Wonder quickly brought up his status screen. He hissed in panic. “He’s got a drugged status!”

Everyone jumped to their feet (except Noble). Even the nearby Adventurer Lightwraiths did so. Wonder brought up Crisis’s screen in full view so he could see better.

“Fuck… OK, his HP is still nearly at max. Wait, when can I see HP…? Oh, something to worry about later. This drugged status… is a sleeping one. Max timeframe is an hour, 50 minutes remaining. This must have happened while we were eating.”

Sakura said, “He went to the bathroom around that time…” Majin gave her a side-hug.

Wonder nodded. “So probably got jumped in the bathroom. OK, come on, give me an id code… no, but oooooooooo.”

Rose said, “Good?”

Wonder said, “As Crisis’s master, I can log into his im… metallic bits. Let’s see what info I can green from sensor data.”

His fingers flew over the keyboard and mousepad. The energy fluctuated at his speed. He had always been a fast typer, but now he had adrenaline going through.

The sensor data was almost useless. It confirmed that Crisis was alive and had passed out. He was also in a “damp” environment, but nothing life-threatening. Which could be anywhere in a seaside village. Dammit. Since he was out, the implants in the eyes couldn’t get anything.

But ears?

Wonder brought up audio data. The ears were never off. The brain was always absorbing information from the senses, even when asleep. That was why alarms clocked worked. Brain hears unfamiliar noise, or one it registers as life-threatening, and activates wake up protocols. Sometimes it’s too deep in processing to notice, sure, and obviously the drug was keeping Crisis’s brain from doing the wake up protocol, but you get the idea.

However, the implants along those nerves and ear canals? They’d be gathering information still, and Wonder’s interface was the “brain”.

Wonder said, “…what the hell?”

Rose said, “What is it?”

“I got a transcript of what the metal bits picked up from the kidnappers talking. Here, let me read.”

Unknown Voice 1: Idiot!!! You were supposed to get the boy, not a Tamer’s Undead!

Unknown Voice 2: He saw me!!! What was I supposed to do?!?

Unknown Voice 1: I dunno, drug him and leave him!

Unknown Voice 2: But he would have told his master, who would have told them!

Unknown Voice 1: So?!? As far as I’ve seen, that Tamer is on our side! Or he would have been, if you didn’t do something as stupid as kidnap his kids’ bodyguard!

Rose giggled, “Are the voices necessary?”

Wonder chuckled. “I like doing voices, even when I’m bad.”

A Lightwraith walked up, looking over the transcript. It was so weird who could see it and who couldn’t. The Paladin said, “I wonder if it’s the Slave March.”

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“Slave March?”

“A rebel group of Lightwraiths. Mostly abused slaves.”

Majin said, “They must have been after me. It is not usual for those on the Slave March to kidnap the children of the Champions to earn their freedom.”

Wonder said, “I hate Lightwraith culture. Just saying.”

He continued the transcript:

Unknown Voice 2: W-W-What do we do now…?

Unknown Voice 1: Which drug did you use?

Unknown Voice 2: Th-Th-The one in my hand… the one for the kid…

Unknown Voice 1: OK, that only knocks an adult out for an hour. And this Undead has so many metal bits in him, it might even be less. Leave him by the pier. Anyone who sees him will simply think he had too much to drink and passed out. THE PART OF THE PIER THAT WON’T GET FLOODED BY HIGH TIDE IDIOT!!!

Wonder said, “The rest is mostly bickering, nothing important. Then just sounds of waves, water. Some small conversation from people passing nearby, but I’m not finding anything important.”

The Lightwraith said, “Hmm…”

Rose said, “The pier is only 5 minutes from here. Let’s go pick Crisis up.”

Wonder said, “Side note: bars serve drinks during the day here?”

*******************

“The Slave March is here?!?”

Wonder rubbed his ears. “That’s just the guess, Ralton. Crisis is still recovering from the drug, so won’t be able to even describe his attempted kidnapper until he fully wakes up. The Lightwraith Paladin who was with us was guessing off of MO and what my Tamer magic picked up via Crisis’s ears.”

Ralton rubbed his chin, seeming to think. He looked at where Majin was saying good-bye to Sakura. He said, “I’m guessing you’re warning me because ye suspect that me boy will get kidnapped?”

Wonder said, “Yeah. The Crisis thing was an accident, but Majin was clearly the target. Majin said it was usual, but… hey, he’s family now. I’m not risking it.”

Ralton slammed Wonder’s back again. “I totally like ye, Wonder!”

He sighed. “Ye right. This would be the 10th time Majin was kidnapped. The Slave March doesn’t hurt the kiddos. And usually, their demands aren’t that bad, so I can literally twist a few arms.”

He rubbed his chin. “What I am worried about, though, is why they are all the way out here.”

Wonder said, “This more of a local thing?”

Ralton said, “Anywhere with a major Lightwraith population has members of the Slave March. It’s just as much a fact of life for us now. But Wavebourne is mostly human and merfolk. Yes, many of the Adventurers are Lightwraiths, but it’s not really a permanent populace.”

He shook his head. “Something is about to go down. And I think I know what.”

Wonder said, “I need to kidnap Majin myself bad?”

Ralton laughed. “You’re funny!”

Wonder said, “I try.” He decided not to say he might have been serious.

“Nah… not yet. But hey, where do you plan to go after this?”

Wonder said, “Uh… I believe somewhere called Oracle City. The Myzune consider learning places holy, and one of their major holidays is coming up.”

Ralton said, “Fair enough! Wait, what’s a Myzune?”

One of the Chibi creatures appeared. “My-Zune!”

“Never mind!” Ralton laughed. He said, “Why don’t you come down to Fasis? I have to announce my boy’s mating anyway, and hey… maybe you’ll have an excuse to shoot a few arrows.” He winked.

Wonder lightly kicked him, but laughed. “Ralton. Stop. I need to go into that city with full parental protection and utter spite!”

They both laughed.

Ralton said, “Seriously, though. If what I think is about to throw down, it would probably be best if you’re there. To even just protect Majin, if nothing else.”

Wonder raised an eyebrow. “You or his other parent won’t be around?”

Ralton said, “Oh, I pray to either god—or even maybe this new Myzune god— that I will. But I do not have high hopes.”

Wonder’s gut dropped. Well, shit.

“When will this suspected event take place?”

“Traditionally, mid-fall. But don’t stress. It never actually happens then because everyone’s gotta wait for the non-Lightwraith mates to get there.”

What the hell is about to go down?

“I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Wonder. And hey, since ye here, join the feast!”

“Am I allowed to say no?”

“Nope!”

“Well, I am a sucker for free food.”

“Deal!”