Kin inhaled as his group made their way to the secret entrance. He could not help but worry for Nami's safety, but he trusted her skills. Also, she had Dyric, Simeon, and the girl trainees she had befriended on the trip. He shook away these thoughts and forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

They arrived at the place Scar and Toothless had described to him, where the secret tunnel was. They started looking around for the opening. Their mission, given to them by the captain himself, was to fight their way to the main doors and help open them. Once the entire force was inside, they would then seek out Bjorg and his cronies. As they walked, Signe came up beside him.

"Hey, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for forcing you and Nami apart that first night at the camp. I was being way too pushy."

Kin blinked in surprise, he had not expected this. "It's not a big deal unless Nami got upset about it."

She sighed in relief and gave him a half-smile. "That's very understanding of you. I thought there was no way you two could operate if you were spending so much time in each other's company."

"I suppose that could be fair. I recall some of the guys back home were not good for anything when they were with their loves. But her father drilled into my head a time and place for getting what he called 'love stupid'."

"Ah well, I had no way of knowing. I thought that skin-tight clothing might be a little distracting."

Kin laughed, his cheeks heating up as he thought of his partner. "No, that was completely fair. I've never seen her in anything like that for an extended time. Our mothers always made our clothes with room to grow into, so tight clothing was not common."

The blonde giggled and bumped him with her shoulder. "Well, thanks again for taking the front lines. You and Nami have inspired me to enlist as a Dove Trainee myself. Next time, it will be me covering you two."

Kin pressed his fist to his chest. "I'll take you up on that someday."

As they finished this conversation, they heard Hillevi call out.

"I found it, everyone."

Hugh appeared in Kin's field of view and approached the priestess. He leaned down and grabbed a rock and yanked it aside in a single go. This revealed a tunnel tall enough for Kin to pass through. The hermit grimaced and he understood why. There was no way the muscular giant was going to fit in the tunnel.

"It doesn't look like I'm gonna fit." Hugh lamented while scratching his head.

Hillevi shook her head. "I can make this work. Look, they carved the tunnel from stone. Lady Xernas will guide us."

She took her holy symbol out and held it up. The symbol lit up on the topaz. She then flicked her hand and there was groaning as the stone gave way. It reshaped itself, creating a lower floor than it had before. Kin grinned, their large friend would be able to fit now. Hugh then turned to face him.

"Want to do the honors and go first, since you were the one that got the tip?"

Kin grinned and stepped into the tunnel, drawing his sword in one fluid motion. The passage was dark but he could make out some torches on the wall. Behind him, he heard a snap of a finger and the torches sprung to life. He glanced back and found Hillevi's symbol had the ruby glowing.

"Thanks." He spoke shortly before continuing down the tunnel.

The walls were very rough, almost like someone had created this escape route in a hurry. He was not sure what could do damage like this and wished he had more time to examine them. He forced himself back to the task at hand and pressed onward. He came across a door at the end. The latch bar was on this side of the door. He sighed in relief as he was not sure what they were going to do if they had sealed the passage. He could hear footsteps coming down the corridor so he opened the door. There was an awful creak as he started to move it and he froze.

He waited for several long moments, the only sound he could hear was his own heart pounding in his chest. The others behind him had also frozen at the creak. When it was clear that no one had heard the noise, he risked pushing on it again. Another creak and he waited. Again, there was no noise other than his breathing. He slowly moved it so it would be wide enough for Hugh to pass and stopped, not wanting to push his luck. He heard Signe mutter behind him.

"Didn't anyone ever hear of maintenance? That noise would shame my father."

"Is your father a carpenter?" Kin asked as he grabbed a torch from the tunnel and lit two of them in the room beyond. Everyone started filling out into what was likely the cellar.

"Locksmith," Hillevi replied for her sister, who stuck her tongue out at the priestess. "Anyways, it's not important right now."

"Your right, sorry sister," Signe spoke, her voice hesitant with embarrassment.

At that moment, Hugh came out of the tunnel, having covered the rear and shut the door behind them.

"Alright, we are going to make our way to the front doors. If the layout of this fort is like other Dove forts, we will go up the stairs to our left and into the kitchen. From there, we will be in a hallway. We ought to be on the right floor, so no one should need to go upstairs."

Everyone nodded in confirmation. "Alright. Lad, you lead. If you see anyone with a weapon, knock them out. If you see anyone unarmed, try to capture them awake so we can question them."

As the group started heading to the stairs, Hillevi stopped. She looked around, a strange look on her face.

"What's wrong, Hillevi?" Kin asked her, confused by what she was doing.

"There is a strange draft coming from the wall to our right." She spoke, her voice urgent, as she walked over to it. She knelt on the dirty flagstone and starts to feel around. She looked up in alarm. "Here, there is a door here. I smell blood on the other side."

Kin's blood ran cold at that news. He rushed over to help her look for a latch. After a minute, Hugh boomed from behind them. "Step aside! I'll open it." He stepped forward and Kin dived to the right as Hillevi jumped to her left. The large man brought his arm up and slammed the wall with the flat of his hand. There was a crash as the thin door, which blended in with the stone wall around it, fell to the floor.

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"A bit overkill there, big guy?" One of the townsfolk Kin could not recall the name of asked. He shut up very fast as he saw what was on the other side of the wall.

Girls, five of them. Three of them had blazing red eyes showing they were natives of this land. One had the golden eyes of a Golden Phoenix and had dark skin like Fronika had. The last girl was a Blue Phoenix girl who looked a lot like Nami's mother, Airu with the same skin complexion. Kin felt his blood boil at the sight. Chained to the wall were five girls. Their clothes were dirty and torn and they all appeared undernourished. They were all staring up in fear at the two men looking down at them. Much of their filthy skin was on display as they hung in their bonds. Kin turned and started pushing the men of the group back, letting the girls enter. Hugh stepped into the room long enough to cut their chains with his axe. Once done, he too stepped out of the room. The girls of the group, including Signe and Hillevi, swarmed into the room.

Hugh sent two of the men to the stairs to stand guard in case the bandits heard the ruckus. One of them was the one who had spoken before. He had the red eyes of the native people and ash gray hair. He had a very young face though, anyone looking at him might have mistaken him for being younger than Kin. The other was a man that was always at his side. A dark-haired young man with a nasty scar on his right cheek. He was muscular though and had a look that allowed no-nonsense. He was also a Red Phoenix. Kin was about to join them when Hillevi called. "Kin, come back here for a moment."

He turned and headed back to the door, staying back to be respectful to the frightened girls. He could not blame them for fear after they were locked up in this dark and dirty cellar by the bandits. As he reached the door, one of the Red Phoenix girls tackled him in a hug. He dropped his sword from the shock of the impact.

"Oh, Kin! It's you! Thank Leo, it's you!"

He reeled at the voice. In her dirty and torn attire, he couldn't recognize her at first but that voice was one he would never forget. This was Alfhid Silverbushel, the granddaughter of Elder Silverbushel from Orchard Village. Someone had cut her long black hair far too short and her fair complexion was covered by dirt and grime. She had left home a year ago to visit family in a faraway village.

"Alfhid?" He asked in shock, his arms hanging to the sides, unsure if he should return the hug given her state. "How did you end up here?"

She sniffled a bit, a tear making her way down her cheek and cutting through the filth on her skin. Her eyes were bloodshot and red from crying. "I'm not sure myself. I was on my way home when I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I woke up chained up here sometime later. I had given up hope on escaping until I heard your voice. I couldn't ever forget that voice, with as many times as I watched you and Nami when you were little. Oh no, she wasn't captured too was she? Did you come to rescue her?"

Kin shook his head, keeping his building rage contained somehow. "No, she's fine. She is actually with the team causing a distraction at the main gate."

The older woman nodded and stepped away from him. She went back to the other girls to help Hillevi and Signe move them. She turned back to him and gave him a brief smile. The priestess came up to Kin to whisper in his ear.

"When you find the men that did this, no need to be gentle with them."

Kin nodded and scooped up his blade and wiped some dust off it. He had no intention of being gentle with these men. He felt Hugh tap him on the shoulder and they both started to walk towards the staircase. The man with the baby-face spoke out from his guard post.

"Wait, where are you going? It could be dangerous up there."

Kin whirled to glare at the speaker, as did Hugh. As he spoke, the hermit spoke in perfect harmony with him.

"Worry for those that did this."

Kin let the anger that had been holding back take hold, his vision going red.

***

Kin couldn't recall the full details of the next part of the mission. He had heard the account of what happened later from the ones that had seen. According to Signe, he and Hugh had burst out into the kitchens, weapons in hand. Three bandits had been hassling two Red Phoenix girls, whom they had chained to posts on the floor. They likely were being made to cook for the men.

Kin had charged at the first man in his path. He knocked him out with the hilt of his sword before the man could even react to the intrusion. Red Phoenix society is matriarchal, women are at the top of society. The idea of forcing a woman to do anything was so alien to their way of thinking.

Hugh had stepped forward and first, he broke the chains holding the women captive. As he cut the second chain, the bandits finally were able to react to their attackers. One rushed at the large man while the other targeted Kin. Hugh had not even bothered to swing his ax. He had hit the man in the face, taking a nick from the sword that was thrust at his chest.

Kin was certain his fight with the last bandit had been embellished. Signe claimed he had laughed at the bandit's display of swordsmanship. He flipped over the other man, knocking him out from behind with the flat of his blade. Kin didn't even know how to do a flip so doubted the validity of this claim.

***

Kin's bloodlust finally quelled as he noticed the last of the men in the room was down. In a panic, he checked the three bandits and sighed in relief to find they were still breathing. He noticed the two women staring in awe at the two fighters. He forced himself to speak.

"Go downstairs, there is a priestess of the Four waiting. She is trying to get the other girls ready to leave. We will shut down this operation."

"Well said, lad," Hugh spoke from where he was wrapping chains around the wrists of the downed men. "Well, if these fools weren't going to hang before, they will now. Disrespecting women in the Dale is a major offense."

Kin turned towards the stairs, trying to force the bile down his throat. He wanted to rush outside and empty the contents of his stomach but he could not afford to be sick right now. That could come later. Signe and the others of their attack, other than Hillevi, were now pouring into the room. They allowed the two women to pass, Kin could tell not a single one of them were feeling any kind of fear anymore. This could have been their sisters, mothers, or daughters in those chains.

"Let's go and end this," Signe called and readied her blade. All the other townsfolk, men and women both, drew their blades. They hardened their expressions.

"For the Dale!" Hugh called and he started marching towards the door. As they reached it, a voice called from above them.

"Well now, I had thought Bjorg was blowing smoke when he told me that there would be a surprise attack today. Looks like I'm too late to stop it, though."

Kin stepped out into the foyer of the fort and looked up to find Colburn. The man was sitting on the banister of the second floor, staring down at them.

"Hello again, lad. I didn't expect you to be on your feet again so soon after our last battle. I guess the same woman that saved you from me healed you?"

Kin pointed his blade at the man. "I have no obligation to answer that."

The bandit laughed, though there was no merriment in the sound. "I thought that would be your response. I'd offer a rematch, but I have a feeling the one beside you is gonna call dibs."

Kin glanced at Hugh who was glaring at the man.

"So, it is you, Colburn." He had never heard the wise man's voice so full of malice. "Why are you working for a bandit like Bjorg?"

The man rose and drew his sword. "If you want the answer to that, you will have to fight me, pipsqueak. Like we used to, back between adventures with Dane."

"DO NOT SAY HIS NAME!" The hermit screamed and turned towards him. "Lad, get to the door!" And without a further word, the large warrior was heading up the stairs. Colburn vanished through a doorway, Hugh not far behind him.

Kin breath shortened, for a brief moment the thought of helping his friend played in his head. He turned though, sending a prayer to the Four to guard him.

"As you wish, Hugh." Kin forced himself to start heading for the hallway that would lead him to the main doors. Signe and the other townsfolk followed him.

"Signe, send two back to guard Hillevi and the girls. We don't want the bandits to recapture them. Even if her magic is powerful, she is still only one person."

"Right, thanks for that." Signe smiled and looked over the crowd. She pointed to the two youngest members, a pair of Red Phoenix twins to go. Kin observed them as they left, he was unsure if what he felt was disappointment or relief. He had to trust Hugh to win that battle.

The group headed down the hallway. Two bandits happened to be heading around the corner as they reached the end. The first one was tackled by Signe while the other turned tail and ran. Before Kin could say a word, the others in the group all surged after him.

"No, come back.' He tried to call after them, but they were fixed on the idea of capturing the bandit. He started after them but Signe shouted at him as she finished binding the hands of the bandit.

"I'll go after them, Kin. Go for the door and get our side opened. The others are counting on us."

Kin hesitated for a moment, looking at the blonde girl. "Are you sure? What if you run into a group ready for a fight?"

She grimaced but drew her sword. "We knew what we signed up for. Getting the others in here is more important than anything. Besides, what if they have someone strong guarding the doors? We need you there."

Kin sighed and nodded, he hated how logical her argument was. "Alright, try to keep them in line, alright?"

She chuckled and took off. "I'll do my best. See you soon."

Kin chuckled as he continued down the hall with the rest of the group. It took him a few minutes to reach the door. A couple of bandits had tried to stop him, but like his previous foes, none of them had any proper weapon training. They had only known people cowering from sharp blades and surrendering. Each of them got knocked out with a smack from his sword hilt or flat. Finally, he saw the big gates. The doors seemed like oak, but he could not be sure. Age and weather had warped them and stained the color. His eyes looked for weak points before seeing the big bar set to keep the door closed.

He stepped into the room and started to walk towards the door. A voice called out from his right when he was halfway there.

"Well, that is quite far enough."