It was not often that Ritsugi Kenta felt powerless. He had been looking at local healines when the Dive was lost. A jarring feeling to be certain, as he felt the loss of a few moments, the data he'd been sending back to his body was unable to retrieve. A cut like that was always harsh. It disrupted vission, and it made him nausous. It wasn't common, but possible with a network failure, or a forced desync from exterior forces. Either way, it was annoying and rare enough to make Kenta curious. He tried to reconnect to the city's general grid, but there was nothing. Only a painful static of infinite failed attempts. Ever call he tried to make never returned with, like he was casting out to a void. Even if the network was down, that would still let his calls bounce back to report a failure.

  Kenta frowned, standing from his seat as he looked to the window. It had to be some kind of jamming, maybe their was something going on in town and the Warriors had made communication impossible. Nothing seemed out of place, just a regular sunny morning. His ears twitched as he gazed outside. Heavy steps, not like boots. His body turned, but there wasn't a chance to really do anything about the situation by the time he could notice it was going to be a problem. The door opened as he saw interlopers. A group of pure chaos had broken into his peaceful morning.

  At the front there was an orc. A tall man with a blueish-gray skin, large eyes that scanned the room. Black irises that made the pupils seem overly large as well as the class was starting to react. He was dressed like a Warrior, with a thin shirt, and a utility belt holding some kind of short blade on it. Orcs were creatures of hefty weight from sheer muscle, and this one was not an exception. He looked like a body builder, just large and strong. The resounding cries of the class seemed to amuse him, as the bestial man simply rushed in, smashing the first desk in front of him sending a shower of splinters in all directions, as his arm smashed to the side, sending the boy sitting at that desk sprawling back into the one behind him. This both createds more panic, but the sudden display of violence seemed to stun the class.

  The next to enter was a little younger, maybe only a few years older than the students here. Long green hair, looking wet and messy as he followed his brutish companion. He was lanky, looking a bit malnourished or overgrown. He wore a pretty ragged looking outfit of a long shirt with some soft pants. He wasn't one for physical labor, but the ord respected him so fiercely. Obviously, a magic-user. A golden gaze scanning the room as well as he playfully lectured the orc. "Lagarl, don't break something useful already." His eyes set in on Kenta with a knowing glance as the orc huffed an annoyed but obedient agreement, moving to stand by the doorway to the class. "Lord Ritsugi, we'd really appriciate it if you'd raise your hands and come over here. If all goes well, this can be a very peaceful exchange."

  The way he spoke pissed Kenta off. The way he seemed too excited for a chance to enact whatever plan this green haired freak wanted, The way he seemed to think he was better than everyone else here. He still had two more companions still out of the classroom, maybe more than that as well. Kenta was powerless here, but not unable to still exert some control. His hands slowly rose to the level of his shoulders as he quietly walked towards the pair. He didn't bother saying anything, it wouldn't help him here. As he did approach, the orc would rather terrifyingly grab him by the arm, pulling him to the head of the room, and simply setting him at the larger desk there.

  The magic-user strode up with a smile, as the next magical creature entered the room. This was the sound that Kenta had noticed. A smaller man with the head of a bird. Feathers covered his skin wear he wasn't covered with a loose cloak. Talons clacking on the floor as he approached, his voice sounded like it was relearned. It had some octaves and stammers that weren't natural to people. Like the orc, he seemed muscular, if not in the same way, just a powerfuil physique in a small body. "Master Fyono, the other rooms have been secured on this side. There is recording equipment in an unused room down the hall."

  "Perfect. We need your help, Lord Ritsugi. The correct a great injustice."

  Kenta would stare from where he'd been made to sit. His eyes narrowed as the situation became a bit more simple. Even if they were basically monsters, they were being tamed by this magic-user. They had a reason for this invasion, and a reason to target him specifically. His hands had become fists at some point, but that wasn't going to help him at all. Kenta let out a breath, relaxing his body, uncurling those fists and staring at the magic user, this Fyono. "You want me as a hostage, so my father gives you something."

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  "Close enough. The heir to this island is a valuable piece. Even if it's only in this region, the Empire would not like to see you become like my friends. So, you will cry and tell them how scared you and the rest of these pitiable children are. That we will release all of you, if they return to us one brave soul."

  "A magic-user, probably a stronger one than yourself. I think you are overestimating my value. My father cannot afford to care that deeply about me, and the Empire hardly concerns itself with our islands."

  Kenta did his best to keep his calm, disinterested tone. Showing fear would excite crazy people like this, but needlessly angering them would only lead them to making even more rash decisions. Fyono seemed a bit annoyed with the response, but not overtly hostile. He looked Kenta over curiously for a moment, before finally letting out a great sigh.

  "Be that way if you like, it won't matter too much longer. So long as you do exactly as you are told, we'll have no need to harm anyone else in this building. After all, you aren't really the problem."

  "What is then?" Kenta couldn't help himself. This guy looked like a serious extrovert, and he was ready to rant. He had gone out of his way to make a plan that would certainly get him the most possible attention. Kenta couldn't fight an enemy he didn't understand, so he might as well read the guy's manifesto. Fyono's annoyance turned to a half wide smile as his eyes almost lit with his excitement.

  "The Imperials, their dogs, their way of thinking. They think they've conquered this world."

  "They haven't?"

  "Not at all, their grasp is frail at best. Still enough to cause everyone else plenty of misery, but it can't compete with the Enlightened. We are only steps away from being able to inspire people like you again, to help you see what a dark and constrained existance you are expected to live with. I'm sure you can feel the walls around you, forcing your feet to walk a predestined path."

  "I see them more as guiding rails. An expected, safer path."

  "Only if you get shot for stepping away from them." Fyono mused as the remaining companions entered the room. A tall, pale man.... with long ashen hair, setting just on his shoulders. The black had small flecks of white, little inconsistant streaks. He didn't seem as overly, monstrously muscular as Lagarl, but he managed to seem more threatening despite it. He was carrying a microphone stand, as he approached the desk Kenta was sitting at. Rather gently placing the microphone next to the lordling, he moved to apporach Fyono, as the remaining companion was awkwardly bringing the rest of the AV equipment in. A large, mostly concealed creature, that seemed wider than the orc had been. His face was covered by a mask, letting Kenta only see the small, thick horns protruing past it. His hands had looked like they had a fur gloves, before Kenta realized the black fur was just on his bare hands, his feet making that thudding, clacking sound as he moved. Hooves, or something like it. He hurried to set the equipment desk down at the head of the room, clattering the cameras and screens he'd stacked atop it.

  The pale man laughed lightly at the sight, before looking to Fyono. "Young Master, we should make haste on your video project. I've lost contact with one of our scouting groups. I'd imagine some resistance is being formed already to our occupation. Though, it seems unlikely that any Warriors would be able to mobalize here so soon. We have only set out a field of silence centered on this very building. I'd imagine it would take those bufoons at least another half an hour to understand you are here, waiting to be taken to your sister."

  "Your unwavering support is appriciated, as always. If you are asking permission to hunt down whatever rebels we have here, Zeres, have at it. Just don't kill the literal children if you can help it."

  "Of course. Shall I leave Lagarl here to guard you? You'll be busy on camera, after all."

  "Yeah, leave him. Go have fun. When you get back, re are getting Senia back."