"…HUH!?" Delta two said in shock
"Oh Immoriens… what the hell did you get yourself into…" Delta two added after a few seconds
"It doesn't make sense though. The countess— Selena Jaaku, is a rank 3. No way she would've been able to overpower Immoriens. And he escaped without shackles on him— so how the hell—" Delta said aloud
"Wait… her husband, Count Jaaku, he is a water master… who weirdly specialises with the control of vines, by controlling the water within them. So what if she didn't capture Immoriens herself… but instead got her husband to capture Immoriens." Delta Two said
"…it would be the only thing that makes sense here. But now we've got bigger issues. How do we raid them without causing a political catastrophe in the entire region. You can't exactly accuse a noble woman of being a twisted slave owner who frequents the criminal underworld. The optics are horrible."
"But they are true… sir." Delta two replied he distantly
"The truth is what the powerful say it is, Two. If we ever get caught, Special Agent Delta and Agent Delta Two never existed." Delta said
"Then how come Immoriens gets a rescue?" Delta Two asked
"You're not cleared for that information unfortunately. Just know this, Immoriens is dangerous. And not just because of his power, but also because of those supporting him." Delta said
"… yes, Captain." Delta two replied
"We need to find Immoriens and extract him with the oversight of a master. If he we carelessly cause a scandal, our work will become much more difficult." Delta said
"Just the two of us?" Delta Two asked
"Yes. The reserves… the reserves of the reserves are busy in the other parts of the region. And with Immoriens' squad likely wiped out, it is just us two." Delta said, turning to think of a plan
A week later…
"Do you really think Immoriens is kept at their estate, Captain?" Delta two whispered whilst in a bush outside of Jaaku manor
"No… but apparently Selena has not left the manor in a week. Meaning that if she brought Immoriens with her…" delta trailed on
"He's here!" Delta two said
"Yes, hopefully." Delta replied
"No! I mean he's here! Look!" Delta two pointed toward the manor
Specifically the manor courtyard. In the distance, they could see a figure a figure maneuvre vines in the air. As the two clashed, a shockwave was sent out and the sound barrier broke, creating a large boom!
"He's fighting! Against a master!?" Delta two said in confusion
Delta focused on Immoriens. His movement, his strength.
"… it's not good Two… the master is trying to break him. When awakened slaves are bought… some master who are far more powerful let the slaves fight for their freedom. Count Jaaku is fighting Immoriens to break his spirit. To dissuade him from ever trying to escape by beating him at his full power." Delta said with a grim expression
"Shouldn't Immoriens just give in and wait then?" Delta two asked
"No. He needs to fight and struggle. If he obeyed then they'd know he did something— they would know he alerted us. So they're playing with him whilst he's playing their fool." Delta replied
"Can't we just save him! The three of us can do something against a master! Can't we?" Delta two asked
"No… we cant." Delta replied
"So we're doing nothing!" Delta Two said in frustration?
"Yes… our task now is to make sure he remains there. Or at least observe where he is." Delta said, settling into the bush
For the next six days Delta and Delta Two took turns watch the manor. They also took turns watching Immoriens get tossed from dawn to dusk. On the seventh day, Delta was in Stonebourne city to welcome the master sent from the capital.
Unfortunately for Delta, no single master had shown up. When Delta one explained the situation to Enrique Ballion he went straight to the Queen's office.
"Your majesty, Immoriens has been captured." Enrique said
"By who exactly?" She asked
"A Lady Ivy in the Yen Port. What is your will?" Enrique asked
"If he was captured thoroughly then I suppose a master is involved. I want you to personally take care of this. But how did he end up in Yen Port? If I recall he's amidst Opertion Merchant." She asked with a raised brow
"The mission… is likely a failure. It all depends on what Immoriens uncovered but considering his present state…" he left the sentence unfinished
"As long as we find out why it failed, we can try again. That is not my greatest concern. Instead what worries me is that he's held captive. Everyday he grows closer to becoming an elite and fully connecting to the world but it poses a problem." She said, deeply thinking about his mental state
"The wind is the element of freedom. Every moment he is held captive he is not free. And his mind is steadily corroded in captivity. I am aware. That is why I do not want to delay. I would like to bring Jessica into this. She will be able to mend him slightly. And my two direct subordinates, Gargov and Volt." Enrique said
"Four masters? Are you planning to destroy the city?" The queen asked in an amused tone
"If you commanded it, I would destroy the region. But the reason why I want three masters is to quickly resolve the matter. The more overwhelming the forces are, the faster the enemy will fall. And just in case there is not one but two masters, I want to bring further reinforcements. Not only that but Gargov and Volt have business in Stonebourne thereafter." Enrique said
"Very well. Do what you must. But one condition Enrique. If Markus is on the verge of losing control, I want you to wipe them out. Even if they are nobility. Burn them to the ground." She commanded
"By your will." Enrique said
He gathered the four masters and departed with Delta One soon after.
And that is how Special Agent Delta now stood before four masters.
"Have you been able to locate Immoriens?" Enrique asked Delta with a stone cold tone
"Yes sir. Lady Ivy is Countess Selena Jaaku. And the one suppressing Immoriens is her husband. They've been trying to break him for two weeks. He was holding strong since I was last there." Delta reporter
"Good. Jessica, Gargov, you will burn their manor down. Volt I want you to make sure there are no escapees. I will secure Immoriens myself." Enrique said
"My lord— you're going to wipe out a count's estate!?" Delta said in shock
"That depends on Immoriens' condition. My orders are to respond in kind you see but if they've been torturing him for two weeks I should at least burn their house down." Enrique replied casually
"I understand... Allow me to lead you, we will be there within a day." Delta said
"You've clearly not travelled with a wind master, Delta." Enrique said as he looked toward Jessica
"I really don't like the way you're implying I am your transportation service." She said as she walked beside Delta
"I'm not clear on what's going on here." Delta said
"We're going to travel quite a bit faster." She said
Delta, Delta One and the four masters went to the transport vehicle with the capital emblem. When they got in, winds began to swirl below the car.
Then without warning, the car launched forth and flew at hundreds of kilometres an hour as Jessica was using The Wind's Path to accelerate the car in short bursts before letting it ride the momentum. By repeating the short bursts, a day trip became only a few hours and they had arrived at dawn. The dawn of a new day.
Delta Two who was in the bushes saw the car come forth like a missile, kicking up a dust storm behind it.
"Agent Delta Two is hidden in that treeline. He can brief us on what happened in my absence." Delta said
The vehicle was steered toward the treeline.
'Have I been made or is that Delta with reinforcements? I couldn't have been made… I've been perfectly concealing myself.' Delta Two thought as he stood still
The car stopped in front of the treeline and everyone except the driver got out.
"Delta Two, report." Delta commanded
'Holy sh*t four masters!? The capital values Immoriens that much!?' Delta two thought as he got up.
"Sir, I have bad news. Immoriens was not out today… either they are torturing him inside or he has been broken. We need to go immediately." Delta two said
"No. Jessica, Gargov, go. Delta, you and your subordinates will guard the transport vehicle." Enrique commanded
Jessica vanished in the paths, leaving only a faint breeze in her wake. Gargov meanwhile exploded in flames as he rushed forth to the manor like a flaming arrow.
"Volt you will stay outside to make sure nobody slips out. I'm going to find Immoriens." Enrique said as he lifted off the ground of a platform and took himself to the manor.
Jaaku manor was a massive estate surrounded by short walls but also these walls' foundation was riddled with vines.
As Jessica approached the vines shot forth to try to intercept her but she was simply too fast. Instead they intercepted Gargov. Unfortunately, for the vines that was, Gargov burned like a human torch and turned the vines in his way to ash instantly and entered the manor grounds. The doors of the manor opened as Count Edward Jaaku stepped out.
His manor was in the shape of a J, no doubt to reflect his noble name. It had a ground floor, first floor and second floor— as well as a basement however that could not be seen from the outside.
The walls were white like marble and the entire roof was made in a pagoda like style. The roof was a dark green colour, no doubt on purpose to blend the vines which hid on top of it. It seemed like the master was always ready for something.
"What is the meaning of this!" Count Jaaku shouted
"Where is the boy." Jessica asked
"Who—" he began to say before her deathly sharp blade flew past his cheek into the marble stairs, leaving a 5cm gushing wound.
Instantly whirlwinds entered his body through the cut her thrown blade made. Then they stood still.
"Where. Is. Markus. Windwave." She said calmly but coldly
"My wife is enjoying her new toy. What's it to you?" He asked
"He belongs to the crown. And so, you are sentenced to death." She said
"You are not an emissary—" he began to say before Enrique tore through the vines and descended from his platform
"But I am. Execute him Windbourne. I already located Immoriens." He said before heading into the manor where several staff looked at him strangely.
"Pardon the intrusion." He said as he raised his hand and spikes rose from the floor, impaling them all
Outside Gargov was fighting the guards. 23 elites and three dozens of experts.
The flame master however, facing the mighty force of awakened looked at them indifferently.
"Right let's thin you down." He said as he snapped his fingers
Blue flames sparked and set all experts ablaze. They burned like blue human torches, screaming in agony. Those of water and stone attunement tried to extinguish the flames by submerging themselves in stone and water but those were simply consumed by flames too. The elites could not divert their attention to the casualties since a master was a deadly threat, so they had to bear the agonising screams as their hearts were beating out of their chest. Then they realised how hot it was. How much they were sweating. Almost as if they were running the hottest fever of their lives.
Naturally that was because Gargov's essence was heating the entire area up, causing them to feel as if they were being boiled alive.
Those with water attunement could at least resist it by using ice essence shells but eventually those too would melt.
"Feel free to run." Gargov said as wisps of blue flame formed around him
He was about to unleash a barrage of flame projectiles but before he could, he had to dodge out of the way of Jessica Windbourne who was trying to cut Edward in half.
Instead the water attuned master had bent over backward to dodge her slash which cut the entire manor and caused the second floor to collapse on the first floor.
"Watch it, Windbourne." Gargov said
Jessica was an unrelenting hound, constantly appearing in Edward's shadow. Were it not for his vines which constantly surrounded him and were being affected by her movements using the wind's path, he would have been dead by now. Alas, he was barely eluding her but not without cost. She had already cut him and unleashed her whirlwind within him, wounding his movement gravely. She also lobbed off an arm and gave him a nasty cut in his thigh that prevented him from running. He was not bleeding out due to his use of vines to create a tourniquet and also acting akin to bandages. Still, he would not last much longer.
Especially considering that his healing was in effective. Whilst he was a master and could heal quite quickly, the whirlwind of an equal rank countered the healing. Therefore, whilst the whirlwind would not kill him, he could also not heal neither his thigh nor reattach his arm.
As the building shook from her slash, Enrique was walking through it, unphased. Any guards who were inside the manor were instantly killed.
Well, all but one. The captain of the manor guards, who was guarding the personal chamber of the countess. The same chamber where Enrique sensed Markus.
"The hand of the queen— what is the meaning of this?" He asked
The captain was an elite, but he was a cut above all other elites. He was in his mid forties but his physique and appearance did not reflect it. He was tall, two metres in height with a muscular build and a thick but kept black beard and long black hair tied back in a ponytail. His striking brown eyes could shake any unsteady opponent and he wore a dark green tinted combat suit and suit. He was stone attuned.
"You are all going to die. That is all." Enrique said as the ground under the captain turned to quicksand.
The captain responded quickly by unleashing his essence and making a sturdy essence shell.
"Don't you know it's futile to resist a master of the same attunement?" Enrique asked as he snapped his fingers and crushed the captain's essence shell with the force from the quicksand
The captain grunted in an agony filled higher pitch as his legs were shattered from the force. Then from beyond the door he guarded, a banshee like scream made both Enrique and the captain turn their heads.
"Stone coffin." Enrique said as he created a coffin around the captain, confining him.
He then opened the door.
In the chamber, he saw several blood lined whips, knives and rags scattered about. Toward the middle of the room he saw a destroyed construct that was meant to serve as a vertical stretcher for a prisoner.
The top half was cut and at the bottom, Markus stood atop Selena Jaaku. He was practically naked but for a short tunic around his waist. And several cuts and smudges of blood were all over his body.
Selena however… she was drowning in her own blood as Markus unleashed a wind blade slash across her neck.
She also had a gushing cut across her chest.
"F*cking die—" he said in a high pitched but quiet cry as he unleashed whirlwind at her, tearing into her body and causing her as much pain as humanly perceivable in a short span of time.
With every second her skin and receptor cells were being cut and sending her more and more pain. If her throat was not cut, she would have screamed.
Enrique did not approach. He waited for her to die. Then he spoke.
"Markus. It's Enrique. I'm here to rescue you." He said calmly
"What took you so long—" he said, as tears fell down his face on Selena's corpse
"I'm sorry. I did not think it would be this bad…" Enrique said
"Enrique… help me…" Markus cried for help as he still strangled the corpse
"It's okay son. It's okay." He said as he softly approached and pulled Markus off her and into his arms.
'He's so light… he hasn't eaten well in weeks. His essence is unstable. And his mental state… spirits— what hells did this boy go through…' Enrique thought as he picked Markus up in a scoop carry.
When they got outside, Jessica was sitting down on Edward Jakku's corpse. Headless corpse.
Gargov was leaning against the manor wall.
Volt was outside the manor using ice constructs to throw the corpses of the elites who tried to run away back into the manor courtyard.
"Looks like we're all done here. Gargov, burn it all." Enrique commanded as he carried a barely conscious Markus to the transport
Jessica got up and looked at Markus.
"Great spirits— how did it get so bad…" she said in horror
"Let's just focus on getting him healthy." Enrique said
Then Markus looked up.
"Taeru… Golemlord." He managed to say before passing out