Supreme Magus novel Chapter 3794

Chapter 3794: Neutral Zone (Part 1)

"Nah, it wouldn’t work. Based on what I’ve heard, mages get whatever is they need to open a Warp Steps from the pictures of the sightings and get there in the blink of an eye the moment someone calls for help. That’s how they caught my cousin."

The future of robbers and thieves of the Kingdom looked indeed glum.

"What about Magus Verhen? All posters say he’s on the Train." Jerth asked.

"No, he just designed the Train." Arkas scoffed. "Why would a Magus waste an entire day on a lump of metal when he can fly and Warp around? He probably made an appearance and left. Don’t believe everything you read, Jerth. It’s bait for fools and simpletons."

Everyone nodded in approval, refusing to believe that meeting a legendary Magus could be as easy as boarding a Train.

"I don’t know." Jerth licked his lips. "What if it’s true?"

"What if we can’t live off robberies anymore and have to learn an honest trade?" Zef replied. "How do we survive until we move to a village far away enough that no one recognizes us? Whether we keep working as bandits or start a new life, we need money, Jerth."

"Fine." Jerth raised his hands in surrender to placate the snarls of his accomplices. "How do we stop the Train?"

"That’s the easy part." Arkas replied.

***

The conductor of the Train travelled in a small compartment at the head of the first car, using a series of holographic controls to adjust the artifact’s course, speed, and time the announcements.

He was amused when he noticed a pile of cut trees in front of the most direct route to the city of Noroi.

’This is going to be good.’ It would have taken him but a push on the driving stick to alter the trajectory of the Train and avoid the makeshift blockade, but the conductor was bored out of his skull from the long trip.

Also, with Lith sitting just one compartment behind him, the conductor felt quite safe.

He brought the Train to a halt without warning the passengers, making them wonder if something was wrong. The conductor stepped out of the car, pretending to examine the situation, when a bunch of rough-looking, armed men surrounded him.

"The money or your life!" The leader, a tall and muscular man, said while brandishing a jagged twin-bladed ax. "Don’t try anything funny, and no one gets hurt."

Arkas’ bald head and thick beard gave him a wild, dangerous look.

"Where are the nobles?" He asked, already counting the gold that soon would be in his pockets. "I bet they are in the first car. The posh one. Am I right, Jeeves?"

"Yes." The conductor stuttered, biting his lips to hold back his laughter.

The bandits assumed the man had an unusual way of coping with fear and exchanged savage grins among themselves.

"Come on, boys!" Arkas snarled as he boarded the Train. "If we’re lucky, we’ll get everything we need to live like kings for- Great Mother almighty!"

Lith was standing outside of his compartment to check on the situation. Arkas had seen images of the Supreme Magus enough times to be sick of him. There was no way the bandit wouldn’t recognize Lith while he wore his Magus robe.

"Dya!" Elysia warned him and shapeshifted into her Tiamat form.

Every hope Arkas had that the man in front of him was just an actor evaporated along with his ax in a burst of bright orange Origin Flames that destroyed his weapon and singed his beard

Valeron had been instructed to keep his human form, but he could still infuse Elysia with Life Maelstrom.

"Calm down, Elysia." Lith tried to pacify the baby girl. "This man-"

"Please, don’t kill me!" Arkas threw himself at Lith’s feet, crying like a baby. "I haven’t hurt anyone. I have never hurt anyone. Please, spare my life!"

Seeing an adult man ugly crying and wailing hard made Elysia feel bad for him.

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