They saw a ripped half of the teddy bear in the alleys. Being confirmed by the ones who have seen it, it was indeed a good clue. Gerald grabbed the toy and then nodded at his team.
Each Paladin has two recruits under them. Making Troan and Sendrick under Gerald's wings and Mark and Mikael on William. Other Paladins have their own.
They immediately saw a shadow that was lurking near the sewer entrance. Making them see that it has a sack with him. Soon, multiple shadows also appeared and were doing the same.
These shadows became numerous and were entering the same entrance that they were watching on the corner of the wall. Spying on them and monitoring their movements while not alerting them. All while hiding in the darkness.
Soon, as they confirmed that it was indeed the place, they started their move. Not wanting to kill anyone in the place while making a mistake in their operation. If they mistook it, then it will have great setbacks.
Entering the sewers, they immediately smelled the smell of canals. Wafted right through their noses and can still smell some decay mixed in mud. Some dead rats were present in the rushing waters below. Smelling it was still not even an option, they have to bear with it.
While they paved the waters, they immediately saw guards at one of the entrances. They were immediately alerted as they were not sneaky in their assault. Armors were clunking loud with every step they take.
"Who are you? You will regret even showing your face here!" shouted one enemy guard.
They soon battled and slashed them. Paladins were very fierce and they cleaved the enemy in half with just one slash of their great swords. Even the enemy's block was penetrated with such prowess.
Soon, they looted the dead bodies and had their hands with the keys inside. They opened the lock with a tick and the door creaked as it was opened.
They stormed the place and slaughtered their way through on the second guard posts.
They entered another place that was spacious enough to have a campfire and a long table. Guards of the place were still drinking their ales and wines. Idly chatting and having loud laughs.
It was then, that one Paladin accidentally kicked one bucket and they were alerted.
Tang!
"Ops,"
Battle spewed forth and the enemies were ready to be hacked by them. Enemies who only wore hide armors will be a soft thing for them.
"Bah! Kill them!" shouted one.
They battled and slashed each other. William took the lead as well as his team and Gerald also didn't make wasted moments. They attacked and clashing metals were heard. Troan didn't even get lousy and managed to kill one by repelling one slash and then made a counter. Aiming at the neck that slit his throat.
Others were still having drowsy feelings as they were drunk and were passed out. Making them get killed in their dreams. Only to open their eyes to the reality that they died. Their ales were then spilled along with their blood on the floor.
They immediately ran into the deeper parts of the sewers. Having seen such a place was gloomy as the torches flickered on the walls. Only some small parts of the place were lighted or illuminated.
Clunking metals were heard as they marched. Not even trying to stay silent. Well, they were armored tanks and not sneaky Rangers or Rogues, to begin with. They soon arrived at the cells and many children were holed up inside. Crying and weeping while they were in the dark. Only their voices were heard in the darkness and in those damp cells.
Immediately, when they arrived at the depressing place, they saw shadows. A skill of a Rogue that can summon his shadow while having its prowess and skills but not its vitality. Making it easy to kill, bearing low Health points but has the killing talent of the original. Alarming was, that they were six of them currently. And it will be a huge hassle, the Rogue who summoned them must be a veteran.
"Oh, Paladins! I am waiting for your arrival. Or should we say we? Were the clues given made you all the way here? At last, I can announce that you are a bit late. We already made preparations and the Lesser evils are already been woken up. Summoned by the blood of these children. They were just a surplus so you can rest assured that you are a step late from us," the shadow announced.
Troan was alerted, hearing of lesser evils made him shudder and it was not a good sign. It has already begun! The enemies were already been summoned! It will be a lot harder from this day forth as the enemies were now awake.
Thinking about it, he needs to hurry up and get stronger. Or all will be at loss.
At the moment they saw them, more slavers appeared from the inner side of the cells. Making them alerted to the process.
"We are under attack!"
Right at that moment, they attacked. Shadows escaped and Williams took chase. Gerald was also making a run for it. Slavers then attacked and Paladins clashed with them. Troan went off following Gerald and the others. Taking chase with Rogues will be a hassle and it was for naught. They were fast and contrary to them, they were heavy and slow.
"Damn it! They escaped!" William bellowed as he was lost at the moment, not knowing where they left and their trails were almost non-existent.
They turned back and the battle was still far from over. Clashing blades and hammers were resounding in the vicinity. Shields battered and armors hammered, all were in chaos.
Troan and the others helped and killed their way through. Making the bloody battle more bloody. Enemies were killed, even though they were more numerous than their numbers. From thirty till ten until there were only five left. Troan helped too as well as the others by killing one each. Further contributing to the number of enemies killed.
They were left panting but the Paladins roared after the end of the fight. They were still energetic nonetheless. Troan was impressed and he chuckled while looking at the others. Thinking that they managed to kill all of the enemies without a single one of them being wounded.
Not a life was spared and they deserved it! The mood was still brimming with energy and they immediately went to the cells. Freeing the children in the process.
Troan delved deeper and saw something like an office locked from the outside. Full of files and documents. Opening his mouth and grabbing the lock pick, he picked-locked the door and entered as he was a thief in the past and saw that there were no traps laid. Kind of a handy skill he got and it proved to be useful at the moment.
Troan entered and scoured what he needed to scour. Only to discover their activities.
Troan was still perturbed by what he discovered. He saw and looted their desk full of files and discovered that the kids were planned to be delivered to the dark fellowship under a black market cargo. They will make the sacrifices to the lesser evil summoning!
Troan saw a book on human skin that has a goat head and read the texts. The ink was made of blood as it was written.
"By the blood of the innocent, they will rise! By the blood of the innocent, they will be summoned!" Troan muttered as he read the dark fellowship book.
"This is something that I haven't heard before! So all those years of hiding and staying low key, they were all planned and they were summoning lesser evils!" Troan was dismayed by his incompetence. Thinking that it was happening right into their noses.
Troan then closed the book shut and gathered all the evidence. Further showing it to his superior was the best key to finding a solution to this mess.
They soon started to prepare to leave the place and Troan met with the others. Giving sir Gerald what he had found in the office. Such documents were better laid on him at the moment. By that, Gerald was impressed and happy with a job well done.
"The kids will be sent home, as for the ones who lost their parents, they will be sent to an orphanage. That's all we could do for now," Gerald said to them then inhaled huge amounts of air.
"All has been done and there's no turning back, they must live on and continue living," he added.
They all went home and the bodies were burned. Still, the original summoner of the shadow was on the loose. Watching from the darkness and was never to be found.