A fleet of sleek black mana-powered cars glided smoothly over the paved highway, weaving through the flow of ordinary traffic like silent phantoms.
If one paid close attention to the insignias etched onto the glossy car doors, they'd spot the unmistakable crest of the Guild—an eagle soaring above the earth, wings spread wide in regal flight.
At the heart of the convoy, nestled securely within the central vehicle, sat Lauren and Liam, both wearing matching expressions of confusion and guarded curiosity.
To understand the source of their current state, we must rewind the clock—a few hours earlier.
[Earlier That Day]
The morning had started like any other.
Lauren had just stepped into her office within the European Guild Branch, prepared to begin the day's operations.
She had only just set her bag down and removed her coat when the door to her office burst open.
The Association's branch manager's assistant, flushed and breathless, rushed in.
