Elemental Thief Part I : Child of Calamity

Raid

The alley that ran behind the shops was narrow, but it was quiet and not filled with filth, though she felt for Davanos and the several Rulin Guard that were with them, knowing that whatever Darya was smelling, they were getting the worst of it.

They paused for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for Reynald's team to get into position in front, and for Davanos to do his best to sense whether there was any magic protecting the shop itself.

Finally he nodded and let out a soft, melodious whistle that she assumed the Rulin with Reynald could hear, before Cansal stepped up and booted the back door in off its hinges and into the dusty room, as the rest of the team streamed in behind them.

Everyone had their swords drawn, as a precaution, though Darya, Cansal, and a couple of the humans let out curses as the metal glowed softly, allowing the rooms to be filled with light, exposing a storeroom, filled with boxes upon boxes, sealed and on shelves, with a foreign writing on them.

"Most of it is Silencer." Davanos murmured, glancing around, leaving Darya to wonder if he could tell through scent or through being able to read the other language.

Before she could ask, he turned and started towards the front, moments before yelling and loud banging started. He didn't seem overly concerned, so Darya turned to the rest of the team first.

"Be careful with it. Take a count and look for any traps. Once Davanos gives the all clear, we'll pull the wagons in and load it out, back to the Palace."

She turned and strode after him, walking into the kitchen part of the shop where Reynald had a half dressed man up against the wall by his throat, apparently focused on depriving him of oxygen as everyone else stood there watching, allowing him to choke the man out in front of them.

She saw shock and a lack of surety on some of their faces, but a dark, brutal sort of anger flashing across most of them, including Davanos and Cansal, as if they were taking some sort of sick pleasure from watching the man slowly die.

"You sick son of a bitch! How old are they!?!? What did you give them?" Reynald pulled the man back from the wall, before slamming him hard into it again, causing a weird cracking sound that Darya knew wasn't a good thing.

She trusted him, trusted most of them, but she couldn't let them continue this way. They couldn't fight dirty against an enemy with no morals, she knew that in her heart.

Darya glanced towards another open door where a soft light flickered before shoving a couple of the Royal Guard to break the odd trance. "Secure the room!" She turned to Davanos and shoved him hard, seeing him round on her with a near feral snarl that sent fear lancing through her. "If the guy dies, we don't get answers! Stop him!"

She didn't wait to see if he would comply or lash out at her, snapping to two Rulin fighters to help Davanos before she stalked to the room, using the anger to brace herself for what she was going to see in there.

She stopped at the doorway, biting back whatever emotions and thoughts she could feel and took stock of the two very dazed looking young women, who could be her age, or could be younger, it was hard to tell with the makeup they were wearing, the bruises on their faces and the very adult clothing they had on.

Darya sheathed her blades as she approached the bed, crouching down on the edge as she continued assessing what she was seeing. They were only semi-conscious, half aware of what was going on as she walked up to the first one, checking her heart beat and finding it beating strongly, though her pupils were different sizes and she gave Darya an odd, sick smile.

"Are you on buzzers, kid?"

"I'm just about nineteen, you know." The girl slurred, but nodded carefully. "I know it's illegal, but he made us take them... but buzzers are better than being here when it happens."