Fenna's suggestion on how to deal with Hardul, made MacKensie feel much better about situation. Not only was it for the dwarf's own good that they hold him as something of a hostage, but MacKensie was confident that Adam would handle the matter with the utmost care. MacKensie bent over a little and squeezed Hardul's shoulder as she smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry. You'll be safe this way," she told him. "We'll come back for you, just as soon as we are done. I promise."
She watched Adam take Hardul away and do his work, creating a suitable camouflage around the restrained dwarf. When he returned, James informed them all of the intel he and Barracker had managed to extract from George, which coincided well with a stealth mission. "You know the formation," Second Chance's leader said, refreshing the memory of Zell's tactical briefing that first night, aswell as the modification James had made for this mission. She nodded and they were off.
But she did not make it more than half a dozen steps when she paused suddenly, the others leaving her behind as she wondered for a moment, then looked up at the tree where their prisoners were hanging. Her blue gaze washed over them all and she dared to ask...
"Steven?" her tone dripping with uncertainty.
One of them perked up and looked at her, a few moments of silence before finally answering. "What?" MacKensie couldn't supress a small smile. The old beekeeper who she'd questioned in Cherrad would get her son back in one piece. If they could only complete their mission. Thank the lord for small mercies. "You know me?"
MacKensie shook her head. "No. I do not," was all she said, then hurried away to catch up with her friends.
Fortunately, they would manage to get a good way into the temple without coming into contact with any cultists. The eerie atmosphere was very un-churchlike, but every bit expected of the lair of a dark cult. MacKensie, near the front of the pack, saw Barracker make a hand-gesture of respect to the painting of Hades, and she thought to herself that she would find time in the future to ask the Paladin about his diety. Not only would it be a chance to get know more about Barracker, but the world of Mytheria also.
When they found themselves sneaking through the library towards the sound of voices, MacKensie pulse was picking up pace. Zell drew up a quick plan with nothing more than a nod of the head and two points of the finger - that was all that was needed - and James gave the final command with a nod of his own. MacKensie was ready.
This moment was the first time she'd ever noticed that her footsteps made no noise. Without any effort to do so, she moved in complete silence. It must be a Ranger ability, she thought. It certainly made sneaking up to her target much easier. Dagger slowly drawn and held invertedly, she moved towards the giant of a man who was sat in the arrangement of sofas, crouching low and moving quickly to get right up to him, ducked behind the back of the sofa. She waited to attack in tandem with the others.
The man was big and broad-shouldered. There was no way she could risk a non-lethal grapple attempt, and so her attack attempt would be a swift movement that saw her dagger slit his throat.