Chapter Seven: Rescuing the Kidnapped Truth

It's nearly pitch black outside at Sam's house, and everyone is fast asleep. The crickets play their songs throughout the night. Fireflies illuminate the night sky dancing to the cricket's tune. However that was immediately stopped when a group of people slowly crept to Sam's house. The group contained for people, two with bows and arrows, and the other two are the thugs they faced earlier. The thugs signal the others to ready their arrows that they lit with fire. It was just then Ayame woke up, knowing that something was wrong and tries to wake up Sam. After a few tries she wakes up still drowsy.

"Ayame, what wrong? Do you need to use the bathroom?" she asks, as she wants to go back to bed.

However she instantly wakes up when she hears the thugs' whispers to the group about their plan to attack her house. She instantly gets up and looks at her window to see what's going on. She notices the group of people that are coming to her house. She opens her closet which contains a few clothes and hidden in the corner lies her staff which she uses to cast magic. She then puts on her robe and gets ready for combat. Ayame looks at Sam, worried that something bad could happen to her.

"Don't worry Ayame, I'll be alright." She said smiling to her as she heads out the window and starts climbing to the roof.

Meanwhile, the thugs and their troops slowly close in on the house trying to make sure that they don't notice they're there. When they're close enough they wait for the right moment to attack.

"Ok archers, light them up and standby to fire." Says the thug, as he gets ready to strike.

The archers take one of their arrows, light them up, and aim at the house.

"Craig, looks like we're ready to attack. Let's get our revenge on them. " Says the other thug as he draws out his sword.

Craig draws out his sword as well "Yeah Ross, let's do this." Craig signals the archers to attack; they fire the arrows and they shoot toward the roof. They look to see the arrow falling towards the house. But they were taken out midair by an ice blast. Craig and Ross look where the blast came from. They spotted Sam on the roof wearing a mages robe and holding her staff. She then fires two more ice blasts at the archers and they hit their mark. The blasts wake up Seth and Luke, disoriented on what's going on right now.

"What was that," said Seth as he was shaken from the blast.

"I don't know, but something's going on outside?" said Luke as he felt the blast too.

"An attack?"

"Maybe, but looks like a battle is going on outside. Let's check it out," says Luke as he gets up and takes his sword with him.

Seth and Luke get their battle gear as fast as they can. However when they head outside, Sam caste a fire blast that lit up an area in flames; and the fire was near the door to Sam's house.

"Whoa!!" Said Seth, as he was so close of getting burned by the flames.

"How'd this fire started? Hurry get some water, we gotta put it out!" said Luke as he gathers water to douse the flames.

Seth and Luke try to put out the flames with water but it had no effect at all.

"It's not working," said Seth as he throws in some water toward the flames.

"That can't be?" said Luke as he thought water would douse the flames. "Guess we gotta wait til the fire dies out."

Meanwhile, Sam is fighting Craig and Ross; it appears that Sam is wining the fight, since her spells have a major impact towards the two.

"What's wrong you guys? Can't the two of you take on a girl like me?" she said as she tries to intimidate them for a bit.

"Why you…what kind of witchcraft is this?" says Craig as he thinks they might be defeated again.

"This isn't witchcraft, this is magic; and I guess it's time I end this," she says as she raises her staff to prepare the final blow.

Craig and Ross brace themselves for the impact, as they fear it might kill them both. Sam chants a few words and her staff begins to glow. She then says her final words to her chant and points it at them, expecting the spell to work. However, nothing happened. She noticed it and tries it again, but it didn't work. Soon after Craig and Ross realize that she's out of magic and start to attack her.

"Shoot, shoot, not now. I can't run out of mana just yet." She says as she desperately tries to cast the spell again and again.

Craig and Ross's attack connected and Sam gets knocked out. Who knew that her attacks are so strong, yet her defense is weak?

"So what are we going to do with her?" asked Ross.

"What do you think you idiot? We gotta find a priest and he'll help us kill her." Yelled Craig.

"Alright then, but we can't leave anything for her guards to find out what happened."

Emerging victorious, they decided to kidnap her, and leave without a trace. Soon after they leave the fire dies and Luke and Seth run outside. They were too late as Craig and Ross managed to escape with Sam.

"Damn it, we're too late," said Seth.

"Hey look over there," says Luke as he points to the two dead archers.

Seth, Luke and Ayame head to the bodies, trying to figure out what happened.

"Archers, what are they doing here," said Luke as he looks at them.

"Hey, you're not gonna believe this," says Seth, as he reveals that one of the archers carries the Arson emblem.

"Them again?" said Luke.

Just then Ayame started barking, hoping Seth and Luke are listening to her; she found where Sam and her kidnappers are.

"What's wrong umm…what's her name again?" asked Luke.

"Ayame"

"Right sorry. What's wrong Ayame, do you need to use the bathroom?"

"No no I don't think she needs to use it. I think she's trying to tell us something."

When Ayame heard this, she knew her message worked. She then started to walk away from them hoping they'd follow her.

"What do you think she's trying to tell us?" asked Luke.

"I think she knows where Sam might be. Come on let's follow her."

When she realized they're following her, she then started to run; trying to follow Sam's scent from a distance. Seth and Luke realize they need to follow Ayame and not lose her in the chase, otherwise they may never see Sam again.

Meanwhile, Sam slowly regained consciousness, unaware that she is going to be burned to death in a moment. There were three figures in black robes. Two of them are Craig and Ross, the guys who kidnapped her earlier, and the other is the priest they found while she was knocked out. As her vision starts to focus, she overhears the conversation Craig, Ross, and the priest are having.

"You do realize that I pay a large fee on doing this right?" said the priest

"Yes, yes we already have payment for you after you've finished the job," said Ross as he showed the priest the money.

"Very well then, we will proceed."

As her heard this she realized that she's going to be killed. She frantically tried to break free from the bond she's tied in but she couldn't. The execution had begun and the priest was ready to begin. He opens his book, raises his right hand, and started to say a chant in both English and Latin over and over again. When Sam heard this, her mind was going crazy; as if her body and soul is separating itself by force. Her world was turning upside down and inside out. She began to lose her sense of consciousness and started to go berserk. She then started to scream in horror as if something is trying to take her soul. That scream haunted Craig and Ross as they witness the execution, but it was also a distress call for Seth, Luke, and Ayame as they are trying to find her.

"Hey did you hear that?" asked Luke.

"That must be Sam, and she's in trouble. We must hurry." Said Seth.

They race toward Sam. They cannot fail to be late again to aid Sam; if they do, she will lose her life. As the execution almost in completion, they reach Sam in no time. The priest was saying his final words, and Sam was on the verge of death. As the priest was about to place the cross on Sam's forehead, Luke uses the bow and arrow he took from one of the dead archers and fires it at the priest's hand, knocking off the cross. They saved Sam with no time to spare. Seth and Luke recognized the two thugs that were beside the priest.

"It's those two thugs again. I guess they wanted revenge after what we did earlier." Said Luke as he pulls out his sword.

"Yeah. Luke, you help Ayame defeating those two, I'll go and save Sam." Said Seth as he pulls out his sword as well.

"Dang it, they found us. Come on Ross, it's payback time" said Craig as he draws out his sword.

"Right" says Ross as he pulls out his sword as well.

It became another fight, but this time, it's a fight to the death. Seth was about to free Sam but Ross cut him off. Luke was already charging at Craig and they begin to fight. Ayame tries to free Sam from her bond, but it's going to take some time since she's only a wolf. The priest on the other hand flees the scene. Seth and Luke fought vigorously, enraged that Ross and Craig were the ones responsible for kidnapping Sam and almost killing her. With some cuts and bruises, they managed to take down Craig and Ross. Ayame managed to release Sam from her bonds and she fell to the ground. Seth and Luke, exhausted from their fight, tied Ross and Craig to one of the trees with a rope, making sure that they won't be able to escape.

"That should keep them from moving." Said Seth as he tightened the ropes.

"Yeah. Come on we should check on Sam." Said Luke. He then notices a book and a cross on the ground the priest left when he was fleeing. He picked it up and investigated it. "Hey Seth, look at this."

"What is it?" said Seth as he starts to pick up and carry Sam on his back.

"Look at this. This book contains chants on how to kill people who are possessed. The page the priest was using was a chant on how to kill a person who is using witchcraft. If you ask me, I think Sam might be hiding something."

"We'll find out, once she's regained consciousness. But right now let her rest, she's been through a lot lately."

A few hours later, Sam started to wake up; she notices Seth is carrying her on his back. Seth, Luke, and Ayame were heading toward the city of Oured.

"What happened?" asked Sam. "Where am I."

"Don't worry Sam, you'll be ok; but you do got some explaining to do." Said Luke.

"Alright then. Can you put me down Seth? I can walk."

"Alright." Said Seth as he sets her down.

Sam got up and slowly starts to walk. Her steps were a bit off, but she was able to get back on track and catches up with them.

"So you noticed I'm a witch huh. So does that mean you guys are going to kill me?" said Sam, realizing that this might be the end for her.

Seth and Luke looked at each other, confused on what she was asking to them, but they agreed on what they're going to do next.

"Killing you? Are you serious? Of course not, you're our friend. There's no way we'd abandon a friend like you" Said Seth smiling to her.

"Yeah and besides, you protected us earlier from the attack earlier. Plus, your powers can help us with our adventure." Said Luke.

Sam was shocked; she didn't expect a response like that. Tears started to come down her face, as she realizes that Seth and Luke were treating her like a normal person and not as a witch.

"Thank you," she said in a soft but loud voice enough for them to hear. "Do you guys mind if Ayame and I tag along with you guys on your journey?"

Seth and Luke looked at each other one more time; thinking whether to have another person join their dangerous quest.

"Welcome aboard Sam and Ayame." Said Seth and Luke.

Sam and Ayame smiled and started to catch up to them. Morning was coming, and soon Seth and Luke, along with their new companions, Sam and Ayame, were on their way to the City of Oured.