----- Warport Arkanis, Numina Empire ------
Directly southwest of the currently tumultuous Vernicus Kingdom lay the Numina Trade Empire. Holding the southwestern tip of the Central Continent Numina's wealth comes mostly from its five largest cities, known simply as the Warport Cities. In times of peace, these Warports' docks are filled with endless trading ships, brimming with a variety of goods from Western Isle Dios Grass to the Eastern Continent's Sceriak Gemstones.
In times of war, the Warports earn their name. Their massive twenty-story fortifications become adorned with enough ballistae and siege catapults to sink hundreds of vessels. While the waters themselves find themselves occupied by towering warships filled bow to stern with the companies of the Empire's own Numinian Mercenary Army.
Today Prim found Warport Arkanis to be in a mood of peace, but barely. Dressed in a purple Niqab which served to cover her fourteen-year-old face while also mimicking the Numina style Prim found herself in the Warport's busy markets currently channeling some wind mana to eavesdrop on her target who was having a heated discussion with a Numinian slave trader.
"What do you mean you can't complete the delivery." Her target a horribly scarred red-bearded man in a rich violet outfit hissed in anger at the traditionally dressed slaved trader.
"We apologize for the inconvenience, but with that bitch's paladins hitting our caravans we've lost too much product to continue our business."
"What about ones from sea routes? I refuse to believe a landlocked nation like Vernicus managed to stifle your sea routes as well."
"Of course, our sea routes remain largely untouched; however, those slaves are already spoken for. Due to those bastard Paladins' freedom movement, the supply of new slaves from the Central Continent has been drying up fast. With the reduced supply demand has skyrocketed."
"So you have the product you're just not willing to sell it to me. What's your price then you damn mugger."
The merchant's eyes revealed behind his purple Niqab squinted in anger. "I recommend you refrain from calling me that. I am an honest merchant. My practices are all in line with Numinian law."
Waving his gloved hands the red-bearded man responded in an appeasing tone, "Fine, fine. What's your new price oh esteemed merchant?"
Eyes relaxing slightly the slave trader responded, "With your specifications in mind. Three times the original price."
"Fine, can you have them delivered tonight?" Prim's target responded with a flat tone.
Now with eyes smiling amiably, the trader got right to business unphased by his customer's sudden change in tone, "Of course."
"West Side Docks then, Slip 12. Be there an hour after sunset."
Seeing the merchant bending their waist slightly in affirmation the buyer turned and strolled away.
With the information she came for in hand, Prim broke off from her target and began making her way back through the sprawling Warport's market to where her compatriots awaited.
In a little under half an hour, she arrived at a run-down shack deep in Arkanis's slums, entering after sending a shot of mana to those awake inside to act as a form of passphrase. Inside four hooded figures were sleeping while another four were standing at the entrance. These eight were all members of Nox's Numina branch. Twilight only had stores in two of Numina's Warports so far and unfortunately, Arkanis wasn't one of them.
Prim nodded to the four awake telling them briefly what she'd learned before confirming her wards were still in place and finding her own place on the rough floor to sleep. She had a long night ahead of her.
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Glendale disembarked from the Orisica in a stumbling fashion. Collapsing onto the unmoving dock Glendale vowed to never forget how much he hated sea travel lest he be somehow convinced to board one in the future. Ignoring the chuckling sailors behind him Glendale spent a moment luxuriating on the pier before eventually putting himself together and rising to stand like the accomplished Mage of the 4th he was.
Taking in the Warport of Arkanis Glendale couldn't help but sigh as he looked up the massive fortifications lit up by the setting sun surrounding the docks. Even in the glorious Hervalle Empire, they didn't invest as much to secure their seaports. He would truly be helpless if asked to seige such a glorious battlement. Hopefully, he would have time to tour the inner structure of the Warport. As an Mage with an earth element focus he couldn't help but want to incorporate some of their designs into his own future works.
But enough daydreaming. Glendale brought himself back to the present. The Hervalle Magic Academy had gone through a great effort to arrange for his passage here to search for prospective students. As usual land routes weren't an option due to the continued war with Vernicus they'd been forced to pay for a private charter to ensure they'd have transport ready for any future students Glendale managed to find.
Paying the entrance fee, for himself and the sailors carrying his bags, to the dock attendant Glendale began making his way to an inn where after getting settled he planned to visit the place where untapped talent was often ample in cities. The slums.
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Prim and six fellow Chosen of Nox arrived at the West Side Docks right after sunset. There she met with two of the Chosen she'd sent to watch the docks since learning of the location. They had no developments to report. The man with a red beard had stayed on the ship since returning and other than the sailors who seemed to be manning it no one else had been spotted on board.
Feeling as if everything was proceeding as expected Prim and the others took up positions around the docks and lay in wait. Prim felt her hand idly moving to palm the red mana gem she'd hung around her neck. Thinking of Teacher's gift she couldn't help it as a feeling of endless gratitude welled up inside her.
He'd saved her life at the cost of his own mana potential and all he'd ever asked in return was to save others like her and stop Tyrant from forcing others to suffer as she had in the first place. How could she not feel anything but respect and undying loyalty for such a great leader.
Right around an hour before sunset, the slave trader from the market appeared. He was accompanied by eight guards who were leading a chain of a dozen slaves. All of the slaves appeared to be young children at the age of ten or less.
Prim watched some of the Chosen clench their fists in anger. The new ones that is. The sight of Tyrant preying on the children had become commonplace to Prim and the more experienced Chosen. Still Prim retained her anger never letting it fade. Seeing such sights only strengthened her resolve to combat Tyrant at every turn.
It was her main mission in life, well, her second main mission in life. Behind protecting Teacher and paying him back for all he'd given her of course.
As the trader approached the bearded man's vessel the man in question emerged with eight guards of his own and gestured for the slave trader to come on board. The trader decisively boarded with their guards and the slaves following close behind. A brief conversation ensued and a fat pouch of coins was handed to the slave trader who, after a brief bow disembarked with his guards.
Prim made a signal as she and the other Chosen began to slowly advance upon the vessel. Readying themselves to launch themselves onto it and strike in a moment.
Then the sound of a sword leaving its scabbard rang in Prim's ears.
"Ghuk-why?" The slave trader let out a gasp as his eyes, quickly losing focus, fixated on his own stomach where the tip of a sword had emerged. Holding the other end, was one of the slave trader's own guards who had seemingly stabbed him from behind.
Wasting no time the guard left his sword in his employer's back, drawing twin daggers from his waist he fell upon the other guards his impossibly fast actions revealing himself to be a mage as he cut apart the other seven guards in moments.
Prim realized this new player seemed to be targeting the slave trader, but unfortunately for her, their actions might scare her own quarry! Wasting no more time she motioned for the Chosen to attack the ship. Movements enhanced by mana they were on the ship's deck in a moment. The eight guards watching the slaves were gasping for their last breaths in moments. Despite already being alerted due to the fighting on the docks they were helpless against mana-enhanced strikes faster than their reaction times.
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Prim's target was the scarred red-bearded man. She fell upon him in a second and before he even had a chance to visibly react her blade was an inch from his open eye. Where it stopped.
Finally, the red-bearded man reacted. Letting out a curse before falling backward onto the deck.
Prim let go of her dagger and stepped back to place herself in between the captain's cabin and the Chosen. The dagger which was still floating in the air frozen in place suddenly shot towards one of the Chosen. Throwing herself in the way Prim parried the attack from the floating weapon hitting it over the side of the ship and hearing it splash into the water.
"Ah well done assassin!" A cheerful voice sounded out as the door to the cabin swung outwards revealing a burly woman wearing blue robes marking her as a Church of Radiance Invoker. Surrounding the woman six flanged mace heads floated. The smiling woman looked down at the man with a red beard, "Looks like you're intelligence wasn't quite as good as you thought eh?"
Gesturing her arm forward the six mace heads floating beside her shot off towards the Chosen with a whoosh. Prim moved to parry them but found herself struggling just to deflect one. The force pushing them forward was far more powerful than anything Prim had encountered before! Overwhelmed Prim looked back towards the Chosen in time to see three of them try to parry the mace heads as she had.
Prim watched in horror as the mace heads shattered whatever lay in their path, mana shield, dagger, clavicle. All they left behind were the lifeless crushed corpses of her compatriots. Two other chosen had decided to dodge rather than block the mace heads.
Only one had done so in time leaving the mace head to punch through the ship's railing instead. The other had been a moment too slow and lost a leg to the strike. Staying vigilant they didn't cry out despite their great wound although Prim could see the look of terror on their face.
"RUN!" Prim ordered realizing they were severely outmatched. They had made a grave error. The five Chosen still unharmed and Prim didn't hesitate. They put their all into enhancing their movements and fleeing as fast as they could with Prim bringing their wounded companion over her shoulder.
The Invoker wasn't any slower. The familiar mace heads emerged emitting an eerie whooshing sound as they were once more launched towards Prim and the Chosen even faster than before. Prim successfully dodged two with great effort, but her companions weren't so lucky.
All four of the other mace heads struck true sending a red mist into the air. Prim didn't allow herself to slow. Still carrying the wounded Chosen over her shoulder she ran past the Guard who had killed the slave trader earlier who was apparently confused by current developments.
Not sparing time to explain Prim pushed onward drawing deep on her mana reservoir and putting any mana she could into accelerating the wind behind her and strengthening the output of her legs.
Drawn by the sounds of fighting a squad of soldiers from the city appeared between her and safety. They were unable to even utter a warning before Prim and the one remaining uninjured Chosen launched themselves over the soldiers neither willing to waste a moment doing anything else.
The whooshing sounds returned while Prim and the other able-bodied Chosen were still airborne. With limited mobility in the air, the last remaining healthy Chosen had no chance. They were blown to pieces by one of the mace heads.
The five remaining mace heads converged on Prim, targeting not only her but also the surrounding space where she could dodge. Deciding she'd have to take a blow no matter what decision she made, she turned herself mid-air to face the mace head putting herself between the Chosen she'd been carrying and the attack.
Fortifying herself as much as she could she shattered her red mana stone drawing all she could to help stop the inevitable blow. At the very least she'd be able to spend her last action protecting someone just like her Teacher had always protected her. But that person had other ideas.
The Chosen on her back fought her for the first time since being carried. Prim felt the air element flare as the Chosen burned himself out...to throw his own body at the mace head. With her mana focused on creating a protective barrier for herself she was forced to watch as the Chosen shot themselves at the approaching mace head.
She would never forget his eyes which shone with such unmasked terror and determination until the very end. His body hit the mace head and exploded into multiple pieces. The impact seemed to slow the strike, but not completely as the macehead continued on, slamming into Prim's gut and sending her sailing over the massive fortifications that gave the Warport its name.
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The burly Invoker stepped onto the docks as the six mace heads returned to their place floating around her. Looking at the carnage on the docks she was convinced she'd thoroughly dispatched the assailants. Even the one who had lasted so long against her ended up exploding spectacularly in the end.
With such a thorough job done even identifying the bodies would prove troublesome. Whoops, oh well not a mistake she'd made for the first time and one she'd likely repeat in the future.
She spared a glance to the Guard on the docks who'd killed the slaver and the other guards.
"By any chance are you here for me?" The Invoker asked with a playful tone.
The still-shocked guard shook his head in sudden twists. "No miss Invoker Eldris."
"Oh? You know who I am though?"
"A man who wouldn't recognize the Blue Pillar's Aide is an ignorant one ma'am."
"Still to recognize me on sight is still surprising for a mere guard. Or is that truly what you are?" Eldris asked with a smirk.
The guard hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I represent the interests of the Lady Luxia. I was tracking this evil man to discover more about his crimes before delivering justice. I apologize, for being so sudden. But I must also ask you to free the slaves on your vessel. They were acquired in an illegal manner and do not deserve such a life."
Eldris' eyebrows shot up, "Oh you want me to free the slaves that man paid for." She gestured to the red-bearded man who had recovered from his shock of almost dying and was watching the conversation taking place with narrowed eyes.
"Yes ma'am." The apparent Paladins of Justice said without hesitation.
After a terse moment, the burly Invoker let out a deep breath as if pouting, "Oh very well if they became slaves illegally I guess there's nothing we can do. You wouldn't happen to be making up such an accusation just because you disagree with the practice of slavery do you?"
The paladin of justice looked at Eldris, second to one of the most powerful individuals on the continent, and with a straight face lied through his teeth. "No ma'am I would never."
"Ah ok then, Edmond free those slaves."
"But Mis-" The man with a red beard's eyes were hollow as he stared at the corpses of the Nox agents and began to protest.
"Atattat! No if or buts get to it mister or else the business we have won't be able to continue." Eldris spoke with a playful but firm tone.
Seeing the empty look on Edmond's face still staring solemly at the Nox agents she'd killed Eldris decided to clarify. "The Lady Luxia has shown a great sense of justice in combatting an empire that's been a little too aggressive recently. The Church of Radiance wishes to stay on good terms with such a righteous power that's fighting so hard to ward off the darkness lurking in the world."
Still dispirited but seemingly more willing after learning of the bigger picture, Edmond freed the children and let them go to the Paladin's care. The bag of money then levitated back into Edmond's hands.
The Paladin, who now had a dozen kids simultaneously trying to hide behind his back, gave Eldris a shy look while gesturing towards the soldiers of Arkanis who had been keeping a healthy distance while eyeing the scene of carnage before them.
"Any chance you can help explain the situation to them?" He asked hopefully.
"I'll handle them don't worry!" Eldris said with a smile as a whooshing sound filled the air once more.
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Prim found herself regaining consciousness inside someone's home with an oddly large hole in the roof. The pain in her ears from the screams of the family that woke her was nothing compared to the searing pain coursing through her body. She quickly wrestled herself up to her feet before collapsing immediately after. Damn, she'd broken more than a few ribs and what felt like her shoulder. She used the little bit of mana she'd recovered to reinforce her body enough to allow her to walk. Although it did nothing for the pain.
Knowing her opponent could be coming after her she didn't waste time. Getting to her feet once more this time stable enough to walk thanks to the use of her mana she stumbled out of the family's home, much to the family in question's horror who looked as if they were watching a dead body resurrect.
Prim began walking to the place she thought she was most likely to be able to recover without too much attention. The shack she and the Chosen had been using to prepare for the mission. Unfortunately, halfway her mana ran out and so after a brief hesitation, she burned her own flesh going a step beyond to prevent her mana from being fully exhausted. After all, she had no doubt if she fainted out here in the street she'd die.
Still, the forbidden technique proved too much of an ask and soon she felt herself falling. She braced herself for the inevitable strike against the uneven cobblestone of the slum road she'd been taking. Instead, a far softer strike came.
A moment before passing out she realized she'd fallen into someone's arms.
Who it was? Suffering from immense pain, mana exhaustion, and even her own flesh melting from being used as a mana source, it was a pain similar to her nightmares under Tyrant's scalpel although not quite as hopeless. With all this pain and exhaustion her completely overwhelmed mind managed to convince herself she had in fact fallen in the arms of her Teacher before a refreshing feeling enveloped her and she passed out.
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Glendale looked at the person who'd collapsed into his arms. Their torn Niqab revealed an incredibly young face no older than fourteen. A quick probe with his mana discovered she was suffering from a mana exhaustion even worse than that young idiot from that hamlet. She'd even drawn mana directly from her muscle tissue! And to top it all off looking at her broken ribs and shoulder it looked like someone had run over her with a horse and cart. Twice!
"Not again." Glendale muttered to himself as he lifted the girl who he surmised was an orphan who had just awakened.
"Don't worry sweetie. I won't let you get hurt anymore." Glendale tried to speak soothingly to the unconscious girl whose body seemed to still be fighting to stay conscious. While he carried the girl back to his inn taking care to prevent her injuries from worsening he continually sent waves of mana through her body helping to fill her mana reserves while patching the more minor wounds entirely. The broken bones could be healed easily enough with time, but for the melted muscles and especially for damaged brain tissue, he'd require an expert. And the only one he knew who was up to such a task was another boat trip away.