You are Late

Chapter five
Beast hunting has become a relatively prominent occupation and mages who can't join the Enforcers, military or royal guards turn to this job. The established occupation is led and managed by different guilds called hunter guilds. --- Beast theory, Scholar Muchang
The next day, the road to the Uthean County.
A voiture with a golden lion's insignia rode steadily to the main gate .
"Your city token or fare." The guards at the gate stopped the voiture. Voitures don't really frequent the county, if they do, they would be processions of merchant caravans or noble houses from other domains entering, so a single voiture, a carrier type with such an insignia was really eye catching.
"Here." The windows were rolled down and the driver passed over a copper card with the same golden lion insignia.
"The Lions' hunt C guild." The guards bowed and handed backed the token.
Vroom.
The voiture moved into the county.
"How were these nobles even able to afford our services?" Melissa asked the driver.
"Their quest fulfilled that prince's quest. He needs the cores of ten salamander cheetah which are found only in this region. The Wilbert family domain is facing problems with them." Theo explained.
30 minutes later.
The voiture slowly entered the area facing the beast attacks and stopped.
"I don't get. Per our employer's description, the beasts should be furiously attacking today, because it is their mating season." Theo frowned.
---

"I don't get. Per our employer's description, the beasts should be furiously attacking today, because it is their mating season." Theo frowned.

Melissa looked out the voiture window, eyes narrowing. "So, where the hell are they? This place's too damn quiet."

No wind, no chirping, not even the buzzing of flies. Just… dead silence. She grabbed her axe from the rack and hopped out.

Theo followed. "Careful. Something's weird."

They moved through the tall grass, boots crunching over twigs and dry leaves—until it wasn't twigs, they were stepping on.

"…Theo." Melissa pointed ahead.

There it was. A salamander cheetah, blood dried and body twisted like someone bent it backwards. Eyes wide open. And then—another one. And another. Dozens. All scattered like dolls tossed aside by a kid having a tantrum.

"What in the hell…" Theo muttered, crouching beside a corpse. "This thing was torn apart. Not by claws—by something clean. Precise."

Melissa turned pale. "Did another guild beat us to it?"

"No," came a voice.

They both froze.

From the line of trees, a figure walked out like it was part of the shadows themselves. Barefoot. Cloaked. Wings trailing behind like smoke made solid.

Valhalla.

"You're late," it said, eyes glowing faint gold. Its voice felt like a whisper pressed against their ears from inside their heads.

Theo took a step back. "What are you?"

"I did what my master asked," it replied. "The Wilbert domain is clean now. Return and claim your reward."

Then, just like that, it turned, walked into the woods, and vanished.

Melissa stayed frozen for a moment before exhaling sharply. "What was that?"

Theo didn't speak. He just stared at the trail of beast corpses, then down at one of the sigils etched beneath a cheetah's head. A strange pattern, not glowing, but not normal either.

"…Let's grab a few cores and leave. Now."