After taking a few hours to get a catnap in, they loaded up and moved out. Nobody felt fully rested but only two of the guards were hurt enough to need the cart, so Madi and Orrin were able to ride and rest as well. Tony blamed his old age and crawled up too, but Orrin suspected the man was just being lazy.

Everybody else walked.

Other than Brandt, all the guards had been soundly defeated and as they traveled back to Dey, they licked their wounds and grumbled. Two even started a scuffle that ended in moments, as Brandt leapt from one of the newly obtained horses and swiftly solved the dispute by yelling and pulling rank. It was the first time that Orrin had seen the man lose his temper.

“Is he going to be okay?” Orrin whispered to Madi. She sat next to him on the back of the cart, their legs dangling from the edge.

Madi glanced over her shoulder toward the front of the progression. Despite the ‘victory’ of the mission, a shadow of defeat still loomed over them all.

“I’m not sure,” she answered with a sigh. “Jude and Brandt were close. You heard him when Jenson suggested burning Jude’s body with the kidnappers’ bodies. His decision to bring Jude back with us is questionable and the others know it.”

Charlie Jenson’s idea to dispose of the ‘traitor’ had been met with more than Brandt’s harsh tongue. Although he was still a bit wounded, the man was limping along behind the cart. Orrin had cast two [Heal Small Wounds] on the man when Brandt’s back was turned.

Orrin glanced back at Tony. The man had closed his eyes and fallen asleep between Efraim, one of the mages, and Ryland. From what he’d been able to gather, the two were a couple. While Orrin was grabbing Daniel from the tent, Samara had taken out Efraim. The mage’s wind magic had been one of the few things able to slow the big berserker down. Samara’s whip had hit his neck and he’d gone down hard. The mage’s naturally lower Constitution hadn’t helped when his head bounced off a rock.

Ryland had reacted poorly to seeing his partner go down and charged ahead. He’d gotten a few good hits in before Samara had also turned her whips on him. Unfortunately, he’d also taken a hit from the berserker’s ax. The two were the most severely injured. Orrin had cast his healing on them a few times over the last hour. Ryland’s wound to his side had solidified into a puckered scar and Efraim’s goose egg had reduced to a red bump.

Orrin didn’t press the issue with Madi. Her fingers clenched on the back end of the cart gave evidence of her own swirling emotions. Jude was her guard and friend, too. Mine as well.

He spent the first hour traveling back to Dey entertaining dark thoughts about the other Lord of Dey that had let this happen. After daydreaming up a half dozen plans, ranging from storming the house of Lord Wendeln to kidnapping his imaginary children, Orrin had enough and jumped off the back of the cart. He made his way up to Daniel and Brandt, riding two horses near the front of the little procession.

“Brandt, what are the chances Silas does anything in retaliation?”

Daniel pulled his horse a little closer to hear the man’s answer. Gertrude was strapped to his back. During Orrin’s sabbatical with Tony, Daniel had gained another level and taken a page from Jude’s book. [Light Weapon] allowed him to heft Gerty as if it was the weight of an aluminum baseball bat. The decreased weight only affected him, not anyone who got hit by the few-hundred-pound weapon.

“He’ll kill anyone we can uncover but there won’t be any solid proof linking Wendeln to this,” Brandt spoke in a clipped voice. “DeGuis’ family will likely be found in an alley dead. No witnesses.”

“But that whip chick, Sam, said-“ Daniel started.

“Samara,” Orrin interrupted him.

“Whatever,” Daniel said with an annoyed glance. “She admitted to working for him. We all heard it.”

Brandt closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Daniel. I know you are from another world, but you can’t be so naïve as to think that matters. This is a Lord of Dey. Wendeln isn’t some merchant or guard. He’s a high-leveled, higher-ranking member of the ruling class of one of the, if not the most, important cities in the world.”

He huffed. “That doesn’t mean I’m not furious. I want to get revenge. I want to save J- Deguis’ family, too. But our best bet is to get back and let Lord Catanzano think of something. Maybe he can at least save the child for an unofficial pardon.”

While Daniel continued to argue with Brandt, Orrin retreated back to the cart. It was exactly like he thought it would be. Lord Wendeln was going to get away with everything. Kidnapping Jude’s family and turning him would be a footnote in Silas’ mind. Stealing the [Hero] and almost killing a dozen guards would be swept under the rug. All because of who the man was. His family protected the Wall from Horde attacks and he could do anything he wanted with impunity.

He walked behind the wagon, not realizing Tony and Madi were watching him. They exchanged a rare glance between the two of them and Tony shrugged.

“No.” Orrin made up his mind. “Brandt, stop!”

Daniel was still arguing with him, but Brandt turned over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow.

“We’re not going back yet,” Orrin announced. He grabbed Madi’s hand and pulled her off the edge of the wagon. Dragging her by her arm, Orrin marched toward the two fighters up front. “I’ve got an idea.”

Daniel groaned. “Your ideas are the worst.”

Orrin smirked. “But you’ll get to have a hundred Strength again.”

Daniel ground a fist into his open palm. “I’m listening.”

The plan was simple. The main party would continue back and report they’d lost Daniel and Orrin to the kidnappers. The guards would travel back with Madi and Brandt, who would keep a close eye on everyone. Orrin wasn’t about to risk one of them slipping away and warning Wendeln of what was coming. They’d been burnt by a traitor in their midst before and were not going to risk it again.

Orrin and Daniel would [Teleport] to the Wendeln Keep, a small fortress built near the westernmost Wall. Each family had a keep they’d live in during their Wall rotation but the Wendeln’s usually used their mini-castle as a permanent home. The two friends would sneak inside, rescues the DeGuises, and get back to Madi’s home and father’s protection as quickly as possible.

Hopefully, the decoy would give them time and the element of surprise to complete the rescue mission.

“I still think I should come with you,” Brandt argued for the tenth time. “How will you know what they look like?”

“We’ll bring Tony,” Orrin said with a smile. “They’ll never expect that and he’ll be able to find them easily.”

The mind mage shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Orrin’s plan crashed and burned. “Why? Without you, how can we figure out where to go? You have to come Tony.”

The grizzled man scratched the back of his head and turned away. “As much history as I have with Silas, I have more baggage with Wendeln. I have to stay far away. I know myself. It won’t end well.”

Orrin floundered.

“Brandt can still come with us,” Daniel suggested.

“If Brandt is going, I am too,” Madi added. She’d crossed her arms and glared when Orrin revealed his plan.

“If anyone sees either of you near the keep, they’ll know something is up.” Orrin shook his head. “Plus, Wendeln could use that against your father. If we get caught, he can just say we acted on our own. Plus, I can [Teleport] us away from any danger.”

“They’ll have the keep warded against [Teleport],” Brandt said, poking yet another hole in Orrin’s plan.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to figure out how to destroy a ward, too.” Orrin threw up his hands. “Does anyone have anything helpful to add?”

“Why not use misdirection?” Tony suggested. He peered back at the guards milling about behind the cart waiting for the group to finish their talking. “While Daniel goes in loud, Orrin can sneak in. Daniel can always run, especially with such a high Strength but Wendeln likes to talk. He’ll brag and monologue and tell you all his plans if he thinks he’s in a position of power. He’s a decent fighter, but focused more on large groups, like a Horde of monsters. I think Daniel could hold his own for a few minutes, despite the level disparity.”

Brandt was nodding along. “If we time it right, we can get Lord Catanzano and do a routine patrol. If we hear a disturbance, we can investigate. If Orrin can find and free the DeGuises, we might have enough actual evidence to have Wendeln removed as a Lord and prosecuted.”

The party turned to him as one, with excited looks on their faces. How did my simple plan get so twisted up?

Once the group could see the Wall of Dey rising in the distance, Orrin used [Teleport] to move himself and Daniel. They’d picked the spot near the Wall they’d teleported to with Ira. They wouldn’t try for the Wall itself, but just inside the city. Luckily, with no current Horde coming, the Wall’s guard would be running on a skeleton crew. The chances of running into a guard were low.

Orrin’s luck held as they landed right next to the Wall. Nobody else was around.

“So once we get close, I’ll buff us both, go into [Camouflage], and try to find the teleport ward to destroy it. Then I’ll find Jude’s family and get them out. Madi said the entire keep is only twenty rooms and a cellar, which is where I’m guessing the prisoners are.” Orrin didn’t need to go over the plan again, but without [Mind Bastion], his nerves were flaring again.

“Orrin, I’ve got it,” Daniel said peevishly. “You don’t have to keep going over it with me. I know what you have to do. I know what I have to do. Let’s get this done. I want to sleep in a real bed and eat something other than the jerky they kept feeding me.”

Daniel spat on the ground and started walking. The Wendeln keep was located about six hundred feet from the north gate. Orrin scrambled to keep up.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t going over it for you, I’m nervous. Tony has made me stop using [Mind Bastion] and all these emotions I’ve been keeping down bubble up a lot faster now.” Orrin tried to explain. “It’s like everything hits twice as hard now. I was so scared attacking that camp to find you that I almost froze right outside the tent. I kept thinking, what if he’s hurt or not there?”

Daniel’s angry stroll softened and he turned back with a sigh. “I’m sorry too. I’m still pissed off I was taken out so easily. After we kick ass and save the day, we are going to start leveling for real. Maybe get back into that Dungeon?”

Daniel held his fist out and Orrin rapped his knuckles against his friend’s. They smirked at each other.

“The house is right around the corner,” Orrin noted. “You ready?”

Daniel nodded. Orrin cast [Increase Willpower] at level three on himself to the max and then slapped a [Utility Ward] at level two down as well.

The two stood there for a moment, basking in the morning sun and going over their heightened stats.

“You are such a cheat, I love it.” Daniel chuckled and reached over his shoulder. He pulled Gertrude off his back and tossed it once, spinning the sword. “Let’s go fuck up this guy’s life.”