After some moments of peace, their carriage was just a street away from the underground passage, but that was when the mercenaries caught up to them and this time their attacks were fiercer than before.
"I don't know what substance that got them all pumped up, but if things go on this way we won't make it to the underground passage..." Blake shot out multiple fireballs to counter the spells that came their way.
After seeing how Blake and Brian had mysteriously blocked the carriage hook, the mercenaries knew that they weren't making any headway with that tactic. So they decided to do the stressful but effective way, and that was bombarding the carriage till both the passengers and carriage ran out of energy.
'How is he so calm?!' Brian was amazed by how carefree Blake sounded, even though he was right in front of danger.
Even though the four of them were in one way or another protecting the carriage with their various spells, their defenses couldn't withstand attacks of such magnitudes and if things were to remain the same the carriage would be wrecked in no time, but Blake didn't seem disturbed about this.
"Didn't want to do this but get in!" Taliesin said after firing a ball of emerald flames through the window. Immediately Blake and Brian were in, Taliesin once again brought out the wooden cube from his dimensional space and activated the artifact.
A spatial passage opened up in the street at which the underground passage was, but when their carriage came out they were heartbroken by what they saw.
"Is that one of yours?" Blake couldn't help but confirm when he saw a mercenary carriage packed right in front of them.
"…" Taliesin shook his head.
'If we manage to get out of here alive, the so-called compensation should be worth it or I will find a way to make him pay.' At this point, Blake was more vexed than afraid, because this wasn't in any way close to the commission description that Taliesin had given to the association.
Although they had predicted such playout of events and had planned for different situations, due to their inexperience what they had planned was far from the reality that was playing out.
"Can't you use the artifact to warp us out of here?" Castiel asked in a worried tone.
"Opening a spatial corridor the size of a carriage is a very tasking job for even an artifact of this level. Its limit is 3 times and after that, it would take a long time to recharge." Taliesin maintained a calm expression as he explained to Castiel.
'For a carriage, 3 warps is more than outstanding. If it was able to warp a carriage up to 5 times the first thing I would do if I survived this, is to plan on how to get my hands on an artifact.' Blake thought as he noticed that the dimmed light of the blue orb at the center of the artifact.
"So what do we do now?" Brian asked in a tensed tone.
"We have no other option than to fight." Taliesin deactivated the arrays at the door, before stepping out of the carriage.
This wasn't a surprise to Blake, the moment they were briefed about the mission he knew something was wrong. Even when Taliesin warped them for the third time, Blake had a feeling that things wouldn't end so easily.
'That was what I didn't want to hear.' Blake sighed and got off the carriage with the rest of the crew.
He had no idea how the mercenaries found out about the 'secret' underground passage, but he knew asking questions wouldn't solve the problem that was in form of a carriage blocking their path.
"Hand over the package and I will make your deaths quick and painless." A man in his mid-thirties stepped out of the carriage.
He had permed slick auburn hair, turned-up nose, with brilliant and deep-set hazel eyes. His skin was so silky and unblemished that made Blake imagine the number of skin products the man used.
"Taliesin, what do you say about my offer?" The auburn-haired man stared at Taliesin with a contemptuous gaze.
[What kind of low-class commission has 4 demigods, that is if the actual numbers aren't greater…]
"Are you saying…" Blake was stunned by the discovery.
[Yes… from the energy he is unconsciously emitting it is very clear that he is a demigod, but judging from his inability to control the emissions, I say he recently broke into the demigod realm.] The last part of the system's words was meant to give Blake a glimpse of hope, but whether the man was a new or old demigod, that kind of power was something he couldn't fight against even for a second.
'Any plans?' His brain was unable to come up with any form of plans and even those they had planned were rendered useless because in front of absolute power all tricks are useless.
[If you are talking about a way to defeat him and his forces you can only hope that your hirer has things up his sleeve because I got nothing, but if you are talking about getting away from here then I might have something.] The system's words brought hope.
"Mason, I think you are already aware of the answer. Also, don't think you can write me off because you are now a demigod, you aren't the first neither will you be the last demigod that will die by my hands." As Taliesin spoke emerald flames engulfed his entire arm.
Seeing Taliesin's actions, Blake activated lightning reinforcement and injected fire Mana into his Katana. Castiel unsheathed his sword and began preparing stealth mode spell.
"I don't think you would want to do that…" Mason displayed the amulet hanging on his neck. "You see the only reason you were able to defeat them was that they underestimated your soul flames and hadn't made the necessary preparations, but with this, you are as good as any puny hero." Mason burst into a sinister laugh.