Chapter 24 Fast and Light.

Isaac reappeared next to Lenna right as a large man was squaring off against her. “Back up.” Isaac said without sparing the man more than a glance. He didn’t.

Lenna took her eyes off the man and looked at Isaac. “What did he say?” She asked.

“I gave him thirty seconds.” Isaac replied. “Just make sure to avoid the guards.”

Lenna nodded. “Understood.” She replied. “I’m ready.”

“Hey!” The big man in front of Lenna yelled even though they were only a few feet apart. “Don’t just ignore me, wench.”

Lenna’s cold gaze swept back to the man. She slammed the full weight of her aura down onto just him. “If you want my attention so badly.” She began as his knees started to wobble. “Then you can have it.” She reached out and poked his chest. His legs crumpled under his own weight and he went down on his ass, hard.

Isaac stepped behind Lenna. “It’s been thirty seconds, probably.” He told her. “Let them have it.”

Lenna nodded and took a deep focusing breath. Her aura reached out and seemed to clamp down on each of the civilians one at a time as she deftly ignored the guards. One after another they each showed the effects of Lenna’s monstrous aura. A few collapsed on the spot. A few stumbled away. One woman’s bladder couldn’t contain the strain. Only three members of the crowd held their ground at all. One of which was a target but the rest looked like they were probably off duty guards.

The sergeant and two of his men came out of the building and grabbed the two people in the group that Isaac and Lenna were after. They hauled them inside and into a backroom to be detained. A minute later the sergeant returned with the same two guards. “We are beginning the operation now.” The sergeant told Isaac and Lenna.

Lenna pulled back in her aura and let the crowd regain their faculties. Isaac stepped up beside her. “We’ll take the smith and his apprentice.”

The sergeant nodded. “The other three should all be at the general goods store.” He explained and waved for his two men to follow him. “Let’s get this over with.” He said to no one in particular and headed out with his men trailing behind him.

The crowd was starting to reorganize and they looked both a bit shaken up and in a much worse mood than they had been before. Whether their residual fear of Lenna would prevent them from doing anything stupid or not had yet to be seen. “Let’s hurry.” Isaac told Lenna and started in the direction of the smithy in a job. “The sooner we are out of here the better.”

Lenna took off after him. “Agreed.”

—

Isaac and Lenna stopped outside of the smithy that two of their targets were presumably inside. “V’Nova way?” Isaac asked.

“I think…” Lenna began before stopping to gather her thoughts. “The V’Nova way is best. The Wexler way tends to make me age a few centuries.”

Isaac chuckled. “How so?” He asked.

“Worrying about you.” She replied simply.

“Oh.” Was Isaac’s response. “Well, uh, the V’Nova way it is!” He agreed and exaggeratedly pointed at the door like he was signaling artillery.

Lenna rolled her eyes. “Stand back.” She told him and took a few steps back and to the side to line herself up with the door properly. “Ready?”

Isaac did as he was told and pulled his sword out of his Inventory. “Ready.” He agreed.

Lenna ran forwards. Her aura coated her body. Dim, small, orange flames danced along the edges of her armor causing her silhouette to glow faintly. She tucked her shoulder and plowed through the door blasting it off its hinges. The mushroom wood door blew apart as it was forced the wrong way through the doorway. Lenna quickly found the dwarven smith as she continued inside without even slowing down. She vaulted over the counter he was standing behind in shock. Her knees met his chest and chin as she took him violently to the ground.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Isaac teleported inside and then again to stand beside the smith’s apprentice who had been in the middle of trying to hang a freshly polished sword. Isaac’s blade pressed firmly against the boy’s neck who looked to be in his late teens. “Don’t move.” Isaac ordered the apprentice.

Lenna rose from the ground with the smith in her grasp. She had both of his hands behind his back with his wrists clasped in her hands. She forced him forward and around the counter. “Get off me ye wretch!” The dwarf cried. He hadn’t had enough time to recognize the duo so his insults weren’t very specific.

“Hands behind your head.” Isaac told the apprentice who hurriedly did as he was told. Shadows reached out from Isaac and clasped around the apprentice’s wrists holding his arms in place. Isaac gestured towards the door with his sword. “Let’s go.”

“Unhand me!” The smith ordered. “If’in ya don’t I’ll skin ye and feed ye ta the forge!”

“You can hit him to shut him up.” Isaac told Lenna as he followed the apprentice out the door with the tip of his blade pressed against the middle of the boy’s back.

Lenna slammed the dwarf against the counter before dragging him towards the door. He yanked and struggled between a hail of curses and swears that were both colorful and promising every type of pain he could come up with. The V’Nova Wexler duo escorted their prisoners back to the guard station and were met by a handful of the citizens that had been involved with the mob previously.

“”What’s going on?!” One of them cried out. “That’s my boy! Unhand him! Let him go!”

Isaac’s answer was a gaze that could have killed a weaker man. The flare of death flames inside of Isaac’s chest only helped his gaze promise extreme violence if the man didn’t withdraw. “He’s being arrested on suspicion of smuggling stolen goods.” Isaac replied simply. “If you interfere I’ll throw you in the cell with him.” The man looked like he wanted to interject but he couldn’t think of anything to say that had a chance at helping his son and not just getting them both thrown in the cells.

Once inside, the group met the receptionist. “That was fast.” She commented upon seeing them enter. “The boss ain’t even back yet.”

“Lead the way.” Isaac replied professionally. He just wanted to get this part of the job over and done with. The sooner everything was wrapped up the sooner he could get paid and the sooner he could be away from all the prejudiced people in Ben’s End. That wasn’t even mentioning the fact that he just genuinely enjoyed fighting monsters or powerful people and disliked bullying pathetic thieves and weaklings.

The receptionist did as requested and led them back to the only trio of cells in the entire town. One of the cells had the two arrestees from earlier. Another had some kid who looked utterly miserable. And the last one was empty. The receptionist had the keys to the cells and unlocked the only open one. “Just toss ‘em in there.” She said and held the gate open for them.

Isaac poked the apprentice in the back with his sword and the boy staggered into the cell. Isaac’s shadows dispersed soon after and Lenna, quite literally, tossed the smith into the cell after him. The dwarf hadn’t stopped cursing her soul and her family for the next hundred generations the entire time. Not even after he landed on his face. Isaac was surprised his voice hadn’t gone hoarse. “Now we just wait for the sergeant I guess.” Isaac said to no one in particular.

The receptionist closed and locked the cell before leading the duo back out into the lobby. “He shouldn’t be too long.” She said and took her seat.

“It was three on three though wasn’t it?” Isaac asked.

She shrugged. “Somethin’ like that.” She agreed.

Isaac looked at Lenna. “Do you want to wait or go after them?” He asked her.

Lenna glanced back over her shoulder in the direction of the cells. “We should stay here, just in case.” She told Isaac. “I don’t want to chase down a runner.”

Isaac nodded in agreement. “Me neither.” He agreed and took a seat against the wall. He had made a bench made of hardened shadows that was big enough for Lenna to join him if she wanted too. She hung around for a bit before deciding to join him and continue waiting.

A few more minutes passed before five living and one dead person entered the lobby. One of the guard’s had a bad dent in his breastplate that at the very least had to make the armor uncomfortable. The other guard and the sergeant looked fine save for maybe a new scratch or two on their mostly polished armor. The prisoners were a girl in her late teens, a young man in his mid twenties, and a middle aged man who was obviously dead and tossed over the undamaged guard’s shoulder.

The sergeant noticed Isaac and Lenna immediately. “Were you successful?” He asked the pair.

Lenna nodded. “Yeah.” Isaac replied. “They are already locked up.”

The sergeant nodded. “I’ll join you in a minute.”

A few minutes later Isaac and Lenna were back inside the sergeant’s office. “You are sure that was all of them in Ben’s End?” He asked Isaac.

Isaac shrugged. “I hope so but unless the magistrate comes down here himself and interrogates everyone we’ll probably never know.” He replied truthfully. “There are a few in Outpost Charles that we’ll be going after next. For now I’ll leave the prisoners to you.”

The sergeant sighed. “Alright.” He reached up and undid the strap on his helmet before taking it off and setting it on the desk. His brown hair was half gray and his well trimmed beard was much the same. His brown eyes were tired but sharp. “Do you have arrangements for bringing the prisoners back with you?”

Isaac shook his head in the negative. “No. I was hoping to leave that to you. We travel fast and light.” Isaac replied.

The sergeant nodded. “What about the prisoners from Outpost Charles?” He asked.

Isaac wrinkled his nose. “I really don’t want to deal with them.” He answered truthfully. “When would you need them here by so you could send them back with the others?”

“The next caravan should be here in ten to fourteen days. They’ll then continue on to Outpost Charles before turning around.” He explained. “They are on a five week rotation.”

“I’ll make sure the others are ready by then.” Isaac promised. “I’ll see what I can do about getting them out of your hair sooner but no promises.”

The sergeant nodded. “Alright.” He replied with a sigh. “This is such a mess.”

Isaac ignored his comment and rose to his feet. “We’ll just leave this all in your very capable hands.” He told the older man. “The sooner we get to Outpost Charles the better our chances are of catching the rest of the gang.”

“Where would they even run to?” The sergeant asked incredulously. “There’s nothing out here but tunnels and monsters.”

“And drow.” Lenna added as she rose to her feet to follow after Isaac.

The sergeant paused. “You don’t think?” He didn’t even dare finish his own question.

“Only one way to find out.” Isaac replied and opened the door to leave. “See ya around Sergeant.” Isaac said over his shoulder. “And make sure you don’t lose those prisoners.”

The sergeant’s face went from surprised to a scowl. “I don’t need some adventurer telling me how to do my job.” He told Isaac again.

Isaac just waved over his shoulder as he walked out. Lenna gave the sergeant a curt nod. “I would be extra careful.” Lenna told him. “If any of them escape it won’t be us you have to worry about. It’ll be your captain and the magistrate.”