Somewhere in the north...
Far, far in the north passed the Portal Gates reside a hidden slave trade.
Species and races of all kinds of beasts, animals, and even humans are being tossed around. The snow is dire and was supposed to last for only a week... It's been over the said time, traders and slaves have died being brought to this remote place.
"Damn you! Get back here you piece of crap!"
An elven girl who was a war orphan and brought here to become a slave after her family couldn't afford anything anymore, with no other choice and to last a few more days in hopes that they'll survive, they sold off their child to the slave traders and receive money in return.
Currently that child is too devious for those slave masters to handle.
Sticking out a tongue she cursed and dodged several other people trying to get their hands on her.
"Haha! Just let me eat this... Juicy meat..."
She drools just thinking about it while again dodging two large men who jumped to tackle her.
Others who were enslaved looked at her with envy in their cages.
' why hasn't she been killed yet? ' asked by a new comer
' what a lucky child, to be so rare and special... ' says an orc man who seems to have been a slave for far too long.
Indeed, why hasn't she been killed for her devious antics and the chaos and disturbances she brings to the masters?
Though not a lot know or heard of it.
But she hails from...
"... A long lost race of high elves huh?"
A woman with dark black hair that's cut short up to her shoulders, her voice held authority and scarily commanding, looking ahead noticing the silhouette of a building through the snow storm.
WHOOOSH!!
Alerted by something, the guards turn their attention towards the entrance of their building and arm themselves, readying their weapons and unleashing the guard dogs who are burning with hellfire through their fur.
A tense silence fills the air as a few minutes go by with nothing happening at all.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
BAM!!
The ceiling above them explodes into a pile of rubble, smoke, dust, and debri were everywhere while letting in the cold chilly feeling of the snow.
Several people clad in combat suits and vests rappelled down and start seizing the disoriented guards who were the closest to the explosion.
"Scatter!! Get every valuable slave and split!"
One of the older men screamed aloud.
The little elf girl was laying underneath a table after the explosion was suddenly grabbed and brought to a back room and thrown inside a cage along with several other kids of different races.
The last one to rappel down was the girl with dark black hair who is now wearing a helmet and goggles
She sees the sight of several guards being taken down while those fight back and stall.
Her eyes narrow at the fleeing guards and barks out a command, her voice was loud and holds authority:
"Make quick work with these idiots! Call in the damned Seekers, they're trying to split and transport what'll be left!"
***
As another hovercraft was flying towards the building. A car, a carriage, and a heavily armored van were currently making their escape with obvious slaves in their grasp.
" Jeez couldn't captain just deal with them herself? She's quite capable of that isn't she?"
A young man complains.
His voice was childish and he emits an aura of a child yet his eyes show a glint of cunning and mischief.
" Don't bad mouth our captain, she's clearly giving us an opportunity."
A girl who's still in her teens, light gray hair with a slender figure, her voice rings out like small little bells that pleases anyone ears.
[Name: Han]
[Title: None]
[Rank: Seeker]
[Class: Neophyte]
[Experience: 30/180 → 11]
[Prestige: 0 → 1]
The young man rolls her eyes and turns to face the young girl.
"I'm not bad mouthing our captain,Leah..."
[Name: Leah]
[Title: None]
[Rank: Seeker]
[Class: Adept]
[Experience: 80/180 → 13]
[Prestige: 0 → 1]
Leah puffs her cheeks and turns away while still leaning against the wall of the hovercraft with a spear like weapon beside her.
Turning his head to face his other comrades, he asks in a bored tone:
"... We nearing our target, Vice Captain?"
The vice captain, a man in his mid twenties. A stoic look on his face while staring at the open hatch of the hovercraft, he had a scary look on his face which disturbs a lot of those around him...
"We are close, split into groups everyone."
... Even his voice was deep and commanding just as the captain. In truth he's actually kind hearted despite his scary build, and his scary face and voice.
' Adept Warden's sure are scary... '
Leah and Han group up with themselves though reluctant, they had to follow orders either way and this is really their first mission of III tier.
"Big sis! You'll pair up with me as always right!?"
"Of course! How could I leave your idiot self behind?"
The second group consisted of a young kid with a funny bowl cut... Mushroom? Coconut? No idea...
The kid looked to be wimpy and scrawny always to be protected by her big sis, though not entire false, one of his eyes were identical to that of a cat which hides his split personality and inner power within.
"No need to be scared, you'll just beat those damned idiot to a pulp again anyway!"
Not entirely encouraging.
Big sis who that kid called. Though not blood related but their bond is unbreakable, the sister was tall and muscular, close to that of an athlete of track.
Her voice was feisty, her skin was smooth and olive colored with her hair in a tomboyish cut.
[Name: Will]
[Title: None]
[Rank: Seeker]
[Class: Neophyte]
[Experience: 60/180 → 10]
[Prestige: 0 → 1]
"R— Right! Haha! No need to worry..."
'dang is this dude never confident?'
The tall woman laughed and patted his little brother aggressively on his shoulder.
"That's my boy!"
[Name: Elmira]
[Title: None]
[Rank: Seeker]
[Class: Adept]
[Experience: 10/190 → 12]
[Prestige: 0 → 1]
Whoooosh!
The hovercraft is nearing one of their targets. Three vehicles making their escape in different routes
Beep beep.
"Vice, we'll be taking the armored van..."
Vice captains radio spoke, the voice of their captain has barked more orders.
The vice captain looked out the window, his eyes narrowed at the armored van in the distance. Another figure came out of the trees, holding a gun in her hand and a sword in the other. Captain Raven has already caught up with the culprits.
Sighing, vice captain looked at the four Seekers and said:
"Leah you'll lead, Han—"
Before he could even finish his words, Han exclaimed and cut him off.
"Her!? Aren't I the oldest—?!!"
Leah muffled Hans voice with her hands and nodded respectfully at Vice Captain's decisions.
"Gladly. The carriage, yes?"
She asked nicely and respectfully.
Vice Captain nodded and turned to Elmira and Will who were already awaiting his orders.
" You two will take the high speed car."
Will was already anxious and terrified to even complain.
Vice Captain sighed and jumped down the open hatch, the others look out the window as they see their second in command hit the white snowy ground.
Instantly after stepping on the snow, another boom resounded and suddenly, the vice captain has caught up with Captain Raven... Well, behind her anyway.
[Name: Raven]
[Title: Crow]
[Rank: Warden]
[Class: Adept II]
[Experience: 100/250 → 31]
[Prestige: 0 → 1]
***
A carriage being pulled by two robotic horses are making their way to a mountain planning to go around it.
The carriage was large with four guards in actual horses riding beside it with guns in their hands.
A shadow... No, two shadows appeared moving behind the trees. One of the guards raised their rifles and aimed directly at the approaching silhouettes.
SWISH!
CRASH!!
The carriage was stopped and the rider was swiftly killed and the robotic horses have been cut in half.
A young girl with braided light gray hair flew towards the convoy with incredible speed, her long naginata glowed like thunder with shades of blue and purple.
"Rat!"
The guards cursed and aimed his rifle while still charging at the young girl with his horse.
The young girl smiled and scoffed, twirling her naginata into a readied stance, her eyes now glowing thundery purple.
"Pfft, rat? I'm elegant and beautiful mind you."
The young girl charged and slashed at the enemy, another came and started shooting their gun, not bothering to aim.
Easily deflecting it with her weapon, she quickly dashed letting out a crackling sound like lightning. In a flash, she was already upon the enemy.
On the other side of the carriage, two guards fell off their horses after the ambush that was done to them. One of them cursed and picked up his gun and moved to where the gun shots were.
"My, my~ what are you doing with that gun mister? You know it's not gonna work either way."
A man... Child... Kid? With dark hair and pale white skin,almost as pale as the snow. His eyes were dark and yet they show off insane killing intent.
In his hands, two daggers that twist like snakes and have scales like one to. It's dark texture of the blade on his left hand contrasts to the white scale blade on his right, blending in perfectly with the snow.
One of the men snorted and aimed his gun at the person on top of the carriage.
Flinching, Han raised his hands nervously and had a look of terror in his face.
"Please! Don't shoot!"
The other man laughed and barked:
"Get lost kid! This ain't a place for younglings like you!"
ZIIIIIIP!!
The kid suddenly disappeared from the top of the carriage startling the first man. Looking at his comrade to joke around, instead, he was met with the sight of his headless friend.
His head rolled to his feet with his blood soaking the white snow, his body collapsed after spraying a fountain of crimson blood all over. Han appeared behind the corpse with a proud, smug look on his face.
"What the..."
Han looked at amused and still grinning from ear to ear, he hummed out a melodic tune the ears of the man heard like an echo and before he could raise his weapon, Han was already behind him with the blade at the man's neck.
"Now, now. Let's not go there shall we?"
He said in a teasing tone, before adding:
"Where's the little elf girl which your entire market made a big deal out of?"
The man gulped a lump down his throat, upon doing so, his skin bled, cut by the wavy blade of Han.
He couldn't answer, because even he did not know.
Han sighed and was about to cut the man's throat but a voice called out to him.
"Don't kill him, Captain and Vice Captain is pursuing the armored van. That is where the elf girl is."
Han looked at Leah with a rather deadpan expression before dropping the man to the ground causing him to look directly at his fallen comrade.
Sheathing two of his blades, Han walked up to Leah and asked in a cheerful tone:
"How are Will and Elmira?"
Suddenly remembering the two, Leah coughed and awkwardly spoke:
"Right... Will and Elmira are doing fine, they've subjugated the high speed car."
* * *
About 20 or so minutes ago.
After vice captain and Leah's group left.
Elmira and Will jumped out of the hovercraft without any parachute or glider to help cushion their fall.
"AAAAAHHH!!"
"Cut it out will ya!? This is by far the safest thing you've done!!!!"
Plummeting down towards the snowy ground, Will cried and shouted like some idiotic baby whale who's about to be left by its mother.
Elmira on the other hand was not phased once after jumping off without hesitation, bringing her little brother who's basically scared and anxious about everything.
"Aaaghhh!!! I'm gonna dieee!!!!!"
Sobbing and crying, Elmira scoffed and rolled her eyes knowing that he'll survive s fall from 30 or so meters high. Hitting the ground first was Elmira, a cloud of giant white snowy smoke filled the air where she landed, a large booming crater was left.
"HIIIEEK!!??"
Will felt helpless and suddenly accepted his fate on dying as he entered the veil of smoke.
At the same time, another boom sound appeared and Elmira was currently heating up and laughing as she heads towards the high speed car.
"Meet ya there lil bro!! HAHAHA!!"
Another crash echoed through the landscape though not as loud, Will lay there under the the veil of nothing but white.
' cold... It's... So, so cold... '
[Your soul has detected distress, panick, stress, and high levels of anxiety and adrenaline]
' it's... Speaking? Ah, right... Sleep, let me sleep... '
[Your soul is now being possessed]
The sounds of cracking and bloody bones breaking and flesh reshaping, a blood thirsty scream echoed through the entire landscape of the winter forest.
Chasing and nearing the high speed car, Elmira looked over her shoulder aftering hearing the familiar roar of a predator.
' goodness, hearing that never gets old. '
The veil of snowy smoke was starting to diminish and blown away by the wind, suddenly a trail of smoke followed underneath and went to the road with tire marks following it with bloodlusted determination.
"Kill... I will kill them and protect big sis!"
Will has now transformed.
His hair has grown long and white, his arms and legs grew long along with his body turning frail and thin yet muscles were working their magic as he lets out another loud roar and a sonic BOOM echoes.
Flying... Or running, just as fast as Elmira, he instantly closed the distance between him and her in only a few seconds after falling down to the ground. His face was contorted into an animal that closely resembles a cheetah, half his face was covered with a mask the resembled jet engines.
"Wakey wakey aren't you Leo?"
Elmira lowers herself close to Will's transformed state while still speeding through the road to catch up with the high speed cars and their convoy.
Letting out a bloodthirsty growl, he suppresses his bloodlust and turned to look at Elmira and says in a hoarse breathless tone:
"God damn y—"
Instantly the voice suddenly changes and Will's familiar wimpy voice resounded while still speeding.
"God damn it Leo! Can you not curse my sister whenever we transform!???"
Suddenly, the furious voice came from his cheek, a mouth grew open and with it several sharp teeth much like a predator was shown.
" Shut the hell up kid! I'm the one who saved your sorry ass from dying from a mere 30 meters fall!"
Elmira laughed and another Sonic boom came from her and flew past Will and Leo leaving them a snowy veil blocking their sight.
"That damned woman is gonna get a real good beating when I take over your body."
" Like that's gonna happen you parasitic wuss!"
The both of them continued bickering while speeding up more and more and passing curves of the mountain and catch up... Or try to catch up, with Elmira.
***
The high speed car's driver is laughing along with his convoy.
"Ha! They are not capturing us any time soon!"
Only then did their attention get redirected from a large sudden shockwave sound behind them.
BOOM!
They did not know what that shockwave was and where it came from but something in their bodies told them that it was not something good.
The two motorcycle riders beside the car looked over their shoulder while still being able to turn and maneuver around the slopes and turns of the snowy mountain.
VWOOM!!
Another shock wave made the bones in their bodies rattle.
' wait... That's only supposed to happen when you're close to whatever is causing that... '
When it finally clicked in their heads, it was already too late. A woman in Valkyrie like armor holding an axe that shines even with the sun covered by the cloud.
The car driver was late to react, it did not matter now if he pushed on the breaks because he was gonna die either way.
Elmira took a deep breath, raised her axe and slammed it down on the hood of the car with a loud bang! Due to the speed of the car, the Valkyrie was pushed back just a few meters from a cliff.
The driver raised his handgun and pointed it at the Valkyrie.
Scoffing, Elmira raised her hands which scared the already disoriented driver and pressed on the trigger letting off several gun shots through the broken and cracked window.
CLING CLANK!
The bullets were not enough to penetrate the armor of the fierce woman. Elmira scoffed and threw the driver onto the hood of the car knocking him out... Or he just passed out.
Finally, the motorcycles arrived and pointed their own guns at Elmira, this time they were more armed with heavy weaponry.
The slaves at the back of the car were worried for their savior who is clad in black and gold armor.
Ding~
The world suddenly slowed, everything stopped moving, the snow flakes stopped falling and the sound of the storm going quiet.
A low growl escaped from a beast, speeding through the roads to finally catch up, Leo let off another growl and grabbed the two men, who were aiming their heavy rifles at Elmira, by the head and slammed then down on the ground.
CRACK
CRACK
"NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO SCRATCH HER BUT ME!!!"
The heads of the two men were smashed down onto the ground like pudding... A disgusting pudding.
"Are you alright big sis?"
Wills voice came from the same body but he's currently not in control.
Chuckling loudly, Elmira pats Will's body on his shoulder aggressively as always and added in an amused tone:
"Well done! Told you you'd beat them to a pulp... Again!"
Laughing once more, she took out a device and pressed a few buttons and made it ring and vibrate.
A few seconds of static and then a cold commanding voice along with heavy breathing and the sound of gun shots were heard in the background.
The commander audibly found cover and then spoke:
"Elmira, report?"
"We've stopped the car, the kids not here though."
A few gun shots went passed the radio and the Captain groaned, shot a few bullets back letting it drive off again before adding quickly:
"Good. We'll be done here shortly so get Leah and Han here over our position."
The radio closes shortly after...
"Well shit, we have to carry those other idiots to? How fantastic!"
Leo rolls his eyes but stretches his legs anyway and looks at the distance spotting small silhouettes of Han and Leah.
***
Armored van.
The escaping convoy consisted of three armored vehicles surrounding the heavily armored van with missiles and turrets in their arsenal.
The first car out of the three were already destroyed by the captain, now only two remained.
' What an absolute pain... '
The gunman of the armored car suddenly called out to his teammates alarting them that someone was approaching.
What they were not expecting though was a giant Boulder almost the size of a house was about to crush them into a bloody paste.
BAM BAM BAM!
Missiles flew from the armored vans roof and obliterated most of the boulder that was coming to crush them.
... Most.
The shards of the boulder crashed down on one of the cars and blew up in flames immediately killing the driver and it's passengers.
' One left. '
Dashing towards the remaining car that guarded the van, while also dodging gun shots, magic spells, and missiles from the van. Captain Raven unsheathed her blade and struck the back tires and at the same time, sending a magical orb which released toxic gas into the cracks dealt by the falling shards of the boulder.
BANG!
Psssssshh
There were no sounds, but it was obvious the toxin were working
"Valtan."
"Roger!"
Suddenly, a man clad in rough silver armor appeared in the bath of the armored van.
Almost two meters tall, the man brought his heavy war hammer down on the front of the van. Sadly that did barely any damage and only leaving a small dent, it did however, slow the vehicle down.
[Name: Valtan]
[Title: Golem]
[Rank: Warden]
[Class: Adept I]
[Experience: 140/250 → 30]
[Prestige: 0 → 1]
Raising his war hammer up, he swings it. This time it was aimed at the front windows causing it to crack and almost shatter.
The driver suddenly full throttled and even turned it's miniature jet engine on ramming Valtan. That wasn't enough to stop the giant, letting go of his giant war hammer, he brought his fist down on the window once more making more cracks to appear on its surface.
Catching up to the fight, Raven tried slashing at the tires with her katana only for it to bounce back, not even leaving the slightest cut.
" Tsk."
She grumbles and speeds up trying to catch up further. Suddenly, a turret appeared at the roof of the van, it took a few moments to charge up and then aim directly at the approaching target.
However, before it could even fire, a loud Sonic boom resounded far away along with the echoing sound of something screeching. And then at the next moment, the turret disappeared, only leaving the mount and broken wires.
Elmira has caught up with their captain.
"Damn yoouuuu!!!!"
Leo however, has slowed down due to having carried both Han and Leah on his back. If they were to be carried by Elmira though, their insides would have been mixed or their heads would fly off, so they are still far behind...
" Argh!"
Just as Valtan could bring his fists down once more to finally shatter the window, the van suddenly stopped flinging the large gaunt man that was on their hood to fly several meters away.
The men inside quickly got out of the armored van wearing even more armored suits with heavy weapons built for defending themselves against an Adept Guardian...
... If it was enchanted, of course. Which those weapons were not, even if they were, being able to enchant tedious weapons like that so far up North, were close to impossible.
"Surrender and give us the kid."
"Keugh... Curse you, you wicked wo—"
BAM
Elmira flew passed bringing two other henchmen with her, Raven dashes forward avoiding and parrying the bullets skillfully with her blade and took down the others.
DING. CLANG. PING.
Rapid firing at Valtan, due to his large size dodging bullets were not his strong suit. Blocking was always an option of course, but why block when you can just tank it?
That's exactly what he was doing...
BOOM
A step that seemed to shake the surrounding area itself, those that were left were already immobilized or surrendered.
***
"How was your first mission, Seekers?"
Captain Raven asked sounding bored, it was her first time bringing along newbies after all.
The Seekers looked at each other contemplating and thinking back on their own tasks...
The first to respond however, was Will.
"Can I be assigned to a different unit? Maybe a different Guild, even."
Elmira looked at Will with a mean look but before she could even scold him for saying such things...
"Gods you're a pathetic worm!"
Valcan looked at the mirage standing beside Will.
Leo felt that menacing gaze and clicked his tongue before disappearing.
[Shared Conscience link has been disconnected.]
Han chuckled at Leo's remark nodding amusedly only to be slapped by Leah once more.
***
"Yeah? We're closing in on their location."
The wind howled as the man in dark robes and a cloak ran, maneuvering swiftly through the snowy forest.
' rats, they got taken down that quickly? Such uselessness...'
Coming up behind the man, another person with the same dark robes and cloak hiding their faces.
"How tiring, couldn't we just send the Higher Sages?"
Another figure appears from behind the second man, this time more slender and seemingly more agile. Wearing the same robe but much shorter with a veil covering her face despite the already lacking vision because of the snow.
Clicking her tongue and catching up to the first man, she says in a hushed tone:
"You think the elders of our Roots have enough influence to just call out Higher Sages?"
Groaning, the second man caught up and started covering the distance between the fallen armored van and them...
Step
Step
' huh...? '
A lone figure walking around the vast snowy plains of the North, gazing far ahead seeing two things...
One was a long the road. A large van with people that looks to be agents of the Northern Branches...
' Gate Operators and Authority?'
The second thing he saw far in the distance was...
His eyes narrowed and changed is direction and walked towards the fallen van in the distance.
The three dark grey figures in the distance. Their robes bore the symbol of Roots, and they are heading towards those GOA agents?
' how... Intriguing. '
Changing the route he was supposed to take, he walked towards the fallen van, he didn't need to worry and hasten his steps. He was confident in those GOA agents.
' They won't die, not too quickly anyway. '
Tying a blindfold around his eyes, he then summoned a half kitsune mask.
It's color was black with long narrow eyes that covered what's underneath, long pointed ears, the material it was made of seemed like it was both wood an marble.
Yawning, he stretched and then continued walking this time, however, the snow falling around him seemed to avoid his very presence.
His steps were light but seemed to distort the snow, the air around the man felt as though they were bending or warping...
"What a cheap mask. My junior could have done better..."
He then continued walking...
Slowly.
Steadily.
***