Anchorhead

Lower City- Slavers District

As soon as John and the other 'slaves' were settled, Jacob headed for the Cabin immediately to rest and relax before everything started. As soon as Jacob opened the door a Mage and Rogue type started checking everything out for hidden traps, evesdropping magic, etc. As soon as they gave the all-clear Fred turned to Jacob's resting form, "That was damn smooth, you sure you aren't a Rogue type and not a Warrior?"

Jacob snorted and grinned while he continued to rest his eyes, even with potions boosting his stats, the Curse had still kicked his ass."What is the next stage of the plan now?" Fred asked as he pulled out a chair to join his 3 other teammates.

"We wait, you keep two guys on the door and four on the pen with our 'slaves.' Come nightfall, the distraction team will get everything rolling with a bang. Once that happens, the other half of our team will join us, we go directly to the entrance of the Slave District and open of the gates so all our reinforcements can come inside. Then we bust open all the pens while your guildmates slaughter all the guards, hopefully while they sleep. If not, it's going to be a very busy 10 minutes. After that, we run like hell. You guys Teleport or Portal out on your own, none of your people will be coming with us." Jacob informed him while setting his alarm for just over two hours, he would then swap out his gear real quick then hopefully they would have a very busy 15 minutes.

Anchorhead

Lower City- Warehouse District

Smitt slowly stalked forward following his counterpart from the guild of the guy who had hired his team. They were the Seekers of the Dawn or something, smalltime, yet they had hired his guild for a huge job. Smitt didn't know the whole job, just his part, get to the Warehouse District and plant some explosives and get out. Simple but not always easy, guards patrolled the district like ticks on a dog because it was a vulnerable area. Another order they had received was to minimize casualties among the guards unless the belonged to the Slavers Union.

Suddenly the Assassin in front of him stopped and signaled for Smitt to stop as well. The guy quickly moved forward to the edge of the Warehouse and glanced around the corner before signaling Smitt forward to his position. As soon as he got there the Assassin held up two fingers and pointed around the corner, Smitt nodded and drew one of his daggers and peaked. One guard was taking a piss while the other was standing watch looking for any threats.

The Assassin scrambled up the side of the Warehouse while Smitt silently stalked forward toward the guy taking a piss. The two guards were so busy talking to one another they failed to notice they were being hunted and as sooner as pisser turned from his business Smitt struck slicing through the Guards' throat before slamming his knife into his kidney. The other guard started to whirl around but the Assassin slammed into him from the roof bearing him down into the ground. They picked up the two guards and quickly moved them away before blood could pool and warn any others that they were nearby. A whispered 'clear' and Smitt moved back to the Warehouse and started working on the lock of the door to get it open. After that, they had two Storage Yards to visit before they could get out of there.

Anchorhead

Upper City- Fortress of the Sea Lord

Darren watched as the team of four assassins flit from shadow to shadow, killing guards that were to close to their path toward the Master Suite. So far they had left a trail of 6 guards and 4 servants, these people were not concerned about the body count nor discretion. They were there to make an example and they wanted the whole city to know about it.

Fools, they would have made a better impression getting in and out without killing anyone or letting anyone see them. Darren still didn't like the plan, a lot was riding on the unknown, but Jacob had made up his mind and Darren could not think of a better way to do it.

Darren's own team shadowed the assassins, the only question was if they would complete their mission before Jacob's started. They had less than 15 minutes before the first bombs were set to go off, after that the city would come alive with activity and the assassin's plans would be ruined. The race was on.

Anchorhead

Lower City- Slavers District

Jacob woke 10 minutes before his alarm and started pulling out his armor, sword, and shield from his inventory while pulling all the useless gear off him. For the next 15 minutes, Jacob stripped and equipped clothing and jewelry for his armor and battle gear. Fred watched intently as Jacobs stats more then doubled as he equipped all his Artifact level gear and weapon. "Eyes front Lady and Gentlement, I am sure you all have seen Artifact level gear before and I am sure this won't be the last time you see something like this," Jacob called out over his shoulder as he finished putting everything on and faced them.

All the mercenaries had a slightly stunned look, "You are right, all of us have seen Artifact level gear, but Artifact sets are rarer and the more pieces there are, usually indicates the more powerful the set is. So I think I can speak for everyone when I say, what the fuck?" Fred asked as he studied the chain and plate armor. Then Jacob started activating his Passive Skills and Abilities increasing all their damage while increasing his ability to recover.

Fred absently cast an HoT on Jacob as he studied the group's new buffs, Jacob would wonder what they would think of Aura of the Blood Lord if they could benefit from it. Jacob silently sat down in a chair and closed his eyes ignoring the mercenaries around him while waiting for the explosives to go off. It was almost time for the show to begin. "Its almost time, I think you all will have bigger worries than my equipment." Jacob reminded them.

Anchorhead

Lower City- Warehouse District

Smitt looked at the others of his party, they had all made it back to the rendezvous point without any incidents. All the bombs had been planted and the clock was ticking, so everyone was silently talking or PMing each other, or monitoring the nearby area. Smitts partner was doing none of these things though, he was staring intently into the nearby darkness when he suddenly dropped into Stealth and darted into the night.

Smitt nearly cursed out loud before joining him in a race into the nearby wooded area. If the guy gave them away he would put him down hard quickly, the mission came first. Suddenly they approached a clearing where 5 Union guards were entertaining themselves with two younger women.

Smitt heard the Assassin snarl and his eyes turned bright red when the threw a potion into the middle of the group quickly making most of them fall into a deep sleep. One of the Mercs was on the edge of the cloud and didn't completely succumb but it did not matter as the Assassin quickly dispatched the mercenary before quickly moving onto the others as they slept peacefully.

Within a minute all of the Slaver Union mercenaries were dead or dying from slit throats and punctured hearts. The assassin quickly motioned Smitt to come over and told him to quickly loot the bodies as he grabbed one girl on each shoulder. "I got a little sister about their age...Some things you cannot let happen." He told Smitt before he disappeared into the nearby trees as Smitt finished looting. Suddenly the night lit up as a Warehouse and two Storage Yards exploded in fire. The first but not the last of those that would explode tonight. Smitt smiled as he darted off into the night, sometimes he loved his job.

Anchorhead

Upper City- Fortress of the Sea Lord

Darren watched as they silently finished off the Lord and his wife, they could have interfered, but the bombs had not gone off so their orders were clear. If he was alive after the bombs went off, save him, if he died before then, eliminate the assassins.

Suddenly the distant explosion sounded and the assassins jerked away from the bodies and darted toward the terrace, perfect Darren thought as he moved quickly. One dagger buried at the base of the skull and a quick twist as the Assassin died. His partner did a similar maneuver with his target, both men were dead now they quickly placed the evidence that would lead back to the Slavers Union before they disappeared into the night.

Alarms suddenly started going off all over the fortress, guards were quickly being deployed to the Upper City while others rushed to inform Lord Eadwin Saltrake dead with his wife in bed. Their assassins also killed and further investigation revealed the Lord's son had died, but he had succeeded in killing one of his attackers before succumbing to his wounds. Again the remaining assassin had been killed as well. No trace of those responsible had been found as the Lords guards spread out to find them. However, Darren and his team were long gone.

Anchorhead

Lower City- Slavers District

Explosions from magic and Alchemic Bombs roared through the night as the distractions kept coming. The Slaver distract had been completely isolated now as the main doors had been sealed shut using acid. Half the mercenary guards had been killed while still trying to get dressed as the Myrmidons poured through their Barracks slaughtering anyone who offered the least resistance. Those that surrendered were quickly bound hand and foot.

Two of the Barracks had enough time to outfit enough guards to put up a fight though. That was where the main battle was going on as the Barracks were being besieged, Eight five-man squads were being held in reserve though in case the city guards came by to interfere. The rest of the Myrmidons were assisting with the evacuation of the freed slaves. Johns team had taken point in picking the locks on all the Slave Pens or holding open the portals too Eternal Night. Half the Pens had been opened though and a steady stream of people was running toward the open portals and the chance at freedom.

"I honestly thought you would never pull it off, do you have any idea how much money we found at their business front here in the Lower City?' Jax asked. Jacob just shook his head as he monitored the conflict, Fred and his squad was nearby assigned as bodyguards until he stepped through a portal. 'They have only gone through have the building and they already got 30,000 in Gold and SIlver coins, 100 Gold Units, double that in Silver Units. I can only imagine what they will find in the Upper Cty building. By the way, the lower team said the explosives are set to go off in 3 minutes. They think guards are starting to snoop nearby. My guild will insist you take some of this money if only to share some of the blame for tonight raid."

Jacob smile broadened, "It is not necessary, but I think you are probably right. However, it's going to be worse then you think, sadly the assassins the Slavers Union hired succeeded in killing Eadwin Saltrake, his wife, and only son. I guess one more degenerate lord and his twisted family are now gone from the world...So sad. Evidence there will point back to the Slavers Union and not to you or your people as long as they don't get caught." Jax paled when Jacob relayed the information Darren had recently PMed him.

"Don't worry so much Jax, it will give you heartburn.' Jacob quipped as he walked toward the approaching John, "What's the problem?"

"Two-thirds of the Pens have been opened but we found a pen similar to the one we were kept in filled with Gladiators, what do you want us to do?" John asked.

Gladiators were the creme of the crop, and they were paid money to kill others in the Arenas for blood sport all across the Free Cities and the Eastern Kingdoms, "Ask them if they want to go, if they do unlock the cages but take a squad of Mercs with you in case they turn on you." John acknowledged the order before moving off.

Suddenly an explosion rocked the Lower City, Jacob looked at Jax, "My team got out in time, they have already Teleported home." Jax responded to Jacob unspoken question, "Yes they managed to get into the Business building in the Upper City unseen, 4 guards and two officials were killed on site. No Gold or Silver, but they found two cases of jewelry, stones, and uncut stones. They did a quick guestimate of the value, 50,000 Gold."

"So are you glad you decided to take the job?" Jacob asked over the explosions and clash of weapons. Jax just smiled and nodded.

Alert...

Secret Achievement Unlocked: Great Liberator

Description: Liberate 10,000 or more slaves at one time (+100 Fame).

Title Unlocked: Liberator

Alert...

Jacob smiled as more than one Mercenary stopped to read the Alert that popped up, Jax eyeballed him again for the umpteenth time since the operation began. He just smiled and ignored the unspoken questions in his eyes. "Let's finish this up, people!!!" Jacob called out over the raid channel, a shout was their only response.