The Rescue Mission?

Cedric had been able to pinpoint Himari’s location with her search spell. He marked the spot on a map and fortunate for them Duncan had visited the fort in the past and hiked the area around the fort so he could teleport them close to the fort. She was being held in an abandoned fort close to the border of Vitriolio and Achukman. The abandoned fort stood on Vitriolios side, which came as no surprise to anyone. All their Intel so far had lead them to the wealthy in Vitriolio being behind it. Lena, Karen, and Iris had appeared in the house with one of Himari’s spells for travel. The girls had showed up right as Duncan, Cedric, and Joan were heading to the place the search spell showed Cedric where Iris, Lena, Karen, and Himari were. Cedric had panicked a little when he had double checked it and the three girls were completely gone without a trace, only to show their location at the castle as a door appeared. All three girls had coming running out the door. Iris had run straight to Duncan launching herself in his arms sobbing. He held her tight so relieved she was safe. He felt tears prick his eyes in relief. He kept wondering where Himari was and what was taking so long. Duncan had looked for Himari, hopping she would be right behind the girls. He had felt deep sadness and the fear he hadn’t stopped feeling since he had first noticed Himari and Iris were missing. He also felt rage that people were threatening the life of his people and the people he loved. Duncan had known he loved Himari and Iris but it hadn’t hit. The girls had told them everything and explained Himari’s plan. How much they meant to him until they had been abducted. It felt like two pieces of his heart was missing. The anxiety running through him at the thought of him not being able to protect his people and his family had him unable to sit still. He saw Iris and Himari as his family and he was worried that he wouldn’t get the chance to let them know how he felt about them. He loved Iris as if she were his own flesh and blood and Himari she was his other half, if she would have him. When Iris had told him that Himari had stayed behind because she wanted to get the bad guys, he felt he should have known that is what she would do. Himari wanted to protect his people just as much as he did. She had even been investigating slave traders trying to eradicate them from being allowed in countries where slave was illegal and had even talked about enacting harsher punishments for slave traders and those found owning slave in our country. Their plan involved them teleporting a short distance away, so they wouldn’t be seen by guards, and sneakily make their way to the fort undetected. They would find an unguarded entrance, or if they had to they would fly in from the top. They were now making their way towards the abandoned fort as sneakily as possible. Duncan had teleported them only a few yards away. They were hidden by a hill but were able to see the fort clearly. They were progressing and Joan stopped them and said “It is too quiet. Do you think they found out we are coming?” Cedric did the search magic spell and frowned. Cedric said “It appears all soldiers are inside except two and you would think they would have more guards outside. Something definitely feels off.” He looked at Duncan and said “What should we do?” Duncan stood thinking a moment and said “I think we should proceed with caution. We may not have the upper hand of surprise but we know how many there are. They don’t know how many we brought or how powerful we are. I think even if it’s a trap we stand a chance of winning. Do you two agree?” Joan said “I am not scared of a trap. I can win any battle weather outnumbered by thousands.” Cedric grinned and said “I am not one of the high mages because I am scared. I am one because I work hard and don’t let fear get in the way of me accomplishing anything, besides Himari trust us and believes in us and we can’t let her down.” They all three agreed with that sentiment, so they started making their way towards the fort being extra cautious. The closer they got the more strange things felt. There was no movement outside. They were almost to the door when they saw two men lying on the ground. They had weapons and appeared to be the ones supposed to guard the doors and premises. Joan eased herself towards the two men lying on the ground. She checked both and said with a puzzled expression “There isn’t a mark on them. They are not dead and like I just said not a mark on them so they weren’t attacked at least not physically. They are breathing as if just asleep. I don’t smell liquor coming from them but maybe they did drink themselves into passing out. I don’t know boss man I am puzzled.” They eased to the door and Cedric eradicated protective barriers around them all. Duncan grabbed the door handle and looked at first Joan and then Cedric; each nodded their readiness to enter the fort. Joan stood with her sword at the ready as did Duncan. Cedric had a fire ball ready to shoot. They could hear loud chanting and talking that sounded like twenty or more mages. Duncan, Joan, and Cedric were ready to face them all. Duncan through open the door and Joan charged in, followed by Cedric. Duncan entered last. A large broadcast stone stood in the center of the room. It was broadcasting 25 mages chanting and doing spells. It appeared the mages were in groups. Some were just talking about the spells and complaining. Some were chanting and doing spells. It was if not a single mage realized they were being broadcast. One of the witches was even talking about who employed her and what she had overheard them say about the other mages in their service. Another mage was gossiping about the people he worked for and what they were saying about the King of Vitriolio. The witch had started talking about how Whitedale and Urnsdale had tried to get out of paying her because her spell for flooding Imponini hadn’t caused the Demon Lord and his kingdom to fail so that they could take control of it. Duncan, Joan, and Cedric stood staring in amazement as these people incriminated themselves over the broadcast stone. They heard Himari’s laugh and remembered why they were there. They looked around for enemies and saw the floor full of men. They were stepping to check them when they heard Himari say “They are fine. They are all just taking a nap. Did you know there is a place in your body that if pressed will send you to sleep? I guess these men didn’t know that either.” She took a breath and said a little bitterly “They will wake up completely fine, unlike me who woke up and had to clean my system of the drugs they used to put me to sleep and poor Lena and Karen. They had those poor girls in daze with whatever drug was in their systems and they were dehydrated. Now that I think about it maybe I should give them a taste of their medicine after what they did to children, especially children I care about. I should mention they also will not be able to move when they wake up. I did a little spell that prevents them from moving. I didn’t want them waking up and attacking me.” Cedric snorted and said “Little spell. It’s always a little spell with Himari.” Himari shot him a look but didn’t speak. Himari pointed at two men that lay unconscious on the floor and asked Joan “Do these two look familiar?” Joan peered down at them in shock and said “Those are the two guys chasing Iris in Dausland Auseis. Those two are slave traders?” Cedric said “Um I have some questions, Himari. How did you render all these men unconscious without a single scratch on you?” Cedric pointed at the broadcast and said “And what is up with that? I thought these people were smart enough to broadcast this kind of stuff that could be overheard. I mean we have been looking into them for months gleaming information and I feel like it they were out broadcasting their plans we should have gathered way more information and faster. I mean our investigative skills are pretty decent, if I say so myself.” Himari said “Oh I just found all the enemies with my search magic and hit their pressure point from a distance.” She chuckled and said “It was kind of funny watching the sheer panic cover their face as each one started to fall one by one to the ground without a visible reason.” She chuckled again and said “One of the guys started crying saying it was ghost getting revenge on them for their evil ways and another started crying for their mom.” Joan laughed loudly and slapped Himari on the back with fondness and said “You are a true warrior. A very terrifying warrior, but that’s what makes a good warrior. Now all we need to do is teach you how to wield a sword and you will be battle ready. You can be my second in command.” Duncan said “How about we keep Himari of all battlefields, okay?” Joan hooted with laughter and said spreading her arms to encompass the entire room “You are not properly utilizing Himari’s skills, boss man, if you don’t train her to be a warrior.” Himari said “I wouldn’t mind learning how to fight if you would teach me, Joan, hut it is a huge pass on being a warrior or soldier. I do not want fight if at all possible, but I do want to be ready if necessary.” Joan nodded her head in understanding. Cedric said “Can we get back on topic now. You never did answer my question about the broad caster and I know have another question. Why did you have us come if you managed to render them all unconscious? What are we supposed to do? The girls said you would explain part of the plan when we got here?” Cedric waited a moment and said “I say this with respect, but your mind is a terrifying place and I hope I never make you mad.” Duncan said “I second that.” Himari sent both men a mischievous smile and chuckled. Himari said straitening “I am the one responsible for the broadcasting. These are the mages taking turns blocking mine and your connection, Duncan. I decided to trace their spells back to them and use that to broadcast them for the entire world to see. I am also recording it so we have it as proof if we need it.” Himari grinned and said “I wanted to make sure that this doesn’t get swept under the rug and that they all get punished for their crimes” she laughed and said “I did not expect the gossip and snitching on themselves for other crimes. The names they have been dropping too will help prove our investigation findings. Who knew unknowingly broadcasting people would get them to unknowingly admit all sorts of crimes as if they are bragging about it, which I guess they are to each other.” She pointed at a mage and said “And that one is just weird. In between snitching on himself he has been explaining his snot color to his pet stick named, get this Barkus.” They looked up and found the mage carrying on a conversation with a stick. Himari shrugged and said “I need your help with the next part of my plan. Plus all these people have to be transported to our nation so they can be charged. They have a few charges against them and they need to face their punishment. They will also likely have to face charges in Dausland Auseis since they appear to be running an underground slave trade there too. We will have to question them further just to be sure. I need help transporting them. Can we store them storage boxes without hurting them? I made chains that are so laden with spells that no one can break out of them.” Cedric, Joan and Duncan all looked at her in shock. Himari shrugged and said “I got bored waiting on you guys. Listening to people chant and a guy talking to a stick can get boring though the gossip was juicy. I now know all about these people and the people who hired, some of the information I had no desire to know.” Himari shuddered before continuing “I am happy to report a lot of what I overheard will be very helpful to make sure their crimes against Imponini don’t go unpunished. There might even be other countries reaching out to extradite them to punish them as well based on some of what I have been broadcasting with the stone, and I have made sure to broadcast everywhere there is a broadcasting stone. I also kind of used the broadcasting stones to broadcast it to places that don’t have stones but are near to a broadcasting stone.” Duncan said “Later you are going to have to explain to me how you did all this. Joan Cedric let’s start putting these criminals in our storage boxes don’t forget to latch the chains Himari made onto them.” Joan saluted Duncan before her and Cedric did as he had commanded.” Cedric went to reach for a man and Himari stopped him by saying “Not him. We will need him for our plan and we will also need the Duke of Whitedale too.” Once all the mercenaries inside and outside of the fort, except for one, was put in storage boxes; they all gathered around Himari to listen to her plan.