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Sylanwood, Diremaw: The Dinner table, Time: 7:30 AM
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As The Lucky Inquisitor enjoyed their breakfast, Mianne sat beside James, her gaze fixed on him, her purple eye holding a hint of intrigue.
"Is something amiss, Mianne?" James asked, his curiosity piqued by her intense stare.
Mianne moved closer and gently wiped a smudge from James's cheek. Her laughter filled the air.
"You had a little something on your face," she said with a warm smile. James nervously chuckled in response.
But the peaceful atmosphere shattered when a voice yelled out in panic. Leo burst through the door, his face filled with fear. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to him.
"Leo?! What's wrong?" Ace exclaimed, quickly moving to Leo's side. He shook him gently, urging him to speak.
After a moment of heavy breathing, Leo finally managed to utter the words, his voice trembling with dread. "My daughter! She's been kidnapped!"
"WHAT?!"
All of them were shocked at the revelation.
"She's been kidnapped?!" James exclaimed in shock, his voice filled with disbelief.
"We searched her room and scoured the entire castle, but she's nowhere to be found," Seraphina added, her voice filled with distress and worry.
The Lucky Inquisitor exchanged worried glances with one another. Kidnapping a royal family member was an audacious and dangerous act, and they couldn't stand by and let it go unpunished.
"We'll help you find her," James declared, determination etched across his face as he glanced at his comrades, who nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, Guardians," Leo said, his voice filled with gratitude. "Please, we need to act quickly. Elowen's safety is paramount."
With resolute determination, The Lucky Inquisitor prepared to embark on a mission to rescue the kidnapped Princess Elowen and bring her safely back to Diremaw.
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Sylanwood, Diremaw: Elowen's Room, Time: 7:45 AM
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With permission granted, Ezra and the team hurriedly followed Queen Seraphina and King Leo to Princess Elowen's room.
The room was adorned with vibrant colors and toys, reflecting the young princess's lively spirit.
Ezra began inspecting the room meticulously, looking for any clues or signs of a struggle. "There must be something left behind somewhere," Ezra said as he continued searching.
Meanwhile, Mianne used her keen eye to scan for magical traces. "I'll try to find any magical residue left by mages," she said as she observed around the room.
"Any sign, Ace?" James asked as he checked the drawers. Ace was inspecting the carpet, lifting it to find nothing.
"No, nothing yet. There should be some clue somewhere," Ace said as he continued searching, running his hand along the walls to feel for any hidden passages or compartments.
As they were observing the room, Ezra spotted a piece of ice left behind on Elowen's bed.
His eyes narrowed as he picked it up, inspecting it closely. It didn't take long for him to conclude.
"Ice magic," Ezra muttered, his voice filled with concern. "This could be the work of someone skilled in ice magic. We need to act quickly." He held up the piece of ice for the others to see.
"But that's impossible!" Leo exclaimed, leaving everyone confused except for Seraphina.
"Ice magic couldn't work here; the climate is entirely different, so it would have melted right away," Leo continued, with everyone still looking puzzled.
Ezra nodded in agreement with Leo's observation. "You're right, it's unusual. Ice magic should indeed melt rapidly in this climate. However, certain mages can manipulate ice in unexpected ways, controlling its stability and durability. We need to consider all possibilities."
Seraphina's realization struck a chord with everyone. "This could be the work of Glacial Vigorous," she exclaimed, prompting curious looks from the group.
"They are a criminal organization that once plagued Diremaw, using ice-based weaponry." Her explanation prompted understanding nods from the group.
Ace expressed his doubts, saying, "Attacking now doesn't seem to make much sense." The group regarded him with suspicion, but he quickly clarified, "I've dealt with similar groups before. I understand how they operate."
The Lucky Inquisitor breathed a collective sigh of relief at Ace's reassurance.
However, Leo, who had been silent until then, shared a crucial piece of information that left Ace and Ezra astounded.
"They were once a part of Favoor Solace," Leo revealed, causing Ace and Ezra to nearly do a spit take. "My family used to be protected by Pinecone dragons," he added.
Dyssoarth, the baby Pinecone dragon, emerged from Mianne's hat, its curiosity piqued by Leo's revelation.
Leo's voice carried a mix of anger and sadness as he continued, "This city has been under their protection for generations. However, ever since Glacial Vigorous arrived in our land,"
Leo's fists clenched in frustration, "they have relentlessly tried to exterminate them." He revealed that this was the reason behind the sudden decline in the pinecone dragon population.
"The fact that we struck a deal with them to spare our precious protectors was not enough..." Leo's voice cracked, and tears welled up in his eyes.
"They've taken my daughter from us," he choked out, tears streaming down his face, his sorrow palpable.
Seraphina rushed to her husband's side, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We must act swiftly to rescue Elowen," she said, her voice filled with determination.
Ace clenched his fists, anger burning in his eyes. "We'll get her back, no matter what it takes," he vowed.
Ezra nodded in agreement. "We'll track down this Glacial Vigorous and make them pay for what they've done."
James and Mianne shared a determined look. "Elowen will be safe with us," James assured Leo.
Leo wiped away his tears and nodded, his resolve firming. "Thank you, all of you. I knew I could count on the Lucky Inquisitor."
"Both of us will scour the area for any sign of them," Ace said as Ezra nodded in agreement.
"Thank you so much, but please, hurry," Leo implored, his worry evident in his voice.
James raised his hand, "I wanna go as well!" He chimed, wanting to help out.
Ezra sighed, "No, James. You will stay here with Mianne." As he was about to walk toward the door.
James was skeptical of the denial, "I could help out! I could use SwampPurger and swing to the roof and spot any suspicious-"
"FOR THE LAST TIME, STAY HERE!" Ezra screamed, causing everyone to be startled by the response
"I already have too much on my plate now with this morning headache!" Ezra turned around to face James, who was concerned and frightened a little.
"So if I have to babysit and watch over you while we waste our time trying to find the princess-" Ezra was about to before a voice snapped him out.
"EZRA!"
He turns his head to see Ace with a frustrated expression.
"Just come with me already." Ace's voice changed a little, almost fragile begging.
Ezra let out a small 'tch' before muttering to himself, "Can't fucking be with these people..."
With Ezra and Ace out of the room, James and Mianne were left shocked by the experiences.
"What was up with him?" Mianne stated, concern rising on her face.
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Sylanwood, Diremaw: Castle Entrance, Time: 8:00 AM
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Ace and Ezra were standing and looking around in the direction.
"I will go to the left, you can take a right turn," Ace stated before flying off with his angelic wing.
"Understood..." Ezra stated as he ran toward the right section of Diremaw, his shadows expanded a little.
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