Chapter-1 The Artifact

"Officer Zen the suspect is starting to move towards your assigned location along with a baggage follow him from there and recover the Artifact stolen from the National museum, please respond if you have recieved the order".

"This is Officer Zen speaking i have recieved the order, roger" Zen replied to the order he recieved from the control room.

It has been two weeks since the Artifact was stolen from the National Museum of History & Culture.

It has been assumed that there were five people who not only entered the highly secured establishment but also got their hold on the Unknown artifact which was locked in a wooden briefcase and belongs to the House of El Ledon.

The House of El Ledon , which is still present in the country except that they had been reduced to a merry figure with the establishment of a Constitution Monarchy and now owns two to four multinational companies.

The country is open to all the people in the world except that this people has to have minimum qualifications and be productive for the state to gain citizenship.

There are a large number of foreign exchange students too, who are sent to study in the former Kingdom of Luthesia, now known as Luthesia and at the same time explore and share their own culture.

And also research and share the information regarding the forgotten technology also known as magic. As large number of inhuman bones have been found along many unexplained ancient items.

Zen too came to this country from Asia as a part of a Cultural exchange program at the age of 14 and later found a job as a special officer in the country's police force at the age of 22, due to his high qualifications.

There are a lot of stories and myths about how this country came into existence and survived a several hard times including the two world wars and is still standing strong.

"Officer the target has reached the your point now follow him and his other companion and wait for your next order"

"Roger" Zen replied and started to follow the two suspicious targets.

Both of them had their faces covered behind a surgical masks and the hoods of the jackets.

After ten minutes of walking both the targets stopped in the parking lot located at the fourth level and a black color Car pulled by and they started to chatter something.

Zen reported all this to the control room.

"Officer we have surrounded the area with our policemen , do anything you can to recover the artifact which we suspect is inside the baggage and we can not let them to take it out of the country".

"I repeat do anything you can to recover the artifact"

"OK Roger" Zen replied and pulled out his Gun and shot two bullets in the legs of both the targets preventing them from running away.

"This is the valen province police you have been surrounded from all sides there is no way for you to escape. Surrender now"

Zen shouted out loud and clear so that they hear it. The two wounded targets tried to move behind the car.

"Don't move lie down where you are and the ones inside get out of the car with your hands raised up" Zen told them.

There was no response from the people inside the car.

"I said get out of the car" Zen shouted out more loudly. A mysterious person inside the car came out with both the hands raised.

Four policemen entered the building and Zen ordered them to capture the two targets lying on the floor and the one with his or her hands raised up.

The policemen following Zen's order captured the three targets and started to take them away

Zen moved towards the baggage and opened it. There was no doubt about it they were carrying the stolen wooden briefcase which contains the artifact.

Zen took out the wooden briefcase from the baggage and as he tried to move away , a needle came flying towards him which nearly hit his neck, but his reflexes saved him.

He looked towards the direction from where it came from and found that the four policemen and two of the targets were lying dead.

The one who did this was the mysterious person who had came out of the car.

"Seems like things have got quite difficult for me now" after saying that Zen pointed his gun towards the mysterious person and fired it. But as soon as he fired the person was no more standing there.

Zen felt that someone was behind him now and before me could move and aim his gun , a needle hit his right arm.

The gun fell down from his hand. He looked towards the mysterious person and spoke out "Ah so I will die in the hands of a beautiful young lady".

The mysterious person was a girl with blue eyes and blonde hair.

"Maybe you will Officer Zen or I can let you to live if you let me go away with that briefcase" said the mysterious person who turned out to be a girl and on top of that she appeared to be a world class assassin.

"I would love to die in your hands but today is not the day " as Zen said so and tried to reach out for his gun in the left side of his jacket .

The Assassin threw three more needles dipped in poison towards him.

One hit him at his left leg , one a little close to the heart and the other one hit the wireless earpod through which he was getting his instructions.

"Well Officer you look quite young to die". She inspects him and continues to speak " How about this Officer give me the baggage and I will let you go unharmed"

"I appreciate your offer miss, but I can't accept it " Zen replies.

"look at you aren't you to strong for my poison" She says admiring how long Zen has been still alive and trying to move after taking the first hit.

"I guess i am" while saying so Zen stood up on his feet and firmed his grip on the wooden briefcase.

"By the way miss, what will a bird which can't fly will do other than walking" Zen asked with a smile on his face, when he realized he have to escape or he will die without being able to do anything.

"Seriously that's what you wanna ask at a time like this" She replied laughing. "What will it do Officer".

Taking a few steps back to minimize the distance between the window behind him which is situated towards the sea.

"Well good miss, it will swim" as he said so he leaped out of the window breaking the glass into the sea below.

"Wait you idiot!!!" The Assassin rushes towards Zen trying to catch him but fails.

"Well it's better to live a few more seconds of life then waiting to be killed by her poison".

Zen thought in his mind as he swallowed some water and went at once to the middle of the sea like a hot knife through the butter.

"Now if possible all i have to do is to make it back to the surface of the sea" he told himself and started to swim upwards towards the surface.

But in the mid-way of his journey back to the surface the poison has started to take effect on him and his legs and arms wouldn't move and he felt drowsy.

It was quiet and peaceful, "Seems like this is the end". When Zen give up something like a necklace with a red horn appeared out of the wooden briefcase.

"What is that thing? it's has quiet a beautiful red color like that of carnelian(a beautiful red color stone)"

The wooden briefcase's ancient lock was already weak and the impact with the water surface loosen it up leading to its opening and the red horn necklace to float in front of him.

Zen reached out his hand towards the necklace and grabbed it. "I wish that i would live a little longer".

"But it's too late for that now I guess" Zen told himself.

"It's never late to start again" a soft voice spoke into his ear "You can live a new life but you must protect the demon lord's daughter".

"What is this all about, looks like fear of death has made me to hear things",he thought in his mind

"What if it's all true and you are been given another chance in life?" the soft voice spoke again to him in his mind.

"Well then I may have accepted it" Zen replied to the voice in his mind.

"Your wish has been granted" as the voice said so the necklace begin to shine bright red

"Oh first hearing voices and now I am imagining things" Zen laughed on himself.

Then suddenly the water around him disappeared and the soft voice spoke again

"You must protect the demon lord's daughter".