Stryder's Land Cruiser galloped loudly through the dusk-lit road. Many of the natives swore they would hear the thunder steps of a warhorse as they saw the MRAP kick up the dust as violently as a knightly cavalry charge. In the vehicle, Samantha was distraught as more context of what had gotten her and the rest of her squad to surge up to their feet.
"How many?" Samantha asked on Clay's Radio.
"Three dead, four Injured. It's like those things were waiting for us." Apache Group's leader said.
"So, let me get this straight? You took a Cattle Rancher's Quest from the local Guild about the disappearances of livestock on a hill and your path lead to a…" Samantha asked to make sense of it all.
"A sort of cave, I think. It's big enough for something like a Cow to walk in. Could barely stand in it and then the attack happened. I couldn't get a good count on how many as we all had to run out. We managed to kill two of them at the entrance. But I don't know what the hell did my team killed. Maybe Iris can help." Apache Lead said.
"I don't know. I am not normally familiar with animals outside of the Cambervale Forest." Iris said.
"Aliathra? You were trained as an Elven Ranger, right? Maybe you can identify it." Samantha asked.
"Very well let me see the cadaver." Aliathra nodded.
After a few more moments, the Land Cruiser arrived at its Apache's Location and at the same time a Medevac Helicopter had arrived to extract the casualties.
The squad walked up to the body bags of the deceased Apache Group soldiers and payed their respects to the bereaved leader.
"Tivna, may you guide those departed to the Great Fields." Aliathra quietly.
"The monsters we killed are over their Lieutenant. I will need to be debriefed but the rest of the Medevac group will keep on guard." Apache Lead informed Samantha.
Rose lead her team towards the entrance of the cave that she was told were Apache was before they were attacked. To her own notice, she indeed saw a few bones scattered around the approach of the entrance ranging from sheep, cows and even a full-grown horse. The monster who lived in this den must have been very voracious. The Den proper looked like it was crudely dug up but the entrance was large enough to fit a man inside one at a time with a very dark and intimate chamber in addition. From a tactical point of view, it was a perfect set up for an ambush and poor Apache didn't stood a chance.
Samantha then saw the two monster corpses that Apache talked about, they lay together adjacently, their bodies riddled with bullets. One of them was significantly larger than the other but they shared the same physical appearances of having thick layered plates that covered their bodies. There heads were of a similar bullet-like shape much akin to Sharks whilst their hands were as large as the paws of a bear but designed to be more rugged and hardy for manual work such as constant shoveling of dirt as Samantha noticed a few specks of soil suck between the nails of the deceased beasts.
"That's a lot of bullets." Crocker said.
"Its two of them." Aliathra said.
"Two bullets? Looked more like a hundred or more of them each." Crocker argued.
"Not 'bullet' as in those tiny bolts you load into your rapid firing crossbows. These things are called Bulletes." Aliathra corrected.
"Explain." Samantha ordered.
"These animals, often called 'Land Sharks' to humans or 'Gholbrorn' to dwarves are underground diggers who often uses ambush tactics to hunt prey above ground. Although it is not known if they can see quite well in the dark, it is theorized by some Druids that they can somehow sense their prey through sound vibrations. They have some really large and powerful teeth for a creature about as big as one of your smaller 'Steel Horses' that you call a 'Kaar'." Aliathra explained.
"So, these two? Are they like some sort of pair?" Crocker asked.
"Yes, by the looks of it they must be mated. The larger one is females and the male ones are smaller." Aliathra answered.
"Why is that?" Samantha pressed.
"Let me see something first…" Aliathra proposed.
She picked up her Ranger knife and began an in incision on the larger female Bulette near its abdomen.
With a twist of her knife followed by an application of force, the Elven blade effortlessly slide across the Land Shark from left to right releasing its foul contents. It was a gory mixture of blood, guts, carnal remnants, a few bullets and…
"Those are babies, aren't they?" Diaz asked.
Aliathra nodded.
"Fuck. No wonder they were pissed. My wife was often very cranky when she was pregnant with April." Obediah commented.
"The male. You see notice these scratch marks and dents?" Aliathra pointed to the smaller Bullete.
"Yes, they don't look like they would result from our bullets… I mean guns… bleh." Samantha said while gagging.
She doesn't know if it was a reflex from the homonym between bullet the ammunition or Bullete the monster that is also secreting a mortifying scent which maybe the alternative or combined source for the Lieutenant's nausea.
"A Female would secrete a pheromone from its genitals that attracts multiple males to her vicinity. They fight each other until the other couldn't take it and flees. Then the female would mate with the victor to produce these pups here. They look no older than a month in." Aliathra pointed to the discarded Land Shark fetuses.
"Talk about an early abortion… and I never can make up a joke about those shits… yeesh." Diaz said.
"Are you implying that there are more of them?" Samantha asked.
The Elf Ranger-Cleric Princess nodded slightly with a reluctant affirmation.
"They attack a lot of cattle, horsies and now people. I say, we are doing the Duchy a favor if we can kill a lot of these things for them." Crocker advised picking up where Apache left off.
"In my experience we are going to need a lot of firepower and a way to lure as many Land Sharks out." Obediah gave his insights.
"These remains of the female's genitals. I know a recipe that can recreate the pheromones that they release but I will need to go to Souviel's local Alchemist shop to get them." Iris suggested.
"Just pour it on the ground and wait for'em to pop up?" Obediah asked.
"No, in my time in the Ranger academy. It's not enough to just pour some aphrodisiacs on the floor and wait for the Bulettes to come out. They have learned to read through that. We need to distract them by performing a sort of 'Mating Dance' that involves dragging your heels on the dirt to this sort of formation." Aliathra gestured her finger around to visual represent to what Samantha can interpret as a Figure-Eight.
"It has to be flowing and fast but large and bulky to successfully create the ruse." Aliathra explained.
"That is a tough one. I don't recall anything in our arsenal that can be agile yet bulky…" Samantha sheepishly admitted.
"So, it has to be on the dirt correct? This mating dance alongside this aphrodisiac spell? How were you able to do that back in Ranger school?" Crocker asked.
"We telekinetically use the spell 'Mage Hand' to move two large stones to mimic the movements I have described to you; however, success varies as it is hard to mimic precisely how the females do it. My professors theorized the more natural the mating dance the more males will be attracted to it. At best when we drift away those rocks, we would get one Bulette and two if the gods favor us. Alas, normally within a given area there can be about twelve to twenty male Bulettes while half as much as for the females. In addition, we will also need to mimic the mating call of a ready to be bred female which fortunately I know how to recreate perfectly." Aliathra explained.
"Say that again Allie?" Diaz asked, his smirk curled from his Corpo lips as smug as a sly salesman.
"Which should I refer to again for your scrutiny?" Aliathra asked.
"The rocks… you say you Drift them and it has to be very flowy? Like water?" Diaz asked.
"Indeed." The Elf confirmed.
"My Muscle Car! I can easily call for it to get ready with an off-road build and we can have it over here with my Aparo Corp connections. I am sure Bianchin won't mind or maybe he would. I mean, we need to start flexing here in Gliesia now that everyone is about to hear us. Might as well make a show of it." Diaz said.
Clay face palmed and rolled with a chuckled.
"Are you telling me we are going to use Motorsports to recreate a mating ritual?" the radioman asked.
"Yep, I suggest you get your cameras ready on that one. I gonna make Initial D these Land Sharks till their heads turn upside down yeah?" Diaz smiled.
"I have no other options that I can think for these Land Sharks. Very well, Diaz make the call to Mr. Bianchin." Samantha said.
"I also suggest we arm ourselves with some Armor-Piercing tranquilizer guns too. I swore I saw some in the armory back in Gliesia. We need to slow them down so they don't instantly topple you over. I doubt your Muscle Car can survive a horny Land Shark look for some sweet poontang." Obediah said.
"That reminds me. Perhaps you can also tell Bianchin to arrange some Animal Containment Cells too? Doctor Mahelona and his scientists would appreciate a live specimen or two of these Bulletes." Samantha said.
"Will do Lieutenant. Just go get that Sexy Time Juice from that Alchemists and we should be all good." Diaz smiled as he picked up his Smartphone and began to dial Bobby Bianchin's phone number.
This would probably be his oddest gambit yet.
-----------(Meanwhile in Haringpoint at the Senior Quarters of the Grey Order HQ) -----------
Faithleann had recovered unexpectedly quickly for someone who had his head punctured with Mana. Most often the first time someone was struck with an offensive Magic Spell take a week or two, the first half to recover physically and the other recover mentally. The memory, the so agonizing first touch of what Magic can do to one's body in terms of sabotaging vandalism of the essential order of a person was a cerebral test that the injured must surmount.
Thankfully the Novice Adventurer turned Chosen One was back to his active self except for the few Elven Pain Patches made from the dried leaves of the Aerilye Tree. A popular item in every apothecary's store shelf or any Elf's immediate person. There were talks about importing the Tree to Ysanigrad but negotiations to secure the tree's fruits had went nowhere or were renegotiated to only promises of give more Pain Patches. The soothing leaves relaxed his muscles as the young boy looked at his head on the mirror.
"I… am… chosen?" Faithleann asked. He looked at the burn mark on his forehead that left a seared orange burn on him.
In his room he was watched over by Carliah, Petur, Findrum and a couple of the Grey Order Headquarters custodians. The Building he was involuntary residing in is THE Grey Order building, also known by its nickname 'the August Chalet'. The Guld was founded centuries ago, and Faithleann can still remember vividly what his mother's stories say how the Grey Order was formed in this plot of real estate in the heart of Slaegia.
The founder of the Grey Order, an impoverished patrician by the name of Rainier Darindl, whom was sick and tired of city life and had the business insight of working as a Mercenary thanks to his skills with a crossbow created 'the Grey Order' a society of Adventurers whom are impartial to whomever they chose for their services. They helped revolutionized and formalized how Mercenary Work and privatized security was conducted in Ysanigrad. He built the Adventurer's Guild from a motley crew of misfits into one of the most diverse and complex militarized organizations in Gliesia second only to the meritocratic honors of there more standardized Legionary cousins (whom was said that several of the first members of the Grey Order were Legionnaires who were trying to avoid rotting away in a brig).
"Indeed. You have the brand of 'Gweninejar' the Bane. We need a cure, an Antivenom to the poisons that is these demons that come from the East." Petur said.
"I do need to say I am still inquisitive on what the Crystal empowered you exactly." Carliah commented as she looked over Faithleann.
The young boy could barely hide his amativeness when he looked at her silver eyes. The mage knew that the boy was enjoying being glossed over by her yet it didn't interrupt her probing.
"Do you feel any… burning feelings within you? Not like burning pain but some sort of warm feeling within your gut?" Carliah asked.
"A bit… I mean I ate breakfast on bed and I was told to not do that as it gives me heartburn." Faithleann answered.
"I do not know the difference but do you ever know what happens when a person first realizes that they can wield Magicks?" Carliah asked.
"I never really understood it. I came from a very quiet town and only ever hear it through whispers from my neighbor's milady."
"You see young one, about 1 in 10 Humans in Ysanigrad are born with the innate ability to cast Mana. It is an ever-present energy that only Mages such as myself can harness. I remember in the stories of how Caldell slew Alboen with Magic Weapons that he and several others made just to defeat the Demons when they first came." Petur explained. He had known Carliah for years but she wasn't the type of person who would mentor newcomers.
Petur however was looked up by many neophytes and it entailed, having been inquired everyday by 'hot bloods' for advice, mostly about Combat Techniques and Tactics. His default answer would be to just tell them to remember the training of the in-house Weapon's Trainers inside the August Chalet whilst also being open to new ideas that they may come across during their Quests.
"Well… I don't feel anything inside me except some of that pain from yesterday…" he said as he twirled his limbs to loosen the tensions.
The room was at that moment filled with stacks upon stacks of books, scrolls and other documentations that Carliah brought over from the College of Magi's library to help study. There were many dissertations, thesis, studies and treatises on Mana Crystals and Carliah alongside Petur are trying to make sense on what happened to the young boy in their care. Being called 'the Bane' was still an ambiguous branding given to someone. What could it mean?
"All of this reading is having me gain nothing but strains. Petur, would you like to have some Tea?" Carliah asked.
The Faithful nodded. This prompted one of the Chalet's custodians to walk out to fulfill the request by the senior Grey Order member. But on the way to the door, the Servant trip from one of the outlaying books detailing the studies of Mana Crystals and fell, her arms flailing towards a candelabra.
A strange instinct suddenly tingled within Faithleann. As if the world suddenly was slowed down. He saw the slowly being the widened faces of Petur, Findrum and Carliah looking at something behind them. When the boy turned around, he saw the woman falling dangerously towards the candelabra.
"Look out!" Faithleann cried to the servant.
He reached out his arms wide but he seems just out of reach as the woman was meters away from its reins. He had only wished he that he could… the Will to save her. The lad's hands began to glow blue as magical energies emerged from out of his body and flew towards the woman.
As if the woman felt the cold but firm surface of flatland, the Custodian opened her eyes to see a magically conjured wall that was made by Faithleann's own designs.
"I…I… I… can cast Magicks!" Faith lean jumped up in excitement.
"Thank you, sir. You saved me." The custodia gave her gratitude.
"Boy, did you just?" Petur asked. His eyes twinkled like the stars in astonishment.
The same description can also be said for Carliah too.
"Making a firm wall is an Illusion spell that takes an intermediary amount of skill between an Apprentice and an Adept. It takes a few years to be able to perform that properly. Are you sure you are not Gifted?" The Mage questioned.
"It must be the Crystal! It blessed you with the Gift where there is none." Petur concluded.
"I bet I can make a mirror copy of myself… or cast Destruction fireballs next! Or summon an army of Skeletons! Maybe even comeback from the worst of wounds." Faithleann began to fantasize on the multitudes of possibilities he could conceive in his young head.
Yet Petur, Findrum and Carliah remain inquisitive that there has to be much more than that… then the Faithful stepped forward and placed his hand on Faithleann's shoulder. His height easily towering an extra foot over Faithleann.
"I wish to see what you can do in a fight. Shall we head down to the Sparring Hall? I wish to test your ability with the blade." Petur said.
Faithleann couldn't also believe his ears again. First his discovery of obtaining and blooming 'the Gift' being demonstrated for the first time but now he is going to be personally trained by Petur 'the Faithful' Reikdorf himself alongside the Grey Order's best trainers for young adventurer's such as himself.
The country mouse in him felt like he had stepped into one of the Heroic Epics he recalled bards singing at the Tavern back in his home town of Clervuite.
He was taken downstairs where the Guild Members would train in there combat skills techniques. It reeked of sweat, a few hints of blood and tears. The personal trainers for the members were busy keeping the Grey Order Adventurer's fitness regime in check applying appropriate discipline and correction when needed.
Petur tossed a wooden training sword at Faithleann with a smirk of confidence. A Smirk of a challenger as the Novice can see from the way is smugly curled.
"Let's see if that Crystal didn't make you too soft. Don't want to get all that magic unto your head. A Mage is fragile when one closes the distance. I want to see you if you can fend for yourself. Try to go through my parry's and let me see your swordsmanship." Petur said as he twisted his right wrist to ready it for a friendly spar.
Faithleann knew of Petur's legendary fencing skills. One of the few people known in Gliesia who can simultaneously handle multiple opponents by himself and come out in triumphal roar over there defeated bodies. He knew that his basic understanding of the Sword was no match for Petur's years of training and experience but it was an honor nonetheless to be at the same proving ground as him.
"Here goes!" Faithleann said.
His first move against Petur would be a chop down from his training sword.
Petur's instincts predictably kicked in. It was a predictable and easily readable move that many lesser swordsmen do. Easily countered with a well-practiced technique, an upwards parry to be precise. He grasped his sword with his two hands, twisted his blade up to the sky and to meet contact. He would then after the block has been made make a thrusting kick forward that should get the young lad to the ground. He was a shred of conscience in him that felt bad kicking a boy more than half his age and just fresh into adulthood. Yet he also wants to see if this 'Chosen One' has the ability to get back up.
There blades meet, there wooden bodies made from some of the hardest oaks from Vercourt meeting each other flesh to flesh. Yet to Petur's sudden shock, he felt that the boy's chop of his sword was deceptively much more powerful. As powerful as tidal wave that crashes down in all of its terrifying strength. Petur's blade broke under the sudden weight of Faithleann's sword and now the training weapon was left unimpeded as it aimed straight for his head.
"Ouch!" Petur recoiled as he stepped back from grasping his bruised head.
"Petur! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to do that." Faithleann undone his battle stance and looked at his senior.
The Faithful looked-for blood but thankfully the strike was not hard enough to crack his skull but onlooker commented that now Petur has an erroneous bluish-red bruise on his handsome face.
"It's okay… but boy, you are quite strong too and… what?" Petur reassured him only to see that now his training sword was now broken in two between the hilt and the false blade.
"Another!" Petur requested one of the Instructors.
Another blade was thrown at him. He was not going to let that boy get away with landing a blow on the great Petur 'the Faithful' Reikdorf.
"Engarde!" Petur cheered as he lunges at Faithleann.
Now the boy was in the defensive parrying, blocking and dodging Petur's merciless assault. He could barely keep up with Petur's tireless stamina. He soon began to waver as fell to the ground blade in hand.
"Aha!" Petur ecstatically said as he was about to throw in 'the killing blow' and take this round in their friendly spar.
On the ground and due to his own naivete. Faithleann reflexively raised his hands to protect his head and upper body like a poor serf begging for mercy. But as his hands gestured, another wall, this time made of flames erupted to shield him from Petur who was caught off guard by the boy's arcane reflex. The Faithful too now fell down to the ground as the crowed began to murmur then jeer.
"Hey! Magic is Illegal!" one of the instructors said.
Traditionally a Sword duel is purely a sword duel. No help of any kind or other means of attack except your own two hands and two feet were allowed in the fight. What Faithleann done or in his own mind couldn't believe that he had done was grounds for a disqualification.
"Oh no! Faithleann." Carliah rushed towards the boy sat now distraught with his still smoldering hands being stared down by him.
"I can cast fire… I can cast fire? I can cast fire!" the boy leaped off of his feet.
"Indeed you do…" Petur got back up. "Just next time we spar, don't do that." He informed him.
"I don't know how I did it. I just did it." Faithleann said.
"We will need to train you back in the College. Your Gift needs to nurtured so you can control it. Last thing I want to see is you burning the whole Chalet to the ground." Carliah said.
"That's wonderful Lady Silverdane. What happens after that? The Demons won't be waiting for us forever." Faithleann asked.
"We will most likely go on a Quest. Likely the Greatest of our Time. Me and Lyndis have uncovered several leads that hopefully might takes us to several Demon Slaying Items. One of them is the fabled Tomb of Caldell Slaegiac himself." Findrum said.
"You mean Cân Rhyfel?" Faithleann's eyes widened in excitement.
"Might, the lead is vague and the rest are much more reliable than an Ancient Tomb that the stories go should never be tried to find out." Findrum said.
According to the legends, after sometime after Caldell slew Alboen. The founder of the Empire simply left off all of his titles, lands, armies and riches to his eldest son and left with his famous sword Cân Rhyfel. He said that one day, when the world needed him again. They would find him and his mighty blade 'by following the whispers'. Many scholars who read that line debated over the interpretations of that statement for decades. It was a riddle of the ages. Many rumor mongers say that the blade can kill even the mightiest of foes or the most imposing of armors. Able to strike true no matter where it struck nor no matter what ever defenses Caldell's adversary cowered behind.
"What about now? Have we done anything that could help us against the Demons right now?" Faithleann asked.
"Oh, the Elves I heard are in charge of scouting out the Otherworlders as we speak already." Carliah said. She picked up the young boy and the Grey Order Seniors spirited him away to the Magic College where a crash course in Magics and Arcane Channeling will be lectured to the blooming new Mage with a fiery temper to match the sun. A fiery temper for Great Justice.
------------------(Late Afternoon at an Apothecary's Stand in Souviel) ------------
Aliathra was distracted. She was more inattentive then she was when she hadn't yet been 'attached' to Stryder Group. The distraction? One of Souviel's many statues. The subject? A playfully floozy woman carrying with her a cornucopia off agricultural bounty. She admired the woman's jovial expression and the curves and smoothness of the female's form. It spoke to her. Something within her. Something that made the Elf blush.
"Aliathra?" Samantha tapped her.
She turned around with a heart skipping a beat, she turned around to Samantha and Iris who stood behind her. They had noticed her flustering over the statue.
"So, what are we looking for Iris?" Samantha asked.
"Several aromatic herbs. You said your friend Bianchin will be here to help facilitate my purchase." The Vampire Witch answered.
She walked towards one of the stands and began to browse the inventories. She was silently observing the herbs, seeds and other exotics being sold, smelling every essence of them. She was looking for a sensory enhancer.
"Do you know anything about perfumes Samantha? One such perfume I wore back in Ethuilen was for parties that my mother would say 'makes everyone fawn over you'. Some of the ingredients used in the perfume can be quite… surprising." Aliathra mentioned.
"Not really." Samantha replied. "Just curious, what is your life like back where you live?" Samantha asked.
"Well I normally that question should be said in close doors but I can say that…" Aliathra hesitated for a moment.
"Can be restrictive? Patterns and Protocols? 'Traditions' even?" Samantha asked.
The Elf Nodded.
"How did you know?" Aliathra asked.
"I am no stranger to controlling parents. My father, before he passed, forbade me to leave the house on my own unless I was with either him or my mom." Samantha said.
"What happened to your father anyway?" Iris asked.
"He… died from Cancer."
"Cancer?" Iris and Aliathra questioned together.
"Imagine a pain that slowly creeps up to you. It grows in thorns until the pain it inflicts is so much you couldn't take it anymore. I knew before I graduated West Point that my Father's days were numbered and I prayed and prayed that he may live long enough to see me finish. But alas on the very day the ceremony was supposed to happen, I was told by my mother that my father had passed away…" Samantha said with quiet tone.
"I… am so sorry." Iris apologized.
"My condolences to your Adar." Aliathra added.
"So… I noticed you looking at that statue… no need to say it now but… are you by any chance… restrained in some way?" Samantha asked.
The Elf nodded again.
"Oh, the beautiful, headstrong and free-spirited Elf is 'restrained'. That's ironic." Iris chuckled.
"Look, Aliathra… as a Woman… if you want to talk about it… then… you can with me. I have been there and I know a thing or two about that. It's okay." Samantha held Aliathra's hand emphatically.
"Perhaps we can discuss that in less agitating times." Aliathra said.
"Excuse me?" a voice said behind them. It was bit rough and Samantha couldn't tell from the crowded market noises surrounding her.
"You here to see the goods?" Iris turned around to politely step aside from the booth but she felt on her breast the pointed edge of a Magic Wand.
She would be disgusted at a cowardly attempt to challenge her and she had a few times of being challenged by other hot shot mages but this time she was given pause. For the Magic Wand was infused with Holy Magic, the Anathema for beings such as the Vampire Witch as herself.
"The Princess you kidnapped will be coming with me back to Ethuilen." The man said. It was an elf male who was discreetly aiming his wand at Iris holding hostage.
Samantha wanted to draw her pistol but she couldn't risk their Assailant seeing her twitch and risk Iris' life.
Even the Stall Owner was too horrified to react lest the man kills Iris. It was the most delicate of situations.
"What is it you want?" Samantha asked.
"Only that the Princess maybe returned and you coming ww—" the Elf was interrupted by two sudden jolts from his back as his entire body fell limp as if he just had a heart attack at the worst possible time to get one.
"Amateur." Bobby Bianchin said as he subtly grabbed the killed Elf from his hands and then quietly guided the dying native to a nearby bench and lay him there, his hands covering the entry wounds of the bullets he took from Bobby's Silenced Pistol.
"Just in… 'in the nick of time'? Is that the way you say it in your tongue of English?" Iris asked.
"Yeah… Mister Bianchin?" Samantha asked.
"Just call me Bobby, Miss Rose. But damn… that guy was an Amateur. Hey… you." Bobby pointed to the Apothecary stand's owner. "I am gonna pay you 20 Ducats that you never saw this plus the pay I am giving you for what these lovely ladies need." He said.
The Shop owner nodded not daring to question him.
"Diaz called me up. He told me that we are gonna need enough of this Sexy Juice to lure in about twenty or so Land Sharks. So gimme all of that." Bianchin said.
"You want the ingredients for the Animal Aphrodisiacs for twenty Bulettes? Do you have a---" the Store owner began to question? From Samantha's own judgement it was like he was hearing something so absurd.
Even Aliathra and Iris were left agape.
"Do I look like I give a damn about how much it is? I can pay whatever it is the cost for it. Hell… give me literally everything! I don't want no angry mole rats with big teeth screwing me or this place over." The Aparo Corpo said.
"Well if you say it… like that…" the Store Owner reluctantly agreed as he retreated to his storage to get the needed ingredients. He knew the recipe well and if the mans was willing to risk himself for it then who is he to judge of the stranger's sanity.
"Why the shock faces? I thought you would all be grateful?" Bobby asked the two women.
"Making an Aphrodisiac for twenty Bulettes is ----"
"Expensive? I told you, our magic is that 'we are rich' relax. Be glad that we are friends here." Bobby reminded them.
"No, it's that the Aphrodisiac has to be very potent to be able to attract that many Bulettes." Iris said.
"They will act wild to Diaz and his Steel Horse… AND I will be inside it with him making the mating call." Aliathra said in distress.
"Don't worry. I trained Diaz myself. Combat Driving, Subterfuge and Guns. He embraces danger like a lover. Besides, I showed you first hand with that poor schmuck over there." Bobby pointed back to the deceased Elf Assailant on the bench that he planted a moment ago. "Besides, we got some Choppers coming in with Gatling Guns on there doors for good measure. Wonder if the Land Sharks like to eat six thousand rounds per minute. Bet they won't even know what hit'em." The Corpo added.
"Wait, I know that man. He is one of the Sefydliad agents that were with Lyndis." Aliathra pointed out after an examination of the interloper's face.
"That's some sort of State Sec right? Protect the Elves from bad guys with cunning people, right?" Bianchin asked.
"Indeed. They must be here scouting us out. You, Earthlings are conspicuous after all. Do you think they know I am with you? No… I can't go back. They will kill me! They think I am corrupt." Aliathra despaired.
"Relax, nobody will take you away not while I am here." Samantha reassured.
"If that one is here, then there must be more of them." Aliathra said.
"Hmm… they might try to cause trouble for us are you saying? Well… thanks for the heads up then Miss Lareththor. I will let the other teams know." Bobby said.
"Here is your order milord." The Stall Owner came back. With an entire cart load of assorted herbs, seeds and Ambergris.
"Ooohhhh…. Kay… Yeah… maybe I do have a limit on what is 'too much'… You sure about this Miss Cadohagan?" Bobby asked.
"I am going to need a bigger Phial." Iris flatly said.
--------------------------(the Next Day) -----------------------------------
Diaz was finishing up the last-minute tuning of his Mustang that was just airlifted to Souviel a few hours ago. It was almost time to perform the fake mating dance that he was assigned to risk himself to do. He was confident of his abilities but he didn't mind making sure to sharpen his axe before he cut the proverbial Land Shark tree.
"Diaz? Here it is… the Aphrodisiac." Samantha said as she, Aliathra, Crocker and Obediah carried three heavy cast iron pots filled with the fuming concoction.
And then Diaz's nostrils inhaled the Aphrodisiac's odor…
"WHOA! What the fuck is that?!?!" Diaz said.
"The Aphrodisiac." Aliathra said.
"Are you telling me that Bulletes get off on THAT?" Diaz questioned with his voice raised. "Please tell me Iris isn't playing some sort of sick joke on me?"
"No, Iris is sleeping in the Land Cruiser with Kayin keeping her company. She worked all night just to make this. Please do this for her. Iris worked so hard on this." Crocker said.
"We will be in the air shooting down on the Bulettes with armor piercing rounds from some Door Guns while Obediah and a few volunteers slow them down with some Tranquilizer shots. We will also need to capture at least one of these things alive if possible." Samantha reminded.
"I better be allowed to drink some of that Souvieli Wine after this… but how the hell am I going to clean this gunk off of my Mustang…" Diaz complained.
"I will also bless your 'Mustang' since I too will be in it when we undertake this feat." Aliathra said.
"That sounds okay for now…. That and you washing my car with me in it while wearing a Bikini after this shit is over." Diaz smirked.
"A Bi-Key-Knee?" Aliathra asked.
The rest of Stryder Group paused with a beat. Some of them, specifically Crocker and Obediah blushed with a vain hope of that happening. Samantha can only face palm. Iris was also confused.
"I am kidding! Sheesh, I am risking my ass getting squished by angry Mole things. Don't I get joking privileges? Motorsport is a calling, a life I tell ya. Bleh…things I do for my next paycheck." Diaz complained again as he picked up the first bucket of Aphrodisiac and with a slight hesitation… poured out its contents on his precious car.
He gagged for breath for every time he poured the odorous potion on his Mustang three times.
After the last of the chemical was finished, he and Aliathra went inside the car, specifically the passenger seat next to Vincent. Upon him laying his hands on the wheel shaped reins of his 'steed', Diaz cracked his knuckles before starting the ignition. Aliathra meanwhile casted a small prayer for Neneth's Blessing onto her, Vincent and the Mustang for protection and success, but unlike her previous prayers, she held a few doubts within her.
The rest of Stryder Group except the resting Iris and the baby-sitting Kayin in the Land Cruiser, boarded there assigned Super Osprey which was coincidentally piloted by Captain Kaprelian again. Crocker was on the Door Gun, Clay was on Comms managing some recon drones to become the 'eyes' of the operation, Obediah was preparing the Tranquilizer gun and lastly the Lieutenant is at the Co-Pilot seat.
Diaz drove his car to a nearby field prepared with a large containment cell inside filled with some food that will be remotely triggered to close any specimens that is dumb enough to be caught in it.
"Allie, okay… so say again how do I do the dance thing again?" Vincent asked the Elf.
"Like a… how did Samantha said it… 'Figure-Eight'?" Aliathra said.
"I see… and do it gracefully amirite?" Diaz asked again.
"Indeed. Let me make the mating call." Aliathra nodded.
Diaz remotely rolled down the window as Aliathra leaned out and whistled. A shrill sound followed by a sequence of flutes from her whistle can be heard amongst the silence of that sunny day. The sound of a Female Land Shark in-heat. Vincent can only have faith on the Elf in the hope that the Land Sharks take the bait.
"Now. Do 'the Dance'." Aliathra climbed back down.
"Okay Allie! Make that call." Diaz said.
"Start the Dance, they are coming." Aliathra said.
"In Earth we call this 'Drifting'. Buckle up!" Diaz smiled. "And away we go!" Diaz cheered as he ignited his engines.
The Mustang jabbed forward as Aliathra's graceful frame was jolted by the sheer violence of Diaz's ardent 'horsemanship' as the Elf could see it. This Steed of his was a very spirited creature and it's master Vincent was its equal as he grasped the Mustang's wheel shaped reins tightly as he sharply turned the wheel right shifting the car and thus Aliathra's weight left. It was wild, uncivilized but a sense of an airy freedom could be felt on the seat of Diaz's steed. It was a sensation of unrestrained emotion being released as Diaz revved the Mustang's engines and his off-road built tires screeched in Alto of burning rubber, reverberating dirt and the lamentations of quietly living in peace creatures nearby.
Meanwhile, Stryder group was in the air on the Super Osprey observing Diaz from the safety of a higher altitude.
"Diaz, I got movement coming down on your South East… 135... I mean… 45… damnit." Clay relayed.
It was an earlier effort from his part that he set up several underground sensors within the vicinity of the entire Mating Ritual grounds. He had a hard time trying to relay the information methodically due to Diaz's constant turn-a-rounds by his incessant drifting.
"Yeah-Yeah! Have Obed and Crock itch there fingers now!" Diaz radioed back.
"I got 2 more signatures from the same direction. Aliathra, its working." Samantha said.
"Here we go!" Crocker enthusiastically smiled as he spun the rotary barrels of his Minigun.
Obediah loaded a tranquilizer dart on its special gun and took aim. He knows that there were a few exposed spots of Land Sharks that he can easily penetrate despite the high frequency molecular disruption waves his dart is designed to take down high armored targets. Too bad that the more desirable parts to aim were protected by the Land Shark's impressive armor plates.
"Remember Diaz, we need to capture some of them alive. Lure'em." Samantha reminded.
"Anything you want." Diaz said as he continued to create more Figure-Eights with his drifting car. Each rotation followed by Aliathra's whistling made the already present Bulette's much more aroused whilst Samantha detected more of them approaching Diaz.
"Hey, some of them are doing the work for us. Those dumb cunts." Crocker commented as he sprayed a burst of Gatling Fire from his Door Gun due to his restraints.
Several of the Bull Sharks, mad with lust saw that other than themselves, there were other Land Shark bachelors vying for the 'female's' attention. About 2 pairs began to fight amongst each other for the right of genetic accordance with this very graceful 'female' who dance so gracefully and emitted a pheromone which was concentrated so greatly that it can drive already bonded males to lose all sense of nuclear fidelity and instead to think with their phalluses.
"Oh no! I think the potion worked too well." Aliathra realized.
"This is like that one fucking time I drove against thirty fuzzes and managed to get away with a Mountain Cliff yeah. Hahaha! Yes, this is great!" Diaz smiled.
The Elf was confused on how can this human embrace such grave aspects with nothing more than a playful laugh. It was as if the possibility of Death was a toy to him. Not even the followers of the male half of the Twin Gods of War, Widall the Spear of Conquest would be this rapturous over such mind-boggling odds. His twin sister Ghana the Hearth Aegis in all of her calculating wisdom would see this attempt to be the greatest folly in all of follies. Aliathra can only pray again silently that she can at least get out of this predicament alive.
"Hey." Diaz voice broke her out of her dread. He held her hand tightly for a moment with a sense of affection from the way he gripped her pristine hands. "We can do this… together." Diaz smiled before his hand quickly let go to grasp the clutch and shifted gears.
The crowd of libidinous monsters and several of there envious wives were gathering up at that one field in droves. They either continued to fight each other or were chasing for the Mustang's non existent gonads. They didn't pay head of the large out of place boxes that were so inconspicuously out of place due to there primal madness taking over their mind and souls.
"You got 4 on your tail Vinny. One of them is a girl by the way." Obediah said.
"Good! My gift to Doctor Mahelona. Let him know he fucking owes me some Poke Bowl's after this shit is over." Diaz said as he sped away, his Mustang making a beeline for the container boxes.
"We are going to crash!" Aliathra screamed.
"FASTER BABY! FASTER!" Diaz's inner speed demon took over him raised his voice.
The thunder of his car revved to its crescendo as the Mustang aligned perfectly with the Box. Aliathra eyes were held captive as she knew that being trapped in an enclosed space with 4 Land Sharks will not end well for her and Diaz.
"Hiiiii----YAH!" Diaz roared as he pulled the E-brakes and began to aggressively turn around his car to the right.
His Mustang shifted away from the trap's opening while using the inertia from Diaz's velocity to remain in the same competitive speed despite his steed technically not galloping to Aliathra's shock and blood rushing amazement. As for the Bulettes they had no time to realize that they had been fooled before all four of them, 3 Males and a Female were trapped inside the Containment Cell which the motion sensor activated magnetic locks coldly sealed itself preventing escape or breach.
"Whoa! Did you just…" Clay said.
"Kansei Dorifto? Yeah!" Diaz pumped up his sideboard in celebration. "And that's why I was banned from Combat Cab…" he added.
For the rest of the Land Sharks, about 7 of them, 3 women and 4 more men, it was a massacre. They were hastily disposed off by the Gatling Gun and Tranquilizer Shot tandem of Crocker and Obediah plus the other Aparo Helicopters who assisted them.
"I think we got all of them." Samantha said.
Another mission success.
But just as she was about to wipe the sweat off of her brow. Her radio rang. It was from Bianchin.
"Hello Mis--- I mean Bobby. It's Rose we just got it done." Samantha said.
"That's great! We are just sitting down here enjoying Vinny's show." Bobby replied.
"What do you mean 'we'?" Samantha asked.
"Look down at your Land Cruiser!" Bobby said.
Following just that, Samantha looked downwards from the chopper to see that not only was Mr. Bianchin was having hello to them from the ground. But also, Duke Thibault, his retinue of close courtiers and bodyguards, Kayin and Iris, and several peasants who were curiously following the commotion that dragged the Duke's attention towards.
The Super Osprey landed amongst the bullet ridden corpses of the Land Sharks as Stryder Group disembarked from there respective groups to greet them.
"You were wonderful you guys. Those damn monsters didn't know what hit'em." Bobby smiled cheerily.
"Your performance rivals even the greatest of circuses I have seen from the Art College." Duke Thibault ecstatically jumped like a child.
The ruler of Souviel fawned over Stryder as gossip from what they had witnessed spread. Several of the peasants ran out to herald at such an auspicious sight.
These Otherworlders, took down all at once 11 Land Sharks? Many of the most valiant of adventuring parties from the Grey Order in comparison could barely handle a budding family of one nimble male and one hot headed female pregnant with young through the skin of there teeth if the monsters didn't bite there innards off and presented as an offering to the wife of the monster-household.
But just killing a large number of Land Sharks of one day wasn't going to impress the Duke in a long-term diplomatic sense as Samantha can challenged through her own intuition. This was just a short-term victory and the over-encompassing strategic goal was in the rails, the cooperative partnership of Souviel. Today was only a tactical victory (and a scientific one for the voracious scientific knowledge hunger for Dr. Mahelona). Many more and a few pushes in between will be needed outside of being the friendly new Monster Exterminators in town for Stryder Group and the rest of the UFE Mission.