*Out near the lodge, Sanada and the knights stood there while Don was shocked to see Sanada*
(Don): Who is that man?
(Assistant): I’m not sure. He’s not appearing in the registry at all. It’s possible he was never here to begin with.
(Don): Then that would mean.
*The lodge shook as an explosion went off near the front doors. Checking the monitors he sees a number of blue and red knights entering the lodge. Leading the way is Sullavan, Tomo, Raika, Morgan, and Jade with Alita and Scarlet amongst the ranks*
(Raika): Oh no! It’s the knights!
(Morgan): Knights of Brister! Nobody move! Knights of Brister!
(Sullavan): You are all under arrest for suspicion of illegal gambling, kidnapping and race-trafficking. Surrender now or face further consequences.
*At the counter, the attendant came out holding a shotgun and about to fire at Sullavan. Luckily, Raika was faster and shot the attendant first with her handgun. She shot the attendant in the shoulder twice and they fell backwards dropping the gun in the process. Two knights went to go check on the attendant and make a proper arrest*
(Raika): We warned you about consequences.
*The knights began to make their way through the lobby with Raika armed and ready to fire*
***
*Back near the forest outside of the lodge*
(Keanu): Yes! I can finally feel the magic coursing through my body.
(Sanada): Is everyone alright?
(Gael): Bro!
*Gael came up and hugged him. Sanada mentally took a shy of relief knowing that he was okay and hugged him back*
(Gael): I’m so glad to see you! There’s a bunch of crazy racists in that lodge over there.
(Sanada): We know. Where are the others?
*Gael focuses on the forest to sense the auras of everyone*
(Gael): They’re in the forest and they’re all okay. Including the hunters.
(Rowen): That’s good to hear.
(Gael): We’ve also got some company heading our way.
*All of sudden twenty mechanical hounds appeared*
(Keanu): Just how many of these things does he have lying around?
(Fei): At least this time we’re on even grounds.
*They could hear a horn blowing from behind them. They turned around and saw the headlights. They immediately moved out of the way as the Shadow Eye’s custom hummer plowed through the electric fence. A few more trucks came through the opened hole. Once the hummer stopped, Ryuuji exited the car along with Zia, Amarti, Jin, Kurai Trey, and Robbie*
(Ryuuji): We made it!
(Keanu): Robbie!
(Robbie): Hey, Keanu. You left these back in the kingdom.
*Robbie tosses Keanu his pogamoggans. Keanu caught them and smiled*
(Jin): Hey Rowen. The White Knights send their regards.
*Jin tosses Rowen his compound bow. Rowen catches the bow and takes aim at the hounds*
(Rowen): Now it’s a fair fight.
(Ryuuji): Alright. We have two objectives. Save the citizens and then secure everyone in the lodge. Let’s go!
(Gael): You guys sure you’re gonna be okay without a weapon?
(Kazuma): Not to worry. My feet should be more than enough.
*Kazuma charges at an amazing speed and delivers a spinning thrust kick to one of the hounds to send it flying away. The surrounding hounds attempted to attack him but he did a handstand and spun around creating a red whirlwind that knocked some of the hounds upward*
(Gael): Woah.
(Fei): Try to keep up, mutt.
*Fei then charged forward as lightning was shooting from her body and delivered a palm strike to one of the hounds. One charged at her from the left but she delivered a straight upward kick to send the hound flying into the air and letting it fall to ground before she finished it with a lightning axe kick to smash it to bits*
(Gael): *Whistles* Good flexibility.
*Gael soon charges forward along with the others to fight the hounds. Rowen used his bow to shoot fire arrows in rapid succession. Jin turned his all-in one umbrella weapon into a gatling gun and shot the hounds with Kurai. Sanada and Trey sliced through the hounds while Ryuuji and Robbie used their fists to fight. Amarti and Zia protected the medical crew from harm using their blade discs and kauris. Each of the hounds were being taken down with ease and the group made their way into the forest to get everyone to safety*
***
*At the lodge, the place had become a battlefield. The hunters had begun to fight back against the knights along Don’s personal security staff. However, the knights had the obvious advantage and were pushing forward. Raika led the way along with Sullavan and Alita. The knights were using the walls as cover while being shot at by the hunters and guards down the hallway*
(Sullavan): They’re carrying quite the assortment of illegal firearms.
(Raika): Yeah, is it wrong I want them for myself?
(Sullavan): A little, but to each their own hobby. I would be remiss if some were to disappear. Don’t you agree, men?
*The knights accompanying them all nod*
(Raika): Did I tell you you’re my favorite commander in the Blue Dragon Order? Alita, cover us.
(Alita): Understood.
*Alita comes from behind the wall and holds out her left hand to deploy a pink force field made of light magic. The field nullifies all of the gunfire as she moved closer to them. The rest of the knights followed behind her. The hunters and guards start to panic as Alita closes in on them. One of the knights throws a light bomb. The knights cover their eyes as the bomb goes off blinding the hunters and guards. Lowering the shield, Sullavan charges forward and attacks the hunters and guards. Gathering dark magic around his leg he delivers a high jump kick to one of the guards. Once he lands, he grabs one of the hunters and punches them in the chest three times before tossing them into a hunter and guard. He then slashes at the remaining hunters and guards to take them all down in quick fashion*
(Sullavan): Right this way, please.
*The knights follow Sullavan while Raika stays behind to investigate the illegal firearms and choose the one she wants to take. Sullavan and the knights finally make to the main hall. The stronghold of the hunters and guards. The knights spread out and begin to fight and subdue the hunters and guards. Sullavan moves through the room with the grace and agility of a fierce wolf. Tearing through guards and hunters with ease with his kicks and claws. When Raika and Alita entered the room, Alita blocked an attack with her tail and countered with a blast a light magic to the assailant before running off to fight some more. Raika found herself alone and took out her handguns where she began firing at hunters and guards to take them down or offer an opening for other knights. As she was fighting she took notice of the brown-haired man who beat Gael and a few other demihumans. He was fighting off a knight with his night stick and got the better of the exchange. He took a sigh of relief before taking notice of Raika staring at him*
(Brown-haired man): Well what do we have here. A gunslinging bitch. You must be the knight that stupid dog was bragging about.
(Raika): Dog? Are you talking about Gael?
(Brown-haired man): That’s his name? Sorry, I don’t bother learning the names of animals who are about to die. That mutt had quite the mouth on him. Had to rough him up a little bit before the Hunt.
(Raika): That mutt just happens to be my squire and you just made a very big mistake mistreating him. Get on the ground before I shoot you.
(Brown-haired man): Don’t tell me you’re mad just because I disciplined your dog when you should of.
(Raika): I’m going to count to ten. Get on the ground.
(Brown-haired man): Oh~ big talk from the gun-wielding knight. If you didn’t have those guns, I’d drop you just like I dropped that dog.
(Raika): Oh you think these guns are the only thing stopping you from dropping me?
*Raika twirls her guns around as she returns them to her hoisters and puts up her fist*
(Raika): Let’s go, lightweight.
*The brown-haired man smiled and dropped his night stick. He then walked over to Raika and put his fists up. Little did Raika know he had a second night stick behind his back. He smiled confidently before reaching behind his back and grabbing the night stick. He swung the night stick but Raika dodged it with a duck and then delivered a jab to his jaw. Raika followed the attack with multiple jabs before finishing with a left hook. The brown-haired man fell unconscious to the ground and Raika spat on him*
(Raika): Just for the record, Gael could have taken you down as well.
***
*While Raika was busy, Sullavan managed to make his way up to Don Castle’s room with a few of the other knights. After taking out the guards, they burst into the room to find no trace of Don or his assistant*
(Sullavan): He’s not here. Search the room for clues.
*The knights quickly searched the room and found a secret passageway*
(Blue Knight): Over here sir. He must have used this route to escape.
(Sullavan): I see. Let us retreat then.
(Blue Knight): But sir, should we not pursue him?
(Sullavan): Not to worry. I had a theory he would use this escape route and sent a skilled officer to apprehend him. Let’s return to the main lobby and assist the others.
***
*In Don’s secret passageway, he and his assistant were running away with three guards leading the way*
(Don): *Inner Thoughts* Shit! The knights are here. I can’t go back to the kingdom. How did they even know I was behind this? Doesn’t matter. Once I get out of here, I’ll flee the kingdom and escape to my secluded villa. I’ll plan my next move once I’m there.
*As Don and is men continued to run down the corridor, one of them was pierced by knives shooting off sparks. None of his vital organs were hit but he was in great pain as he collapsed to the ground. Looking up ahead, Don and the others could see an elf woman floating in the air with knives flying around shooting off sparks of red lightning*
(Levina): Oh wanderers. Do you know the rule of the Blue Dragon? Abide by its law and be a good child to get rewarded, handsomely. However, any illegal activities in its domain will put them on the naughty child list. And naughty children will be punished.
*The guards hearing enough get ready to fire on Levina who moves her fingers around as if she were controlling a puppet. The knives surrounding her go flying toward the guards slicing up their guns and them in the process. Don and the assistant attempted to run away but were stopped by Levina’s knives blocking their escape. Levina lands on the ground smiling happily*
(Levina): I would suggest surrendering yourself peacefully to avoid any further punishment.
***
*In the forest near the lodge, the knights had successfully destroyed all the hounds and secured everyone hiding in the forest. They gave those who were injured medical care and fed anyone who was hungry*
(Sullavan): This is Sullavan with a status report. We have secured Don Castle and are in the process of securing the lodge. What’s the status of group 2?
(Ryuuji): We have secured and rescued all citizens who were in the forest and offering them medical attention.
(Sullavan): And the knights that were captured?
(Ryuuji): All accounted for and heading your way with backup to assist with securing the lodge.
***
*Back at the lodge, out on the large patio, Scarlet, Jade, and Morgan were fighting with other knights to secure the area when all of sudden Jin, Gael, Fei, Rowen, Trey, Keanu, Kazuma, and Robbie showed up to fight*
(Trey): Ha! Told you we make it in time.
(Gael): Let’s clean this place up.
*One of the hunters charged at Kazuma who blocked their attack with one foot and then countered with the same foot delivering three fast kicks to send flying. Sensing another hunter coming from behind, he ducked and swept the hunter’s legs to make them fall face first on the wooden patio before he stomped on the hunter’s back with one foot. As the hunter screamed out in pain, Fei run through stomping on the head of the hunter. She was being pursued by three hunters who cornered her by a table. Believing they had her, they rushed forward but Fei grabbed the drinks that were on the table and threw them at the hunters temporarily blinding them. She then picked up a wooden chair and smashed it over one of the hunter’s head. Fei dropped the legs and then proceeded to deliver an electric jab to the second hunter’s stomach shocking them. She followed up by grabbing the hunter’s arm and then judo tossing them over the edge into the snow. The third hunter had recovered from the drink splash and tried to grab Fei but she was too quick for her. Fei vaulted over a table with a flip and the hunter attempted to do the same thing only to have another hunter fall on her courtesy of Scarlet and breaking the table in the process. On the upper patio Scarlet was fighting against two guards with night sticks. Using her spear, she blocked the attacks and spun around to create a flaming vortex to burn the guards. One guard holding a rifle fired at her but the attack was stopped by Jin who opened his umbrella and shielded her from the attack. Jin then fired at the guard hitting them in the head to knock them out before closing the umbrella and using it as a club to hit a nearby hunter off the patio. As the hunter fell to the lower patio he was kicked by Gael and sent flying into a guard who was pursuing him. Using his bo staff of light, Gael struck another guard followed by a hunter and then planted his staff upward onto the patio before jumping up and spinning around to deliver kicks to the hunters and guards who had surrounded him. They were all slightly stunned allowing Keanu and Trey to come in and attack. With their combined wind magic they sent the hunters and guards flying into the air which made them easy pickings for Rowen who shot explosive fire arrows at them. The explosions knocked them out and they came crashing down on the patios. The young knights gathered as they saw there were no more guards or hunters to fight. They were either subdued or knocked unconscious*
(Jin): Yeahh~!
(Kazuma): Woah~!
(Trey): That’s what I’m talking about!
*Trey high-fived Rowen while Scarlet and Fei fist bumped each other*
(Keanu): Wait, where’s Robbie?
*All of a sudden, they heard a loud grunt noise by the buffet table and saw Robbie lifting up a man about the same height as him and throwing him through a table*
(Gael): Oh shit!
*The young knights watched with their mouths opened and shocked expressions on their faces at what they just witnessed*
(Robbie): Get rocked!
(The young knights): YEAHHHHH~!
*Robbie lifts his arms high in celebration as the young knights came over to congratulate him and each other. At this point, Morgan, Jade, and the rest of the veteran knights that made it out were watching them. The veteran knights were amazed at how a bunch of rookie knights cleared all the hunters and guards out on the patios with ease without their assistance. Morgan and Jade on the other hand just looked on proudly as the young knights celebrated*
(Red Knight): Wow. The strength of that big guy is amazing.
(Red Knight #2): And those other knights were amazing too. They cleared this whole place out within minutes.
(Blue Knight): Who are those knights?
(Sullavan): They’re the pillars. The ones who will go on to carry this kingdom in the years to come.
*Sullavan said proudly as he smiled upon the young knights. Don Castle was captured. All hunters and guards secured. And all the demihumans, elves, merfolk, and mixed-races who were kidnapped were found and accounted for. This was nothing short of a successful mission for the knights*
Author’s Note: And thus the demihumans, elves, merfolk, and mixed races defeat the racists. This whole chapter serves as a payoff to everything I’ve been building up in this arc. Gael and the others just constantly being beaten down and feeling helpless, finally getting that payback that they deserve. My personal favorite moment was the end where the rookie knights teamed up to take out everyone on the patio. It was kind of like an Avengers Assemble moment. All these knights coming together to make something great and working off each other. It’s a short scene but I hope to create moments like this in the future. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time.