Chapter 6 - Part 3 of 3 (Patreon)

“Intruders!” His yell cut through the building and outside, with the power of a body cultivator. His aura condensed as his shield showed the impacts of the mana bullets.

“Get the guards, I have him,” Storbon ran up the last few stairs and turned at the top, running towards the room the ‘driver’ appeared in. He dropped his pistol into his storage ring and pulled out his spear.

Jurumba kicked down a door and rushed in. Rajkovic followed him, the two rushing to meet the guards.

The driver pulled out a shield as Storbon reached him.

The man was thrown backwards, partially through the wall. He crashed into the floor, tearing up floor boards.

Storbon checked the room for any other occupants before he charged in.

He heard the sound of breaking glass in the direction of where the mercenary’s leader was supposed to be.

The driver slashed out with his blade, creating a wind blade. Storbon stabbed through the attack technique, a lance of fire mana pierced through the man’s armor striking him in his sword arm.

The man rolled away, grunting in pain.

Storbon was too fast, his spear jabbed forward again, piercing the man’s armor.

The man hissed, tensing before he relaxed, collapsing.

A tombstone appeared above him. Storbon looted it, he stored his spear and took out his pistol, checking the hallway.

Rajkovic and Jurumba returned from the other room.

“All clear,” Rajkovic said.

“You take lead to the office.”

They pushed through the rooms and into a new hallway.

“Don’t shoot,” Tian Cui said.

She opened the door, showing them the room. The mercenary leader was head down on his desk, his controller was slumped over the chair he’d knocked over.

Jamie was waving his storage ring around, gathering up ledgers, emptying a vault hidden behind the bookshelf of treasures and files inside.

“Anything good?” Storbon asked.

“The leader and a few of the higher echelons knew that they were working for the Willful Institute, the others had no idea. They were a throwaway outfit. There are records here of them working as guards for the Institute as bandits as well. Anything that the Institute wanted done without their name on it. Assassinations, it’s all here.”

“Good, Jurumba, So-Hyon help him.”

Storbon contacted the Close Protection Details.

“We have what we need. Get your people ready to move out.”

The room was cleared up. Even the papers that the two dead men were on were cleared away. Their bodies were checked and their storage rings looted.

It was all passed to Storbon, who put the storage rings into a pouch.

“Let’s get out of here.”

They went through the window, finding the two platforms that had raised Tian Cui and Jamie up to the window.

Foster was on the ground, watching the area and covering for them.

“Pull out!” Storbon ordered.

Explosions went off, in the main area of the compound where the barracks were located.

Storbon and his special team ran towards the wall, with a jump they reached the top of the wall landing on it, they ran the last few meters and jumped down the other side.

“Split up, meet at the rendezvous,” Storbon said.

They split up into pairs, disappearing into the city.

Storbon and Tian Cui were together, they found an alleyway and pulled off their armor, revealing their sweat soaked clothes beneath, in the rain it was easy to cover up. Donning their cloaks again they exited the alley way.

“Move to the side! City guard coming through!”

Storbon was shoved to the side, he let the shove take him. Not showing any of his body cultivation and falling on the ground. His hand moved to his hidden pistol, placing all his trust in Tian Cui.

“Come on, let's get out of here,” Tian Cui said in a concerned voice.

She helped him up, under her cloak she was holding a dagger, watching the city guard run down the street.

They looked at one another, nodded and kept moving towards their objective.

“Good acting,” Storbon said.

“You too. nice fall!”

***

Desmond had gone to the Third Realm to learn more about alchemy. He’d wanted to be like Delilah and Erik, he thought that because he was in Alva his skills hadn’t progressed. When he reached the Third Realm, it had taken a few months but he realized that alchemy, while he wanted to be an expert in it, it was nothing more than a hobby. He started to take up the formation skill, he liked the patterns, the power contained in such fine lines. It was a dance between the art of formations and their function.

He’d become a formation master, with his background he started to create tools for people in the Third Realm. His friend was a free trader on the surface, under it she was an Alvan trader and an officer of the Intelligence Department.

Desmond was thinking of heading back to Alva or try to go to Vuzgal. He wanted to meet with his fellows and learn. He was only getting scraps of information.

Zandra convinced him to stay, to gather information on the Willful Institute as it was revealed that they had several businesses operating in the same city he resided in.

He left Alva to pursue his own future but he had never left it behind. Alva held a high place in his heart. It was where his family and friends were from. It was his mother nation in every sense of the word.

So he had stayed, though now he was thinking it wasn’t the best decision.

There was a knock at the door. He jumped up, nearly spilling his tea.

Zandra put her hand on his and looked into his eyes.

He laughed it off dryly and she gave him a weak smile, sorry that she had to put him in such a position.

She looked at one of her guards and indicated to the door with her chin.

The man walked through the workshop and to the door. Desmond and Zandra stood, grabbing their weapons.

I was thankful that they gave us combat training before we left Alva. I’m so damn nervous though.

His training officer’s words burned into his bones as he held his sword ready, properly.

“Lightning,” The man asked.

“Thunder.”

The man opened the door. The other guard had a repeater level with the door.

Desmond was tense as two people stepped in out of the rain, pushing back their hoods.

They were both young, younger than Desmond. They smiled seeing everyone there, the weapons didn’t seem to matter to them.

“Well, I would greet mysterious guests in the night in the same way,” the man laughed.

“Officer Zandra, I guess?” He looked to Zandra.

“Major Storbon,” Zandra greeted, lowering her weapon.

The repeater was lowered.

Major Storbon, the Storbon, leader of the Fourth Special Team?

Desmond realized he was still ready for a fight. In a flush of embarrassment he lowered his weapon.

“This is for you,” Storbon moved to Zandra and pulled out a pouch.

“Thanks, I’ll make sure that it is put to work.”

“Good luck, we’re heading back,” Storbon said.

“Safe travels, there is a second exit through the underground,” Zandra moved the chair she had been sitting on. Desmond put his sword down and gave her a hand, opening the door that showed dirt underneath. He put the trap door down and reached under the floorboards, he pressed a hidden formation and activated a spell, removing a few inches of dirt and stone, revealing steps underneath.

“It always amazes me just how far Alva has spread,” Storbon said. “Good luck.”

He stepped down into the underground stairs, the lady followed him. Desmond turned the formation’s inner ring until it clicked and pressed it again. The dirt and stone moved back into place, no sign of stairs.

They covered up and put away their weapons while Zandra used his work bench to check the contents of the pouch. She pulled out sheets of paper, some which were covered in blood and used the formation camera to capture images of the sheets of information.

She recruited one of her guards to help her. They created different piles as they sorted through the information quickly.

Desmond poured them all more tea and sat down, waiting.

He must have fallen asleep when Zandra dropped down next to him, waking him with a start.

He coughed and cleared his throat, drinking his now cold tea.

“What is all of that?” He looked at the paper that her guard was putting into letters and tying up.

“Weakness. These are reports that link the Willful Institute to the Golden Sabres mercenary group. It is reports that they were passing on the Alchemist Association and links to other groups that were also part of the Willful Institute.”

“What will you do with it?”

“We’ll pass it to the people who would find the information the most useful. The Alchemist Association might want to know how their ingredients went missing. Who was leaking their information. Trading houses and sects might be interested in knowing that the bandits who attacked them were mercenaries under the employ of the Willful Institute.” Zandra said.

“What will that do?” Desmond asked.

“It will tear out the Willful Institute’s clandestine roots. I’m not sure how far it will go but it’ll deal a heavy blow. It will also make groups more likely to attack the Institute.”

Desmond let out a hiss of a breath.

“I’ve got work to do. First thing tomorrow morning, we’ll head to Alva.”