"Hello? Hello?" Hunter shouted. The dark-haired boy found himself clothesless in an empty room but couldn't remember how he got there. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep but the sprite knew this wasn't a dream.
'I'm inside someone's domain right?'
[That is correct.]
"Hunter?" A familiar voice called. The sprite turned to see Diana in the same state as he was.
"Have any idea where we are?" She asked.
Hunter uses his index finger to rub the outside of his ear. "My first idea was that you unintentionally activated a domain while you were asleep and this is the result," the sprite said.
"I'm an S Grade mystic, Hunter, it's impossible for me to not have control of my abilities," said Diana.
"I was getting to that. What do you think caused this?" The teal green-eyed boy asked.
"The domain is well crafted for it to be an accident, someone wanted the both of us here," said Diana.
"Excellent deduction," a third voice said causing the duo to turn to the source of the voice.
The peach-eyed woman raised an eyebrow. "And you are?" She asked.
"Maitreyi Maddison, Queen of Zweite Winkle." The woman had vertical slitted pupils like that of a viper and grey iris and her skin was as white as milk. She had white hair which was styled in a Dutch braid, and several mole-like spots all over the visible part of her skin that twinkled like a star. She was wearing an unreal white gown and a crown that all but confirmed her status as a queen.
Hunter looked from Diana to the Maitreyi. "Maddison? You two are related?" Hunter asked.
"Only by name," said the peach-eyed woman. "One of her ancestors left the family to marry some guy who nearly wiped out the entire Drumalak house some centuries ago," the snow-white-haired woman explained.
"She was banished and he had repented for his actions," said the Queen.
"Whatever," Diana rolled her eyes. "You didn't bring us here for a history lesson, did you?"
"No, I need your help," said the Queen.
"Absolutely not," Diana said, turning away.
Hunter placed his hand on the snow-white-haired woman's shoulder. "Let's hear her out," he said.
"Fine," said the peach-eyed woman, crossing her arms.
"What do you need our help with?" The sprite asked.
"My daughter is in danger," said the monarch. "I can feel when the life of someone close to me is in danger and that is the case with my daughter Euphemia," said the fairy.
"What happened to her?" Hunter asks.
"Nothing yet ... But that is why I need your help," said the viper-eyed Queen.
"So you forced us here based on a hunch you had?" Diana queried.
"Diana." Hunter shook his head at the Grade S Elementalist.
"I've never been wrong ... I've seen what happens to her ... Only you two can protect her," she said.
"Why us?" Diana asks.
"You live very close to her and only you two are strong enough to prevent it from happening," the pale-skinned woman replied.
"What happens to her?" Hunter asks.
"She's going to be taken tonight by the Archaeon twins."
.
.
.
•Leinheim
"I just told my dad I'll be helping him with the transport," said Jason. "He sends his regards, and said he was happy to know I have people in my ears giving great advice."
Maxine turned to the pearl white-haired boy. "You told him I convinced you to help you?" As she asked the question, her gaze shifted to the watch around her wrist.
"That's the truth, is it not?" Jason moved closer to the brown-haired woman. "I want you there with me, Maxine. I fear he's going to harm me after I'm done helping him," he said.
Max looked up from her watch and smiled at the Archaeon. "I'd love nothing more," she said.
"I plan to report Olivia as soon as I've helped Dad with the transport," Jason revealed.
The brown-eyed woman looked at the time on her watch before turning to the pearl white-eyed boy. "That's good ..."
Jason looked at the watch around the shifter's wrist before shifting his gaze to Maxine. "You have somewhere else you need to be?" He asked.
"Apologies," said Maxine. "It's my sister's birthday today. I do not want to miss another birthday." She looks at the pearl white-haired boy.
"Is it okay if I --"
"Of course," Jason replied. "How old is she?" He asked.
"She turns 20 today," she replied.
"Ah, we're the same age. Take a car from the garage. The Archaeons' school is pretty far from here," he added.
"Thank you." The curly-haired woman said as she rose from her seat. "I'll be sure to return before dawn tomorrow," she said.
"No," Jason shook his head. "This is your sister we're talking about, take all the time you need."
Maxine took a car from the garage as Jason advised and drove out of the Archaeons' mansion. Once she was around a couple hundred meters away, Skylar rose from the back seat. She had been waiting patiently in the back for the brown-skinned woman to drive far away from the mansion.
"Let's never do that again," said the aqua blue-haired woman.
"You're the one who showed up at the Archaeons' mansion with no warning," Max countered. "What happened? Why are you here?" She asks.
"We're moving up the plan," said Skylar.
"Why?" asked the brown-eyed woman.
"We had some mishaps at the other end."
"Ha, I knew it! Dee is technically a rookie when it comes to covert ops and pairing her with another rookie was never the best idea. Seriously, what were you two thinking?"
"What's done is done, no need to dwell on it," Skylar said.
"Why'd you come here though? I feel like you could have told me this over a phone call," said the brown-haired woman.
"I needed a report on your progress so far so I can create a plan off of it."
"Not much has changed since the last report," said Maxine. "Jason has told his dad he's going to help with transporting the hostages ... I still haven't seen Kilian but I feel like he'll be around during the transport."
"Hm," Skylar placed her hand over her mouth and went silent for a while as she thought over what the shifter said.
"He would be the biggest threat there then, yeah?"
"Yes," Max nodded.
"If it comes down to it, do you think you can beat him?"
"Yes, but it won't be pretty," replied the brown-haired woman.
Skylar sighs. "Camille thinks most of the agents at Sector 5 are Bureau's double agents, I fear she's right," said the aqua blue-haired woman. "Because of that, we cannot mobilize a strike team as they could just alert them and we can't withhold information from them as the double agents would realize we're onto them. For this mission, we'll have to rely on your connections," she said.
Maxine smiles. "I love when you get like this. Tell me Skylar, what's the plan?"
----