CHAPTER 1468: CHANGING PLANS

Jay and the others were busy observing the villa to make sure they did not miss anything. Just as Garrof said, the security was thinner than usual. The patrols on the hillside had already been dealt with, leaving only a handful of Dragxtarn and a few ordinary Paladins to guard the healers. Securing them later wouldn’t be difficult.

What bothered Jay was where they were planning to move the healers. Satellite scans showed no structures nearby, and even heat sensors picked up nothing, just a vast landscape of forest. However, his gut told him the location was being concealed by magic.

His phone buzzed. Jay glanced at the screen before answering.

"What’s up, Princess?"

"Hi, Jay. How’s the situation?" Lory asked, straight to the point.

"So far, so good. Jack and Gavin are already inside the villa, and Maddeline is now assisting Lydia," Jay reported.

Lory relaxed a little. She trusted Jack and Gavin’s abilities, but her voice still carried a note of worry. "When are they going to be moved?"

"Tomorrow morning. Seven am, sharp."

"Huh, that early?" Lory’s surprise came through.

Jay chuckled. "Not for them."

"Hey, I always wake up at seven too," she shot back.

"Yeah, and then you sleep for another hour," he teased, his voice deliberately smug.

"Only on weekends, okay?" she rebuked, but the playful tone didn’t hide her concern. "Anyway, I just wanted to check on Lydia and Maddie. Especially Lydia... she’s not used to this. She must be terrified right now."

"She managed, though," Jay reassured gently. "And now that Maddie’s with her, she must feel better."

"Yeah... but I still wish I was there," Lory muttered, clicking her tongue in frustration.

"It’s fine. You focus on guarding the fort. I heard Salvo De Rova and Alexander Behrenn are on the move—keep an eye on them."

"I know - I know," she sighed. "Fine. I’ll call you later, stay sharp."

"You too, Lory." A warm smile tugged at Jay’s lips before he ended the call.

A faint smile still lingered on Jay’s face from the call with Lory when a sudden signal pulsed across his screen. His expression hardened instantly. Fingers flying over the keyboard, he intercepted the transmission and slipped on his headset. A crackle of static hissed in his ear before voices emerged.

"Where are you right now?" The first voice was sharp, clipped with impatience.

"In the Sanctora Villa. Why? What’s wrong?" came the reply, lower but uneasy.

"Can you get here sooner?" The impatient voice now carried a thread of raw anxiety.

"You know the schedule—we can’t just change it. What if someone gets suspicious?"

"Suspicious?" The other man scoffed, his tone laced with contempt. "With all that Neuroveil you’ve been pumping into their heads? Do you really think they’d notice? They wouldn’t even flinch if we slit their parents’ throats in front of them."

Jay’s jaw tightened at the words, but he remained silent, recording everything.

The second man hesitated, his voice strained. "Even so, this is outside my jurisdiction. I’d need clearance. Can’t you call someone higher to authorize it?"

"Clearance? Don’t kid yourself. How many of us died when Zalchana went on her rampage? Did the higher-ups say anything to fix the situation? No, they just told us to hold up and clean up the mess afterward. They don’t care about us, and you know it! Besides, what’s the difference killing them sooner than later, it’s the same!"

A tense silence followed, broken only by the faint crackle of the transmission. Finally, the hesitant voice spoke again, subdued.

"Fine. But tell me first, what exactly happened there?"

The anxious man exhaled sharply, the sound ragged in Jay’s ear. "Zalchana... she becomes more volatile. These past few days, she’s been completely unstable. She becomes more and more Light power than ever before."

"You know why?"

"I don’t know!" The man’s voice cracked into a shrill pitch before cutting off into strained silence. For a long moment, there was nothing but the faint hum of interference on the line.

When he finally spoke again, his tone had changed, lower now, brittle, as if he were afraid to even give shape to the thought."I think... I think she’s trying to birth something."

The words hung in the air like a curse. Jay’s hand froze above the keyboard, his pulse spiking. He leaned closer to the receiver, straining for every syllable.

"Birth—what?" The other man’s voice cracked, shocked and disbelieving.

"I don’t know, okay? We just found this... growth. A massive bulge covered in roots and vines near Zalchana. We don’t even know what it is, but she’s pouring everything into it—draining herself dry to nurture it."

"That—" The man choked on his words before forcing them out again, lower and shaken. "Do the higher-ups know about this?"

"We already sent word, but there’s been no reply."

A tense beat passed, then the impatient voice hissed, resigned. "Fine. I’ll send the healers now. We will arrive before midnight. Just make sure to open the gate."

"Okay!" Relief and excitement broke through in the other man’s tone. "Please hurry. She’s almost broken through the safety door."

"Fine, fine. Just hold on, okay!"

The call cut into silence, leaving only the faint hum of static in Jay’s headset. His chest tightened. He ripped the headset off and shot to his feet.

"Everyone—gear up! They’re moving earlier than planned!"

Garrof, Lloyd, Owen, Daniel, and the other Noxcra agents snapped to attention. Their expressions hardened, tension flooding the room.

"Wait—wasn’t it supposed to be tomorrow?" Owen blurted, panic flickering in his voice.

"Something’s wrong with Zalchana," Jay snapped back. "They’ve pushed the schedule forward." He swung toward Garrof. "Inform Jack and Gavin—now!"

"On it!" Garrof tapped his earpiece and began relaying orders.

Jay turned on the rest, his voice cutting like steel. "Listen up! We cannot let the bus reach the gate."

"Gate?" For all he knows, there are no buildings for another mile away from here. So what gate is Jay talking about? "Can you give a clear description of what gate are we talking about?"

"No, I can’t." Jay’s eyes swept across the room, sharp and commanding. "But, whatever it is—if it looks like a gate, if it feels like a gate—you stop them before they enter. You got that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Llyod and the Noxcra agents answered in unison, their voices firm despite the dread hanging over them.

"Owen, Dan—you stay close with the bus, when I give you the sign, you do what i told you!" Jay barked.

"Yes, sir!" Both men bolted to their mountain bikes, helmets snapping into place as they kicked the pedals hard. Tires screeched against gravel as they disappeared into the dense trees.

_____________________________________

At the far end of the hall, a cluster of senior healers stood facing several Dragxtarn guards. Their voices didn’t carry this far, but Lydia could tell from their movements that it wasn’t a calm discussion.

The Dragxtarn’s stances were rigid, their hands never straying far from their weapons. The senior healers gestured sharply, their faces tight with anger and strain.

Though she couldn’t make out the words, the body language told Lydia everything: it was an argument. A serious one.

Her fingers tightened around the hem of her sleeve. Next to her, Maddeline also noticed, her eyes narrowing with unease.

The quarrel dragged on, tense and bitter, until finally the leader of the senior healers exhaled and stepped back. Her shoulders sagged as if conceding defeat, and after a moment’s hesitation, she gave a stiff, reluctant nod.

Lydia’s stomach twisted. She didn’t need to hear the words to know that whatever had just been decided wasn’t good. Maddeline’s worried glance met hers, confirming the same thought: something very bad was about to happen.

A moment later, the leader of the senior healers turned toward the younger healers, who were still chatting and laughing in small clusters, unaware of the tension that had just taken place.

Her lips stretched into a broad smile, but it was the kind of smile that never reached the eyes. The corners of her mouth tugged upward too tightly, like a mask hastily pulled into place.

She clasped her hands before her chest in a gesture meant to radiate warmth, yet Lydia thought the motion seemed rehearsed, almost brittle, like someone forcing cheer into a moment where it didn’t belong

"Good news, everyone!" Her bright tone rang through the hall, instantly drawing every eye. The room fell into expectant silence.

"Today is a very special day," she announced with exaggerated excitement. "The time has come for us to bless you sooner than expected! As you all know, countless people are in dire need of your powers. So, pack your suitcases. We leave today!"

A chorus of cheers erupted abruptly. The younger healers clapped and embraced, swept away by the illusion of honor and duty. Senior healers and maids quickly stepped in, herding them back to their rooms to prepare.

Only Lydia did not cheer; her expression was tensed as panic surged in her chest. As she was ushered back to her room, Lydia glanced helplessly toward Maddeline, who was also bewildered at the sudden change.

Before she could speak, a man in a gardener’s garb slipped close—Jack in disguise. His voice was low and urgent. "Something’s happened. The plan’s been moved ahead of schedule."

Maddeline’s brow furrowed, her voice barely a whisper. "Should we tell Lydia?"

Jack shook his head sharply. "No time. We move now."

Maddeline cast one last, lingering look toward the corridor where Lydia had been led away, her heart twisting. Then, with grim resolve, she followed Jack.