Gavin

Despite his build, there were many times in the last few days Gavin thought himself to be the softest one of the group. It was how he sees himself in comparison to the little Amazon and the self reliant hunter, not to mention the moody mage. However, that was before the winged ball of fur managed to reduce the two female warriors back into children.

"Can I pet him?" Once again, Zoe was showing her age, it is the only sentence she has said in the last hour. Jenny has long given up trying to keep her new pet to herself. She only lowered her cupped hands so Zoe could pet the small creature as they walked.

"Jewel...? Iris...? Bast...? Shamrock...? Luna..." Pause. "No yo, most of those are girls name. Sea Foam...? Silver...? Bright eyes...? Tigger, Jasper, Leo, Charlie...?"

And so on. And so on. Jenny has been reciting names for the last hour of the walk, trying to come up with something fitting for the little flying feline. Gavin admits the beast was cute, but he has never been a pet person himself. Maybe fish, but that wasn't important.

"Hun, you're going to need to put that thing away soon, we're almost there ok?"

Jenny looks up from her own little world. "Huh? Put him away where ,yo?"

"Can't you put it in your inventory?"

"No, that thing won't hold living things"

"Really? I've seen other people pull there pets in and out of their inventories, I think." Even though rather than think, he is sure that he has.

"Naw man, those were summoned pets. Demons and Elementals and things like that yo. A hunter's pet is a real living companion, we take care of each other, always. Aint no easy way of leaving each others side. But the bright side is our pets get to be stronger, most of the time, than the other kinds. And I don't think there is a limit on real pets, not like demons and things."

Good to know, but it doesn't solve the current problem of where to keep it as they head into battle. That's going another problem itself. Gavin hasn't really had to defend himself against another person since the world ended. At least not to the death. If these guys are doing what Jenny says they're doing, then there is not going to be an easy way to peacefully end this.

Finally though, they approach the end of the woods closest to Jenny's plant. There is a field that needs crossing and then a road. A fence is the final obstacle with, unfortunately, barbed wire at the top. From here though, it shouldn't take more than ten minutes to reach the main building. Gavin pulls out one of the [Message Paper] and sends a quick note to Leon. It's time to get his party started. He just hopes the boy has a plan, maybe one that doesn't end in bloodshed.

--------------------------------------------------------

Leon

All of Leons plans so far ended in bloodshed. He simply couldn't think of a way to capture the men inside that building without undue danger to either himself or his party. Not to mention the women inside the place. Even if he somehow managed to pull it off, then what? What police were they to be turned over to? What judge to sentence them? What prison to serve their time?

This was why the number of people at the village that even knew about this situation had been kept to a minimum at Leon's insistence. There were already too many people, mostly men who wanted to live by the laws of the jungle. The last thing he needed was for the viable possibility of that lifestyle to leak. Not that he minded that mindset really, but a candidate for long term survival and safety it was not. Even from a purely selfish point of view, he needed the village to be a focus of safety and happiness just so he didn't have to watch is back everyday in pursuit of his own goals. In short, it would make a secure jump off point when he felt ready to travel on his own.

Good will and supplies were a few of the many things he was going to need in order to do that. That was one of the main reasons he was even here today. Despite Jenny being a friend, he was more than willing to abandon her sister and the women inside if the possible gains didn't outweigh the danger. But having taken up this mission, he was determined to do his best at it. That meant real effort to rescue the women alive. Before the level 15 spells, his only option was a frontal assault on what he hoped would be lower leveled rapist. The exit strategy consisted of not being overwhelmed. Not exactly grade a material as far as battle plans go.

A [Message Paper] dropped from the sky and floated in front of his hiding spot. He reached out and took it. It was from Mr G, they weren't far and he wanted to know the plan. Great. Thinking quickly Leon determines his priorities, then sketches out a plan with those in mind. It aint pretty, but at least the holes it's full of don't take up more space than the plan itself. Letting the message paper go sends it on its way back to Mr G. Well no time like the present.

Ice Wing

25MP, 5mp/s

Magic Construct/Assist

Defense +3%

Knock Back

All the other Penguins will be sooo jealous

A little over 4 minutes of flight time and something he was definitely going to have to have more fun with one day. The wings were large and looked like an ice sculpture of bird wings, mostly clear, but fragile looking, he doubts they will stop any real attacks. Maybe a fireball, but that's it. Flight time to the roof is a few seconds and not that hard, the wings felt like having another set of arms he already just knows how to use. There are subtle ways of moving them that give interesting results. [Mage Sight] shows them covered in the expected blue and yellow of water and air mana, but also the purple and clear mana he has yet to figure out. Later for that.

Leon drops to the roof and dismisses the wings. He finds and waits under the cover of the shadow of some sort of vent. Briefly, he wonders if it's possibly to sneak in, like a bad spy movie, through them, but reject that plan as having too many unknowns. there are no look outs on the roof and no one has come up yet. These guys might not want anyone or anything knowing this place is occupied.

"Leon..." A voice call out softly, not 15 minutes later.

"Over here." He leave cover to wave Jenny over to his hiding spot. There may be no one else on the roof but someone could come out onto it at any time. As they wait for Mr G and Zoe to get the party started on the ground floor, he notes with a bit of jealousy that Jenny is now level 18, an entire level higher than himself. Then he realizes that the journey through the woods must have been a whole lot more dangerous than he thought it would be. The entire reason for having them take that path was to minimize the danger. Another miscalculation for later review.

Jenny pulls a kitten out of her jacket, from where exactly is a bit of a mystery. What's she doing with a... then he sees that it is in fact a monster, but just a baby. the way she's fussing over it...

"So you finally manage to get a pet?"

"Yeah, something like that, we rescued him on the way here. I haven't got a name for him yet though. what do you think?"

Leon studies the long snout feline as Jenny holds it out to him. The bright silver fur, the bright white wings. Hmm...

"Silver?"

Jenny laughs, "I already thought of that, but there's too much white to just be calling my little guy Silver." She rubs he face against the little monster and it actually purrs.

Leon thinks for moment, "Argent, then."

"Jenny looks up from her new pet, "Hmm? what's that?"

"It's the silver you see on a coat of arms, a lot of the time it can look white if I remember right. If we live long enough, this thing is going to represent you in a lot of ways. Seems fitting. He'll be your living coat of arms."

Jenny just looks at him for a while, then down at the fur ball in her hands. Then she smiles.

"Argent, uh? I like it. What about you, uh? do you like your new name?" She nuzzles the winged kitten and drops into a bit of baby talk.

After a while a [Message paper] drops down to Jenny. She grabs it and looks at it briefly. Then looks at Leon with a serious expression.

"They're ready, 30 seconds."

Leon nods and moves towards the door he spotted earlier leading to the interior of the building. Jenny follows close behind and Argent follows close behind her. Inside the door, a short flight of steps leads to the second and topmost floor of the building. One corner and they would be in a long hallway holding offices, lunchrooms, meeting spaces and a lounge.

"Hey Bobby! You need to come see this!" Someone yells from downstairs.

"What is it!? Come see what?" Someone else , presumable Bobby, yells back from somewhere else on the second floor.

"There's a little girl outside! A cute one too. looks hurt, what you wanna do?" The first voice responds.

This was the plan so far. Zoe was bait and Gavin was switch. When they engaged the men outside, Jenny and Leon were to find the girls and get them outside via the roof and Leon's [Slow Fall].

The sound of several pairs of feet leaving the second floor can be heard. A quick peak around the corner reveal welcome information.

Carl Strongman

Class

Mercenary

Level:

9

Health

694

Mana

157

Stamina

146

Level nine wont be impossible to handle if that's the average level of these guys. It's a little disappointing that they were smart enough to leave this place in order to hunt monsters, but Leon is confident they can still handle the situation.

"Jenny, if these guys left to go hunting where would they go?" Whispered to Jenny

"I don't know, the monsters in the woods are too tough yo, they would have to walk a long way to get back to regular houses to fight some Goblins. That's the south side from here, opposite side of the building. There were rats and things around here though."

"Yeah but they would have had to hunt rats non-stop to reach level nine. I think they killed something worth much more expe...." 'Oh shit' Leon thinks, then leave the hiding spot and goes around the corner. Jenny follows but doesn't ask about the worried look on his face, she has her bow knocked and ready.

The first room is an empty office, but this close to the stairs, that might be a precaution on the part of these assholes. The next room is also an office but not empty. There are two people inside both sleeping on a pile of clothes, card board and plastic wrap.

Leon sneak in and over to the first sleeper. Joseph level 11 Shaman, mid 20's, white but tanned, he's been outside hunting then. Good, Leon was worried these guys had killed the women for EXP. That would have been short sighted, but he wouldn't put it past the average human anyway. He knelt beside the man and placed his left hand over his mouth. Joseph's eyes flew open to see some boy with his right hand to his lips in a shushing manner. Leon held that hand in front of Joseph so he could clearly see that [Ice Blade] appear. He then held that blade to Josephs throat.

"Here's the deal Joseph, You answer my question and I don't kill you. Simple, right? You don't have any reason to believe me, and that's your prerogative. So, If you don't believe me, go ahead and lie to me, and I guess we'll find out if I'm telling the truth or not."

The terrified man started to nod his head, but thought better of it, considering the blade at his neck. Jenny in the mean time was having a whispered conversation with the woman who woke up at Leon's whispered threats. Argent hopped onto the office chair in the corner and curled into a furry ball. The little guy has had a long day.

"So, Joey, my buddy, my pal, how many people in this place and where can I find the rest of the women?"

"Listen man, I don't know..."

Leon draws the blade across his throat lightly. After a moment, the pain hits but it's just a shallow cut. The ice blade is weak but sharp. Joey hisses, but is smart enough not to yell.

"Want to try again?" Leon asks.

"Ok, ok, listen there's like 20 girls in the cage on the work floor, and like 30 guys doing whatever, man. There's some out killing monsters, man, that's all I know."

Leon looks up at Jenny, she nods, "That sounds about right. The repackaging center on the floor is called the cage, it's not a jail yo, but it can hold the girls has long as somebody is keeping an eye on them. But yo! There was only 12 girls here when I left."

"Is that so? care to explain Joey?" The cold ice presses a little harder.

"Listen, man, Steve, he goes out, and he like rescues people, see? Him and his boys bring back people all the time, we helping people, man, we rescuing them and shit."

"OK Joey, that's fair. Just one question though?" Leon leans closer to Joseph ear. "Rescue any men lately?"

Joseph opens his mouth to answer, but nothing comes out, after a while he gives up. Then a loud noise comes from downstairs. There is a flurry of yelling and running feet. Seems Zoe and Mr G are really let these guys have it.

"Jenny we need to go, is that woman going to be any help?"

Jenny shoots Leon a dirty look, but answers the question, "She's a level two Summoner and her name is Silvia!"

"So, that's a no then." Leon looks at Claire for a moment. "Get to the roof Silvia, we'll rescue the others and send them up there. Jenny we need to go, these guys have the numbers to hurt Zoe and Mr G."

Jenny gets up and gathers Argent into her arms, the woman, Silvia averts her eyes from both Leon and Joseph as she starts to walk to the office door.

"Wait Silvia." She turns back to Leon. He holds her gaze for a moment. "What do you want to do with him?"

There is blood pooling under Josephs neck, but not that much, he wont even need stitches. The noise of the fight downstairs rages on as Silvia takes her time answering. Leon is about to ask her again when

"Kill him..." Barely a whisper, but in the quiet of the room, the hatred can be heard clearly.

"Sorry, Joey, you heard the lady, and besides, you did lie to me at first. If a guy doesn't keep his word what good is he, heh?"

Just as Leon tightens his grip on the cold blade, something hits him square in the face and off of Joseph. Jenny draws and fires arrows at Joseph, but as soon as they hit they reappear in the four foot wooden pillar that knock Leon of on the first place. The pillar floats in front of Joseph who as regained his feet.

Blood Totem

Type

Summon/Construct [Defense]

Level:

5

Health

500

"Thanks for giving me time to cast that ass-wipe, you're a dead man. HELP!! HELP! INTRUDERS HERE!!"

Silvia runs out of the room, hopefully to the roof.

"Jenny make sure no no one else show up, I got this."

"You got this little boy!?" Joey yells as he pulls a knife and some sort of feathered wand from his inventory. "Then come get it!"

"If it makes you feel any better, I was going to have to kill you anyway." Leon pulls out is staff for the INT bonus.

Joseph point the feathered wand at Leon and starts to shoot small glowing green balls at him. Leon wants to use [Mana Shield] from his level 15 skill set, but instead a spike of ice burst from under Joseph. a loud crack comes from the pillar as a piece of it was blown off. So, any damage Joey took was eaten by the totem then. Fine.

The green balls hitting Leon drops his HP between five and 12 with each hit, but unlike Joseph he wasn't standing still to be an easy target. A few more hit as he runs to crouch behind the desk.

"Screw it." He says as the next spell to come from under Joseph is a sustained gout of [Flame Thrower]. Joseph laughs as he continues to launch his attack at the desk, but the flames don't stop and ten seconds later the totem begins to smoke, then burst into flames. Soon it flickers and disappears, then Josephs begins to scream when nothing is left to intercept the pain and damage of Leon's attack.

When his screams end, his smoking corpse is surrounded by whatever items he's managed to acquire thus far, but that's for later. That little fight was sure to draw attention. Leon runs into the hall and leaves behind the sickly sweet scent and death and burnt flesh. He finds Jenny pulling several of her knives out of another man in front of the lunch room.

She glances at him, as he tries in vain not to notice how much blood the human body is actually capable of holding. Only an iron will and the need to not embarrass himself in front of Jenny keeps his stomach under control. Jenny on the other hand is more focused than he's ever seen her. Argent is nowhere to be seen.

"We need to hurry, you got a 'plan B'? Jenny asks.

"Yeah, it's the one I use to solve all my personal problems, " Leon replies smiling as he walks towards the stairs, " more explosives."