When Eustace and Gunter were rookies, they were assigned to a mission to exterminate giant lizards that were devouring livestock and, even more alarmingly, the people of a rural village. In fact, more people had died than animals. On that mission, they were accompanied by a rookie woman, whom they underestimated and left behind. Confident in their abilities, they devised a simple plan: Eustace would use his illusion powers to project a false prey to lure the lizard, while Gunter would attack it with a spear. It seemed like a foolproof plan, but things didn’t go as expected.

  The gigantic reptile appeared: a bipedal monster with a massive tail, sharp fangs, and pointed claws. It observed the illusion but then turned its head toward where the two young royal guards were and charged at them. Their scent had given them away. Gunter tried to use his vibration ability to destabilize the lizard, but the beast was too fast. With a swipe of its tail, it struck Gunter and sent him flying. Eustace, seeing that his illusions were useless, could do nothing but help his companion up and run. However, the lizard was faster, and its jaws were about to reach them when, suddenly, Estela appeared.

  Back then, Estela was a young rookie, but her superhuman speed and strength allowed her to cut off the lizard’s head with a single strike. The two young guards couldn’t believe it. The girl they had underestimated had saved them. The worst part was that there were more lizards, and their only option to survive was to rely on her. That day, Eustace and Gunter felt a deep humiliation in their hearts and vowed never to depend on someone to save them again. They resolved to become better and complete their missions successfully. Over time, their efforts were recognized by the king himself, who assigned them one of the most important tasks: to be the bodyguards of the crown prince, Maxwell.

  Now, in the present, Eustace and Gunter were on the train traveling from Toki to Laika, protecting the prince. However, the numerous mercenaries separated them from Maxwell, dragging them into other cars. Although the mercenaries were no match for the royal guards in hand-to-hand combat, the situation became complicated when a new enemy appeared: a puppeteer mage.

  This mage, dressed in a black hat and dark glasses, pulled out two child-sized dolls from a large backpack, each holding a dagger in their hands. Strings extended from the mage’s fingers, controlling the dolls with precision. It was clear that this man was no ordinary mercenary; he was a sorcerer.

  —Well, a very strange guy snuck onto this train —said Gunter, getting into a combat stance with his sword—. How is it possible that so many mercenaries got on without anyone noticing?

  —The real question is: what kind of powers does this guy have? —asked Eustace, unsheathing his sword—. He’s a mage; he’s enchanted those dolls. Does he have more surprises up his sleeve?

  The puppeteer mage smiled maliciously and spoke in a calm voice:

  —Soldiers, let’s make this simpler. Our contractor told us to pierce the heart of a man traveling in the military car, but he didn’t say which one. He must be someone important to hire so many of us. The one who kills him will receive 500,000 thalers. So, if you don’t want to die, tell me: who is the person I need to kill?

  Eustace didn’t waste time and attacked the mage, but one of the dolls intercepted him. Eustace’s sword clashed against the doll’s dagger, and the latter demonstrated surprising skill, launching precise attacks at Eustace’s heart, liver, and neck. Although the royal guard managed to dodge and counterattack, the doll was more skilled than expected.

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  Meanwhile, Gunter had an easier fight. His vibration ability allowed him to destabilize the doll every time it clashed with his sword, causing it to stagger until the mage withdrew it from the fight.

  Suddenly, Gunter saw something that would tip the scales in their favor: Axel had arrived with his axe and charged at the mage. However, the mage didn’t react. Axel struck him, but he disappeared. He had never been there; it was an illusion created by Eustace.

  —This guy uses the dolls as a source of information —explained Eustace, breathless from the fight—. With them, he maps the area and receives information through the strings in his hands. This guy is blind; my power doesn’t affect him. Be careful, Gunter.

  Gunter seized the moment. With the doll he was facing out of the fight, he rushed toward the one attacking Eustace and, with a clean strike, severed its arm. But what he saw froze him in place: it wasn’t wood or fabric he had cut, but flesh and bone. Dark blood gushed from the stump, revealing that these weren’t mere puppets but the animated corpses of children.

  —I see you’ve discovered the origin of my little ones! —said the puppeteer, his laughter echoing as he noticed the change in the guards’ breathing—. By your heartbeats, I’d say you’re horrified.

  —You despicable murderer! —shouted Eustace, but words failed him. The horror of what they had seen left him breathless.

  —Friend, do you trust Maxwell and Axel? —asked Gunter with a smile on his face. He had a plan.

  —Yes, I trust them. I don’t think they’ll die. I know what you’re thinking. We need to execute the Artificial Maximus Aura! We have to take this guy down.

  The Maximus Aura is a unique power of the royal family of Hirica, which allows the user to push their innate ability to its limit, but at the cost of consuming a massive amount of energy. This power was artificially replicated by a great witch in the past —Lucy’s biological mother— so that other warriors could use it. However, the effect was temporary and left the users exhausted, unable to move for hours and requiring days to fully recover.

  The royal guards pulled out a small box from their pockets and took a special pill. In the center of their foreheads, a tattoo in the shape of a four-pointed star, the symbol of Hirica, appeared.

  Gunter placed his hands on the ground, and the train car began to shake. The vibration concentrated on the spot where the mage was, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the floor. Even so, he continued manipulating the dolls, but then something else happened. The mage smelled something repugnant, worse than a sewer or a decomposing corpse.

  —What the hell is this? —he whispered, confused.

  Suddenly, a high-pitched ringing sound echoed in his ears, at a frequency so high that his eardrums burst, leaving him deaf. Now blind, deaf, and with his sense of smell impaired, the mage had no time to react when Gunter cut off his hands, freeing the dolls from his control, and Eustace stabbed him through the heart.

  —An illusion is nothing more than deceiving the mind —said Eustace, collapsing to the floor exhausted—. This guy thought his senses were impaired, but it was all in his mind. He never actually suffered that damage; only his brain was affected. This power is amazing, but it’s a shame it doesn’t last long.

  —I hope Maxwell and Axel are okay —murmured Gunter, also falling to the floor—. We won’t be able to help them now. At least, there are no more mercenaries on this side of the train.

  Shortly after, both guards lost consciousness, their bodies vulnerable to any attack. However, a figure appeared in the car: it was Lily.

  —These are Axel’s friends, right? —she said with a smile—. He’d be really upset if something happened to them. I’d better take them somewhere safer.

  As she carried the royal guards, Lily murmured:

  —I think Axel’s battle is already over.

  And with that, she headed to where Axel and Maxwell were, leaving behind the car filled with chaos and destruction.