Akret was going so fast and so unnoticed one would say she jumped through the shadows. Which were long and full and everywhere. The whole place was dark and sticky.
She knew there was something fishy going on with that man. And it turned out that not only was he a sea slug selling illegal things such as weapons or potions that are forbidden. But Akret also found a whole room full of people's organs. They were kept in freezers patiently packed up so no infection could get to them. Just waiting for someone to buy them like some food.
She figured out he was the one selling it at that black market she helped take down. Even her sceptical suspicion about him being the head of running the whole black market proved right to her own surprise. But the queen didn't believe her fully, because he was one of their best weapon sellers.
Only if the queen listened to Akret's gut feeling she now wouldn't have to run around with sealed hands. It took any magic, enchants or powers one had. Yet she still managed to escape from the guard chain-handed.
She ran and ran, quiet as a mouse. But she didn't know where she was going. The underground was a complete maze. At some point she had to make an unexpected turn because of guards rushing opposite her as well as from the back. She shoved herself in the closest doors and locked it behind her listening through. Only when she heard the guards walking past the door did she turn to see more clearly where did she ended up. It was some tunnel that was going up. And since she was underground upwards seemed like the best choice she could get.
The tunnel was wide and more nicely lit with some unwanted plants growing their way around the floors and walls. And at the end were doors.
Akret thinking she's out of their view for a while took a breather sinking to the shattered, concrete floor. It had just a little darker color than her short fur. She had short black hair and bandaged for most of its long length, a black tail. Both messy despite the hair looking like it was neatly adjusted backwards before she got caught. Her whole arms and legs were marked with dark blue color.
After that she rose back up stumbling to the door at the end of the tunel.
She was tall with athletic body and her slim, long face had a scar across her right eye that had only a pupil. Her other eye was normal and deeply blue. She was wearing what was left of her uniform.
As soon as she stepped into the room she was more disgusted then when she found the organs.
"Children..."
She whispered in horror looking at all the cages with prize tags and illuminated boards with info. Most of them were asleep, but from one of the closest cages-
"Did you hear that?"
She looked to her right to see a child looking right at her neck. It seemed like the metal bars kept them from seeing outside. They were litteral inches away and Akret had to look down on his angry face. Yet he just turned away as if he didn't see her.
"Must have been my imagination"
He looked like a ram avatar because of the shape of his horns, face and fluffy hair. With doubled pair of arms that had black stripes slowly getting thinner as they went up and dark brown skin with paler spots. He had a weak vitiligo and markings. But the thing catching most attention were his bright lime eyes that stared into her soul not so long ago.
He sat down between two kids. First one just a little shorter than the ram boy and also seemed younger and scrawnier. He had sharp crimson hair and he looked like a demon avatar of some kind. Akret couldn't pay him more attention as she felt the door behind her opening. She should have been more careful.
It was too late. It wouldn't have been if she wasn't sealed up by that heavy thing. A guard trew her right into the cage with the kids she was looking at while celebrating loudly. The other guard that came up behind him hit him and told him to shut up and then they quickly went away to go tell the boss.
"YOU NO-BRAIN ASSHOLES! YOU ARE SELLING KIDS!? LITERAL CHILDREN!???Oh my creator they are selling children...."
She calmed herself down and softly looked at them. All three were now in the corner of the cage the younger ones hiding behind the ram boy. He was in fight or die stand, but the shaking told Akret he's no danger. She still didn't want to underestimate his abilities even when it seemed as if the collars they had were exactly to prevent any magic or power. The third kid looked like a shadow. They was completely black. The only thing standing out were those hipnotic pure white eyes and oversized colorful clothes. They was the shortest out of the three.
"Hey! Hey. It's ok. I'm a royal guard alright? I'm not going to hurt you."
Akret trying to calm them down was also looking around in search for anything useful.
"A royal guard!?? Are you here to get us out??"
The ram boy said with hope in his bright lime eyes, yet still remained suspicious.
"I can promise I'll do everything in my power to get you all out. But right now I'm sadly chained up. You don't happen to have something slim? Like a stick?"
The crimson haired kid quickly jumped to the wall and took out of nowhere a metal piece. It looked like a bigger version of really fucked up needle that forgot how to be round or simetrical.
"Well aren't we in luck!"
She snatched the piece out of the boys hand as both he and the ram boy flinched. Akret sadly couldn't waste time.
She didn't believe a simple trick like that would work on a magical sealing chain, but she didn't use it the way you think. She used it like a little wand to help her concentrate her power and melt the lock. The seal was broken from underneath.
Akret freed herself in seconds. But when one thing is easy the other is bound to be hard. The bars didn't seem like luck. And after a long try she rather gave up putting on the broken seal so it would look like she didn't do anything to it. She asked the kids to keep quiet about it and to hide the metal piece.
Right after that the sea slug went in. She knew it was the slug because of the slimy sound. He soon did something to the bars so they could see him. He looked even more hideous then before.
"Well well well-"
"I heard that sea slugs taste good roasted alive."
Akret cut him off dead serious making some of the ten guards slug had with him flinch. Most of them were also slugs or snails.
"Dame Akret Cross. The famous pyro witch as well as new jewel to the royal guard. Soon to be the princesse's personal bodyguard am I right? Right now just taking missions no one else was able to get out alive from."
Akret had pure hatred within her eyes as an answer, but she stayed calm.
"Your alliance has a big worth I've heard. And your hostility deadly endings. So young and you are already a legend. Famous prisoner. Famous warrior who killed a dragon when she was a mere kid. A fire against a bigger fire. Yet. You won...but. Here you are. Trapped by some band of slugs. Aren't you ashamed?"
Akret just smirked and softly looked at him with still no response, but it looked like she pitied him.
The slug looked at her for just a little bit before commanding the guards to get her to the adult slaves cell. Before exiting this cell. She could smell pride, but also fear from him. She winked at the kids. They were alone again. But. They had a feeling it wasn't for long.
It didn't take longer before Akret killed all ten of her watchers. She waited just to see where the adult slaves were kept. There were only two of them compared to at least fifty children. If the room she saw was the only one.
With now stolen sword she without any difficulties got around the underground leaving corpses. Didn't even bother to stay covered hiding them. Soon. There was only one of them left. He was however. A little bit much more prepared then she expected. He caught her off guard a second time. It was because of all the water and slime the first time. But now it was just her ignorance.
When she got inside the room he was in, there were suitcases left as he fled through a hidden tunel when he saw her approach.
After some chasing and a really quick fight where as I already mentioned Akret underestimated him; she got out of smoke filled tunnel with a ripped open side. Done by a returning harpoon.
She took care of it quickly only stopping the majority of the bleeding by burning it by her own power, but she still had limited time. Her mission was done. But it wasn't the end yet. She went further into the underground maze with the first paper she could find and called her horse. She sat down under one of the lights and waited while holding firmly onto the wound. She didn't wait long as a white pegasus elegantly found his way to her. She put the paper inside one of the pockets on the saddle and whispered something in his ear. He went off into the darkness as soon as she ended her sentence. She still had more than enough strength left and went in the direction of the children. She managed to free the three she was stuck with before collapsing to the floor.
"Oh my goodness you are bleeding miss! Are you okay?"
The ram boy went to her but still kept his distance.
"It's just a scratch. I'll be fine. And don't worry. Help is coming. Though it will take a little while so why don't you go help free the other children while I try to deal with this myself?"
The red head and the shadow child were already carrying on with that task explaining to the teary kids. The Ram boy just looked at her. He couldn't believe this was happening.
"Thank you"
He whispered and went off to take care of the other children. But Akret's hope to be left alone for now wasn't willing to be fulfilled. Soon she was surrounded by the children. All were thanking her and asking silly questions. It made itself clear that some of them were raised here from the very start.
Even with Akret's initial thought of not making this longer than necessary this mission was personal to her. Despite being childless she always had strong motherly sence. So in the meantime of waiting for the help to get there. She was telling them all about the world outside and how will the next few days look for them. Some will get back to their families and the rest will find their family within new people or the orphanage.
When the help came and she was to be separated from the children she promised to visit them at least once.