CHAPTER 316: THE WATCHERS

The wind howled fiercely across the ridges of Ayzion, dragging loose stones and pine needles down the sheer cliffs like a restless spirit.

Among the jagged shadows of one towering escarpment, five figures crouched low, their heavy armor gleaming dully under fractured shafts of light.

Their rifles rested against their shoulders, scopes glinting faintly in the dimness. They exuded a predatory aura, much like wolves lurking over unsuspecting sheep.

Below them, the convoy rumbled along the treacherous mountain road, the grinding of tires and sputtering engines echoing too loudly in a realm where silence reigned supreme.

One armored man chuckled darkly, his voice laced with mockery.

"Meat on wheels! Look at them marching in as if they own this place. So much noise,do they want to wake the mountains themselves?"

Another snorted dismissively. "Soldiers, scientists, trucks packed with toys,always the same story. They come here thinking guns and armor will save them. This place devours armies whole."

A third figure leaned forward, visor glinting as he tracked Arthur at the head of the column like a wraith cloaked in black.

His coat fluttered in the chill wind; his stride was measured and unhurried,as if he knew danger lurked yet remained unfazed.

"That one up front... he’s not like the others."

"Doesn’t matter," hissed another voice from behind him. "The more they struggle, the sweeter their fall will be."

The leader,a broad figure adorned with serrated plates etched into his armor,raised a gloved hand for silence.

His voice was cold and hard as granite: "Enough chatter. The boss needs to hear this,the prey is larger than we thought. Report first; feast later."

Wicked grins flashed beneath their helmets as they exchanged knowing looks before vanishing back into the treeline without a sound.

But they were not alone.

Across hidden gullies and shadowy ridges throughout Ayzion, similar teams stirred to life,dark silhouettes whispering into the wind with eyes locked onto the convoy below.

Each group melted back into the mountains upon spotting soldiers nearby, leaving an unsettling silence that hung heavier than before,as though even Ayzion itself was holding its breath.

Something within these ancient mountains had awakened.

---

Unaware of dozens of watchful eyes tracking every move they made, the convoy pressed on through narrowing paths flanked by towering cliffs that jutted out like broken teeth.

Snowflakes drifted lazily from high ledges while steam hissed from fissures glowing faintly with molten light,a stark reminder of Ayzion’s contradictions: unnatural climate shifts clashed with an unstable atmosphere amidst an oppressive silence broken only by their machines.

Arthur’s eyes were locked on the path ahead, unwavering and intense.

His expression remained cold and sharp, but Gunner behind him could feel the tension radiating from his commander.

Something in the air had shifted, and Arthur was acutely aware of it.

The soldiers tightened their formation, rifles angled upward with purpose.

Each boot carefully found its footing as they marched on.

Even Ethan, who had spent much of the journey teasing Mireille with witty banter, fell silent now.

His usual grin vanished, replaced by a taut jaw and searching gaze that scanned their surroundings.

In the heart of the convoy, the archaeologists fared even worse.

Professor Adrian muttered nervously to himself, scribbling frantic notes with a trembling hand while beads of sweat trickled down his brow.

Clara sat beside him, her knuckles white around her notepad; lips pressed tight as her eyes darted anxiously at every cliff and overhanging ledge.

An oppressive dread hung in the air,the mountains were too quiet.

Then it happened,like a thunderclap out of nowhere.

BOOOOOOM!

A deafening explosion shattered the silence! The ground trembled beneath them as stone fragments rained down from above, sending clouds of dust spiraling into the sky.

The blast rocked the road just ahead of their convoy. The trucks screeched to a halt as rocks tumbled down the slope, pelting metal and armor like angry raindrops.

"Contact front!" Gunner’s voice sliced through chaos like a knife. "Form defensive line!"

Arthur’s focus sharpened; his hand instinctively moved to his sidearm.

"Thermal scan!" Gunner barked urgently. "Activate suit exposure systems! Now!"

Armor panels hissed open as soldiers activated their chest rigs.

Their suits thrummed to life, faint red lines coursing across black plating as thermal systems flickered online.

Heads-up displays illuminated heat signatures lurking beyond the veil of dust.

"Multiple targets," one soldier reported grimly. "Three ahead! Five on both ridges!"

"They’re hiding in the rocks!" another shouted in alarm.

"Take them down!" Gunner commanded sharply and mercilessly. "Ethan,Holt! Protect the archaeologists! Mireille,Lyra,Stone flank left! Vos,Marek, Rask,suppress right!"

"On it!" Ethan and Holt responded at the same timeinstantly and sprinted toward the center of the convoy with determination etched on his face.

Their rifles swung into position, finger steady on the trigger while fear gripped those huddled inside their armored truck.

Arthur moved like a shadow given life; he drew both pistols in one fluid motion,the polished black barrels gleaming even amidst swirling dust,and pressed against cover with his coat snapping in the wind.

His eyes tracked movement through settling haze.

Figures emerged from concealment!

Dark silhouettes emerged from the rocky terrain, armed with rifles and makeshift heavy weapons.

Their armor was a chaotic patchwork of jagged metal, glinting with strange etchings that caught the light in eerie ways.

Harsh, guttural shouts erupted from their throats, echoing like wild beasts across the cliffs.

The ambush had begun.

---

Ta ta ta ta ta ta...boooom!.

Gunfire exploded in a brutal wave!

Muzzle flashes sliced through the darkness, revealing twisted faces and snarling visors.

Bullets ricocheted off armored trucks, sending sparks flying like fireflies in the night.

The archaeologists’ vehicle shuddered under the relentless barrage, but its reinforced plating held strong.

Arthur leaned out from behind cover and fired with deadly precision.

Each shot was calculated and efficient; two figures dropped instantly, crimson mist trailing behind them like a ghostly banner.

Without hesitation, he shifted targets as if his pistols were extensions of himself,cool and unyielding.

"Suppressing fire on the left ridge! Push them back!" Gunner’s voice boomed over the comms, cutting through the chaos.

The squad moved like predators unleashed from their cages. Mireille leapt onto the side of a truck, her rifle unleashing controlled bursts as she took down a gunner perched on the cliffs above.

Stone’s heavy machine gun roared to life, drowning out even Ayzion’s echoes as it shredded both stone and flesh alike.

Lyra advanced low and fast, blades drawn and ready to strike as he used the chaos to close in on a cluster of ambushers.

Ethan crouched protectively in front of the archaeologists’ truck, rifle steady in his hands.

"Stay down!" he barked over his shoulder while scanning for threats. With calm focus replacing his usual playful demeanor, he picked off a sniper lurking on the ridge.

But the enemy pressed harder! More figures poured from cracks in the cliffs,each movement coordinated with chilling precision.

These weren’t just random bandits; their gear was too uniform, their timing too sharp. This was an organized force that had been waiting for them.

"Boss!" Gunner shouted as he ducked behind cover while bullets sparked overhead like angry fireworks. "They knew we were coming!"

Arthur’s gaze was cold steel as another ambusher fell beneath his shots. "Then we cut them down."

The firefight raged on! Dust clouds thickened around them, flashing red with every muzzle burst as rocks splintered under fire and screams echoed off the cliffs,a cacophony that signaled that Ayzion’s clash had truly begun.

And high above in those ominous shadows? More unseen eyes watched intently... waiting for what storm would follow next.