Isil held her grimoire in her hands, struggling to keep the book from shaking as the carriage hit another bump. As it did so, she quickly whipped out her hand to stop a box from falling over, and dragged it back. She was wearing a shabby cloak that reach all the way down to her ankles. The hood of the cloak had also been pulled over her face, but it was too long and obscured her vision, forcing Isil to look down without moving her head to read her grimoire.
At the moment, she was on her way to the meeting site with Lief and Chris. The Ministry of Information would not be assisting them in person, but had provided the group with information on the likely targets. They believed the perpetrators were a group known as The Four Fingers, due to the founder’s four fingers, as well as the command setup. The leader of The Four Fingers was called the Hand, while his four subordinates were called the Fingers. Other than that, it wasn’t a very special criminal organization.
Their group was reported to be around two to three hundred members spread across the Confederacy. The Ministry didn’t know the exact number of people in Ashiron’s territory, but it was believed that they had a large criminal cell in the capitol. Normally, the information on the group should’ve been greater than what they were given; however, it appeared that someone had removed a large portion of their information on the group. How exactly they determined that, Isil didn’t know, but she didn’t think they were lying.
“We’re almost there. Keep your hood down.” Lief whispered to Isil, who barely heard it over the clamor of the cart.
“Remind me why this is necessary?” Isil asked, tugging the hem of the hood lower.
“You know why. It’s because you caused a commotion yesterday.”
“Yeah, but I can barely see. Surely a mask would be just as good?”
“Do you know a place that sells masks? Do you know they won’t be watching you buy it? Just bear with it for a bit longer.”
“Fine, mom.”
“Shut it you two.” Chris shushed them.
Isil didn’t bother to respond and returned her attention to her grimoire. As she turned the page, the cart hit a large bump, causing a box to hit her knee. She instinctively jerked it, causing her grimoire, which was resting on her legs, to fall off and tumble into a crack between the boxes. Isil quietly cursed in frustration, and quickly checked to ensure none of the other boxes had fallen over. None had, so she reached out her arm for the grimoire, her fingertips only just barely out of reach. She twisted her body to reach further, but the corner of one of the boxes dug into her ribs as her fingertips touched the spine of the book. She pulled her hand back and rubbed her side, annoyed at how perfectly out of reach it was.
She sat back and sighed. Reaching out her hand once more, Isil cast Telekinesis and pulled her book to her hand. She caught it with a satisfying thump, and went back to her reading. It took a moment to find the page she was on, causing her more than just a little bit of annoyance. She made a mental note to add page numbers sometime.
-_-_-
“We’re here.” Chris’s words snapped Isil out of her half-asleep state.
“Mm, I can’t feel my legs.” Isil groaned, stashing her grimoire in her Inventory.
“Here, allow me to help.” Chris stretched out his hand.
“Aah, what a gentleman!” Isil took his hand and unsteadily stepped out of the cart.
“My pleasure.”
Isil hid a frown from the lack of impact her teasing joke had. It took a moment for feeling to return to her legs, along with a few kicks to the ground speed up the process. She adjusted her coat, and looked towards Lief, who nodded to her. The two of them turned towards a large wooden warehouse, the loading door in front of them half open. Lief motioned to Chris, who picked up a box and trailed behind them as they went in.
The building was completely empty, save for a few large boxes in the corner of the room. Multiple wooden pillars held up a second floor that was mostly walkways. Dust covered most of everything in the room, and there wasn’t a soul in sight. Chris sat down the box close to them and went back out to move the other seven boxes. Isil took the moment of silence to search the area with her mana sense. She found twenty-three other people, hiding behind the stack of large boxes, or in the foreman’s office. There were also eleven other people hidden on the second floor. Isil furrowed her brows at the excessive numbers of people in the building. She nearly looked up, but quickly stopped herself so as not to alert them to her discoveries.
“Herin?” Lief called out to the empty building.
“Glad you could make it,” A deep voice replied, accompanied by a large, bulky man stepping out of the foreman’s office. “However, I’m not sure I like you bringing uninvited guests to the party.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
A few more of Herin’s men stepped out from their hiding places, most of them gathering behind Herin while he came to stand in front of Isil and Lief. Isil noticed a few more of them slinking off to guard the entrances.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t by choice. A traveling adventurer got in the way, and took out the Baron and most of out comrades. We would’ve been destroyed were it not for the help of our friend here,” Lief motioned to Isil, who smiled and nodded. “Speaking of which, I hope the deal Vernon worked out with you included some compensation?”
“We’ll get to that. Do you have the girl?” Herin betrayed no emotion when he asked.
“Of course. Chris!” Lief turned and called out to Chris, who had just put down the last box.
“I just put it down!” Chris complained, motioning to it with his arms.
“Well then pick it back up and bring it over here!”
“Urgh, fine!” Chris groaned and did as he was asked.
He set the box down heavily, and lazily took off the lid, revealing a curled-up and sleeping Ella. Herin’s eyes widened and gleamed as he looked at the girl. He uncrossed his hands and reached down to touch her.
“Hold it!” Isil spoke up, her voice artificially deep.
Herin turned to glare at her, but did not adjust his position. “What is it?” He spoke threateningly.
“The money. I expect a reward for my efforts in this job. Until then,” Isil picked up the lid and shut it back on the box. “No girl.”
Lief and Chris stiffened, their hands gravitating towards their weapons. Herin glared at Isil for a tense moment, before laughing uproariously. His laughter died down and he wiped a tear from his eye as he looked back at her.
“Can you even see me under that hood?” He asked, still chuckling.
“No. But I do not need my eyes to see.” Isil answered, her hand still on top of the box.
“Hpmh! Very well.” Herin snorted and put his hands on his hips.
Isil smiled, and lifted her hand from the box and extended it out, as if waiting for a sack of coins to be placed in her hands.
“Good. I’d like it in silver if you wou-” Isil began to list her demands, but was suddenly interrupted.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on there. Who said I was paying you?” Herin smirked.
“You’re cheating us out of our pay?” Lief interjected, some calm rage in his voice.
“You were never getting paid. In fact,” The loading door slammed shut, and the other hidden criminals emerged to close in on the group. “I think you’ll be the ones paying. With your lives that is.”
Isil withdrew her hand into her cloak and smirked, saying: “What a shame.”
“A shame indeed.” Herin concurred.
“Oh, you misunderstand. It’s a shame for you. I hear getting struck by lightning is very painful.”
“Wha-” Herin started to speak.
Isil’s hands shot out of her cloak, her first two fingers pointed out and crackling with electricity. An overcharged Lightning Bolt spell shot out from her extended fingers with a quiet, but still intimidating thunder, striking Herin in the middle of the chest. Instantly, a blinding explosion of light enveloped him, and he was sent flying backwards into his men, his entire front charred black.
“33 LEFT! NOW!” Isil screamed, another Lightning Bolt ready at the fingers of her other hand.
The other seven boxes burst open, the six knights and Cinda standing up from inside them and letting loose a volley of crossbow bolts and arrows. They swiftly left their boxes and engaged in combat with Chris and Lief. Isil fired off her other Lightning Bolt and slapped her hand on Ella’s box. It vanished with a swish, having been teleported to the barracks.
The criminals weren’t excelling combatants, and were thus only able to match with the knights due to their numbers. However, the archers on the second floor were bound to be a pain, so Isil fired off a few Lightning Bolts at the pillars that supported the walkways. A few archers were caught in the resulting collapse, but a few were still left, and were now making her their target. Isil ducked under a sword swing and fired off another Lightning Bolt and the person who swung it. He shrieked as he was sent flying back into another criminal.
Isil sucked in a deep breath as she activated Perception Shift as arrows came hurtling towards her position. Due to the spell, they moved in slow motion. Isil mustered all her strength to dodge and weave through the four projectiles. She gave herself a moment to be proud before deactivating the spell and firing off a Lightning Wave spell at the archers, the amperage killing them instantly.
Suddenly, a new mana signature appeared from directly above her, poised to land directly on top of her. She managed to react quickly enough to jump backwards and out of the way. The person she had detected landed with a loud thump, tucking and rolling before fluidly getting on their feet. She fired off two Lightning Bolts at the new attacker, who reacted by pulling out a decorated metal cylinder. They pressed a button on the cylinder, and a glowing blue blade emerged from it, which was moved rapidly to parry the Bolts back at her. Isil ducked, and the Bolts struck an attacker behind her.
Isil’s eye’s widened and her heart sped up. The newcomer was wearing a robe with a hood that managed to cover their face, but unlike hers, it left his front open. With the lightsaber included, he was basically a jedi. In Kalixkto, the manasword was a relatively new invention that mimicked a lightsaber in almost every way. It was highly expensive to produce, so it was limited to only the very rich. Of course, everyone in Endless Conquest had one, because basically everyone wanted to play jedi. Isil was no exception.
OH FUCK YEAH, I LOVE THIS SHIT! Isil thought excitedly, a smile growing on her face.
Isil backpedaled as the newcomer charged at her. She shook off her robe while spinning, and threw it at him. As soon as she threw it, she stopped spinning, and pulled her own manasword out of her Inventory and ignited it. As the newcomer slashed Isil’s cloak apart, she took advantage of his temporary blindness and swung at him with her manasword.
The newcomer hastily moved his manasword to block hers, leaving his sword arm overextended. She used this moment to deliver a kick to his abdomen, which he dodged by turning and swinging his manasword at her leg. She quickly slammed her foot down and whacked away his manasword with her own. She shuffled a bit to get back her posture, just barely dodging a thrust from him. She twisted her body to move to the side of the sword, and brought up her own, spinning the both of them around in an attempt to disarm him.
The newcomer switched off his manasword before Isil could complete her maneuver. He then switched it back on and repeated the maneuver on her. She countered by using Knockback on him, sending him hurtling into the underside of the walkways. He grunted in pain, but managed to land steadily on his feet. Isil didn’t waste any time charging in and attack with an overhead leaping strike.
The newcomer rolled away, and countered with his own overhead slash. Isil barely managed to block in time, forced to stay on the ground and prop herself up with her elbow. The newcomer pressed down on her with all his weight, forcing her manasword closer and closer to her face. Isil once again used the Knockback spell, sending him flying on to the second floor walkways. She quickly stood back up and followed him up with a magic-enhanced jump. She flourished her manasword as the newcomer attacked.
She stumbled backwards as the first blow hit, heavier and more aggressive than his previous strikes. She struggled to hold up against the new combat style. As she raised her manasword horizontally in front of her face as another overhead blow came down. However, instead of striking from another angle, the newcomer twisted his sword around, forcing Isil’s sword out of her hand and onto the first floor. Panicked, she backpedaled fiercely, tripping over her own feet and sending her falling to the floor. Still stricken, she crawled backwards, but suddenly ran into a dead end.
He raised his sword high in the air, ready to swing down on Isil. She raised her hands to protect her face, almost begging for mercy, as he began to swing his sword down on her.