"So, Sabelle, what information do we have on this mission, anyways? We weren't told a whole lot about what's going to go down." Caleldes asks Sabelle, as they walk down along the road a few days later, as they start to near the area where the slavers camp is located.
"Well, as I'm pretty sure you should already know, we're going to be raiding a slavers camp, and free their captives. We're not sure who they have captured, they're very secretive with their 'merchandise'. But they do have a good number of slavers and guards protecting the camp, the majority of which are humans. They're constantly changing their camps around and about, though, so it is, unfortunately, difficult to get an up to date layout, so we will just have to do some last minute recon when we get there." Sabelle explains.
"I can help with that." Nicholas offers. "I've always been difficult for the guards back in the capital to catch." Sabelle just looks at Nicholas a bit questioningly, as he says this. "Oh, um, nevermind. All you need to know is that I'm one of the best, when it comes to sneaking about."
"As far as you're aware, at least. There will always be someone better then you at something." Sabelle just points out.
"Right..."
"But if you really are as good as you claim, we'll be relying on you, Nicholas."
"I'll do my best."
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Once near the camp, Nicholas then starts to go around the outside of the camp, searching for the most discreet way to sneak into the camp. He soon finds a way in, past a couple of guards, who can't seem to even be able to notice him, a specialty of Nicholas', being able to slip by virtually undetected, unless there is a powerful opponent nearby, at least.
He scouts around the camp, wanting to attack some of these slavers at times, with what he has witnessed happening so far within the camp, even in such a short amount of time, though he does resist his urges to attack them, knowing that he wouldn't be able to take them out all on his own. Though for now, he just tries to memorize the layout of the camp as he sneaks about.
He soon finds a large tent, and decides to check it out, its size seeming a bit suspicious when compared to the other smaller tents, and he heads on into it. He almost immediately sees several cages of varying sizes, although the cages used seem to be of the smallest sizes able to fit the enslaved individual that's kept inside, and all of them wear some sort of collar looking magical device. This seems to be the main place where the majority of the slaves are kept, that aren't being used, and abused, around the rest of the camp. And the vast majority of these slaves seems to be of races other than human, though there are still some humans, but they're mostly younger females, if there are any humans amongst the other enslaved races.
And even though Nicholas wants to help them all as soon as possible, he leaves the large tent anyways, knowing that he'll need backup. He soon makes his way back to the others.
"So, Nicholas? How is it?" Sabelle asks him.
"A sh*t hole. But that's not what you need." Nicholas then informs her of the rough layout of the encampment. "And they have a surprising amount of slaves, too. I mean, I figured that they'd have plenty in there, but this was more than I had initially assumed."
"Right, well, they'll be free soon enough. Think that you'd be able to discreetly take out the two guards at the entrance? The longer that we can keep ourselves unknown, the better." Sabelle asks of Nicholas.
"Of course. Keep an eye on them, and start on in after they drop." Nicholas then starts to head back to the entrance of the camp.
Nicholas quietly creeps up near them, taking out his daggers, but then tosses one into some nearby bushes, in order to distract them. As they tum their attention to where the noise had come from, one of them goes to check it out, while the other stays. Nicholas then stabs the one that had stayed behind in his neck, then again in his side as he falls, then quickly lunging for the other one as his back is towards him, stabbing him near the base of his neck for starters, then stabs into his chin from underneath as he struggles with Nicholas on his back.
After finishing the guards off, he retrieves the dagger that he had thrown, then meets up with the group as they get to the entrance.
"That was amazing, Nicholas, especially for someone as young as yourself." Sabelle says to Nicholas, as he reaches where she is. "And, it should be obvious, but I'll say it anyways, do NOT kill anyone that has a slave collar on. Anyone else is fair game. Now, lets raid this camp, boys!"
The group of paladins then start to charge into the camp, taking down any of the slave traders or guards that they see.
"Also, Caleldes, can you try to find their business ledger? Well need that, too, in order to figure out who they've sold slaves to." Sabelle asks her.
"Of course." Caleldes agrees, then heads off to try and find where it'd be.
"And Nicholas, you know where the main slave collection is, I'll need someone to capture whomever may be inside, but do not kill them. Think that you're up to the challenge?" Sabelle asks Nicholas.
"Sure, but why, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Because, the slave collars are usually magically protected, and we'll need someone familiar with how they work, in order to remove them." She explains quickly to him.
"Okay. But what if they resist questioning?"
"Then you have my permission to do whatever may be necessary, in order to get what you need out of them, short of killing them, of course."
"Alright." Nicholas then heads back off towards the large tent, as Sabelle then joins the rest of the paladins in the fight.
Nicholas then sneaks past the rest of the fighting, soon entering the large tent. He looks around, then notices an area near the back of the tent with some tables and cabinets, and a desk with a chair. There is also someone sitting at the desk, either just ignoring what's going on outside, or just not having noticed it in general, being too invested in his work. Nicholas then quietly goes up to the back of the slaver at the desk, and puts his dagger to his throat.
"Tell me, how do we take these collars off?"
"And why should I reveal anything to you."
"If you value your life, you'll tell me what you know." He then presses the dagger a bit harder onto his neck.
"You wouldn't kill me. You need my information." He just seems to mock Nicholas with his tone.
"...Fine." He does pull the dagger away, but then notices something on a table nearby, getting an idea. "But maybe you need a bit better of an incentive to help us out, hm? Nicholas then grabs one of the collars from the table. Upon closer inspection, the collars are a thick and dark colored metal, with a few strange glowing light purplish runes carved into the collars. "Hm... Looks a little familiar..." Nicholas just mutters to himself. "Anyways, if you won't tell me, I'll just have to make you." He then heads back over to the slaver.
"You can't use that."
"Just watch me."
"No, as in, you need at least a basic understanding of dark magic to get those to work for you. You can't do a thing to me." He just seems to be feeling a bit smug with himself, now.
"We'll just have to give it a try, anyways. If it won't work, then we'll figure something out, eventually." Nicholas then puts the collar onto the slavers neck, and it actually activates.
"What? You... How...!"
"Guess I just can. Now, tell me what you know."
The runes on the collar then start to glow, but the slaver tries to resist its influence. "Never..." Though as the collar is still activated, with no results, it soon turns to mildly electrocuting him. Though he still resists.
"..." Nicholas just sighs. "Nevermind." And the collar soon deactivates. "I'll get what we need out of you, eventually. For now, just stay here, and don't touch anything." The collar flashes real quick in response, and he then takes a key from the desk, and heads over to start unlocking the cages.
After a while, he eventually finishes getting all the cages unlocked. And just as he's about to head back over to the slaver, he hears a thud noise, coming back from over near the desk. He quickly hurries back over to the desk area. "Sh*t... This isn't good..."
The slaver is now laying on the ground, foaming at the mouth, now seeming to be dead.
"F*ck." He checks him out. "Where the h*ll did he get poison? And was he really that dedicated to this twisted job? D*mn it, I'm so in trouble... What do I do now?" He just tries to figure something out, quickly.