Chapter 4 - Reclamation

“Right this way!” The Sorceress said in a hushed tone, a floating ball of cerulean light illuminating the sludge and muck caked on the sewer’s walls.

“Don’t you have any spells that can deal with this stench?” said the giant, head forward to avoid touching the ceiling.

“Then we would be dealing with flower-scented sewage instead of just normal muck!” The sorceress responded. “Trust me… it’s not much better. And besides, I thought you adventuring types were used to this sort of stuff.”

“Do you really think we trudge through literal shit on a regular basis?” The giant grumbled.

“Yes, I do…”

Andros had his own complaints. He had just bought a new pair of boots barely a week ago, and now they were caked in Divines-knows-what. Complaining would just increase the risk of him inhaling more of this putrid air than he had to. Still, he figured he should be grateful for the progress they’ve made.

His old plan of getting the old team together had fallen through. Kuana and Sanala had a falling out, and Myrax had just taken a job aboard the ship. Jun had just gotten married, Mai was busy at the temple, and Mitsuru was… dealing with personal things. In the end, Kuana joined him so long as Sanala wasn’t a part of it, and he, rather reluctantly, got Yukiko to help out.

Kuana was one of the island natives of the Jade Sea, which surrounded Issei. Bronze-skinned, and towering at over 8 feet, Kuana was a thick slab of muscles and sinew, whose chosen weapon was an over-sized greatbow that could also serve as a hefty club.

As for Yukiko, Andros wasn’t sure what to expect from her. She was an innkeeper’s daughter, who knew some amount of magic, but from the few days he had known her, he had never seen her in any combat situation. Her father generally took care of anybody who gave her trouble at the Vagrant, enough so that most people were scared to even approach her.

When word circulated around the Vagrant exactly what Andros was searching for, Yukiko appeared, a little too eagerly, to help. The dark-skinned Tiefling girl seemed enthusiastic, at least. Hopefully, she wouldn’t get herself killed.

He’d never be able to show his face at the Vagrant again if that happened.

“Here we are!” Yukiko exclaimed, presenting the party with a large brick wall. A dead end.

“I’m assuming there’s more to this?” Andros asked.

“Yep,” she cleared her throat as a small ferret-like creature began to phase through the wall and perch itself on Yukiko’s shoulders. “Spring here says the assassin, AND…” She playfully flicked Andros’ nose. “Your fancy orb are through these walls.”

“I can probably punch through it,” Kuana suggested.

“That would take too long,” Yukiko said. “I have a better idea…” She extended her hands forward and set her palm. “Let’s see…if I remember correctly, it goes like…”

Without saying a word, Andros summoned a translucent magical ward around himself, causing Kuana to hide behind the much smaller man.

Suddenly, large twisting roots burst up from the sewer water, growing rapidly as they wrapped itself around the wall, squirming through the cracks in the wall before expanding in a sudden rush of growth. The wall in front of them crumbled, shaking the foundations of the tunnel, and leaving behind a large carriage-sized hole. On the other side sat half a dozen armed goons, seated together at several tables, previously enjoying their lunches.

Standing at the center of the breach was Yukiko, staring at her own hands in amazement as she jumped up and down excitedly. “By the Divines! That worked!”

“Yukiko!” Andros shouted, running to stand beside her. “Get your head in the game!”

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“Oh, right!” Yukiko giggled, pointing a finger at the goons, who were already reaching for their weapons. “Charge!”

An over-sized arrow flew past the two of them, cracking the skull open of one of the goons. Yukiko’s magical ferret then grew to the size of a large dog. Floating behind her, it unleashed a breath of raging fire into the room, incinerating another three. Andros, taking in a deep breath, pulled a card out of his coat pocket, and threw it down in between the remaining two guards. A massive hand crawled out of the space beneath the card, grabbing one guard to use as a weapon against the other.

Amidst the screams, smoke, and blood, the trio proceeded to make their way into the hideout. From the noise, Andros suspected that more were on the way. “Alright, Yukiko!” He shouted. “Lead the way!”

“Why me?” She shouted back.

“What?!” Andros furrowed his brow. “I thought you said you KNEW where the orb was?”

“I never said that!” Yukiko replied. “I said I knew where the HIDEOUT the orb would be was! Also, remember… we’re not just here for your fancy orb!”

“Right…”

As they turned a corner, the trio ran into another group of guards. Yukiko’s ferret swooped down and attacked one, wrapping itself around the man and biting down on its neck. Kuana rushed forward, pummeling another guard to death with his bow as Andros pelted the last man with a flurry of magic missiles.

They continued to fight their way through the hideout. Despite running around the place like lost puppies, the three of them made quick work of any guards they came across. He wanted to preserve the spells stored on his cards, so he mostly played clean-up, mopping up whatever Kuana or Yukiko left behind.

The trio found themselves in a large, open room. Five guards stood guarding the balcony that overlooked the room, each armed with crossbows. Another six were pursuing them from the hallway they just came out of.

Now things were getting interesting…

Andros pulled another card from his coat and slipped it into Kuana’s pocket. “Go get ‘em, buddy!” He shouted.

The giant grinned, a brief blue glow overtaking him before he suddenly became a blur. Dashing towards the hallway with incredible speed. In just a matter of seconds, Kuana had loosed two arrows, splitting open two pursuing guards, before jumping into the fray to pummel the rest.

The archers on the balcony loosed their bolts. “Spring!” Yukiko ducked down as her summoned familiar quickly conjured up a magical shield around herself and Andros. The shield itself began to crack like glass as they shot more bolts into it.

“Stay close to me!” Andros shouted, pulling another card as he grabbed her by the waist. He pressed the card on the ground beneath them. A rectangular void suddenly appeared, swallowing them whole. A split second later, they fell out of that same void, which was now on the balcony, and directly behind the archers.

“Whoa…” Yukiko murmured, bewildered.

“Head back in the game!” Andros snapped.

“Oh… right!”

Yukiko’s familiar flew forward, breathing fire on the archers, and causing them to scatter. She caught most of them in the inferno and a few well-placed magic missiles took down the survivors.

“Wow!” Yukiko exclaimed. “We did it!” She grinned at Andros, then blushed. “You can, uhm… let me go now.”

“Sorry,” Andros dropped her, and since she was using him as a support, then caused her to nearly stumble onto the floor. She glared at Andros. “Wo-”

“Need some he- ACHK!” Kuana’s voice echoed from below.

Andros and Yukiko ran back down the stairs, and saw Kuana at the entrance of the room, his arms and legs contorting, puppet-like movements inching him closer. The giant gasped in a lungful of air, desperately trying to shout something, but couldn’t.

“Kuana!” Andros shouted as the giant’s contorted body rose, revealing a short red-headed woman in silk robes. One hand raised, fingers moving as if controlling a puppet. Before the hand could move, she raised another hand. Andros felt his muscles tense as a slow burning pain surged through his body. Suddenly he was a prisoner in his own body, unable to speak, move, or scream. He tried to turn his head to keep an eye on Yukiko, but couldn’t even do that.

“Talai!” He heard Yukiko’s body. “Let them go!”

“Oh, sweet Yuki…” Talai cackled. “You know I can’t do that. Especially after the mess you and your friends made. I assume you’re here for the crow?”

“You mean Akaja?” Yukiko said. “That’s right! If you think I’m just going to let you take my best friend without a fight! Think again…”

“Oh, Yuki…”

Andros felt something sharp press against his skull. Blood dripped from his eyes, nose, and ears.

“Leave, and I’ll spare your new friends here,” Talai said. “Or… you can let them die and try to save your Akaja… you’re choice…”

Suffering through the pain, Andros’ mind focused on these internal words: We’re fucked.