-Callia-

  When Callen reached out to me asking for me to check on Jasmine, I knew something had happened. It took a moment of focus for my concerns to be realized as I felt her far away from town in the forest to the north. Not deep and still within range of my skill, but the fact she wasn’t in town was more than enough information to confirm she was in danger. Before I had time to contemplate that information, Callen asked me to check on Freema. Again I focused and felt her presence to the south, likely somewhere along the road. Judging from the lack of change, she was waiting, and now I really felt irritated. My apprentice, who had been snatched by the shadows to somewhere I couldn’t track, and the lord’s daughter, whom I thought I had been pushing to safety. I wanted to help both, but I knew that the two likely had something to do with each other. Which meant Lexia had taken Jasmine. I clenched my fist in irritation.

  It was fine if I got my ass handed to me by Lexia when we were training together, but she should’ve mentioned whatever it was about Callen that was bothering her, not waiting until she ripped his arm off. Then she went and abducted my apprentice, and now she was abducting random girls in what seemed likely an attempt to get back at us for escaping the original ambush. Fine if that’s how it's going to be; just you wait, once we finish getting Callen approved as mayor, I’m going to hunt you down.

  All circumstances considered, it seemed likely that I’d be among the team sent to retrieve Jasmine, so I changed out of the comfy dress that was starting to grow on me and back into my combat gear. Outside it didn’t take any time at all to find a team of three knights. Once there I finally got an explanation on the circumstances. Lexia was playing some kind of weird game, and I needed to lead us to Jasmine as quickly as possible. I didn’t need to be told twice; I was already restraining myself from running off alone.

  There were three others in the team; one was the more common brawler type. In addition to him, we also had what looked like a defensive specialist with an oversized shield. Finally, the last participant was the mage who had accompanied Reginald when he greeted us at the gate. The others also seemed eager to set out except the mage, who awkwardly climbed onto the shielders' back, clinging tightly as we set off. I started fast, but not my fastest, and gradually built up speed as I gauged what the others were comfortable with.

  Running at about 75% of my max, I noticed the shielder starting to struggle to keep pace as he slammed his feet into the ground, using excessive amounts of strength to keep pace because his dexterity was lacking to keep control. I slowed just a tinge because it made no sense to exhaust the man before we arrived. We still made swift progress crossing the entire city and arriving at the edge of the forest in barely an hour.

  Jasmine was close, but from here on was the danger zone. I slowed us down to a swift walk as I scanned for traps and ambushes. In almost no time at all I noticed several foxholes in the ground with hastily designed cover. I signaled the others to stop and silently pointed out the holes. The mage seemed to focus on some kind of spell, and I prepped my bow. I gave the signal, and the man summoned a small torrent of water, flooding the holes and pushing down, trying to crush the men inside. I, meanwhile, opened fire, taking advantage of the men helplessly trapped in the holes by filling them with arrows.

  Systematically we moved through the woods butchering all the men trying to hide in ambush or even those who just charged at us screaming. Honestly, after the creative earthkin trap outside Meccas, most of these attempts reminded me that without someone on par with a specialist like Nixie, it would be a joke to me nowadays. I started moving ahead and pulling and clearing out the way or signaling the others to act so we could maintain the element of surprise as we got closer to Jasmine.

  Finally we reached a small clearing with a shoddy wooden cage and upset Jasmine waiting. Five men waited around the cage. They felt dangerous, not quite a knight but close, kind of like the lumberjack guy from the arena. They didn’t notice me, but I did make eye contact with Jasmine. She pretended not to notice and started folding a leaf. Just like the napkin, her meaning was as clear as if she had spoken.

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  The boss of these men ordered that she be used as bait. The men planned to hold her hostage while a sixth man in hiding creates an opening. With the message received, I backed up and let my tracking skill find the ambusher. He was waiting on the highest point of the tree, looking down, watching the clearing with Jasmine. Despite being hundreds of feet from the ground, he didn’t have a bow or ranged weapon; instead, he had a lance. Just a lance and no other weapons, so unless he was a martial artist, his plan entailed jumping from the tree and using the fall to try running someone through. How it wouldn’t break him by jumping straight down from the top of a tree I’m unsure, but as I got closer I could tell the guy was a mix of bored and aroused.

  I decided I don’t need to know his plan nor anything else about him after that point. I pulled up to a nearby tree and quietly jumped across, snatching his throat and lance as I twisted my grip. His body went slack, but the sticky sensation from the handle of the lance made a shiver run up my spine. I almost instinctively threw it away in disgust but held on long enough to store it and the body into the void. I opened and closed my hand, trying to rid myself of the phantom feeling of residue. I shook my head clear of distraction as I made my way back down to the others.

  A quick update, and they were ready to follow through with my plan. Jasmine’s safety was paramount, so my priority was safely removing her from the enemy threat. I moved back into the trees and approached silently from above. I silently jumped from the tree with three growth-imbued arrows. Firing all simultaneously in a triangle around Jasmine, they struck the ground, sprouting instantly into a small thicket acting as a wall.

  “Now!” I yelled out as the others moved into the clearing, engaging them. I landed my jump in the middle of the temporary wall using my fall to land a kick, which tore the cage to bits. I step forward, grabbing Jasmine as one of the bandits cuts through the brush trying to get her. I jump backward onto the thicket and then over it with Jasmine slung over my shoulder. With my free hand I summon my knife and flash behind one of the men fighting the knights and decisively open up his heart. Then another burst of speed brings me next to the mage as a sharpened beam of high-pressure water rips the survivors to shreds.

  I scan the clearing for any lingering trouble. I’ve been tricked into thinking a fight was done too many times to accept it ended with my enemies cut in half. The others relaxed, but I kept my guard up, waiting for it. And waiting. Eventually the voice of one of the knights speaks up.

  “Um, Ser Callia, they should be dead. Is one missing?” I kept my eyes on the corpses and my perception alert as I checked again.

  “They were only cut in half, so I’m just making sure none are playing dead.” The others raise their guard hesitantly, watching around for trouble like me, but despite my best efforts, I notice nothing. “Never mind, let's get out of here!” Instead of waiting, I turn back and grab Jasmine, who squeals in surprise as I break out running down the path we cleared back towards the city.

  “Too Fast,” The desperate wheezing of Jasmine slows me down as I realize her body can’t withstand adult speeds. I let out a meek "sorry" as the mage catches up and treats the internal damage my sudden abduction caused. Together as a group we move much slower, but we finally escape the forest and move back towards the city. Moving at the limited speed of Jasmine it takes nearly six hours to return to the manor, but our arrival was heralded with the cheers of the household staff and guards. With Jasmine returned, I checked with my sense for Freema, but she had left my range. I sigh with disappointment but also acceptance, as at least now I knew she was still alive.

  The Prize

  Lilia grinned with delight as the casino owner arrived. In his hands was the prize she had craved. It had almost driven her crazy, but now that she had it, she couldn’t take her eyes off. The worthless minion began to babble about how useful he was, but Lilia’s mind was entirely consumed by the jar that hadn’t been handed over to her yet. With one smooth motion she stepped forward and sliced the man's hands off while claiming the jar.

  Turning away, she ignored his screams while bidding Freema to follow her as she started walking down the road. They needed to be long gone before Callia had time to try hunting her. Freema seemed curious about what made the jar so important that Lilia couldn’t take her eyes off it; she decided it might be better to keep silent. The man who lost his hand collapsed behind them as a soft clink of the jar opening sounded out. Lilia dipped her finger in only to recoil in shock. Her finger sizzled from the point of contact.

  Suddenly clarity from the obsessive haze returned. Looking at the jar of blood in her hand and realizing everything she did to get it, she threw the bottle, recoiling in disgust. Why did she do all of that? Still, as she tried to leave, a smell pulled her back to the broken jar; carefully, she transferred what she could into a vial. Her fear and confusion completely drowned out the laughter echoing in the back of her mind.

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