While he paved the waters, he immediately saw guards at one of the entrances. They were immediately alerted as he was not sneaky in his assault. Armor was 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. Aizen was very fierce and he cleaved the enemy in half with just one slash of his sword. Even the enemy's block was penetrated with such prowess.
Soon, he looted the dead bodies and had their hands with the keys inside. He opened the lock with a tick and the door creaked as it was opened.
He stormed the place and slaughtered his way through on the second guard posts.
He 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 Aizen 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 armor will be soft things for them.
"Bah! Kill him!" shouted one.
They battled and slashed each other. They attacked and clashing metals were heard. Aizen 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.
Aizen immediately ran into the deeper parts of the caverns. 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 he marched. Not even trying to stay silent. Well, he was like an armored tank and not sneaky Rangers or Rogues, to begin with. He 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 those damp cells.
Immediately, when he arrived at the depressing place, he 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 having 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, stranger! 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.
Aizen 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 he 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 Roan took chase. Slavers then attacked him.
They soon clashed with them. Aizen went off following Rogue and the others. Taking chase with Rogues will be a hassle and it was for naught. They were fast and contrary to him, heavy and slow.
"Damn it! They escaped!" Aizen bellowed as he was lost at the moment, not knowing where they left and their trails were almost non-existent.
Aizen turned back and the battle was still far from over. He attacked them and clashing blades and hammers were resounding in the vicinity. Shields battered and armors hammered, all were in chaos.
Aizen massacred and killed his way through. Making the bloody battle more bloody. Enemies were killed, even though they were more numerous than his number.. From thirty till ten until there were only five left. Aizen was slowly killing one each. Further contributing to the number of enemies killed.
He was left panting after the battle. Not a life was spared and they deserved it! The mood was still brimming with energy and he immediately went to the cells. Freeing the children in the process as well as the other captives.
Aizen used the town portal and they all went inside. Further thanking him in the process.
Aizen delved deeper and saw something like an office locked from the outside. Full of files and documents. Grabbing the lock pick, he picked-locked the door and entered as he saw that there were no traps laid. Kind of a handy skill he got and it proved to be useful at the moment.
Aizen entered and scoured what he needed to scour. Only to discover their activities.
Aizen 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 sacrifices to the lesser evil summoning!
Aizen 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!" Aizen 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!" Aizen was dismayed by his incompetence. Thinking that it was happening right into their noses.
Aizen closed the book shut and gathered all the evidence. Further showing it to the elder was the best key to finding a solution to this mess.
They soon started to prepare to leave the place and Aizen met with the others. Giving to the elder necromancer what he had found in the office. Such documents were better laid on him at the moment. By that, Aizen was happy with a job well done.
The kids were sent home, and the ones who lost their parents, they will be sent to an orphanage. That's all he could do for now.
All has been done and there's no turning back, they must live on and continue living.
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.
[Mission: Rescue the captives]
[Reward: More villagers under your wings]