal was a blade none of them wanted to face. Still, the mission had come first, and they’d survived. That was all that mattered for now.

By the time they reached the extraction point, the sky was beginning to lighten with the first rays of dawn. Aiden signaled for the team to halt, scanning the area with his Spirit Sense before giving the all-clear. Hidden in the underbrush was a small, rune-etched platform—an ancient teleportation array they had secured and modified for their use.

“Activate it,” Aiden ordered.

Myne stepped forward, placing her hand on the central rune. Shadows flowed from her fingers, intertwining with the engravings on the platform. The array hummed to life, faint lines of light forming a glowing circle around them.

“Let’s move,” Aiden said, stepping onto the platform.

The rest of the team followed without hesitation. Myne was the last to step on, her shadows dissolving as the array flared brightly. A moment later, the forest around them vanished, replaced by the dimly lit interior of their hidden base.

The chamber was quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the teleportation array winding down. Aiden stepped off the platform, his eyes immediately scanning the room. Everything was as it should be, but the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease.

“Liam,” he called out.

A figure materialized from the shadows—a tall, lean man with sharp features and an aura of quiet authority. Liam had been overseeing the base in Aiden’s absence, and his presence was both a reassurance and a reminder of the burdens they carried.

“You’re back,” Liam said, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity. “Successful?”

“Partially,” Aiden replied, his tone clipped. “The depot’s gone, but we were ambushed on the way out. Someone’s feeding the Court our movements.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger crossing his face. “You’re certain?”

“Certain enough,” Aiden said. “Start an internal sweep. Anyone who’s had access to our mission details needs to be questioned. Discreetly.”

Liam nodded. “Understood. I’ll handle it.”

As Liam disappeared back into the shadows, Aiden turned to his team. “Debrief in one hour. Get cleaned up and rested—we’ve got work to do.”

The team dispersed, each heading to their respective quarters. Aiden remained behind, his gaze fixed on the map table in the center of the room. The Celestial Court had played their hand, but he wasn’t about to let them gain the upper ground.

“Myne,” he said without looking up.

She leaned casually against the wall, her arms crossed. “Yeah?”

“Double the security on the archives. If someone’s leaking information, they might try to cover their tracks.”

She smirked, her sharp eyes glinting. “Already done. You think I’d let someone mess with our plans that easily?”

Aiden allowed a faint smile to tug at the corner of his lips. “I’d expect nothing less.”

With that, he turned back to the map, his mind already racing with the next steps. The Celestial Court wanted a war, but Aiden wasn’t just a soldier. He was a strategist, a leader, and a force they had underestimated for far too long.

This was only the beginning. And if the Court thought they could break him, they were about to learn just how wrong they were.