*At Tiger Plaza the knights were in a frenzy after the events of yesterday. Multiple families of elves, demihumans, and merfolk with tears in their eyes were talking with knights about how their loved ones were kidnapped. In a closed off room, Constantine, Korone, and a few other knights who were watching footage of the kidnappings. On the table was an artificial map with x’s showing where kidnappings happened throughout the kingdom and a board showing pictures of the demihumans, elves, merfolk, and even mixed-breeds that were kidnapped. One knight who was an elf with light blue hair and golden eyes wearing a black sweater with the sleeves rolled up and brown pants entered the room. He was holding the picture of a young female elf with freckles on her cheeks, blue eyes, and light orange hair*
(Elf knight): We identified another one, sir.
(Constantine): Thank you, Zaito.
*Constantine takes the picture and puts it on the board with the other pictures. They had now confirmed 18 people who were kidnapped*
(Korone): Alright people! That’s the 18th victim we confirmed kidnapped and one of them happened right in our own yard. What the hell is going on!? I need answers!
(Constantine): Their appears to be no pattern to these kidnappings. They happened all throughout the kingdom and at various times. Based on witness reports the kidnappers shot the victims with tranquil guns and stuffed them into a van. After watching the videos the kidnappings were all predestined. They went after that specific victim and no one else. Finally, all the victims are elves, merfolks, demihumans, or mixed. There’s one race missing in the lineup.
(Korone): Human. You think the Human Supremacist are behind this? But what do they want?
*All of a sudden there’s a commotion in the office as the members of Shadow Eye minus Dust and Gael entered and marched directly into the conference room Korone and Constantine were in*
(Morgan): Pardon the intrusion. I take it this is where you’re piecing together all the information.
(Constantine): This is a restricted area. I don’t recall this being your problem.
(Raika): It is our problem when multiple citizens go missing and two of them just happen to be one of our own.
(Korone): You know some of the victims who were kidnapped?
(Sanada): One of them. Gael went missing last night. We tried calling him but he wouldn’t answer. We went out to search and found his phone on the sidewalk. Apparently, he was kidnapped along with one of your officers.
(Korone): What!?
(Ryuuji): As if that wasn’t bad, Dust is also missing. He’s not answering his phone and we can’t get a signal on it. So tell us what you know so far.
*Korone nods at Constantine to let them know what they’ve discovered.
(Constantine): As of right now there are 20 confirmed victims who have been kidnapped. Counting the two you just gave us. All victims were kidnapped by hooded figures and are either elves, demihumans, merfolk, or mixed.
(Zia): No humans. Which means there’s no doubt this kidnapping was orchestrated by the human supremacists.
(Korone): We came to that same conclusion. Still these kidnappings are bold even for them. Usually the worst they do is assault. They’ve never been this efficient and organized.
(Amarti): Any idea what they want?
(Constantine): Well there’s been no demands or ransom as of yet so it’s not money they’re after. It’s not needless killing either as they would have killed the victims right then and there.
(Jin): Then it’s safe to assume all the victims are still alive.
(Constantine): For now at least. They’re saving them for something big. Something bad.
***
*In an undisclosed location in the outskirts of Brister’s territory. Gael was laying on the cold steel ground as he slowly regains consciousness*
(Gael): Ohh~, my neck.
*Gael sits up and rubs his neck trying to remember what happened but then quickly realizes he’s in a place he doesn’t recognize with Fei lying right beside him along with Keanu, the demihuman from Tiger Plaza, and the rabbit demihuman Keanu was talking to yesterday*
(Gael): Fei wake up! Fei!
*Gael shook Fei violently to get her to wake. Fei woke up and grabbed Gael’s arm to trap him into a triangle choke hold she wrapped her legs around his head. It takes her a minute before she realizes that it’s Gael and releases the hold*
(Fei): Gael!
(Gael): Hey. I take it you’re not a morning person.
(Fei): Where the hell are we?
(Gael): Don’t know. I woke up and we were here. The last thing I remember was talking to you.
(Fei): Same. But before everything went dark I heard the sound of-
(Gael and Fei): A gun going off!
(Gael): Yes! But it was quiet!
(Fei): They must have been using a silencer.
*Keanu, the rabbit and fox demihuman were starting to wake up from all the noise they heard*
(Keanu): Ugh, yell louder why don’t you?
*Keanu quickly realizes that he’s in an unknown location*
(Keanu): Nosverito ser vi (Where am I)?
(Gael): Keanu?
(Keanu): Gael? What are you doing here?
(Gael): I should be asking you the same question. Also, who are the guys next to you?
(Keanu): Well the rabbit demihuman is Kazuma. He’s a friend of mine from the Red Vermillion Order. We just got done doing some training together when all of a sudden we got knocked out and woke up here. As for the fox, I’m not sure.
(Fei): Wait! Rowen!? Is that you?
(Gael): You know him?
(Fei): He’s a member of the White Tiger Order. He joined the order after graduation with me.
(Rowen): Ohh~, Fei! What’s going on? Where are we?
(Kazuma): Judging from the looks of it we’re in a cell.
(Rowen): And based on the cold air and smell, I say we’re no longer in the kingdom. We’re in the wilderness.
(Hooded figure): Pretty astute observation. Nothing less from an animal.
*The group saw the hooded figure their cell followed by two other hooded individuals. They remove their hoods to reveal themselves to be humans. The one leading them had blonde hair and green eyes. The other had a brown mullet and blue eyes and the last one was a woman with wavy brown hair and blue eyes. The blonde man unlocked the cell door and entered*
(Brown-haired female): Get out!
*Gael and the others slowly got up*
(Gael): Nah, I think we’re fine here.
*Without warning, the brown haired man pulled out a night stick and whacked Gael in the stomach with it*
(Gael): Ohh~!
*Gael falls to his knees in pain*
(Rowen): Hey! That was uncalled for!
*Rowen got hit across the face and fell back a little*
(Blonde man): I didn’t ask for your opinion.
(Gael): So you want to play rough?
*Gael returned to his feet and attempted to fire a light orb but nothing happened. He then noticed iron blue bracelets around his wrists*
(Blonde man): Having trouble using magic?
*Everyone took notice of the bracelets around Gael’s wrists and quickly noticed the blue bracelets around their wrist as well*
(Blonde man): Those bracelets are made out of pure Sebesk stone. Better known as the anti-magic stone. A gift from this year’s sponsor. Now, start moving.
*Having no other option, the group left the cell one by one and followed the two humans with the blonde haired man following behind them gripping his night stick tightly as if begging them to try anything stupid. The group was led into a room where other demihumans, elves, merfolk, and mixed races were also gathered and right above them were humans each holding guns pointing down at the group. At the forefront was a man with low cut red hair and wearing glasses with purple shades. He wore a long-sleeved blue v-neck shirt, pink pants, and brown shoes.
(Red-haired man): I would like to welcome you all to this year’s festivities. You have all been selected to participate in this year’s Hunting Season!
*All the humans cheer with joy as the other races looked on worryingly. Off to the side the brown-haired man was talking to brown-haired woman*
(Brown haired man): Hey wait, something’s off. Where’s the dark elf? He’s supposed to be the main prize this year.
(Brown-haired woman): I don’t know. We lost all communication with the capture team last night. We don’t know where the hell they are.
***
*Back in Brister at Tiger Plaza*
*The members of Shadow Eye and the White Knights were hard at work looking for clues on the kidnappings when all of a sudden the phone rang*
(White Knight): Um commander, you may want to get down to the lobby.
(Korone): I’m busy! Take a message!
(Dust): Get down here! Bring the others as well!
*Upon hearing that voice and recognizing it. Korone and the members of Shadow Eye quickly left the office and took the elevator to the lobby. Once they arrived in the lobby they saw Dust breathing heavily and next to him was four humans. Two males and two females. One male had dark green hair and golden eyes while the second had brown hair and red eyes. The first female had brunette hair with brown eyes and the second had orange hair with red eyes. Their faces were all slightly bruised*
(Dust): So, how has your day been going?
Author’s Note: Oh man, looks like Gael and the others have found themselves in a dangerous situation, but luckily, Dust has escaped and may provide the knights with the lead they need to stop the human supremacists. For this arc, I wanted to put the team in a more detective role, where they’re blindsided by the attacks just like other knights and are desperate to find clues and rescue their friend/comrade. What will the team do next? Tune in next week to find out. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time.