Days had flown by in their meticulous preparations to venture towards the Eastern Empire. As the sun rose on the day of their departure, everyone gathered, their belongings packed, and spirits ready to confront the unknown. King Aimer graciously provided a carriage for their journey, ensuring their comfort and safety for the road ahead.
The group set out with a mix of excitement and trepidation, two days of travel swiftly passing by. The journey was an array of stunning landscapes—rolling hills, dense forests, and quaint villages. The vivid scenery changed gradually as they approached the Eastern Empire. The air grew heavy with a sense of foreboding as they neared the fallen empire.
At last, after the two-day journey, they reached the outskirts of the Eastern Empire. The once grand and sprawling lands were now scarred and desolate. The landscape that lay before them was a land of desolation—broken walls, scorched earth, and remnants of former glory buried in dust and ash. Ruins stood as a testament to a once-powerful kingdom now fallen into ruin.
The sight was a grim reminder of the havoc that had devastated the once-prosperous empire. Nature had begun to reclaim the land, creeping vines entwining around shattered stone structures, hinting at the passage of time since its fall. The bleakness of the ruins contrasted starkly with the lush, verdant land they had left behind.
As they gazed at the fallen empire, the group stood in awe, each feeling a mixture of anticipation, dread, and determination to uncover the mysteries and confront the threats that lay within the once-great kingdom. With courage in their hearts and their bonds as their strength, they prepared to explore this forsaken land, to seek the missing Emilia and uncover the dark secrets hidden within the fallen Eastern Empire.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the world, two shadowy figures were having a conversation in a dimly lit chamber hidden beneath the ruins of an ancient temple. Their voices were hushed, but filled with tension and urgency.
The female shadow figure asked, "So, they made it there, did they?" Her tone held a mixture of frustration and concern. "You had one job, to stop them from advancing until that thing completes. But you still couldn't do it. How are we going to reclaim what we lost if we can't even stop them?"
The male shadow figure replied, his voice defensive, "What do you want me to do? I have done my best, but it's not my problem that they are over the top. It's easy for you to order around while you do nothing but sit around."
The female shadow figure sighed, her irritation still evident. "Fine, let's forget about this and think of a way to stall them until it's done."
The male shadow figure nodded, acknowledging the urgency of the situation. "Alright."
In the Celestial Realm, a trial was being held in the Hall of Judgment. On four pillars, four deities sat on thrones: Isis, Asmodeus, Hephaestus and Amatarasu. Denir stood on the ground before them, his expression one of fear and uncertainty.
The chamber was filled with celestial energy that seemed to pulse around them. It glimmered in the air like stars in a night sky, creating an aura of awe and power that made Denir feel both small and insignificant. The walls were made from pure gold, while colorful tapestries hung from the ceiling depicting great battles between gods and mortals.
At the center of it all was a grand marble dais that held four thrones for the gods attending Denir's trial. Isis sat at one end in her white robes, her long dark hair cascading down over her back as she surveyed Denir with piercing blue eyes. At her side was Asmodeus in his black robes; his face hidden beneath a hood though his yellow eyes burned with fire as he watched Denir intently. Next to them were Hephaestus in his red robes and Amatarasu in her green robes; both regarded him with cryptic expressions that made Denir feel uneasy.
Asmodeus let out a long sigh, his yellow eyes still fixed on Denir. "Are they really going to do the job? It won't be a walk in the park, you know. What are you going to do if they fail?"
Hephaestus and Amatarasu chimed in simultaneously, both their expressions stern. "That's right," said Hephaestus. "What are you going to do, huh? You should have discussed it with us before taking your own action."
Amatarasu crossed her arms as she added, "We should just detain her until it's done."
Before anyone could act, Isis raised her hand and spoke. "Let's all calm down and see how this plays out. Technically she didn't break the treaty, so if she can succeed then we may be able to let this slide with just a slap on the wrist. What do you all say?"
The other gods nodded in agreement, though their expressions still showed their disapproval. Denir finally breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that although her plan was risky, she would not be punished for it.
In her mind, Denir thought to herself: Everything rests on your shoulders now, Arthur. I hope you succeed...
Arthur and the others emerged from the gray morning fog and into a city that seemed to be suspended in time. The once great metropolis of this long fallen eastern empire lay in ruins, its once glorious buildings reduced to rubble and dust. Here and there, tents and temporary stalls had been erected by both locals and travelers, creating a strange, bustling atmosphere.
Everywhere Arthur looked, he saw people with scars, some physical, others emotional. Occasionally, a fight would break out; the crowd would part then quickly close again, enveloping the combatants. Beggars could be seen on the side of the road, their hands outstretched in hopes of a donation or two. Women were violated with impunity, their screams echoing in the air before fading away. The air was thick with desperation and despair.
Arthur felt a chill run through his bones. It was a stark reminder that life in the ruins could be a struggle and that few were immune from its suffering. He glanced around at his companions, their faces drawn and solemn. He knew that it would be their task to make this world a better place, but he had no idea how they would do it.
Arthur and his companions continued walking through the city, feeling the weight of dozens of eyes on their backs. He knew that these people were watching them, waiting to see what they would do. Arthur spoke softly to his companions, warning them to be careful and not to make any moves or draw any attention to themselves.
As they slowly made their way towards an open area away from the crowds, he could feel a presence behind them closing in with every step they took. He warned everyone to stay calm, and when they finally reached the quiet area he ordered everyone not to make any move until he said so..
The group was surrounded by a dozen or so people who had followed them from the city streets. Arthur stepped forward and addressed the menacing crowd with a steady voice. He reminded them, "Look we don't want any trouble and as we can see we don't have anything valuable so it's best for everyone's interest to keep this for another day."
The group was surrounded by a dozen or so people who had followed them from the city streets. Arthur stepped forward and addressed the menacing crowd with a steady voice. He reminded them, "Look we don't want any trouble and as we can see we don't have anything valuable so it's best for everyone's interest to keep this for another day."
Hearing Arthur's words the group looked at each other and burst into laughter.
One of them, a tall man with a strong voice, spoke up. "Did you guys hear what he said? They don't want any trouble! Haha Keke! They don't want any trouble! Hehe Ah phew that was a good laugh!"
Another man stepped forward. Pointing at Arthur and his companions, he asked in a mocking tone "You guys don't know anything about here do you? You must have come here from the western side?" He laughed and continued. "Let me teach you the first rule of this place on the house: Here, strength makes the rules."
He punched and cracked the wall as showcasing his strength.
Just then, another man spoke up from the crowd. "Wait! You might not have everything on you but you sure have a bunch of pretty women with you, why don't you let them play with us then we might let you go."
Arthur and his companions were taken aback by the man's words. The tall man had just threatened them, and now the other man was suggesting that they pay their way out of the situation with Arthur's female companions. Arthur stepped forward once again, putting himself between the men and his friends.
"No one is going to 'play' with anyone here," he said firmly in a voice that brooked no argument. "We all just want to get through this place, without trouble." He paused for a moment, then continued in an even tone. "So let us pass quietly, and you won't get hurt."
"Ohoho, so you think you can challenge me? Let's see how brave you really are!" He gestured and the men behind him stepped forward menacingly.
Arthur looked at the group of men and sighed. "So you're not going to listen until you get beaten to a pulp, is that it? I guess that means you'll have to take care of yourselves." With that, he stepped aside and the girls stepped forward, making sparkling eyes and scary faces. Cracking their knuckles, they started to beat the group of men.
The men were soon reduced to a whimpering mess as they were taught a lesson about respect. After a series of beatdowns, Arthur made everyone sit in a row and asked them to answer carefully and truthfully to his questions or else the ladies would "play another game" with them like they did before.
The men looked at each other nervously, no one wanting to speak up. Arthur stepped forward and said firmly "Let's try this again, who do you work for and what group are you a part of?"
One of the men finally spoke up. "We work for Dante in the Nightshade group."
Arthur nodded his head in understanding before continuing. "Alright, next question. Have you ever seen this girl anywhere around?" He showed them the sketch of Emilia.
The men shook their heads in unison, no one having seen her before. Arthur looked at the men carefully and frowned but he could see the fear in their eyes and knew that they were probably telling the truth.
He nodded, then asked "Do you know anything about any kidnapping or trafficking groups?"
The men looked at each other, none of them wanting to answer. Vianola stepped forward cracking her knuckles menacingly and said in a low voice "Do you want us to play another game with you like we did before? Because if so I would be more than happy".
The men quickly shook their heads no and started talking amongst themselves, trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't get them into further trouble with Vianola.
Finally one of them spoke up meekly "There is a group called the Shadow Syndicate that operates in this area, they have been known to kidnap people from time to time."
Arthur, deeply thinking, asks, "Is that all? Are you sure you guys aren't hiding anything because If I found that you were hiding it you all are dead as fuck. I will ask you again so answer carefully. Is that all?"
The men looked at each other nervously before finally one of them spoke up. "Yes, I think I remember another. I've heard rumors of a group called 'The Black Cat Syndicate'. They specialize in kidnapping and trafficking people of different races and species and sell them to rich nobles in an auction."
Arthur, reminded again, asked everyone, "Anything else that you are not forgetting. Answer now because you won't have another chance next time and don't say I didn't give you another chance."
Arthur listened as each of the men rattled off names and locations of various kidnapping and trafficking groups in fear.
He looked around carefully assessing each one. After a few moments he nodded in understanding before saying "Alright, you're free to go with the warning that if I ever find out any of you have been involved in illegal activities again, I won't hesitate to come after you."
The group of men quickly scrambled out of the room, relieved to be let go without further punishment. Arthur watched them leave before turning to Vianola and his friends. "Well, I guess that's all we can do for now." He said with a sigh.
Seeing Vianola making a worrisome face, Arthur smiled reassuringly at her and said "Don't worry! We'll find Emilia soon enough! Let's just keep our eyes open and see what else we can find out!"
Vianola nodded her head in agreement before looking at her companions. "Right then, let's get started on finding out more information about these groups."
For the next few days they followed leads, asked questions around town and eventually managed to uncover several key details about some of the more prominent kidnapping and trafficking groups operating in the area.
With this information, they deduced that Emilia was most likely going to be brought to an auction house by one of these traffickers, as elves were one of the most beautiful and attractive races with a high aptitude for magic.
There was just one problem - they only had a few days before the Auction House would be open for business, and they needed to act fast if they wanted to get there on time.
Arthur quickly issued orders for everyone to prepare themselves for a trip to another city. Everyone hurriedly readied their supplies and prepared for a trip through potentially hostile territory.
As they traveled, Arthur began making plans on how to rescue Emilia from wherever she was being held. He discussed potential strategies with his friends and allies, trying to make sure he was prepared no matter what happened when they reached their destination.
Finally, after several days of traveling, they reached the Auction House's gate. Arthur looked up at its imposing structure and knew that whatever was inside could prove dangerous if not handled properly. He steeled himself for whatever awaited them within before leading his group into the building.
The group stood outside the Auction House, and Arthur couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. The attendees within were all wearing beautiful and nice dresses and outfits, while here he and his group stood in their usual clothes.
He quickly made a decision. "Everyone, grab onto me," He said before quickly teleporting away with them. A few moments later they returned to the Helheim Castle, where he had already made arrangements for some nicer clothing for everyone to wear.
With everyone now more presentable, Arthur teleported them back to the Auction House and approached the entrance gate. As they got close, two large guards stepped in front of them, asking for ID and an invitation. Arthur took a moment to take in the sight of these men; tall with thick muscles that rippled beneath their armor plates.
Arthur calmly replied that they had an ID but unfortunately not an invitation. To his surprise, the guards did not say anything but simply shook their heads no, blocking the way.
Arthur nervously laughed and asked, "Isn't there any other way we can enter?" The guards said nothing, but simply pointed to the booth on the right side.
The group made their way over to the booth and a woman greeted them with a pleasant smile. "May I help you?" she asked.
The woman wore a black dress that hugged her curves, it was a V-neck that plunged deeply showing off her cleavage. She was tall, with long brown hair and very large breasts. Her smile was beautiful and inviting.
Arthur cleared his throat and began explaining their predicament. "We need to enter the Auction House, but we don't have an invitation nor do we know someone here who could help us get in." He gestured towards the guards as he finished speaking.
The woman nodded her head in understanding before responding. "Sir, if you want to enter the Auction House you need to buy a ticket and fill out this form."
He asked the woman, "So how much is the ticket?"
The woman's smile widened as she replied: "Not much, only 500 gold."
Arthur blinked in surprise. "500 gold? What is inside the Auction House that's so expensive?"
The lady nodded her head in understanding. "Sir, if 500 gold is too much for you, we are also offering a Membership Pack. If you get one, we will send you an invitation every year and it won't cost you a single penny. However, you must bring at least one of your best products to the auction every year or else you will be charged with a 100k gold fine."
Arthur didn't hesitate; he had already made up his mind. "Let me have the ticket then," he said and handed over the money. The lady gave them a ticket and handed the form to fill in.
Everyone filled out the form and handed it back to the woman. She gave him a small nod of acknowledgement before looking through the form and approving it.
With that done, Arthur and his group were free to enter the Auction House. As they walked through the entrance hall they were met with an astonishing sight; there were people everywhere, all talking in hushed whispers about what items were up for auction or which bidder would end up getting them. It seemed as if everyone in attendance wanted something desperately - even if they weren't sure what it was yet.
The auction was underway and the anchor was revealing items one after another. Everyone was getting more and more excited, as they studied each item in detail, trying to decide if it was worth their money or not.
Soon, it was time for the main event. The anchor stepped forward and commanded everyone's attention with a dramatic drum roll. Everyone waited in anticipation as he dramatically unveiled the item – a young girl tied in chains with a collar around her neck, wearing tattered clothing. It was Emillia!
Her hair was a beautiful shade of red with streaks of black, her irises like the heavens at night, and her skin glowing like a star-lit spring night. her eyes blinked open, wide and scared, her eyes scanning around the room, trying to find the familiar faces of the people she recognized. She looked around, confused to find herself in such a place, her body felt tense and cold, as if she were bound and being held against her will. Emilia's face was covered in dried tears and dirt and brown hair fell in disarray around her head. Her eyes were black and hollow, she stared out into the crowd through bared teeth. Her body was thin and frail.
Arthur instantly sprang into action; he had to act quickly before anyone else had the chance to bid on her. He motioned for everyone to take their positions and wait for his signal. As they all dispersed, Arthur wished them luck before turning his attention back to Emillia.
Momo took her position on the beams of the Auction house ceiling, Vianola was in a corner of the Auction House ready with her bow, Ignis and Seraphina went to distract the guards quietly making sure none of them get caught until they save Emillia.
Arthur wasted not a moment in bidding signaling everyone to begin. He called out confidently, "One million gold pieces!" Everyone was astounded at the outrageous amount offered by Arthur and the anchor had to shout over the murmurs, "One million gold pieces once! One million gold pieces twice! Is there anyone who would dare to challenge this young man?"
No one came forward as Arthur had expected; it seemed that no one was willing to risk their fortune in order to save the girl before him. Time seemed to stand still as everyone watched silently with baited breath, waiting for an answer from any of the other bidders.
Just as Arthur was about to win the bid, a voice from the back of the crowd shouted, "Two million gold pieces!" Arthur's breath sighs of relief as his worries about everything they had planned would be for nothing.
Before anyone else could make another bid, Momo dropped a smoke bomb on the stage, covering it in an eerie orange glow. This distraction had been planned beforehand, and it worked; everyone in attendance was now looking at the stage instead of Arthur and Emilia. While everyone was distracted, Vianola shot an arrow into the main light source above them, plunging everything into darkness.
Arthur didn't waste any time. He quickly teleported to Emillia's side and lifted her up in his arms before running out of the Auction House as fast as he could. Ignis and Seraphina had done their job distracting the guards; so they too ran with him, escaping into the night without being spotted by anyone.
Arthur had done it; he had saved Emillia from the auction house. But as they came outside, everyone was alerted to their presence and guards were chasing after them. Arthur grabbed everyone and teleported back to the Elfheim palace in a split second. However, upon arriving back at the palace, it was clear that something had gone wrong. Arthur's nose began to bleed, and as he spoke he could barely be heard over his own gasping breaths, "That…that was a little overboard…." before collapsing onto the ground in front of them all.
The group quickly crowded around him and Vianola knelt down beside him, transferring her mana into his body to help him heal. Seraphina pulled him into her lap while Ignis looked on with worry in his eyes, not sure what to do other than sit there until Arthur recovered.
Arthur slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times before he noticed everyone staring at him. He groaned softly as he tried to push himself up, ignoring the pain that still lingered throughout his body. Ignis quickly came to his side and helped him sit up, cradling him in his arms while Seraphina brushed a few stray hairs away from his face.
At this moment, Arthur heard a voice coming from behind them. It was Emillia, who was speaking to Momo. She spoke with urgency in her voice, "Like I said I am thankful that you all saved me, but we need to save them too! We need to hurry before it's too late. I was sent to the auction house, but they were taken somewhere else."
Arthur slowly got to his feet, swaying slightly before regaining his balance. He looked over to Emillia and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry," he said firmly, "We will save them, tell us later what you know in detail and we can start planning from there. But for now we have to wait until I recover enough mana to teleport us back to the Eastern Empire."
Emillia nodded. Later she recounted the details of what had happened before she was at the auction house. She explained that the other elves that were with her had been taken away by a strange person in a magical carriage shortly before she was brought to the Auction house. The carriage was heavily guarded and it had sped off into the night so quickly that she hadn't been able to make out any specific details about it, other than that it was made of black stone with strange symbols etched into the side of it.
Once Emillia finished her story, Arthur looked around at everyone's faces, feeling a wave of determination sweep across the group. He stepped forward and spoke up confidently, "Right then, let's make sure, hopefully tomorrow after I recover my mana we get those people back."
Vianola then turned to Arthur with a worried look in her eyes. She knew how depleted his mana must have been from teleporting himself back and forth and four others from one place to another. She gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder and said softly, "Take your time Arthur; we'll be here to help when you need it."
Arthur returned the pat before turning and walking towards his room, a determined look in his eyes. This was going to be the one of many missions that they had been involved in together; he knew that there was no way he would let anyone else get hurt on his behalf.
After Arthur had gone to bed, everyone else gathered in the main hall for a quick meeting. Vianola stood at the front of the group with her hands on her hips, her eyes scanning the faces of those around her.
"Alright everyone," she said after a few moments of silence had settled, "Since it's gonna take some time until he recovers enough mana before he can teleport us back to the Eastern Empire. This means that we will have to wait until tomorrow before we can rescue our friends. I want everyone to be as rested as possible so that we can hit the ground running when we finally go back."
There was a murmur of agreement amongst the group and Vianola turned to head towards Arthur's room. However, one voice stopped her in her tracks. It was Momo, who had been listening quietly from behind Ignis.
Momo spoke up softly, "Can I stay here with him?"
Vianola looked surprised by the question, but after a moment she nodded. "Of course, you can stay with Arthur if you want."
Momo thanked Vianola and stayed by his side as everyone left the room letting Arthur to rest.
Later that night, Arthur woke up with a feeling of determination in his heart. He had recovered some of his mana and hoped he would be able to teleport everyone back to the Eastern Empire. And as he looked over at Momo, who was sleeping peacefully next to him, he knew that everything was going to be alright.
The next day, Arthur and everyone else gathered at the palace gallery after Arthur prepared to depart the eastern empire once again but this time to save the other elves.
But before they departed to the same ruined city they had first arrived in last time, Vianola made sure Arthur had more than enough mana to teleport everyone back with him.
After drinking the potion, Arthur inquired, "You all ready?"
Everyone affirmed that they were ready and Arthur teleported himself and everyone else back to the ruined city. After arriving, everyone took a quick look around for any annoying people like last time.
Meanwhile Arthur turned to Emillia and asked. ""Do you know anything about the group that had captured you and brought you to the auction?"
She shuddered. "Oh, you bet I know," she said. "How can I forget about them? They're a group called Shadow Syndicate."
Arthur paused for a moment. "Hmm, I see. But how are we g- oh wait, isn't that a name those guys mentioned yesterday? Then I might just know where to look for them."
"Where?" Emillia asked, her eyes suddenly alert.
Arthur smiled playfully. "Same as where you know, but asking despite. Anyway, Just hurry up and show us the way to their base."
Emillia looked at Arthur skeptically. "You said you know where to look for them. Then why do I have to show you the way?"
Arthur shrugged. "Cause I only know the name of the place, not the way, dummy,"
"Huh?!" Emilia ticked off, lashes out at Arthur bulging her forehead nerves," Then How did you expect someone who was captive until just a few days ago to know the way when a free person doesn't even know. Did I come here for a stroll or something to know the way? You are the dummy here, dummy."
Arthur nervously laughs,"I guess you are right. Sorry about that. Then let's try asking locals here. Maybe we would find someone who actually knows the way."
Emillia sighed, exasperated. "But Do we really have to seriously go back there again after I finally get out of there?" she asked, her voice full of dread and fear.
Arthur turned to Emillia and replied, "Huh? Isn't it obvious? Who else is going to show us the way to their base? How are we going to beat them up and find out where they send those elves?"
Just as the group was about to leave, a voice from behind caused them all to stop in their tracks.
"Did someone say 'Shadow Syndicate'?" the man asked nervously.
Arthur turned and saw that it was the same man he had taught a lesson to last time they came here. He groaned inwardly. "You again? Haven't you learned your lesson?" Arthur said sternly.
The man laughed nervously. "No no no, I definitely learned my lesson good sir! It's just that I heard you guys talking, not eavesdropping of course, but just happened to overhear you talking about Shadow Syndicate. If you are looking for them, then I can take you there - of course it's not free because it's my life at stake here as well."
Everyone looked at each other before Arthur finally spoke up again. "How much are you asking for?" he said warily. The man thought for a moment before responding with a figure of 1k gold that made everyone gasp in shock. After some quick negotiation, they finally agreed on an amount of 100 gold
The man introduced himself as Mengshen and said he is ready to take them to the Shadow Syndicate's base. But before they set off He then asked Arthur and the others to carry enough water, when Arthur asked why? Mengshen replied "just carry it, you will thank me later and you have five minutes to prepare. After that, even 1 second later I won't go."
After five minutes everyone managed to prepare in time and with that they set off on their journey.
The journey was long and arduous, with many twists and turns that made it difficult to keep track of where they were. At one point, they had to cross a Hot and lifeless desert also known as Death Valley Desert, but thanks to the water that they had brought, everyone managed to make it across safely.
They traveled for days before finally arriving at a small village near the Shadow Syndicate's base. Mengshen took them through the village and warned them not to speak too loudly or draw attention to themselves - something that was easier said than done given their large group size.
Once in the village, they were welcomed by an elder who offered them shelter for a night before continuing their journey in the morning. During dinner, he told them stories about how the Shadow Syndicate had infiltrated this area and were now responsible for capturing elves from all over the region and selling them as slaves.
The next morning, after stocking up on supplies from the village, they finally set off for their destination - the Shadow Syndicate's base!
As they approached the base, they noticed the surrounding area growing more and more desolate, with no signs of life or vegetation. The air grew thick with tension as they drew closer and closer to the entrance, their hearts pounding with anticipation and fear.
Mengshen led them through a series of winding corridors and hidden passageways, until they finally reached a massive door made of thick iron. Mengshen whispered to them that this was the entrance to the Shadow Syndicate's main stronghold.
Arthur and the others drew their weapons and prepared for battle. With a nod from Arthur, they charged forward, smashing their way through the door with a loud crash. The sound echoed through the halls of the stronghold, alerting the guards to their presence.
The Shadow Syndicate's guards swarmed towards them, their weapons drawn and ready. Ignis was the first to strike, unleashing waves of fire that incinerated the guards closest to him. The others followed suit, fighting with all their might to push through the guards and get deeper into the stronghold.
As they fought their way through the stronghold, they encountered numerous traps and puzzles, but Mengshen proved to be an invaluable guide, leading them through each obstacle with ease. Finally, they reached the heart of the stronghold, where they found the Shadow Syndicate's leader, a tall and imposing figure with piercing eyes and a cruel smile.
Arthur and the others charged forward, weapons drawn, but the leader simply chuckled and waved his hand, summoning a wave of dark energy that sent them flying across the room. They struggled to get back to their feet, but the leader was already on the move, striking them down one by one with ease.
Arthur gritted his teeth and focused all his energy, summoning a powerful blast of mana that sent the leader staggering backwards. The others took advantage of the momentary distraction and charged forward, striking the leader with all their might. With a final blow, the Shadow Syndicate's leader fell to the ground, defeated.
The group let out a cheer before Emillia spoke up. "We need to find those elves and the rest of the elves here and save them. Arthur and I will make him spill everything up and the rest of us will search this place," she said, her voice determined.
Everyone nodded in agreement and the group split up, Vianola and the others went scouring the stronghold for any sign of the captive elves while Emilia stayed behind to interrogate the leader.
Arthur and Emilia tied the leader up and started to ask the questions to the leader starting with asking his name but the leader stubbornly spat the blood in his mouth and said chuckled , "suck my dick then maybe I would answer your questions."
Arthur grabbed the leader by the collar and warned him sternly, his anger showing in his eyes. "Do you think you're hot shit because we want answers? Then you're making a mistake. The only reason you're alive is because we're in a hurry, but if you don't want to cooperate then I have no use for you. I wouldn't hesitate to cut you down right now."
The leader went laughing. "You think I'm scared of death? I've experienced far worse than death that I am already dead inside, so rather I would be grateful if you did that, so go ahead - kill me but I ain't telling you anything."
Meanwhile, as Arthur and Emilia questioned the leader of the Shadow Syndicate, the others scoured the stronghold for any sign of the captive elves and It didn't take long for Vianola and the others found them hidden in a secret room.
The group rushed forward, breaking down the cell doors and freeing the captive elves. The elves were weak and traumatized, but they were alive and grateful to be rescued.
Soon Vianola led them back to Arthur and Emilia rushing to their side.
Emilia looked at the group of elves with a grateful smile and said, "Thank you all for your help. Now that we have rescued them, we need to find a way to make him talk. This is a pain in the ass."
Just then, Mengshen appeared next to them and said, "I have an idea. I will use my magic to try and force him to talk."
Everyone nodded in agreement and, with Mengshen's help, they tried to force the leader of the Shadow Syndicate to talk. But no matter how hard they tried, he refused to cooperate, stubbornly refusing to answer any questions.
Emilia said exasperatedly, "Ugh…This is pointless."
Just as they were about to give up, Arthur said, "I know how to make him talk. Just give me five minutes with him and wait for me outside. If you stay here you won't like what I am gonna do with him."
Momo and Vianola, understanding what was about to happen, lead everyone outside thinking to themselves sometimes Arthur becomes such a scary person.
After 5 minutes the screams and gasp from inside finally quiets down. Arthur emerged outside, looking relieved. He quickly wiped his hands clean of the blood with his handkerchief and said, "If you guys want to settle the score with him then He is all yours," clearly looking at the group of elves.
While Inside the room, the elves were cheering, celebrating their freedom and settling their score with him, Arthur revealed the answers they were looking for to the rest of the others.
Arthur explained just how there's a person behind all this and ordering a certain number of elves at the start of each month and buying them all at once and taking them away by a strange person in a magical carriage at the end of each month. And he continued explaining that Although he didn't know the location the carriage was heading to but he said they found out one thing about it while they tried double crossing them multiple times and it was that the carriage always traveled the same road and in the same direction despite being attacked multiple times.
Emilia couldn't hold herself back from interrupting Arthur. "So did he tell you in which direction the carriage was heading?"
"Yes, I was just getting there. So basically the carriage always heads in the Northwest direction in other words…" replied Arthur.
Everyone completed the Arthur sentence in unison, "HELLBERG!"
Realizing where their next destination was, Momo's expression darkened. She asked, " It's him again isn't it? You are also thinking of him, who could be doing all this isn't it? "
Seeing Momo's darkened face Arthur's buried memory resurfaced, turning his expression grim and full of pain. "Yeah I guess so. If it's really him then this time I won't lose, I am gonna settle the score and pay him back ten fold the pain he gave me."
The mood around them changed as Momo began to cry and Arthur hugged her, while he teared up with her. Vianola understood this and left them alone, dragging away Ignis and Seraphina, who looked like they were itching to ruin the moment by asking something stupid.
After a while, Arthur and Momo returned to their normal mood and regrouped with everyone. Now, time was the essence and they couldn't delay any longer and needed to be on their way but they couldn't leave the group of elves either. They needed to find a way to take the group of elves back to Elfheim. Arthur thought for a moment and looked at Ignis.
A chilled run down Ignis' spine as their eyes meet, Ignis nervously asks, " Why are you looking at me like that?...oh no! No! Please don't tell me you are not thinking what I am thinking."
Arthur, not uttering a single word just gave her a sly smile and dragged her away from everyone's sight and asked her to change into dragon form and to carry all the elves on her back to the Elfheim. She complained at first but she had to drop the towel in front of Arthur persistence.
Arthur reveals Ignis' dragon form to everyone's surprise as his magic summon and asks the group of elves to return to Elfheim and Seraphina as Arthur's messenger to Elf King Aimer and Queen Ellyena on the dragon's back while they go after the magic carriage. Meanwhile, Mengshen who was quietly sitting in the corner watching all the drama comes to them and asks, " What about me and my payment? Don't tell me you guys are going to leave without paying my fees?"
Arthur acting embarrassedly laughing, answers, "Oh, Ahahah I almost forgot. Sorry about that. Here's your hundred gold but you have to return on your own because we are a little bit in a hurry. So Hasta la vista! Mate. If fate wishes, we will meet again."
With that, Arthur grabbed both Momo and Vianola arms and teleports in the blink of an eye and found himself again in the outskirts of the Hellberg kingdom after such a long time. Although the place had bittersweet memories and remembrance, it was also the place he had to return to one day anyway.
For a few days, Arthur and the others moved quietly and secretly around the outskirts of Hellberg kingdom gathering the information on Kingdom, Francis and most importantly a magic carriage made of blackstone with a strange symbol engraved on it.
After a few days, they finally found a clue on the magic carriage. While Everyone had split up and looking for a clue, Momo heard someone talking about the carriage that looked completely black and a strange symbol engraved on it heading toward the ruins of the ancient temple of Freya.
As soon as Momo got the clue she regrouped with others and informed the group about it. The moment Arthur heard about it the bits and pieces started to come together. He knew something big was about to unfold on the very land and he needed to be prepared for it ahead more than ever before.
Everyone had regrouped in an inn that had minimal crowd and traffic of people. After exchanging information on the kingdom from each other, Arthur stood from his seat with a serious expression, "Guys, first I would like to thank both of you for everything you guys did for me and went with me. I would be always grateful for it. And I promise both of you I would repay it in big time after everythings over. But I think I will take it from here and move alone.And I think it's best for both of us. You guys should go back to Helheim and inform Astrid and Maria about everything as well and apologize to Astrid for me that I wasn't able to meet her recently."
As Arthur was about to leave, Momo stops him in his tracks as she grabs on his pants with teary eyes. Vianola watching, Momo about to cry, gets up from her seat and walks in front of Arthur and grabs him by his collar, "Grateful? Repay? Best? Who do you think to decide all that for us? Just because we spend a few nights together doesn't mean you get to decide everything for us. Just now, you just broke her heart and made her cry. Do you know why? You have no clue, do you? Then let me explain it to you, after everything we went through, in the end you were just about to leave and abandon us and go off on your own? Do we look like tissue paper to you, whenever you wish, use it and throw it? And have you ever thought how Astrid would have felt? Are we so unreliable that in the end, it doesn't even matter?" as she says it her rage turns into uncontrollable flooding tears.
Witnessing two women who loved him crying in front of him dawns a memory of his past life in his mind, where he was treated to a copy of exactly what she yelled at him and how he treated girls and made them cry countless times in his past life. And as he realized his grave mistake that he repeated again in this life as well, he apologized to them from the bottom of his heart shedding tears as he hugged both of them tightly in his arms." I am so so sorry you guys. I didn't take your feelings into account and said something I shouldn't have. I didn't think of how you guys would feel. I am really sorry. It won't happen next time I promised."
Vianola tightly wrapping her arm around him and resting her head on his shoulder pats him while consoling him." It's fine, it's okay. If you realize your mistake and don't repeat it next time that is all that matters. We forgive you but don't you ever say something like that again."
Arthur sniffing promises," Yes, I promise."