The group was escorted a ways into the manor before passing through a few rooms to the right. Eventually they entered what was probably a sitting room of some sort previously. But now it was a makeshift torture chamber. Eric was tied to a frame that was holding him up, but he appeared to be dead or unconscious.

As Mai walked into the room she waved at the man that was already there, “Release him.” Shock flashed on the man’s face but he quickly did as told.

Mai turned back to the women, “I would imagine that your pretty upset right now. Before you do something stupid I need you to realize that Dao is one of the high houses of this kingdom. We weld enough power that we could take the throne should we want. It is to King Hung’s benefit that we stay happy. Take your husband and leave. Forget this ever happened. Leave Sarnthorn this very night.”

Alexis was watching her mom. She saw all the emotions flashing across her face and knew what was coming if she did nothing. So she stepped forward and asked, “If you would permit us one question before we leave; how is it that we sensed no broken oaths from you?”

With an air of superiority born of many political victories, Mai answered, “My child, you can’t break an oath if you never take one. I delegate things to others so that they can take the oaths, just as you saw in Arimel.”

As she finished talking, Eric was dragged over to them and dropped on the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Addressing Regina again Mai ordered, “Take your husband and leave now or I will order all of your slaughtered.”

Regina nodded her head announcing in a loud voice, “Take Mai alive, kill everyone else.”

As she started talking they all equipped their weapons and armor. Mira threw up a [Aegis of Faith] around them. Less than a second later sword and mace blows started raining down on the protective dome around them. Each hit caused a ripple effect but none were able to break through. Then the room darkened and screams could be heard.

Regina was kneeling next to her husband casting [Healing Touch] repeatedly on him. His wounds closed but he never stirred.

Alexis could hear fighting going one in the darkness outside Mira’s aegis but could see nothing. She continued trying to watch every direction at once and as a result was the first to see Ramiro step into the protective bubble carrying Dao Mai.

“Alive as requested,” he said in a matter of fact tone.

“Thanks. Alexis, help Ramiro tie her up,” ordered Regina. “Also remove all items from her. Anything that could be enchanted. Jewlery, hair ornaments, hell, cut the button off her pants if she has one. Don’t leave her anything that could help her escape later.”

Looking to Mira, Regina asked, “How much longer until the spell falls?”

“It’s already fallen twice. Third one will break in a few seconds. I’ve already cast a fourth one though. I can’t keep this up much longer. I’m almost out of mana.”

Regina nodded and looked back at Eric. She reached into her pack and withdrew her canteen and poured water on his face. He woke up sputtering and very clearly disoriented.

“What’s going on? Where are we?”

“You still in the same room Dao Mai tortured you in,” answered Regina. “We’re surrounded and about to start fighting our way out. Can you help?”

Eric nodded as he stood shakily, “Yeah, if someone finds my pack. I need my gear. Also, are we trying to kill everyone or just escape?”

Standing back up from securing Mai, Ramiro answered, “I can look for your pack. Is it in this room?”

“It was,” Eric answered as blows continued to rain down on the aegis.

“Hurry!” ordered Mira. “The shield is about to come down for the last time.”

Eric looked around but could see anything due to Ramiro’s magical darkness spell, “Are any of the walls exterior?”

Everyone looked at one another before Regina pointed a direction. “I don’t know if that’s an exterior but it’s probably the closest. Why?”

“If Ramiro finds my pack, I was thinking an explosive arrow might give us a new exit.

Just then Mira yelled out, “It’s failing!”

Alexis stood and moved toward the sound of people calling out, holding up her shield in one hand and readying her sword in the other. Seeing her moving one direction, Regina headed toward other voices she could hear, sword intentionally dragging on the floor as she walked, making a scraping noise. Neither could see anything in the darkness.

As they neared the voices Regina fired off a [Message] spell to Ramiro and asked him to cancel his spell. A moment later the spell lifted revealing a dozen armed house guard in the room with more filing the hallway outside. But Regina didn’t look at them. She looked at the few in front of her scrambling to stand. Her sword swung out, removing arms and heads from those in front of her.

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Alexis, being more of a defensive fighter, did not immediately start maiming people but instead just bonked them in the head with her shield as they tried to stand. This worked for about three seconds until someone in the the next row of guards reached over their compatriots, grabbed Alexis’s shield and pulled her toward them. Thankfully Alexis remembered some of the very first training she had received. Rather than trying to pit her strength against the guard, she allowed herself to be pulled and just pointed her sword straight at the throat of the one pulling her. A moment later, her shield was free and another guard was dead. Alexis quickly stepped back away from the crowd before more could grab her, sword lashing out. Part of heart broke with every swing. She hated killing. But she knew in her heart that they were going to make it out of this, that SHE was going to make it out of this.

That’s not to say the house guards were helpless. Their swords and maces rang down on Regina and Alexis. But they were largely ineffective. If whomever was in charge had used their brain and only put a few, well trained guards in the room, the two Twiceborn would no doubt have been cut down. Instead the guards were packed elbow to asshole with no room to dodge or swing horizontally. Only enough room for the guards to die as the next one stepped up behind them.

Ramiro appeared near them and gave Eric his pack. Moments later Eric had his leather armor on and was holding a bow with a glowing arrow.

“What’s that do?” asked Mira.

“Explosive,” he said has he fired it over Mira’s shoulder toward what they were hoping would be an exterior wall. A moment later the room was rocked by the explosive force and several of them grabbed their ears. Eric chuckled, “I warned you.”

They all started moving toward the hole in the wall Eric had created with Ramiro in the lead. Regina picked up their new prisoner and followed while Alexis covered their retreat. Looking through the hole, Ramiro shook his head. “It’s another room. Eric can you fire a few more of those arrows?”

“Yeah, you want me to take out another wall?”

“No. Fire behind us into the hall way where everyone is bunched up. Alexis, you’ve been practicing covering things in fire and ice. Do you have to be holding it our just touching it?”

Alexis, who was making wild crazy swings as she walked backwards, trying to keep the guards back just shrugged, “I’ve only tried it on my weapons and armor. What are you thinking?”

“Could you patch this wall with ice to keep them from following us?”

“Don’t know. If someone could buy me some room to work, I’ll try.”

Ramiro signaled to Eric who started letting the arrows fly into the bank ranks of the guards. Cries and screams of pain echoed down the halls.

Between one blink and the next, the room was covered in magical darkness again and Ramiro was gone. Alexis used the confusion to quickly stab a few of the guards that were pressing her and then she quickly jumped back and found the hole in the wall. Ramiro had cast the spell so that as soon as she leaned into the hall she could see again. She clambered out through the hole and then started to push her mana through the ice rune on her arm and out of her hand, visualizing what she wanted. Slowly ice started to form where she was touching.

“It’s working Ramiro, get back here before you’re sealed in.”

Twice as she continued covering the hole a guard made it to her and stuck his head out of the hole. Both times, Ramiro’s hands appeared with daggered and ended the guards. Just before she completely sealed the hole, the hall went dark for a second and then returned to normal with Ramiro standing next to them.

“Good work Alexis, finish it up and catch up. Eric, let’s go through that door on the left and see if that leads to an exterior wall.”

The ranger and shadow monk ran toward the door Ramiro indicated and carefully entered the room and then walked aback out.

Regina looked over to Mira, “Hey, I know you’re stronger than you used to be. Think you can carry our prisoner so that I can help fight?”

Mira did not look confident as she replied, “I can try.”

But less than a minute later, Solon Dao Mai was laid out across Mira’s shoulders. Mira had a slight satisfied smile, “I guess I can.”

“Good job Mira,” called out Alexis as she put the finishing touches on the ice wall. Pounding could already be heard from the other side.

“Ramiro, do we have an exit?” Regina called out.

The guys came back out of the room they were in. Ramiro turned and pointed out something down the hall to Eric and then continued back to where they were standing. Eric drew his bow and started firing explosive arrows toward the end of the hall to try and block it off.

“There are windows in the next room, so we can get out but there’s an issue. Evidently this house was built on a hill. We’re on the first floor when at the front of the house but this far back we’re between two and three stories in the air.”

Regina nodded but didn’t reply right away. Mira looked over and asked, “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that Mai isn’t the head of the household. There’s someone above her and that’s why she’s living in Arimel. The head is someone else and we need to get them, too. And my oath is pulling on me. There were a number of guards that have broken oaths severe enough to warrant arrest or death. I don’t think I can leave yet.”

Ramiro nodded, “Let’s get all of you out of here. I can stay and hunt the rest.”

“No!” snapped Mira. “I’m not leaving you here!”

“It’ll be okay. They can’t catch me.”

“You don’t know that. What if they have someone who uses the shadows like you? What if they have magic traps that can detect you?”

“She’s right,” said Regina. “There’s too many unknowns to leave you here alone.”

Eric raised his hand as if he was in a classroom. When everyone turned to stare at him he suggested, “I have a friend that could help us. His family is noble as well. Maybe we could leave and return with their support.”

Ramiro shook his head, “We already spoke with Soi Joon. His father is pissed and repeatedly prohibited him from starting a war with Dao.”

“Did you let them know we’re here on official business of the king himself?” Eric asked. Seeing a few shakes of their heads he continued, “I bet that would change his mind.”

“I think your right. And I have an idea,” said Alexis.