Deus Didymus: Rend

The Unbreakable Trio V

Ningning crossed her legs while she sat next to the tavern's hearth. Dozens of patrons filled the busy first floor, and not a single person had climbed the stairs to the second. There wasn't a single reason to believe anything was off, yet she still kept her mind on the noble. With a soft sigh, she stood up to start for the restroom. On her way, a pinch at the back of her mind pulled Ningning's attention toward the second floor.

I guess it doesn't hurt to check.

Ningning knocked on the noble's door in spite of the IZLand's trio warning of his conceited nature. Though faint, she heard footsteps on the floorboards. Far more than the two that should be in the room. Trains carrying the worst possible scenarios ran through Ningning's mind as she twisted the locked door knob.

Energy spread through Ningning's limbs as she raced down the hall and toward the window. She slid the pane open, leaping out and onto the open streets where not a single soul was to watch her land. Deep in the alley behind the tavern, three men stood on the balcony that led into the noble's room. Five more stood on the ground awaiting the return of their teammates.

Slime coagulated in Ningning's palms as she charged the group on the ground. With the swing of her hands the slime collided with two men. Ningning skidded along the floor, flinging two more globs of slime before tagging the last. With a soft sigh she turned to the balcony, two more globs readied in her hands, when a sudden sharp pain filled the back of her head.

"You're kidding!! Y/n was gone for that long?" Karina gasped. Cutlery and empty dishes stacked atop one another, and a strong sense of comradery lingered in the air.

"And for some reason the girls kept mentioning him," Bae added. He rested his chin in his hand while he lightly tapped his wooden spoon on the table. "Every time his name came up, the girls would start talking about relationships and stuff."

Giselle turned to Bae, locking her eyes with his. "Are you in a relationship?"

Bae's breath hitched. His eyes widened and though he opened his mouth, he paused. Minho watched behind with curious eyes, but not for the same reason Karina and Winter watched.

"I'm not. But..." Bae's eyes whisked away from Giselle and toward the tavern. His wide eyes sharpened with the furrow of his eyebrows, and his apprehensive tone deepened. "We need to go. Now."

Bae tossed a cluster of marks onto the table before storming out of the restaurant causing Minho and the members of Aespa to chase after. As he lifted both feet off the ground a shadow bird formed below Bae, taking him to the sky. "Our client is on the move and fast!"

Minho leapt into the air, barely reaching the bird's feet before throwing himself on its back. Flames erupted around Giselle's body, engulfing her briefly while she took the form of a phoenix. With Winter on her back, Giselle followed shortly behind the IZLand duo.

A slight grin grew at the corner of Karina's mouth as she cracked her knuckles. Faint blue hues swirled in her eyes, spreading through the rest of her body while she sprinted through the streets. "Looks like we'll be getting paid more!!"

Karina careened between buildings and down streets with the only limiting factor on her speed being the need to follow Bae. Following a short signal from the sky, she vaulted atop the nearest building to find a small group of masked men carrying the IZLand client. A trail of blue wisped from her eye, carrying the excitement of a bigger cash out on her mission. "You're under arrest!!!"

Bae and Minho dropped from the sky, crashing into individual grunts while Karina swept in to apprehend the man carrying their client. As she closed in on her target they spun on their heel, kicking Karina down to the street. Chilling frosts, colder than even SM's most aggressive weather, spread through the rooftops bearing its icy fangs.