The morning came. The leaving adventurers left and the others that chose to remain were either taking a rest or helping still the rebel soldiers of the Ravine. Akino just woke up, seeing herself being hugged by Lyka who’s also being hugged by Alexa, both were still sleeping peacefully. She carefully removes Lyka’s arms on her and left their bed. She went outside and sees that the tents for the coming refugees from Ravine were already finished. She takes a stroll on these tents settled around the crater and finds Camilla discussing with her elf attendant, Torion, and Kal.

Camilla: Aki! You’re just in time!

Akino: So… we’re going to do it now, huh?

Camilla: Yes. Umm… do want to do the rescuing or the resupplying?

Akino: An employer asking out an employee what to do…

Camilla: Come on! Just pick!

Akino: Alright, alright… well, if Lyka picks her choice then the rescuing part?

Camilla: Oh, okay! Then, Torion and Kal will be with the resupplying team.

Kal: Sounds easy.

Torion: Not actually… the supplies we’re getting comes from a garrison of the Ravine, guarded by mage soldiers loyal to the elders.

Kal: Too easy.

Akino: Don’t cry if you got beat up.

Kal: WHA - !

Camilla: So, that settles it? My comrades will tell the details on your way to Ravine.

Akino: What about you?

Camilla: Well, I’ll stay here and look after the others. I have another team of mage soldiers going here, escorting some civilians from the city who were paranoid on getting out.

Akino: Even in this world, people tend to panic that much, huh?

Camilla: Yeah… I’ll look after them once they reach here. Please, be careful on your way to Ravine.

Akino: We will.

They parted ways, Akino returns to their tent to wake up the two and saw that they were still sleeping soundly.

Akino: Oi! Wake up, sunshines! We’re leaving.

Alexa: 5 more minutes…

Lyka: Can we… postpone it a bit…?

Akino: We’re not supposed to get drowsy, you know? What’s with the lazy attitude?

Alexa: Ugh, what a bummer…

Lyka: Alright, alright… we’ll stand, we’ll stand… come on, Alexa…

The two stood up on their bed and readied themselves to leave. Lyka took her leather armor, Alexa brought some bag of supplies (it’s food, only food), and took all their belongings which only a few wooden clutters.

Once their done preparing, they left and told Matias that they will lend their tent for the refugees. After that, Matias bids them goodbye, and the met up with Kal and Finn and some of Camilla’s mage soldiers. They took some horses and carriages and started their journey to the nation of Ravine.

Akino drove a carriage carrying 6 people, which includes Lyka and Alexa. She could see outside the other soldiers riding horses, as well as Kal who’s also driving a carriage and Torion was on front leading the whole group. Lyka peeks out of the carriage and decides to sit beside Akino while holding out a map.

Lyka: Say… how long before we reach the city? And what exactly are we going to do?

Akino: We go to the Ravine, snuff out some refugees and cause a ruckus, making the military fortresses around it send some reinforcements back and steal their goods.

Lyka: …

Akino: I know, not a good explanation, but at least it’s feasible, I guess…

Lyka: What if the fortresses just heightened their defenses instead of sending some troops? Would it be like a suicide mission?

Akino: Suicide mission? That’s an exaggeration, but you’re right… it’s a gamble…

Lyka: You planned this?

Akino: Some of it, coz if I didn’t Kal will be straight storming one of the fortresses and probably get in trouble again.

Kal: YOU SURE PICKING UP ON ME, HUH?!

Kal dashes in front of them riding a horse.

Akino: Yeah, it’s fun.

Kal: I’ll show you what I’m made of once we cleared that fortress!

Lyka: Oh… good luck?

Kal: HAH!

Then Kal speeds off, leaving them behind.

After a few more hours, the team stops. Their lead ordered some soldiers to do some scouting. They’ve reached the outside border of the Ravine, and there’s a military fortress ahead of them. Akino tried to look it up on her satellites and it’s about a kilometer away, but thanks to the inclined terrain their visibility to the Ravine soldiers is zero.

Alexa: Now what?

Akino: Camilla’s soldiers know their stuff, let them handle it.

Lyka: I thought we’re going to do the rescuing first?

Akino: Yeah… well, the nearest road was about 5 kilometers away and heavily guarded… we can’t just barge in there.

Alexa: Then how are we going to rescue the civilians?

The scouting soldiers went back. They told everyone that the nearest fortress has (conveniently) a tunnel system leading to the sewage network of the Ravine. They planned to attack the fortress at night and have themselves disguise and hold the place while the others will go in the city and rescue the civilians.

Torion: Any questions?

Lyka: I can cast a widespread sleeping spell on the whole fortress so we can take it silently.

Torion: I am not sure about that. The fortress has a spell detection mechanism that can alert its soldiers…

Alexa: Oh! Oh! I have an idea!

Akino: Please don’t tell it’s not the ant swarm…

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Alexa: Wow, you guessed it right!

Torion: Ant swarm???

Kal: What in the world is that?!

Akino: Yeah… it works fine, she can do it.

Torion: Then, the next problem is entering the fortress… the mages there can erect barriers that only allows certain people to enter…

Lyka: I guess I’ll handle that one, that will be easy.

Torion: It’s all yours then. Any more questions?

Kal: We’re not smashing or killing or destroying stuff?

Torion: This is a retrieval and rescue mission, not a raid…

They waited till the night comes. Akino told to Torion and his soldiers to get ready once Alexa ‘disables’ (yes, that’s what she said) the fortress soldiers and Lyka removes the magic barrier around it. The three went near the fortress to do their stuff.

Lyka: Alexa, how are you going to do the ‘swarm’ thing?

Akino: Oh my god…

Alexa: Hehehe…

Alexa sits on the grass with her arms and legs crossed. Lyka curiously gets closer to her to see what she’s been up to, but Akino stays behind, knowingly what’s coming next.

Akino: L – Lyka…

Lyka: Yes?

Akino: If you don’t want to be grossed out, you better not look at it…

Lyka: Eh?

Alexa: Hey! It’s not gross? RUDE!

From Lyka’s point of view, she saw something drips on Alexa’s skin. She takes a closer look, Alexa was sweating, but instead of beads of liquid she saw ants coming out of her skin. Lyka freaks out as she steps back.

Alexa: Cool, isn’t?

Lyka: Y – yeah… it is cool…

Akino: No, it is not.

Alexa: Really? You did the same thing but with small spider like robots!

Lyka: Wait, how are you going to make the soldiers sleep using… oh, oh!

Alexa: Haha!

Akino: Move like a butterfly, sting like… an ant? That’s not the saying, right?

The ants Alexa created swarmed, formed a line, and went straight to the fortress until they’re gone from sight. After a few more minutes, the ants crawled back towards their position, and merges back to Alexa’s body.

Akino: Let me guess, every single ant tried to sting every single soldier in there, and the sting has some kind of neurotoxin or tranquilizing agent, right?

Alexa: Nah, the ant swarm consumed them… slowly…

Lyka: EH?!

Alexa: Just kidding, Aki’s right…

Lyka: So… it’s my turn now.

Lyka stands and poses to cast a magic circle. The whole ground of the fortress was covered in a huge magic circle, and silhouette of cracking glass in a form of a dome appeared around it. That dome completely shatters, and the magic circle dissipates.

Lyka: It’s done, that was too easy...

Akino: Too easy? You mean, there might be some traps or something?

Lyka: No, I mean… it’s weak…

Akino: Oh, right…

Alexa: Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go back!

The three hurriedly walked back to their group. Once they reported that all the fortress soldiers went unconscious and the magic barrier was gone, they sorted out and carefully trekked their way into the fortress. Once inside the fortress, they tied up the unconscious soldiers and dumped them in the dungeon area. Some of them took their armors for disguise, the others started packing up the supplies to their carriages, and lastly Akino’s group went to the tunnel network leading to their target location: the nation of Ravine.

At first, the tunnel was clean and smooth, but as soon they approached the entrance through the sewage area the soldiers covered their faces with cloth doused in special filtering potion. Lyka also wore one, but Akino and Alexa didn’t want to since they can tolerate the awful smell they’ll experience there.

Akino: This place sure is dirty…

Alexa: Fabricate roombas and made them sweep the place.

Akino: I just remembered… Lyka, you might get you’re tail and foot dirty. Want me to – carry you?

Lyka: C – carry?! Me?!

Alexa: Can’t you guys wait till this is over?

Akino: Look at the floor, now look at Lyka’s fur. You get it now?

Lyka: I – I’m fine, really…

Akino crouches a bit and gestures Lyka to take a piggy-back ride on her. Alexa bursts out laughing after seeing that.

Alexa: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Akino: What? What’s funny?

Alexa: Nothing, nothing!

Lyka: A – are you sure?

Akino: I insist.

Lyka timidly approaches Akino and rides on her back, even Lyka was a bit larger compared to Akino. It was like a small teenager girl carries her not-so-old mother on her back.

Alexa: You’re just enjoying ma’s breasts getting pressed on your back!

Akino & Lyka: ALEXA!

Alexa: Ugh… alright, mouth is zipped!

Alexa then dashes onwards to the other group of soldiers. The two walks at a slow pace, and they were left behind the group.

Lyka: You sure you’re alright carrying me?

Akino: Yeah, it’s fine.

Lyka: You’re enjoying it, aren’t you?

Akino: Umm… uhh… that’s a tricky question…

Lyka then proceeds to tightly hug Akino from her back.

Lyka: W – well… it’s fine by me, I guess… thanks…

Akino: You’re wel –

Akino abruptly stops.

Lyka: What’s wrong?

Akino: I feel... weird…

Akino felt a tingling sensation. Like having goosebumps. She checked on her sensors but only she detects the small fluctuations of mana in that place.

Lyka: Well, the mana in this place seems to be… messed up… I’m not sure, but a lot of waste is dumped in here, and knowing that Ravine is a nation full of mages… some magical things or stuff could be dumped here…

Akino: You know that I can’t feel mana unless I use a sensor, right?

Lyka: Yes… wait, so what is it?

Akino: Just… never mind… it must be my head still having recovery progressions after that explosion.

Lyka: I – I can heal you, that’s the only thing I can do…

Akino: S – sure…

While Akino carries Lyka on her back, Lyka casts a healing spell on her head. Even though it does nothing to her, Akino just let Lyka do that to make her at ease, but Akino still feels the tingling on her spine and chose to not tell it to Lyka.

After an hour or two, their group reached a ladder leading upwards. One by one, they climbed and opened a manhole, seeing themselves inside a small room with sword racks and spear holders. They carefully peeked outside the door and found some guards drinking and playing cards.

Alexa proposed that she will get out and knocked them. The rebel soldiers asked how, and Alexa turned herself invisible, then she proceeds to slowly go out of that room. While waiting inside the room, they could hear the guards’ muffled screaming, probably confused on why one by one they were dropping on the floor unconscious. The noises outside stops, and Alexa peeks back into the room and told them that all the guards were knocked down. They left the room, remove the guards’ armor and clothing, tied them, and dropped them down the sewerage canal where they came from. The other soldiers stayed at that outpost as lookouts, and Akino’s team left to escort the soldiers as they go for the temporary shelter of civilians wanting to get out of Ravine. The place looks the same as in Dasman, but the lamp posts were floating magic crystal lamps, the buildings and housings were stonier, and the streets were silent like a ghost town. However, there were many groups of guards and soldiers patrolling the streets – a curfew, and also, they saw a lot of people getting dragged on. The rebel soldiers told Akino that those must be their comrades, insisting they should go and rescue them. Akino disagrees and told them that the rescue mission for the civilians is their top priority. They traversed the streets carefully, being guided by Akino that observes the path pattern of the guards and soldiers.

After few blocks of stealth walking, avoiding the patrolling guards, and hiding in dark alleyways they’ve reached a warehouse being guarded by a lone guard. The mage soldiers approached the guard and did some talking. The guard let them enter and told them to hurry. Once they’ve entered the warehouse, they saw a lot of people carrying some stuff and packing them.

Akino: That’s a lot of them…

Lyka: We can’t just have them go out in one go, right?

Alexa: Yeah, that will be very messy…

Rebel Soldier: Ma’am, what should we do?

Akino: Have them gather in groups, we guide the children and elderly first. Then, the adults will assist the disabled people, if there’s any.

Rebel Soldier: Got it!

Akino: Lyka, Alexa, you go out and scout our pathway back to that outpost. If any roaming non-friendly guards intercept the track, knock them out.

Lyka: Got it!

Alexa: And hide the bodies, don’t forget that!

Akino: Why you sound like you’re going to kill them?

Alexa: Really?

Lyka: Alexa, we should go.

Alexa: Alright, ma. Aki, be careful!

The two left, and Akino started to take command by dividing the group of people to batches: one for the children and elderly, another for the adults assisting the sick and disabled, and lastly a group carrying their stuff. Alexa was on the rooftops, accompanied by Lyka who summoned some of her shadow clones to secure their path. The first group goes out and reaches the outpost safely. The second goes out and safely makes it to the outpost. The third group was next.

Akino: (Lyka, anything up there?)

Lyka: (Nothing, so far…)

Alexa: (There’s a group of soldiers… dragging another soldier… but don’t worry, they’ll not intercept with your path, I guess…)

Akino: (Leave it to me.)

Akino halted that third group, and they hid on a nearby alleyway to prevent being seen. The patrolling guards who were dragging someone was crossing the street that was supposed to be their path back to the outpost. One of the rebel soldiers saw the face of the dragged soldier, and suddenly he took his sword and dashes towards the group of patrolling guards.

Akino: (WHAT THE FUCK?!)

The other rebel soldiers couldn’t stay put and decided also to aide their other comrade.

Akino: (This is nuts…)