Chapter 62
There was few places that wasn't touched by the chaos of the attack. Most of the staff was in Crowley's office for a meeting when three troopers came into the office.
"Who are you! And who gave you permission to come on to campus?" Trein demanded as he stood up from his chair.
"We are Charon a special technomantic security force with Styx." The Troop answered in a monotone voice.
Everyone looked shocked.
"Charon? Styx?" Crewel gasped.
"You are Mr. Dire Crowley head of NRC correct? We request you come with us." The Troop asked looking at Crowley.
"Very well I shall honor your request and would you please refrain form roughing up our students?" Crowley asked as he approached the troopers.
"We are authorized to use force if they refuse to come peacefully." The trooper responded.
"I can only hope no one gets hurts. Professor Trein I leave you in charge on my absence." Crowley sighed.
"But Headmage Crowley! Please just take a moment to explain." Trein exclaimed but he is ignored and left.
"And they're gone. What on earth is Styx doing at NRC?" Crewel muttered.
"We can't waste time fretting about things that are out of our control. Our first priority is to make sure our students are safe. Faculty gather the housewardens." Trein ordered.
One of the few places untouched by the chaos was the Diasomnia dorm. Malleus was relaxing in the lounge reading a book when he noticed something unusual. "Mh? Something unusual is emanating from the mirror that's linked to the Hall of Mirrors. Is it magic? No, no this is …." Malleus muttered as he looked over at the dorm's door.
"Malleus!" Silver and Sebek shouted as they entered the dorm huffing and panting.
"What's gotten you two in such a panic?" Malleus asked raising an eyebrow.
"Thank the sevens you're all right." Sebek huffed.
"Yes, I am quiet the same as always you two on the other hand appear to be injured." Malleus said as he circled his knights and noticed their injuries.
"Sire, unknown forces are attacking the school." Silver panted.
"Give me a full report." Malleus ordered as he stood in front of them again.
"Unidentified soldiers clad in black armor came after Riddle." Sebek huffed.
"They attacked the stables but paid no heed to anyone else. We believed he was their sole target. They called him subject A and were attempting to capture him alive." Silver explained.
"And what became of Rosehearts?" Malleus prompted looking concerned.
"We were powerless to stop them and they departed with him before our very eyes ugh." Sebek muttered shaking his head.
"Based on their actions we feared they were targeting housewardens so we rushed back as soon as we could." Silver explained.
"Oh, they're not after housewardens." Lilia said as he appeared instantly next to Malleus underside down.
"Ah!" Sebek and Silver jumped in unison.
"Do you have an idea of who took Rosehearts, Lilia?" Malleus asked looking over to his vice.
"Yes, it has be those who reside on the island of woe." Lilia explained as he floated into an upright position but kept his feet off the ground.
"Of course now it makes sense no wonder they didn't come after me." Malleus said.
"I hear the island's quiet different these days." Lilia mused as his phone began to ring. "Ah it's Kalim. Hello?" He said as he answered it.
"LILIA! I'm so glad you're okay! Jamil and Vil have been kidnapped there's big trouble at school. Is Malleus there?" Kalim shouted.
"No need to shout, Malleus is right here." Lilia informed him.
"I see so they attacked housewardens and vice housewardens all over campus. I'm gathering everyone together both of you please come to the headmages office. And hurry." Kalim said then hung up.
"I trust you heard that Malleus?" Lilia asked as looked up at Malleus.
"Yes let us be off." Malleus nodded.
"Father, who are these 'island of woe' people?" Silver asked.
"Sorry no time to chat I'll fill you in later." Lilia replied, he waved and they disappear into the green and pink sparkles.
"Ah wait!" Sebek called out.
"And they're gone." Silver sighed.
They both appeared in the headmage's office seconds later.
"I hope we didn't keep you waiting." Malleus said as they appeared.
"Malleus! Lilia! You made it!" Kalim gasped.
Malleus and Lilia looked around the room to see Trey, Carter, Ruggie, Jade, Floyd, Kalim, Rook, Trein and Odette.
'Oh good, she's here.' Malleus thought as his eyes settled on her for a second.
'Oh good, she's not seriously injured.' Lilia thought as his eyes quickly shifted from her.
"Mhhh, it appears I was correct about which students were abducted." Lilia stated.
"I was just baking some cookies in the dorm when I got word Riddle had been kidnapped. Then I heard Ace and Deuce were injured and had to go to the infirmary. It was all so sudden I can barely wrap my head around it." Trey muttered.
"I checked out the stable where Riddle was taken and it's like a war zone. Even the grass was burned to a crisp. What in the world is going on?" Carter asked.
"That's what I wanna know. Leona surrendered unconditionally, yeah Leona of all people. 'Ruggie you're in charge of Savanaclaw til I get back then again I can't be sure I'll come back at all'. He was dead serious too. He just folded like a cheap suit." Ruggie explained.
"Azul was taken during a club meeting as we understand it." Jade said.
"The rest of the board game club guys say he left with them peacefully and firefly squid and lil clone went along too. I dunno through Azul''s the type to go down swinging what gives?" Floyd added.
"Odette's group and I were with Vil and Jamil in Ramshackle." Kalim said.
"We tried to fight the intruders with magic but it had no effect on them. They took Vil, Jamil and also Grim." Rook clarified.
"Interesting so Leona and Azul's group didn't try to fight back there must be a reason for that." Jade countered.
"Leona seemed to know what their deal was." Ruggie added.
"Mh, Kingscholar is from an old royal house it would stand to reason he's heard of them." Malleus explained.
"What are you talking about?" Ruggie asked.
"I'll field that question." Trein said stepping up.
"Oh hello Trein where's the headmage?" Lilia asked.
"Styx took him into custody as well. I'm in charge while he's away." Trein explained.
"Whoa, they took Crowley too?" Odette gasped. 'I wasn't excepting that.' She thought.
"Hold up what's Styx?" Floyd asked.
"Styx is an organization that operates independently of any nation or government, it's an arcane institute that conducts research on blot they've done so for many years." Trein said.
Everyone but Malleus and Lilia looked shocked.
"They study blot?" Jade asked raising an eyebrow.
"Tch, I get it now." Floyd stated.
"Huh? Get what?" Kalim asked.
"Think about who they took." Jade pointed out.
"It was Riddle, Leona, Azul and Jamil. So they abducted Jamil who's a vice Housewarden and left Kalim alone but they didn't take Rook who's also a vice Housewarden." Carter explained ticking them off on his fingers.
"That's odd right? If they're not targeting Housewarden or Vice Housewarden then..."Trey begun but Kamil cut him off.
"Blot research Jamil! Ah, it's people who overblotted."
"Wait what does mean Vil overblotted too?" Ruggie asked looking over at Rook, Kalim and Odette who were standing together.
Kalim and Rook just ignore the question while Odette subtly nodded her head once.
"But Riddle and the others got proper medical treatment and had a complete recovery. Why would this come up now?" Trey asked.
"Mhh? There's someone who probably knows their reasons." Malleus reasoned
"Who?" Kalim asked looking at him.
"The watchman of the Island of Woe." Lilia added.
"I've seen mention of them here and there in old history books. Does that mean you're acquainted with this watchman of the dark and dreadful isle Roi Des Dragons?" Rook asked.
"Really Hunt, have you become addled? You're acquainted with him as well." Malleus stated.
Rook just looked confused then it dawned on him.
"And not just Rook you all know him." Lilia explained.
"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Rook asked.
'What are they getting at?' Odette thought as she tilted her head to the side confused.
Somewhere else in the world Riddle was coming to. "I must've lost consciousness where is my enemy I'll have all of their heads! I can't move and it's too dark to see what's happening?" Riddle muttered as he opened his eyes to complete darkness and tried to get up.
"Calm yourself it's rather cramped in here so please lie still Riddle." A voice said.
"That voice is that you Azul?" Riddle asked as he stilled.
"It is." Azul confirmed.
"How long was I out? And where are we?" He asked.
"I'm afraid none of us know." Vil answered.
"We were shoved into this cramped stuffy cargo transport 3 hours ago. There's no way to see outside so I can't tell how fast we're going or our direction. But we're definitely far from campus." Jamil explained.
"So they took you and Vil?" Riddle asked.
"Considering Jamil isn't a Housewarden it would appear we were taken for some other reason, and since Leona's here as well I should think the answer is rather obvious." Vil sighed. "Leona's here too?" Riddle asked.
"Is that anyway to greet the guy who's lap you've been snoring on for 3 hours?" Leona asked his voice right above Riddle.
"Huh? I was wondering what this muscular pillow was,… I'm so sorry I'll get up right away." Riddle said trying to move again.
"Hold on try not to shove me." Vil complained.
"Now that everyone's awake shall we review the situation? For my part soldiers armed with technomantic gear stormed into my club room and whisked me away, but they seemed acquainted with Idia." Azul explained.
"I don't know what the connection is there but I got an idea who took us. I've seen them a few times over the years at the Sunset Savanna Palace. Those guys were members of Charon they're Styx's muscle. Their job is to nab overblotted mages and ship em off to the Island of Woe." Leona explained.
Everyone gasped in shock.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.