2 in a row? Well, Chapter 5 felt off to me, but I'm glad you guys appreciated nonetheless. This is Chapter 6, which is a departure from the large scale battles. Expect Vignettes (II) after Wednesday.

[Aurelis Palace 07:00]

"You may be my commander, but these are my men. I'd sooner give my life than let them fall. This informant better be correct."

"We'll be sure soon enough. I'm on your six," Marth replied. "LIGHTNING-6, we're in position. Take the first shot."

"Copy."

There was a short pause. Marth looked up at the observation tower.

"First tower gunner down. Your side looks clear."

"Copy. Remember, the distraction. Go hot when I give the go."

"Yes, sir."

Marth and his team sprinted to the east wall. He hugged it, pressing himself as to not be seen.

"Julian," Marth said to the man behind him. "Is this it?"

"Should be, sir. Unlock's in 5...4...3...2…"

There was a click, and the ground in front of Marth opened up, revealing an old stone staircase. Inside it, a man crawled out. Navarre and his men pointed rifles at the man as he crawled up. He was a short, thin, blue-haired man, wearing a black bodysuit. He grinned and faced Julian.

"Rickard! What exactly are you doin' in here?"

"Hey there, Chief! Been a long time, huh? So, funny story: I decided to break in here and clean the place out- and then I got caught. Hilarious, right? Comedy gold. OK, your turn What are YOU doin' here?

"Me? I've washed my hands of thievery and joined the forces of justice."

"Ohhh really? Justice? So then this wouldn't have nothin' to do with some new lady friend? You always did have a soft spot for a pretty face and the right features-"

"Wha- Can it, you little fink! I said it's about justice! I'm entitled to have moral crisis now and then! …You know what? Just for that, YOU are gonna work for me, startin' right now."

"What? Do I have to…? Well, all right. You drive a hard bargain, but what can I say? I missed ya, Chief. Just make sure I get a cut out of the haul!"

Julian turned behind him. "Sir, this is the informant."

Marth nodded. Navarre motioned for his men to lower their rifles.

"So you're the prince of Altea, then? Hello. I'm Rickard. Just a small-time thief, mind you, but I've got big aspirations! Julian asked me to help you out, see, and what the chief says, goes! So here I am."

He handed Marth a small flash drive.

"They ain't 'xactly modern, but it's current. Shows ya' where everythin' is."

"Thanks, Rickard. Julian, take Rickard out of here. We're good from here."

Navarre motioned with his head for his men to proceed into the tunnel. One by one, as if scripted, each of the men proceeded slowly into the tunnel. "Stay close," Navarre whispered to Marth. "Goggles," he whispered to his men.

The squadron flipped the night vision goggles onto their eyes.

Marth plugged the flash drive into his tablet.

"LIGHTNING, you're hot in 5...4...3...2…"

[Aurelis Palace 07:30]

"Command center's just ahead," Navarre whispered. "Two guards on patrol. We hit in 3...2…1…"

Navarre's men took out the two guards on the doorway. The team inched forward to secure the doorway.

"Garr, the crowbar," Navarre ordered. "We breach 3… 2…"

The Crimsons popped the door. His first proceeded inside. There were a few shots fired, and the room was cleared.

"We're good, boss. Area's clear. Princey, it's all yours," a masked Crimson said.

"Copy. I'll drop your next location. Stay on the line with me," Marth said.

Two Crimsons closed the door as best as they could and remained with Marth. The rest of them filed out for tasking.

"Let's hunt," Navarre said.

Marth plugged the flash drive into one port of the control console, and inside another port, he plugged a receiver.

"Julian, you got any idea where I might find this guy?"

"We might be able to reroute their defensive cameras. Maybe there're some IR cams in their systems. Might help you get an ID on who you're looking for."

"Could you do that for me and pull them up on the screen?"

"On it."

Marth took off his mask.

"Alright I've got it. Looks like there're IR cameras in most rooms. Place seems like it's on high alert; they've got some police-type fire-teams out on patrol. Looks like mostly pistols."

"Looks like they got cocky. Any eyes on this 'Emereus'?"

"Negative. One room doesn't have cameras or microphones though. It's the throne room. I'm guessing if he's not there, he's gone."

"Alright Julian, cut the power. CRIMSON-6, goggles."

"On it."

[Aurelis Palace, Main Atrium 08:30]

"I got eyes on 3. They're pointed at the ground just in front of us. They know we're here," Garr whispered.

"Take them out, all at once," Navarre whispered.

"Hey! Who's down there?" The guards made the mistakes of firing warning shots up in the air, while Navarre dispatched the left and the right guards. Two of his men downed the second.

"Let's move. ALTEA-6, this is CRIMSON-6. Got eyes on the throne room. Area's still dangerous, and we don't know if we're being followed-"

Suddenly a ball of fire narrowly missed Navarre's face.

"8 o'clock! Contact! Mages!" The pointman yelled.

"Open up!"

A brief firefight ensued, and Navarre's men maneuvered into cover.

"We're going LEGACY boss!" Garr reported.

"Copy!" Navarre replied.

The trailing fireteam moved left to flank the mages, and they silenced them quickly. They passed their bodies and threw their tomes to Garr.

"Good hunting," Navarre said. "The throne awaits!'

The Crimsons left the burning atrium quickly and proceeded onwards to the throne room.

[Aurelis Palace, Throne 09:30]

"Blast! They're upon me! Why didn't those idiot soldiers stop them?!" Emereus exclaimed. He labored to move the throne aside. He knew there was a safe passage out of the castle if he just could get into the escape route.

"Leaving so soon?" Navarre said.

Emereus pulled a hidden pistol and began firing blindly into the dark in the direction of the voice.

"No such luck I'm afraid," Navarre said, appearing beside him. The long-haired assassin ripped the pistol from his grip and wrangled the man to the ground. He placed a knee into the small of Emereus back while the enemy commander flailed.

"Please! I'm begging you!"

"Beg God for a better place in hell," Navarre replied.

Navarre placed his own pistol to the back of Emereus' head and pulled the trigger.