"Lance on your feet." Alicard says nudging him with his foot. Lance sits up to see the camp is completely packed up except for his sleeping bag "Nows the time to strike since it's barely the crack of dawn." Striker says placing the bags in the brush beside their camp. Lance gets out of the bag and places it with the rest of the supplies. Alicard straps his satchel on "Is that all you'll be needing?" Lance questions rubbing his eyes in tiredness. Alicard nods "This satchel contains potions, partial explosives, maps and minor ingredients in case I stumble upon an alchemy lab." Lance with wide eyes "Did you say explosives?" Stryker sighs "Don't worry about it."
"And besides," Alicard says "those are for a last resort. Now come along we need to discuss strategy for taking out this fort." The three continue to walk on the path until they spot the front gates. "Get down." Alicard says in a shouting whisper. All three crouch down away from the path. "Sneak around to one of the archer towers I can get us in that way." Lance claims. Alicard and Stryker nod as the three walk along the lines of coverage. Lance books it to the archer tower with two arrows in hand. He starts digging the arrow tips in the tower as he climbs higher and higher. Lance reaches the top and with his bow in hand snaps the neck of the guard with a satisfying crack. Lance takes some arrows from the dead guard's quiver ties a rope to one and shoots it straight down. Stryker and Alicard run as fast as they can and begin to climb the rope. "I must say you're not to bad." Alicard claims rolling over the top of the wall. The three climb down from the archer tower into the depths of Nirvana's courtyard. The trio get to the main doors to see four guards standing by. "My time to shine." Stryker says drawing her blade, but Alicard stops her "Not yet you'll get your chance when your inside the fortress. For now Lance still needs to get us in." Alicard says starring at Stryker. Lance pulls an arrow out and draws it back. Alicard gets down on his knees and snaps his fingers for the little flame. "See that lantern, aim for that. That way the other guards are focused on him burning." Alicard whispers Lance changes his aim he takes a deep breath and holds it for a long time. "Now." Alicard says, Lance shoots the arrow instantly igniting the arrow in flames. It flys through the night sky and shatters through the lantern frame causing an explosion of fire to fall upon two guards as they scream in agony. To top it off, Lance grabs a smoke pellet and hurls it over engulfing the four guards in flames, there's no chance of survival for them. "It's now or never lets go before we're spotted." Alicard say Lance and Stryker agree as they run straight into the chamber doors of Nirvana.
The chamber had been worn out by previous attacks that had no prevail. The floors and walls were still stained with the enemies blood. The three go to a room close to the main entrance and make a small set up as Alicard spreads out maps of Nirvana on a table. "Right here's the plan." Alicard says "The lower decks contain the troops surplus of supplies where as the upper levels are filled with the treasures we came here for. All three of us are heading to the upper parts, once we get the area secured, Lance you'll take the explosives and set them in the troops barracks below. Is this understood?" "Right." Stryker and Lance say. Alicard takes the map and puts it back in the satchel as he heads towards the stairs. As soon as they reach the upper parts, immediately the guards notice them. Stryker draws her blade out, and runs right into the chaos as she slashed some and clashes with sparks flying off their blades. Soon Alicard joins in with his magic bound dagger and fire in the other. Lance decides to launch a few arrows killing off the rest.
The three recuperate from the attack. "Alright you two, we need to find their tome and weapon supply. By the looks of things it's somewhere in this area." Alicard says to them "Stryker you're with me to find the tomes and weapons. Lance you take these ingredients and store them in the lower barracks and make sure that they are spread out we're going to make sure this fort will not stand anymore." Alicard hands Lance a pouch of gunpowder and other flammable substances "When you get there don't immediately light them I'll do that just leave a trail short enough for us to leave." Lance nods and heads down. Stryker and Alicard start looking door to door finding from spears to food supplies meanwhile Lance picks locks down stairs and places the explosives on barrels and other weak points. "Hey Ali, I found the stash." Stryker says "Good, now collect as many arrows and anything else you need I'll be browsing through the tomes." Alicard says already searching and tossing tomes he's collected. Alicard collects a few and stashes them in his satchel and reads two new tomes "Right lets test these out." Alicard says "Are you ready Stryker?" Stryker turns around to show she has a new sword and a quiver packed full of arrows of a variety. "Just about." Stryker says the two open the door to see many guards waiting for them. "Alright you two,drop the weapons and come quietly." One guard says. Alicard smirks and starts to laugh hysterically "You clearly don't know who you're dealing with I am a descendent of a God, none shall stand in my way." He says in darker more sinister tones. He raises his right hand in a finger gun position "Almighty Force!" He shouts turning his wrist. A sudden rush of wind pushes all the guards with such power right into the adjacent wall knocking them unconscious. Lance comes up from the stair case "What happened here?" He questions "They realize what happens when you mess with a Mage. Now then, are the ingredients set in place?" Alicard says calming himself down. "Everything is set in place." Lance says "Great," Alicard says "let's get out of here." Stryker stunned mutters "Descendent of a God? What does he mean?" She tries to shake it off and hurries up with Alicard and Lance. Alicard snaps to make a flame blows on it to send the fire out to light the fuse. "Run out of here now!" Alicard shouts. The three book it out of Nirvana back into the dense forest to watch the entire fort explode and crumble into dust. "Woo hoo! Way to go team!" Stryker says excited Alicard smiles and wraps his hands around both of their shoulders and says "Once we get home, we feast like kings."
. . .
The trip seemed shorter for the three as they open the doors they see Alicard's house has been ransacked. Papers torn apart and books ripped by the seam as a symbol of a circle wth an x across it is formed charred in the wooden floor "What in the name of Ancrad happened here!?" Alicard says pissed off. "Oh no, not them." Lance whispers to himself "Who ever did this will feel the wrath of a pure Kendrath worshipper!" Alicard says looking at his burnt maps. Lance nervous says, " I think I know who did this." Alicard turns around sinking his rage filled eyes into Lance's eyes "The Albatross, their a group of thieves and assassins who take out any potential threat." Stryker places down the quiver down on a desk "But why would they come after us? I mean we blew up Nirvana but that was a day ago and word of mouth takes time to spread around." She says. Lance looks at the symbol and says quieter than normal. "They're after me." Alicard stands up and marches to him in rage "What in the name of Nexus did you do!?" He shouts, Lance frightened a bit points to the symbol "That's their death mark and for a time they've been paranoid of an Ariendel thief and not to mention we tried to shoot a flaming arrow at two of their scouters." Stryker comforts Lance "Is that why you were hesitant about shooting them?" Lance nods. Alicard in disbelief "And to think I could trust you." "It's not my fault that they vandalized your house but I promise you I'll take them out. All of them I just need some help." Lance says "And I'm here for you Lance." Stryker says "No you're not Stryker." Alicard snaps "This is his problem not ours." Stryker in shock " But he helped us out with Nirvana-" "That was a mutual benefit, this will surely kill us. Not to mention this will no way advance my research." Lance pleading "is there any way I can prove it to you?" Alicard thinks for a long time and says "There is one way."
