Volume 2 Chapter 2: Rescue Approaches

When Erica and her parents finished eating, they went to Erica’s room to look at the dresses she could wear for the party. It was only then her parents realized that her twin brother was missing.

“Honey, where is your brother?”

Ana, their mother asked Erica who replied that he hasn’t been home since he left for paladin promotions yesterday.

“Hmmph, it’s good then. I hope he knows his place and stays away until at least after the party.”

Erica glared at her father and complained.

“He’s your son too, father. He hasn’t been back since yesterday when he went to the temple.”

“I don’t have a disappointment for a son. He contributes nothing to the line of our house. He’s lucky you -”

Ana interrupted Charles, her husband and tried to change the subject.

”Dear, now’s not the time. Let’s pick Erica a dress to wear shall we?”

Just as they were about to argue, they were interrupted by the doorbell ringing. The three of them went down where they saw a female priest of the Order of The Omniscience.

“Miss Erica Ross? The High Priest asks for your time, your brother and other paladins have been kidnapped and he wants to talk to their families.”

Erica immediately rushed to the temple, leaving her parents with no choice but to follow. When she arrived at the temple, there were people who she recognized to be among the upper class. Even the Second Consort of the Queen was there, Roland El Gracia himself. She then noticed an underclassman from her school, Lyralei and approached her and try to understand what was going on.

“Lyralei, why are you here?”

“Oh Erica! My older brother was a paladin in training here and had just been promoted. He disappeared yesterday and the High Priest called us here to explain. With you being here, does that mean you have family here too?”

“Yeah, my twin brother Eric. He hasn’t returned as well.”

Erica watched as Lyralei’s face changed and guessed that she probably knew Eric.

“Eric’s a paladin?”

“You know him ?”

Lyralei told her how Eric helped her once and that they have been friends ever since.

“I can’t believe Eric was also captured. I hope they’re all okay.”

An acolyte interrupted them when she called for everyone’s attention.

“The High Priest is ready to explain what has happened. Settle down everyone.”

General Kaolin was overseeing the defense of the eastern border when a message came in from the Order of the Omniscience that had asked for help in order to rescue the missing paladins. He immediately called for a meeting with the generals using long distance communication magics. The magic made projections of the other Generals and the meeting started.

“Thank you everyone for making time. I have already told you the reason for this meeting and it is decided that we shall help. The question now is, who can we send.”

“My troops are busy dealing with raiders and the imperial army. I cannot afford to send anyone to help.”

The General in charge of overseeing the southern border, Agamand replied to Kaolin which the other generals also repeated.

“Well, I ask for your permission to use the troops the Alliance sends then. They are on their way to rendezvous with my troops. We are not pressured as much and we can afford it.”

Bradwarden had returned to the Alliance to inform them of the agreement of the Kingdom to ally. He promised to return with soldiers in order to establish a foothold against the Empire that could be used in the future to stage attacks. Axe had remained and fought with the Dragon Corps in the frontlines, contributing heavily to the casualties.

“Do any of you have any reports?”

Kaolin, having finished what he needed to do wanted to know the situation regarding the other fronts.

“The country to the west of us, the kingdom of Lunala has surprisingly withstood the advances of the Empire. I have heard reports that their priestesses of the moon had found a hero that changed the tide of battle. It might be worth investigating if an alliance would help us.”

Manadar, the General in charge of overseeing the west was bored out of his mind due to the fact that he was the only General that didn’t have to deal with the Empire.

“I will look into it, if that is all then this meeting is adjourned.”

The General told the magician to end the meeting and start a new one with Bradwarden.

“Hail General, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

The magician used the magic Mind Link which transported thoughts between two people.

“Where are you now Bradwarden? I wish to ask for a favor.”

Kaolin explained what had happened to the paladins and that he wished for them to join the Special Forces that he created. He also relayed the place where the High Priest thinks they are held, Stonetalon Mountains.

“Then I shall take a portion of my army myself. The rest will continue marching towards your encampment.”

Bradwarden took the Shadowhunters, a unit specialized in infiltration and assassination to help in the rescue.

“Thank you Bradwarden, I look forward to good news.”

Kaolin ended the transmission and returned to surveying the maps of the Empire.

After the High Priest explained the kidnapping of the paladins by the Empire, the families were outraged by what had happened. They were complaining about the security of the Empire when they were interrupted by Roland.

“Silence! Now is not the time to complain, we need to act to save them. We can complain later when they are safe!”

Everyone grew quiet in fear of offending the Second Consort himself and the High Priest continued speaking.

“I and several of the veteran paladins will go ourselves to rescue them. I have also hired some mercenaries and have asked for reinforcements from the army. You have no need to worry, we shall immediately. You can go home now, I will send priests to inform you of the news of our return.”

Lyralei suddenly rushed to the front and volunteered to join them.

“High Priest, my name Lyralei and I’m the sister of Leralas. I want to join you to and rescue my brother.”

The High Priest was surprised at first before immediately turning serious and asked her what she could bring to the rescue mission.

“While Leralas is a paladin, our family is part of the Rangers of the Woods. I’m trained in archery and the magic that us rangers use to aid in tracking and fighting. I can be a scout and a long range threat as well.”

“Well then, we leave in 2 hours. Come back here in time and we can immediately head out.”

Seeing Lyralei volunteer, Erica also wanted to help. Just as she moved to volunteer, her father stopped her.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m gonna help save my brother. He’s my family too.”

Erica pulled away and also went to the front and asked to join the expedition as well.

“High Priest I would also like to volunteer, I’m the sister of Eric and I come from House Ross. I’m the next head of our family so you probably know what that means.”

“Hmm, you’re the genius of House Ross then? The magician who can use all elemental magic? You certainly will be of help. As I said, we will move out in 2 hours. In the meantime, I will try to get a vision from my god.”

The High Priest left the room and so Lyralei and Erica went home as well, to prepare for the rescue.

While Erica was preparing for the journey, her father was busy trying to convince her not to go.

“We can’t have you be in danger. You’re the future of our House! You can’t risk your life for that useless bastard.”

“He’s my brother! He doesn’t blame me for what happened to him and he helped me a lot in the past year. I haven’t shown my gratitude and I don’t plan for him to die before I can.”

Before they could fight any further, Ana intervened and stopped them both.

“Dear, she can do whatever she wants. She can take care of herself, besides if she’s sure about this we can give her the gifts we prepared.”

Ana then took out a staff and a robe and gave them to Erica.

“Erica, this staff has been passed down for generations in our family. This will help you in casting and making your magic more potent.”

Erica examined the staff, which was inlaid with multiple gems and made out of precious metals. She then took the cloak that was made of silk and had magic enchantments on it.

“This cloak can make you and several others invisible for a short amount of time. Use it when you’re in trouble.”

Erica was moved by the gifts and thanked her parents for it.

“How about your birthday, it might take a few days for you to return.”

Charles had given up on trying to convince her to not go but was worried about the party.

“We can just delay that. Mother, Father please receive my older siblings here when they arrive. Let them stay in the mansion.”

Erica left the mansion carrying a backpack full of clothes and other necessities while carrying the gifts that her parents gave her. She met Lyralei on the way, who was carrying a bow and a backpack as well.

“Where are your arrows? I don’t see you carrying any.”

“I use magic to create arrows as it is more efficient that way. However, not many Rangers know how to do that so it is a rarity. This bow has enchantments that lowers the magic I need to use.”

Lyralei showed off her bow that was carved to look like a falcon. When they arrived at the temple they waited as they were early.

The Head Priest was preparing to go into a trance when suddenly bright light filled his vision. The Omniscience himself had come to give instructions.

“Eric shall be the next Omniknight! Save him at all cost!”

As sudden as the light came did it also end, forcing the High Priest to sit down due to head aches.

‘He’s the next Omniknight? The last time there was an Omniknight was during the War of the Shifting Sands 20 years ago. I was still an acolyte then.’

The High Priest reminisced about the past for awhile before exiting his quarters and summoning Zendar.

“Go get the Staff of the Omniscient Light. We might need it in this mission.”

Zendar was surprised as the Staff was only used during important fights that determine the fate of the Order.

“I assume that one of the paladins we need to save is vital to the future of the order? I shall get it with haste then.”

Even the High Priest was surprised by how accurate Zendar’s prediction was.

‘Zendar really is scary. It won’t be long before he rises up the ranks fast.’

The High Priest walked towards the common hall where the older paladins were and met Augustine there in full armor and carrying his weapon.

“High Priest, I wish to accompany you in this mission. I have recovered enough and I want to personally help my friends.”

Augustine bowed towards the High Priest, pleading to join the rescue mission. The High Priest was moved by the display of friendship Augustine showed and allowed him.

“As long as you are healthy enough to fight then. Everyone, let’s head outside now. The mercenaries have brought the horses.”

Augustine followed him outside where they met the leader of the mercenaries, Vanessa who seemed to be an archer. Erica and Lyralei was also waiting outside and together they rode out of the city.

“Come on everyone, we need to work faster. Begin exposing the subjects to magic and start with ice. We need to find out which god the Omniscience really is. Don’t overdo it and kill them though.”

Red was giving out instructions when his right hand man, Thurgan approached him and asked.

“Do you think we can trust the book the Empire gave? What if it was a hoax of someone trying to play a joke?”

The book Thurgan was referring to was a book that the Empire discovered in an ancient ruin. It was from a long lost civilization who had lived where the main territory of the Empire now was. It contained stories about gods who gave them blessings which allowed them to use powers. The Empire hoped that by finding the equivalent of the gods of the current orders in the book, they can use the rituals in the book to summon and gain the powers of the gods.

“Don’t worry, the book states that various blessings react differently to magic, especially dark magic. We just need to expose them to it and see the reaction. If we find out who the so-called Omniscience is, we can be even more powerful.”

Red went back to overseeing the experiments that was more like torture, taking pleasure at hearing the pained screams of the paladins.