The Shadow Kingdom

The Raid

"Move!" Shoto shouted pulling Izumi behind him and bearing a wall of ice between them and the assailants.

"Toshinori!" Torino shouted and motioned with hood fingers to the back entrance near the stables. Toshinori nodded and quickly took Izumi's hand.

"This way, hurry!" He pulled her towards the back of the house, Izumi lifting her skirts to avoid tripping. She'd glanced behind her, Iida carrying Ochaco over one shoulder and his unsheathed sword in the other. Shoto brought up the rear his body frosted over some from the hurried use of his magic.

Behind them Shigaraki poured fluid from a flash on his belt to melt the ice. He let out a few long tsks and shouldered his crossbow.

"Ah... they ran away." He scowled down at the floor and his brow rose when he spotted a box on the ground. He picked it up, opened it and let out a short laugh.

"Shouldn't we go after them, Shigaraki?" A voice from behind him asked as the rest of the party entered the house and started to raid it.

"Nah, let them run. Muscular is out back playing guard dog... and besides." He lifted the diamond his eyes sparkling with inner glee. "I think I've found a bargaining chip."

The group rushed out the back door towards the stables circling in the dark. Izumi could hear shouts now from inside the house and it had her going pale.

"Wait what about Tsuyu and the other workers? They need to be warned." She started to pull from the group but Toshinori held her back.

"Relax, Young Midoriya. Look..." He turned his gaze towards the woods where Tsuyu and several others came running up.

"How..." Izumi looked between them and the house.

"There's a servant's passage that goes under the house." Torino explained.

"Ribbit, I've heard enough horror stories from Sir Torino that once we heard commotion I immediately informed everyone else to make their way to the tunnell." Tsuyu held up Izumi's satchel. "I did manage to grab this on my way out."

"Oh thank you, Tsuyu!" She took the satchel and looked to the group. Aside from Tsuyu there was the stablehand Koda, and the cook Sato. The other various tenants had all vanished into the night taking their chances in the woods. "I recognized the sigdial on those cloaks. The men who attacked us are from the league of mercenaries... but why would they come here?"

"A better question would be how did they find us?" Torino grunted. "This home has been warded, and is not on any map or direct path from a town. Whoever they are they came with purpose."

"We can ask questions later. Right now we need to figure out how to get out of here without giving away our position." Shoto glanced around the barn at the main house. "Sounds like they're still rummaging inside."

"If they do have intent here it's not the good kind." Toshinori looked around. "We should get the women away from here."

"I heard that, and I'm not going anywhere." Izumi scowled and stood up straight. "If it's a fight they're looking for, I'll give them one."

"You're in no condition to fight." Shoto whispered harshly.

"The Prince is right," Iida agreed. "You should leave these bandits to us. Lady Ochaco, can you use your magic and tell us how many villains there are?"

"I could if I have any of my tools. There's only so much I can do with touch incantations. In order for me to perform a scrying spell I'd need my crystals and they're all inside."

"There's ten of them." Izumi spoke suddenly her aura glowing, eyes focused on the house. There was a bitterness and anger in her voice but she kept her face calm. "Two guards on the outside... six on the inside... and one more rounding the back heading in our direction."