"I'll be heading out now".
Mr Arasaki said to Mr. Edward, as he was packing a bunch of stuff to go out on the daily mission with his elite team assigned to him by the council.
It was morning, around 10:00 am and they were in the compound of Mr. Edga's house.
Since the day Mr. Arasaki was given the mission, he and his team had been going out on patrol on a daily basis, trying to figure out any leads concerning the issue of the spy who the council had hypothesized was the reason the mages were able to successfully launch thier attack, and why the temple of Monkogon and become the mages playground.
The recent happenings around the temple had raised alarm the more and made the council put even more pressure on the Sohei to provide a solution as the signs could be read that it was war the mages were starting on a small scale.
The news of missing Bryan Aurora, the different encounters people had been having seeing black hooded figures within the temple continued to contribute to an increase in the frenzy spreading across the temple.
"Okay my friend, I'll be leaving soon too.
Duty calls at the training house.
Need to ensure we keep the young in shape, especially now that war has already been declared by the council right?"
Mr. Edga answered Mr. Arasaki with a rhetorical question.
Mr. Arasaki answered regardless.
"Yeah, sure".
Mr. Arasaki said with his head bowed, looking at his hand and adjusting the bracer he wore on his left arm with his right hand.
His face remained expressionless as he continued to adjust every part of his armory.
When he was done, he picked up his sword which was sheathed and hung it on the belt he wore across his chest region, locked in place at his back and his tool bag hung on his belt by his left side.
He then left.
Mr. Edga started walking back into the house.
He got to the door and opened it.
"Honey is everything alright?"
Mrs Edga asked as her husband walked into the house.
"Yeah.
Rahn's just off to his mission assigned to him by the council".
Mr. Edga answered.
"You know he's been so broody lately, it bothers me a lot.
Since poor little David died he has never been himself.
I've tried talking to him but anytime I do, he claims to be fine while his mood has only been getting worse day by day.
Mr. Edga took a long sigh as he was still walking towards a chair close by and then sat on it as he reached.
"Let's just give him some space. It's not easy to lose one's child.
It will definitely take time for him to get himself".
Mr Edga said.
"Yeah, I guess so", Mrs. Edga replied.
"But isn't it out of place that someone who just suffered such a loss recently is being assigned a responsibility by the council so soon?" She asked.
"Ideally, your point of view is valid.
But the council can only afford to trust but a few people on this very sensitive case of mage spies.
They trust Rahn and they also believe in his strength to bring into the light every hiding enemy.
The privilege is only for very few chosen ones"
Mr. Edga answered.
"Sounds plausible.
But this only leaves me wondering.
If Rahn, as he has been behaving up until now, felt the effect of that loss so much and was given a choice to take on the mission, with the way he is currently, I'm thinking.
"Hmmm...", She exhaled
"Why did he accept it...?"
*******************
"Roger and his men reported to the cantonment of the North branch military with their captives.
They took them straight to the head of the North branch.
As the captives were taken away by military personnel, Roger reported to the head.
"I see you've made good progress Roger.
Well done! I always knew I could count on you.
No one has so far been able to make progress up to this point.
Not even the so-called Arasaki has been able to make progress even though his scouts started before you.
Arnold, the head of the North military said to Roger.
"Do you have a problem with him?"
Roger asked.
"I just don't trust the man.
He's sketchy and I don't know why he's in the North at this time".
"He lost his son, Arnold, try giving him some space willya?"
Roger said.
"Yeah yeah whatever.
Let's focus on our victory so far"
Arnold said with a shrewd expression on his face.
"So you know what this means my friend, when we get those bastards to wake up we can torture out every single information we want until we learn everything about the mages.
We'll discover who their spies are, what they want, who they're working with.
We could even discover their main hideout and end this war even before it starts.
We should make haste.
The council will be pleased"
Arnold gleefully said.
Arnold was a bald-headed, average heighted, long nosed, pot bellied man.
Despite being the head of the military of the North, he was an excessive drinker and took the shots well with minimal effects on his sanity.
He also had a reputation for greed and a quest for vain glory before the council and would use anyone or anything to make an impression on the council's hearts to turn the actions of the higher authorities in his favour.
Other than these sorely qualities, he didn't have much problems as a man.
He had successfully executed operation 'exploit Roger to achieve my aim' and was more glad about that than even the positive outcome that the capture could bring for the future of the temple.
He was also always the 'glass is half full' kind of guy, as long as there was someone to exploit in filling that glass.
But for the fact that the council never left their chambers in the mountains, they probably would have impeached him for incompetence in being an active participant in the affairs of defending the temple during missions outside the walls as he was more concerned about surviving with his family than patriotically defending the temple.
At this point all he needed to do was get the information from the captives and the rest would be history.
Of course he'll usurp like 85 percent of the glory and then simply acknowledge Roger before the council.
He didn't know that this time things weren't going to pan out according to his presumed terms....