[hr][hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Fqqi71W.png[/img][/center] [hr][hr][h2][u]O[/u] [u]N[/u] [u]E[/u] [u]:[/u] [u]T[/u] [u]H[/u] [u]E[/u] [u]P[/u] [u]L[/u] [u]A[/u] [u]N[/u][/h2] There was altogether too much talk. If the group's earlier information gathering had borne fruit, then it was a bounty they now struggled to solidify into an actual plan. There had been sightings of Jaxan, up until just before his disappearance, the last of these in the company of a rather posh-looking yasoi woman with one leg. Could it have been Tyrel'yrash? Could he have been taken by the Tarlonese!? Yet, there was one name that kept coming up again and again as they went to gather information: the Cola Brothers. Hence, it was finally decided to cut to the chase. The two leads most likely to bear immediate fruit were the two simplest ones: going in with the ransom and ambushing the kidnappers, and having Abdel's skuggvars follow the scent trail of the severed finger back to the kidnappers' base. Ashon took point on the first, disguising himself and Seviin as a couple who might pass as Jaxan's wealthy middle-aged parents. Xiuyang travelled with them openly as a security detail, with Lunara and Dory incognito, following at a discrete distance. If their fine clothing didn't provoke an attempt at robbery from Belleville's criminal elements - most likely the Colas - then they would secure Jaxan and ambush his kidnappers at the exchange. In theory, the second group would meet up with the first, with Qadira and Dayanara following the scent trail from the severed finger. If it was, indeed, Jaxan's, then they would end up at the same place, Abdel using his tethered range to keep track on the others and ensure a timely arrival. He was accompanied by Johann, Niallus, and Oksana, with absolutely zero consideration given to stealth. It would've been futile, after all, with a pair of skuggvars about. [hr][hr][h2][u]T[/u] [u]W[/u] [u]O[/u] [u]:[/u] [u]T[/u] [u]H[/u] [u]E[/u] [u]S[/u] [u]C[/u] [u]E[/u] [u]N[/u] [u]T[/u][/h2] The animals were eager to go, and Abdel was hard-pressed to keep them under control. Johann, Oksana, and Niallus provided an escort and, ironically, the Bellvillians appeared warier of them than they did the beasts. It was just as well, for the skuggvars proved eager to investigate a myriad of scents and veer off-course. They stopped by a buudvuud restaurant, they went down to the water to drink, they poked around an empty warehouse and then, finally, they seemed to gain some direction. Johann found himself hard-pressed to keep up. The skuggvars' tails whipped back and forth, their heads lowered to the ground, and they were suddenly fast. Locals scrambled to get out of their way, perhaps not terrified, but at least somewhat unnerved. A steady diet of treats kept Dayanara and Qadira motivated and, before long, they led their master and his escorts to destination... of sorts. It was all so very easy except that this was not at all what any of them had expected. A row of townhouses stood before them, lawns neatly manicured, bushes trimmed, and smoke trickling from brick chimneys. The skuggvars circled in on one, in particular, somewhat shabbier than the others, but not remarkably so. Abdel reached out with his energetic senses and sensed four people inside: likely yasoi, of varying ages, including a child. This appeared to be... a family dwelling, nothing more and nothing less, and here he stood with two enormous and intimidating beasts at its doorstep. Dayanara began gurgling and whining, straining gently upon her leash. Qadira joined in, sniffing aggressively in the identified house's direction. Whatever there was to be found, it was [i]here[/i] without a doubt. [hr][hr][h2][u]T[/u] [u]H[/u] [u]R[/u] [u]E[/u] [u]E[/u] [u]:[/u] [u]T[/u] [u]H[/u] [u]E[/u] [u]A[/u] [u]M[/u] [u]B[/u] [u]U[/u] [u]S[/u] [u]H[/u][/h2] Meanwhile, while Seviin had been somewhat incessant in her misgivings about her and Ashon's ability to pass themselves off without strong illusory magics, these seemed to have proven unfounded as the second group made its way through Belleville. Certainly, some of the locals - human and yasoi alike - glanced their way, but there wasn't any real sense of danger or threat. Children darted and dodged through the milling crowds, stealing glances at the interlopers and dashing off. A dozen languages wafted through the air, along with the familiar scents of cooking, manure, and sawdust. The dorrad sun beat down and the rasping buzz of cicadas could be heard from every spot where there might be tall grass or trees. It might've even been idyllic, in truth, were it not for the very real knowledge that they could be heading into an ambush: either one of their own design or else sprung on them by the unsavoury elements of a place that had been known as 'Mudville' until a scant few months before. They had their destination. They managed to take a few wrong turns but, eventually, Seviin had them pointed in the right direction. They were walking along, discussing what would come next in hushed tones when all at once, it happened. To be fair, Ashon, his latent timewalker abilities making themselves known, had sensed it moments before. Xiuyang had spotted what appeared to be figures shadowing them. In short, the trio was ready when four figures came barrelling out of an alleyway to hit Seviin with a kinetic slam and gaze of sloth. The priestess was blown backwards but remained on her feet, and Ashon moved to counterattack. Xiuyang took action as well, denying an arcane lance that might've sliced her in two had it landed. There was only one problem: the small coin chest with the ransom sprung loose and clattered to the ground, somehow landing intact and not popping open. People screamed and swirled back. Such attacks were not rare, but nor were they common either and they were dangerous. The third and fourth members of the attacking quartet reached out with kinetic magic to pull the chest in towards them. It was all on the line right now: call in Dory and Lunara, defeat these assailants, and hope that they were the right ones, or leave this fight - four on three - to Ashon, Seviin, and Xiuyang? [hr][hr]