Chapter 96: Trip to Magnolia!
Chapter 96
The next day finally arrived. The day whereby the squad chosen for a mission in Magnolia set out, and everyone was ready.
Up and ready with their gear packed for the mission, they all sauntered outside.
The other Clan members were already back to their usual business, some heading out on missions while others lounged lazily in the hallway, drinking their day away.
The six Reavers who were to go on the mission were now outside, staring at their ride.
"We are going in that?" Zen asked as he eyed their vehicle with shock written all over his face.
"Yes. Why?" Lyra asked with a frown on her face.
"Yo! Let’s go." Vynn cheered as he strolled toward the vehicle they were about to take for their mission.
The vehicle had a smooth, compact design with a metallic exterior that curved gently along the sides. It stood on four sturdy wheels with thin, flexible suspension, giving it a balanced and stable look.
At the front, a round steering wheel sat firmly in place, connected to a simple dashboard with a speed gauge, a small slot, and a few little switches.
Its seats were low and cushioned, with enough room for two in front and possibly three at the back.
Thin lines ran across the body, glowing faintly as if acting like channels for the essence that powered it. Instead of an exhaust, a small vent at the rear pulsed softly, releasing faint bursts of vapor as it idled.
’A car? This world has a modern car? What’s going on here?’ Zen thought, shocked, as he watched Lyra and Tom walk to the front, leaving him, Aria, Jace, and Vynn to occupy the back seat.
"What do you mean by you want to drive?" Tom asked with a huge frown on his face as he stared at Lyra, who held the door to the driver’s seat ajar.
"I said what I want to do. I’m taking the driver’s seat." Lyra declared firmly.
"Why should you be the one driving it?" Tom asked with deep annoyance.
"Firstly, I’m your senior, and secondly, I have much more essence than you do. Or have you forgotten what powers the vehicle?" Lyra asked, her brows furrowing deeper.
"Tch! Whatever." Tom scoffed as he strode to the second seat and got in, while Lyra slid into the driver’s seat.
The moment she sat down, she dipped her finger into the small slot on the dashboard, causing something to pop out.
It was a device connected to a thin cable, still attached to the slot Lyra had pressed. She grabbed the material and wrapped it around her right arm. Right on cue, the thin cable and the device lit up in a glowing white energy, and Lyra winced slightly at the drain.
’So this thing is powered by essence? Damn! That means not everybody can make use of this vehicle unless they are awakened with plenty of essence. That explains why Sir Tom brought me to the Clan in a carriage the first time I came here. Interesting.’ Zen thought as he eyed the duo in front.
"Are you all ready?" Lyra asked as she gripped the steering wheel, prepared to get moving.
"Yeah sure." Jace replied with a look of boredom on his face.
Without a second word, Lyra pressed her foot on the clutch, and instantly, the vehicle surged forward with full speed, leaving the Clan gate behind in mere seconds. Soon enough, they were on the road to Magnolia town.
Within minutes, they found themselves driving through a thick forest. The path was rocky, and the ride bumpy, but Lyra kept the vehicle moving steadily.
The forest stretched endlessly, the wind rustling through the trees as the leaves swayed softly above them.
Zen looked out the window on his side, his eyes trailing the blur of trees. By his left sat Aria, her gaze fixed straight ahead, expression unreadable.
Beside her was Vynn, who leaned lazily against the window frame, and on the far side sat Jace, quiet and thoughtful, staring out into the passing woods as if his mind wandered elsewhere.
The journey had just begun, but each of them could already feel the weight of the mission pressing down like an unseen shadow.
Vynn looked to be restraining himself hard as he kept tossing and turning, his eyes darting from one person to the next. The air inside the vehicle was eerily silent, heavy enough to feel suffocating, and it only seemed to frustrate him more.
"AHH! I can’t take it anymore. Why the hell are you all so freaking quiet?!" Vynn shouted in frustration, his sudden outburst snapping everybody out of their thoughts.
But still, nobody replied to him for a few seconds. The lack of response only made a vein bulge at the side of his forehead, though despite his irritation, he was still seen smiling sheepishly like a child caught misbehaving.
"I don’t know about you, but I prefer the silence." Lyra coldly replied, her tone flat as her eyes stayed glued to the road ahead.
"Same," Tom muttered lazily before leaning against the window on his side, staring blankly out at the blur of trees and fading forest behind them.
"But the silence is killing me." Vynn cried out before lightning crackled faintly around his hair. A small grin stretched across his lips as he leaned forward slightly. "Say, Lyra."
"What?" Lyra asked in a cold, emotionless tone, not even sparing him a glance.
"How strong are you? Can we spar one day?" Vynn asked with a grin that carried far too much excitement.
"What kind of silly question is that?" Tom asked as he turned around, his gaze falling squarely on Vynn who sat at the back seat. "When they call someone the Warmongress, you think the title is petty? Tch!"
"A side note," Lyra chimed in, her voice sharper this time. "I’m not interested in sparring with weaklings."
"Just because you are an A-ranked Reaver doesn’t mean you get to call everybody a weakling, especially when you haven’t fought them yourself," Zen suddenly said. His voice was calm but carried weight. Without waiting for her reply, he simply turned back towards his window and let his gaze drift outside once again.
The words hung in the air. Silence returned to the vehicle, heavier than before, while Lyra gripped the steering wheel tighter. Veins bulged faintly across the side of her head and arms, her teeth gritted in quiet frustration.
"Okay, that was fun," Tom chuckled after a moment, leaning back into his seat with a small, soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Nobody replied, and soon enough, the silence swallowed them whole again. The forest finally gave way, the rough path smoothing into a clear trail that stretched on for miles.
The ride became smoother, but this time the quiet that filled the vehicle was absolute, unshaken, and almost deafening.