Beneath the alleyways of the Slum Vents, within the tunnels clad in steam pipes, opened a small box. The hateful, crimson glare of a small, red pearl twinkled brightly within the dim shadows. Arcs of crimson energy erupted from it as a dark hand closed around this disconcerting artefact, dancing up the arm as random segments of a dark red halo flickered chaotically behind the figure’s back.
Yellow eyes sparkled with twisted joy, violet flames flickering within them like lost souls. The female’s giddy laughter echoed hauntingly through the air as the other two figures backed fearfully away from the madly cackling wolf. His body flared with venomous malice and a blood red aura began to crackle around him.
Flitting upwards through the now relatively thin barrier left between the tunnels and the surface, the scene within the orphanage stood in stark contrast, filled with homely warmth and laughter.
“… and so, I asked what the Abyss he was doing with that fish! And he said… He was going to cook that darned thing! Old Zetok promptly regretted his words when it slapped the daylights out of him, heh. Hasn’t hunted for a Golden Moonfish ever since.” Graam chuckled as he ended one of his favourite tales from his time as a pirate to the listening kids. Of course tastefully adapted to be less filled with colourful cursing.
Hailey, the kids and even an old woman, most likely the fabled Lady Tiffany, had gathered in the lunchroom to listen to the shark. The old woman nodded knowingly along with a smirk while Hailey smiled amused and the kids sparkled with bright eyes at his stories.
Graam hadn’t really planned this, but since Lyca hadn’t exactly told him where Jak would be off to afterwards, his visit to the orphanage had become a bit more permanent and he had decided to just stay put and pass the time. And then one thing lead to another while talking with Hailey, helping around the orphanage, and he was suddenly doing story time. Heh, felt nice to actually have some listen to his tales for once. Jak had stopped listening to his old pirate stories a few years ago. And now a smug grin flitted through Graam’s mind.
Sadly all his good mood was blown away as he could smell and feel the ominous aura blasting upwards from below. Like a ice water filling a sinking ship. Without hesitation he leaped to his feet.
“…GET THE KIDS OUTTA HERE!!!” He bellowed out with hardened authority, throwing his arms out towards the exit while he already rushed towards the stairs leading down to the basement of the building. Graam didn’t know much about the orphanage, but this one had been constructed according to one of the more common blueprints used around Dampfstadt. And that he had memorised. He didn’t have the freedom to look back on the confused panic that broke out behind him.
And neither could he have known that just a few minutes earlier, Jak’s little group was closing in one the orphanage as well.
“Heh, no way I’m letting you get away from me. You gotta pay back all the time you missed at school with interest.”
The chameleon girl smirked in answer to his unspoken question. Walking right besides him she had her arms crossed lazily behind her head.
“Want to spend the night at my place, too?” Jak drawled.
“Sure! Better be prepared to answer to my aunt when she learns of this, though~” Vee cheerfully agreed with a teasing glint.
“That was rhetorical.” He deadpanned before sparkling mischievously. “But I suppose that would go over your head.”
“Ey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously, trying and failing to untangle his meaning.
Playfully they continued to bicker, their little fight ending with teasing smirks, rolling eyes and amused grins. From the side, Jenny watched with slowly growing jealousy, cheeks puffed up as she fumed silently. Muh, Vee was pulling away Jak’s attention from her! Not fair!
Geen and Mina just sweatdropped and shook their heads with heavy sighs at Jenny’s problems, turning back to Myra as the weasel tailed bunny cat played around with her spinning disc flitting through the air. The two hadn’t been there for her first show and were appropriately fascinated.
When finally they reached the alleys near the back of the orphanage where Jak had them huddle together.
“Okay, we’re going in through one of the windows. In and out quickly, just to make doubly sure nobody catches us.” Jak made clear, arms crossed while staring pointed at Jenny. “It will be me, Jenny and Myra since we’re the fastest.”
“Then Geen and I do the distraction! We have to get back, anyways.”
“Probably a good idea…” Jak nodded at Mina input, making her smile proudly.
“We’ll do our best.” Geen agreed with a determined nod of his own, fist clenched demonstratively. And flailed startled as Jenny glomped both him and Mina from the side with a wide grin.
“You’re the best~!”
“Well, I’m going to join these two then.” Vee stated, giving Jak an playful pout which turned into a dangerous smirk. Her eyes sparking with a promise of pain. “Seeing as I’m apparently not important enough to help you out here. So you better not leave without me or you can prepare yourself for a rude awakening tomorrow.”
“Yeah, yeah. We’ll send Myra down as the signal.”
Jak rolled his eyes lightly, waving her off.
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“I’ll hold you to that~”
Vee smiled innocently back at him while Myra give her firm nod, loyal to her teacher of the normal. Jak sweatdropped and shook his head amused at their newly formed coalition.
Plan made, their two teams flitted out of the alleyways. Vee’s Distractions was just walking normally within the streets while Jak’s Extraction took to the roofs again.
A grappling hook connected to the window sill and with long since internalised motions Jak unlocked it, slipping inside just as Mina, Geen and Vee entered to face a panicked group of kids.
Just as a baleful star of deep red rapidly ascended from below, disintegrating all in its way under a cacophony of piercing, hateful screams.
Just as Graam raced downwards, a turquoise Halo spinning behind him.
And just as the previously languidly rising clouds of steam above the Vent Slums began to spin and coalesce, darkening into crackling clouds of black. Wind was starting to puck up and alarmed voices echoed across all of Dampfstadt as the people stared wide eyed at the storm rapidly forming above.
And within a certain hideout beneath Dampfstadt…
“Welp, that could complicate things.” Qilby mused as he leant backwards in his seat, gazing up at the ceiling under the constant shifting of his calculations.
———
Following Leora and Officer Ungehn’s example, the other four members of the quickly assembled task force had taken to polishing their skills as well. Two Shield users, another Swordsman and an Amber Caster. Officers Tosh, Sursi, Ansord and Catem. As Amber Casting was strongly regulated throughout Ebenerz, restricted to only a few professions beyond the City Guard, Officer Catem was considered an especially valued member, even not considering her considerable talent.
“I always feel like she’s looking down on us.” Officer Kai Tosh grumbled quietly annoyed to his partner, the Crocodile’s shield clashing with the Armadillo Eagle’s own.
“Heh, I can see why you feel that.” Mirabelle Sursi chuckled, glancing over to said mouse for a moment where she smirked smugly with fiery Amber hovering above her wand. Short burst streamed forwards, flickering flames exploding against her target and leaving behind black marks. Elemental Blasts weren’t all that dangerous on this level but definitely painful enough to deter.
Selene Catem, as all Guard Casters, used the Glyphs inscribed within their wands to shape the Amber into their desired effects. Unlike prepared bullets, this type of Casting was utterly dependant on the user’s direct control over their internal Amber. The freedom of manipulating Amber like this was powerful and dangerous in the right hands, the reason why any Caster was thoroughly vetted before being accepted. Illegal performance of Amber Casting went from ten years of prison up to Banishment.
“Hey, quite yapping and continue training, you two lovebirds.”
Officer Herald Ansord had called them out with a drawled smirk from the side. The doberman’s own sword style was much more defensive and power oriented than Leora’s quick and agile attacks. Their bright blushes and hasty denials just made him chuckle. They really were bad at hiding, eh? Especially Kai, he really was easy to tease.
All the while the two who had started this sudden training regiment watched from the side.
“Well, this has gotten lively…” Leora mused with a small smile, enjoying a cup of tea that Lagua had brought her earlier.
“It will help keep the spirits up, later.” Officer Ungehn nodded in agreement, standing a step behind her enjoying his own cup.
But this little interplay was brought soon to an end.
An audible click echoed through the air as the gate leading to the training area opened and closed. Immediately all eyes turned towards the Guard who had entered. He was dressed in dark blues in contrast to the darker blacks and greys that were the standard. The visor hid his face completely, making it unclear what kind of Gaian he actually was.
“Leading General Zepehn? I am Sergeant Garpel. It is my task to bring you and your team to the mission area. Please follow me.”
With a firm salute he ended his statement, waiting.
Leora set down her teacup and nodded in agreement, motioning for her team to move out. There was an awkward silence in the air after everybody had freshened up and filed into the Guard Cruiser that had waited before the General HQ. Not even Leora had been allowed to sit in the front, leaving all six huddled in the back of the vehicle. There were no windows and only the simple Amber lights lining the sides illuminated the cruiser’s interior.
“This feels like we’re being shipped off to the prisons… or maybe banishment…” Kai muttered under his breath. He got a slap over the head by Mirabelle for his words and he sheepishly rubbed his neck in apology. She rolled her eyes exasperatedly while Selene snickered lightly to the side.
Silence fell over them again until soon enough the Cruiser came to a halt.
“Welcome to the Core Elevator.” Sergeant Garpel stated as he opened the back for them.
They exited into a larger car park, the entrance leading downward had already closed after them. Colourful lines lead across the ground and the Sergeant guided them along one of the blue ones.
“Please, don’t leave the designated pathways.” He warned, glancing over his shoulder.
Leora couldn’t help but look around in curiosity. But there wasn’t really much to see. Only numerous steam pipes and vents linking the sides of the hallways into which the various coloured lines separated and the Amber Circuitry visibly everywhere stood out. Their shimmering crystal gleam, like the edge of broken glass, was discernibly different from the standard Amber lights. She knew them from Amber Locks, of course, but she had never seen any of such size.
Officer Ungehn was right behind her. He didn’t give these surroundings even a second glance. Leora suppressed an amused snort at his ever impressive stoicism.
“Woah…” The exclamation was echoed by all but Lagua as they reached the end of Sergeant Garpel’s lead.
A massive gate awaited them, a red lamp flaring brightly in rhythm as the word ‘Ascend’ was brightly illuminated. Interlocking gears and grates adorned the front. And as the light switched to blue they slid open with a deafening rumble.
“Now that’s impressive.” Mirabelle grinned, Kai wordless nodding in agreement as his went wide.
“I will say.” Herald smirked lazily, hands in his pockets.
“Please enter. The Elevator will bring you right to the Core of Dampfstadt’s Steam Engine. Due to recent personal shortages you will find yourself alone but within the Central Quarters you should find a Guide to everything you require.” Sergeant Garpel explained, ushering them into the elevator.
“W-wait, nobody but us will be down there…?” Leora asked startled, eyes turning wide. Her exclamation was echoed by the others while Officer Ungehn’s eyes narrowed at once.
“Yes.” Garpel simply stated before the gate slammed shut with startling speed, denying her any further questions as outrage made itself wide within her. This was… this was nearly criminal neglect!
“Ugh, I can’t believe the personal shortage reached this far.” Leora groaned, holding her head.
And then any words would have been lost as the elevator began to lower itself, the deafening sound reminding her of the lift leading up to the Dampfstadt Privat Gymnasium. Definitely not something she had wanted to experience again.
And as she and her team descended into the depths of Dampfstadt, they remained oblivious to the brewing storm above the city and the danger her niece was in. The ear shattering explosion in the distance not even a soft whisper within this elevator. Had she known, her own troubled thoughts would have looked tiny to her in comparison.