Arcanum

Jay looked inside at all the chaos... "I think we should stay put here..... We don"t have any medical training or healing spells." Jay answered.

"Do you think Atlantis know everything that"s going on?.." I asked worried for the safety of everyone.

"Maybe the school does know..... That is why they setup so many temporary way points and deployed so many students." Jay answered.

"Any idea why Dark Elves would be attack the city or how?...." I asked worried about how all this will go down.

"To be honest..... I don"t know very much of Dark Elf Tactics." Jay admitted.

"..... Hmmmm....." I began wondering about all the books and movies I"ve watched on infiltration and sabotage.

"Yeah... no idea what they are planning........ but I"m sure once we notify the Deputy Head Mistress I"m sure she will know what to do." Jay agreed.

Helen came out to meet us... "Any update?" I asked as she arrived.

"Definitely looks like the work of Dark Elves." She replied with a grimace look on her face.

"Should we check the bodies outside?..." Jay asked.

"It would help if I could get a closer look... but it might pull too much attention...." Grace answered. "Besides let"s find the Head Mistress and let her know our findings." Grace added.

"Aren"t we gonna wait for Daisy and Helen?.." I asked.

"Helen said she wanted to stay to help who she can... and Daisy said she will do the same also and to stay with her if anything happens." Grace informed us.

"Well let"s get moving quickly then." Jay suggested.

"I think we should be safe though... Dark Elves only attack the surface at night... their eyes are sensitive to bright lights due to living underground." Grace explained.

"That"s a relief....." I sighed, I clearly wasn"t ready for any of this.

As we began walking through the city back to the refugee camps I couldn"t help but feel unnerved, anyone could be watching us from anywhere..... Anyone of these innocent looking civilians could be a Dark Elf in disguise.....

"Emilia stay close if you feel unsafe....." Grace said clearly somehow sensing my unease.

"Don"t worry Emilia we"ll be alright....." Jay smiled.

"I hope so...." I quietly whispered to myself positioning myself between Jay and Grace.

It was surprising how the general public... even though looking on edge still seemed to be living their life normally..... Shops still opening..... People buying things even children playing on the streets. "Do you think the city knows what"s going on?.." I questioned them.

"I wouldn"t be surprised if they didn"t to be honest... ma.s.s panic is never a good thing.... or fleeing is never good for any city or towns business... but nothing can stop the spread of rumours." Grace answered.

"To be fair.... they probably feel a lot safer now that we arrived." Jay smiled.

"You five are a little far from the camps... slacking off?...." Sven said walking towards us with a giant smile.

"No no.... we have good reason...." Grace said trying to defend our actions.

"Okay.... let me hear it..." He smiled stopping in front of us.

"We have reasons to believe Dark Elves have infiltrated the city." Grace whispered to him walking up to his ear ensuring no one else can hear.

"Are you serious?..." He whispered back his smile instantaneously fading from his face.

"Yes..... We heard rumours of monsters and Dark Elves attacking at night.... so we went to the infirmary to check the wounded.... it seems to all check out."

"Quickly we need to retrieve your other two friends." He ordered his hands flicking quickly.

"They are this way." I said leading the way.

"We also found out there"s and imminent attack... as well...." Jay notified Sven.

"So the city must have a Master of Divination magic....." He concluded.

"Is there anything else??" He asked as we quickly made out way to Helen and Daisy.

"So we know common Dark Elf tactics is sabotage.... so no doubt they have already implanted themselves within the general public." Grace informed him.

"Yes..... Why on earth would you leave the other two them by themselves knowing that." Sven asked.

"We needed to let the Deputy Head Mistress know.... and they wanted to stay and help..." Grace tried to explain to him.

"I understand..... It"s your duty to help those in need.... but you should always look after yourselves first" He replied clearly disagreeing with our decision.

As we turned the final corner, "slow down...." Sven ordered placing his hand on my shouldered.

"What is it?.." I stopped turning around.

"Act normal..... That group of four guards may very well be Dark Elves." Sven informed us.

"How do you know?.." I whispered trying to not act surprised.

"See the one in the middle right?..... He has a small dagger hilt showing in his uniform." Sven explained very quietly and calmly still walking towards them.

"That"s a ceremonial dagger." Grace pointed out.

"Yes exactly.... most the guard"s I"ve seen in this town aren"t equipped with daggers." Sven pointed out.

"Is Helen and Daisy okay?....." I whispered.

"They seem fine.... no erratic movements..... But the fact this Guard unit hasn"t moved and seems to be guarding the entrance... Is very worrying.." Sven pointed out.

"What"s the plan?..." Jay said as we neared the Guard unit.

"Well let"s not start anything till we regroup with Daisy and Helen. Then we"ll get out and engage them on our terms..... We have no idea how many are inside either.... we could be very well outnumbered and surrounded." He instructed.

"Should we call for back up?.." I asked feeling worried as every fibre in my body yelling at me to run.

"Back up won"t arrive in time... we need to get them two out as soon as possible." He instructed.

"Okay..." Jay whispered sounding extremely serious.

"Grace and I will head get Helen and the two of you get Daisy..... We"ll exit through the front and once I start the first move... you all follow up okay?..." He ordered with a firm commanding voice.

"Okay." We all answered.

"Stop!!" the guard squad ordered us, causing us all to pause in front of them.

"We was sent here by out Teacher to a.s.sist in the healing." Sven lied to them.

"Okay sure." They smiled but looking closely I can sense some sort of sinister grin..... Rather than a genuine smile.

"Helen is nearby.... but Daisy is at the back." Sven quickly pointed it out to us as we entered the messy infirmary again.

We quickly broke apart following the orders we were given walking deeper into the infirmary gently weaving through everyone desperately searching for Daisy.