Luna, Aziz, and Cairo were surrounded by more lackeys, Luna pushing the prince and his goat behind her.
"Do these guys give up," Luna mumbled.
"You lovely lady should just come with us, the commander wants you at all costs," one of them said.
Luna smirked, flicking her wrists. "No thanks."
A huge clap of lightning fell on the men, their charred bodies collapsing. She grabbed the prince's arm, not bothering to look at their faces.
"We need to hurry to the others."
"So they left the prince of an Alba to a weakling like you, how easy."
The three turned to face Ariel, the vice-commander smirking.
Luna glared at her. "You."
She smiled, hiding her lips behind a fan. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take the prince of your hand."
"Shut up, like I would hand the prince over to you."
Luna stretched her wand, but her body didn't respond, completely wrapped in hardened mud. Aziz found himself in the same predicament, the two struggling to no avail.
"Don't bother, my mud once hardened is impenetrable," Ariel said. She turned to Cairo, handing him a paper. "This is for your dear friends."
The goat bleated, trying to attack, but she snapped her fingers and they sunk into a mud puddle, disappearing from the streets.
Cairo bleated, stomping his hooves on the ground, and running to look for the crew. At the same time, the crew met in the middle of the square with Aiya hot on their trail.
"Paolo lose her," Shinzo snapped.
"I've been trying," Paolo said, the crew continuing their run.
Cairo pulled up beside them, bleating profusely.
"Where are Luna and the prince?" he asked.
Cairo handed Paolo the letter, the captain scowling at the letter in his hands.
"It seems they caught the prince," Paolo told his crew.
"What do we do?" Octavius asked.
"There's no use heading to the prime minister without his majesty especially since the Ichi Army also wants to kill the prince," Paolo said. "Let's go."
They all nodded, running through the streets to the Ascot Adventurers guild not too far off from the town. Aiya followed them as they entered the building, pushing through the mass of people inside.
No one bothered with them, double doors open in front of them. No one seemed to acknowledge that it was a trap and the five of them and Aiya fell for it. A hole opened up in the ground, swallowing them up.
Shinzo brooded at the corner of the cage, back leaning on it. Paolo and Octavius stood in front of the bars holding it with their lips sucked in. Luna, who had been there before them sat at the side of the wall, Anisa, and Cairo not too far from them and Aiya stood at the back.
Silence fell upon the room, Paolo speaking up first. "This perfectly concocted plan sure fooled me."
"Yes very elaborate," Octavius said.
"We obviously fell for it," Shinzo snapped, his face flushed with embarrassment. He covered his face, the need to cry heavy. "I can't believe I fell for something so dumb."
"I'm feeling weak," Paolo mumbled.
"That's because the rails of the cage are made of energy sucking metal," Aiya explained, arms crossed. "It's one of the two popular materials used by the government to apprehend criminals. It has its flaws, but it's good against both clan and non-clan members alike."
"Ah," Paolo said.
The crew stared at Aiya as if they hadn't noticed her before quickly reacting.
"Why are you here?" Shinzo snapped.
"I wanted to ask you guys what was going on, but you keep running away from me," she said. "If it was up to me, I would have arrested you for obstruction of justice."
"What's the use of fighting now when you're all going to die?"
They frowned as Leon sat on a chair not too far from them, a grin on his face. Aiya frowned.
"Leon."
Leon laughed. "If it isn't Captain Aiya of the navy. I've heard of you, you're Alek's dog and a real pain in the ass who the Earthians have a lot of problems with."
"Doing my job isn't being a pain in the ass," Aiya said. "If the Earthians don't like it then sucks to be them."
"My guess is that you came here on your own volition," Leon said. "If not, why would a navy captain be out of her jurisdiction in the base of a World Adventurer who the Earthians have put their full faith in?"
"So that's the world adventurer," Shinzo mumbled.
"Leon," Paolo said. "Where is the prince?"
Leon smiled at Paolo. "I commend you for making it all this way, Paolo G. Rigards. But I'll have to kill you. And if you're worried about our guest of honor, don't worry, he's on his way."
"Commander."
Ariel walked down the stairs with a chained Aziz in tow.
"Brother," Anisa called out.
"Hello Prince Aziz of Alba, you did well to have actually made it past my men."
Aziz glared at him. "I won't forgive you for what you want to do."
Leon laughed. "It's my job as the commander of the Ichi army east division to make sure you and your country fall to the ground."
"We won't let you do as you like."
"Aziz no," Paolo called out.
He didn't listen, trying to hit the adventurer. But he disappeared from his line of sight. He gasped as the cold metal of a knife pierced her skin, Leon's eyes glowing deep yellow. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, your highness."
Anisa glared at him. "Let go of my brother."
Leon laughed, letting go of his neck. Aziz's body drooped to the ground, shivers rolling down his spine.
Ariel's mini communication hub rung, and she picked it up with a grin.
"Commander Leon, its three."
The start of a day that would bring about a new dawn for the country of Alba begun. At the strike of three, darkness fell upon Alba.