Jean and her squad waited outside for the signal that would be the prelude to the end of this incident. Her squad had been tasked with finding the missing children when it was first discovered a week ago, at that time 3 kids had gone missing and it drew the eye of the Favonius Knights.
Grand Master Varka was enraged that someone would dare to kidnap the children of their city and gave her the order to find and apprehend the fiends. So they tracked the criminals for a week before finding their "hideout" and Jean wasn't impressed with their forces.
They didn't need it however as they could easily stop them, the knights, from doing anything once they grabbed ahold of even one child so they had to wait for the perfect chance to break the stalemate. The chance came but not as Jean expected it would, rather it came in the form of a young girl with a pyro vision.
The girl was, in Jean's opinion a little under-dressed to be out in the cold but she guessed that since she was a pyro vision user what she wore in the cold didn't matter. At first, Jean thought that she could drive her away and continue with her mission, that was until she spoke about the kidnapping.
Jean questioned the girl fiercely, forgetting for a moment that the target of her interrogation was a little girl. Realizing her blunder she wanted to apologize but was interrupted before she could open her mouth. She said something that made Jean highly conflicted, saying that "she followed the scent of the medicine used", Jean was confused.
Did she think she was a dog?
The girl said that she wouldn't leave and had to save her friend, offering her assistance, which Jean found admirable but it was still dangerous. They ultimately agreed in the end when Jean found out that she had a vision, choosing to at least have the girl do dangerous things where she could see her. She summoned the other knights, planning for a while before dispersing them.
The operation was called Blitzkrieg, named after the military strategy of hitting unsuspecting enemies fast and hard with overwhelming military force. It was a well-known strategy in the military scene and was mainly used by the ancient Favonius and Millilith. Some records even mentioned the Shogunate's use of the tactic.
The little girl would act as a diversion and if needed a trade target for if one of the children got caught in a hostage situation, as she would have a higher chance of escaping. Jean was mildly impressed when she called the name of the operation fitting. It seemed she too read the military scriptures.
They exchanged questions and answers for a while before it was time to send her off, the girl offhandedly saying that they would be done by midnight and she noted it would be so in 4 hours. Finally Jean saluted the girl fiercely and she too returned the gesture. Jean watched as the girl turned around a corner to come to the house from another path, not willing to risk exposing them.
Jean and her squad watched as the girl walked towards the group of thugs, trembling with a look of fear on her face and Jean admitted to doubting her judgment for a moment. She still chose to believe in the girl as she saw her cry in the thug's arms, she discreetly looked in their direction and winked before she was taken through the door.
'Sigh, no need to worry so much huh, we need to be ready though,' Jean thought as she stepped back behind a building and began stretching for the upcoming battle.
If one had the time to warm up before a battle shouldn't it be done and the knights followed her example readying themselves for the upcoming battle. When she saw the smoke rising from the roof and the confused faces of the criminals she knew it was time to strike. She raised her hand and it descended violently as she and her men charged forward at the silent command.
"Charge!" Jean shouted out trying to increase the panic and confusion in the thug's minds and dispatched them one after another.
"All outside units are confirmed to be unconscious, shall we head inside?" A knight, Jack said as he came up to her.
"Jack you take half and stay here to receive the kids and make sure no criminals wake up and I will take the others inside to escort the kids and remove the forces inside," Jean said, immediately jumping into action as she took 4 knights with her and left the other 3 with Jack.
They positioned themselves in front of the door before Jean kicked it down violently. The door knocked on something and they finally saw the inside of the house which revealed the bruised Harlin and a thug on the floor groaning in pain.
"Huh?"
****
Fischl moved through the corridors of the building with the other kids following her. They walked until they finally saw the door to the outside when a thug suddenly showed up at the door. They were most likely looking for a hostage but if there was only one of them... Fischl discreetly looked at Harlin.
He also looked at her and nodded. She moved to the front to stand behind him so she could save guard the other kids while he stalled the thug. For a boy, his age Harlin was well built and unusually tall, so the thugs usually wanted to make an example of him, regularly pulling him out to give him a beating. If it wasn't for that though he could have escaped.
Fischl had overheard some guards saying they had to team up to catch him and used the strange medicine. Many of the kids also didn't remember how they were kidnapped, with only a few like Harlin and Emmy being personally fought by the criminals. Fischl herself didn't remember how she got here and only recalled being dizzy and falling toward the ground.
Then she ended up here with the rest of the children, and if she had to be honest Fischl wasn't nearly as scared as the other kids, only confused. She had been slapped by one of the kidnappers when she spoke against them when they tried to hit a small kid. She would have been beaten more if not for Harlin taking the blows for her and most of the kids in the room.
This was the real reason why he was the most beaten up and yet out of all of the kids his will wasn't shaken in the slightest. Fischl had grown to admire her peer in the sense that he was a hero in a storybook. It seemed like it was who he was meant to be. He had the qualities of one, she mused.
A silent cry snapped her out of her daze as she and most of the kids looked behind them, to where Emmy had gone. Fischl was worried for her friend as even though she had a vision she wasn't invincible. There were some guards on the path she saw her friend take.
Fischl could only pray for her safety and once again focused on how Harlin was doing. Harlin was injured quite badly but he was still able to keep up with the thug who was twice his height, aiming for the man's legs and crotch area with a ferocious vigor in his attacks. Then he tripped and the man kicked him in the face, which made him fall into her arms.
Fischl caught him and lifted him. He stood on his feet and she knew he couldn't fight anymore, Fischl hated this feeling of weakness, so instead of hiding behind Harlin again she took place in front of him and crossed her arms. Harlin gasped in surprise and the thug laughed as he punched her, she felt her arms buckle but she stood firm.
"Ugh!"
"Haha! Girl why don't go play princess ha, leave the fighting to your friend here." The thug laughed, throwing another punch.
"Vile vermin! Thou simply aren't worthy to gaze upon I the Prinzessin. Return from the gutters of the Abyss from whence you came," Fischl said once more blocking the blow as she was sent into the kids behind her.
"You bitch!" He once again went for another punch but was blocked by the hand of Harlin who came from behind Fischl.
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"Thank... Hah... You," Fischl said.
"No... Ugh! Pro... blem... kuak!" Harlin replied as he threw the thug's hand aside and nearly fell, before being held by Fischl and another child.
"Ugh! I'll finish you off right now! Ha- Ack!" The thug drew his arms back for another punch when;
Bang! Bock!
The door was knocked down on his head and he fell to the ground with a large sound. Behind the collapsed door were the Favonius Knights led by a blonde-haired woman who had confused looks on their face.
"Huh?"
"We're saved?"
"Haha, we're saved, freedom!"
The children rejoiced and most of them jumped in the air before they noticed they were still in the flaming house looking toward, Fischl and Harlin, waiting for their commands. Fischl waved her hands and the children bypassed the knight and went outside. The knights who finally seemed to exit their revere started moving forward and one took Harlin from Fischl's arms.
"Your all safe now okay," The man held onto Harlin and took him outside.
"Emmy is still in there, so can you help her, please?" Fischl asked looking at the blonde woman.
"I will team let's go. Girl you go outside and wait, we will be back in a moment," The woman said before passing by Fischl as the rest of her team followed, going deep into the house.
Fischl watched them go before leaving the burning house, finally able to see the outside world once again. Unable to enjoy it as Emmy wasn't yet confirmed to be uninjured and prayed for her safety.
****
Jean and her team advanced through the building finding multiple thugs on the ground of the house unconscious with burn marks on their bodies. She instructed her men to through them out of the windows and doors to ensure their lives are kept secure. They would have to be sent to prison later and Jean wouldn't let death exempt them from their crimes.
She used her vision to disperse the dense smoke in the house as they went down a stairway they found in a room. They ran a long way before finding a small figure walking towards them with a rope in hand and a large object dragging behind them. The knights positioned themselves to attack but Jean stopped them recognizing the figure.
"It is you, Emmy, I suppose you have done your work splendidly and I would like to invite-" Jean stopped as the figure swayed, running up to catch her before she fell.
"Take care of him, I'm... out... for a... bit," Emmy collapsed exhausted as pointed to the person next to her before falling unconscious, drained.
"Okay, you did well," Jean gently stroked her hair and held Emmy in her arms before walking toward the exit.
"Scan the end of the hall and look for clues as to who these kidnappers are, I'll be bringing her back to the city."
"Yes, Captain!"
****
"Ugh..." Emmy woke up with a groan as she looked away from the sunlight that came out of the window.
She looked around after adjusting to the light unable to recognize the room she was in. There were what seemed to be medical supplies and what looked to be a Barbatos statue and a cross on the wall. Where was she?
Did she fail...?
"Hmm..." A small voice sounded as Emmy felt something on her palm, looking down she saw Fischl sleeping in a chair next to her, as she leaned on her bed.
Emmy smiled softly, humming as she turned to look at her best friend, her pillow felt wet and she idly noted that the tears came from her own eyes. She was crying. They were tears of joy, that she made it in time to save her friend, her precious person.
I'm glad.
I'm so glad you are safe Fischl.