Squirt had called their destination the dark alleys, but worldly knowledge defined them as slums. The place reeked of sewage waste and garbage coated the streets in sogging dumps. Forget stealth, the place had eyes and ears sewn throughout, and outsiders were prime targets.

Stopping several streets from the hideout's upper-level entrance, Isla dropped the ore onto a wooden crate, a squeak scurrying at their feet. She kicked the base, pausing further.

"Sure does stink," Rydin voiced.

"To be expected. The place reminds me of Maron," Isla mentioned, partitioning her cloak and retrieving a chalk piece from her inner pocket.

"Maron? Heard it was bad there. A lot of people living in Bartez left that place because of the landslides."

"Well, Detra doesn't have much land. I don't think people have many choices," she added while sketching four straight but slanted white lines upon their acquired medium. With a full circle to enshroud the connected wave, she created the first symbol depicting metal.

"What's that?" Rydin questioned.

"Its metal, the medium. We could add another for the rock, but let's not increase the potency too much."

"Wouldn't that be better?"

Isla looked up after finishing the next two rings for location and spell effects. "Is your aura capacity capable of such?"

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "If the spell included all the materials within the object, your aura would need to be contained within a greater area. Understand?"

"Makes sense. Is that why you picked an impure medium?"

"Yeah. Larger and weaker, but fewer chances for errors within the writing. It's a simple spell. Quick and functional."

"Read inner to outer, correct?"

She returned the chalk to her inside pocket and blew the stray dust clear. "That's right." After double-checking her written enchantment for any symbol imperfections, she handed the ore before Rydin. "Here. Infuse your aura into the medium. Just stop when the symbols become bright."

Rydin grabbed the outstretched ore. "Okay. I get what you say, but you may need to tell me when to stop."

"Fine." She crossed her arms, watching Rydin's eyes close to focus. The symbols etched upon the ore dimmed to life. With each pulsation, the glow shined brighter. "That's good. The next time you add any amount of aura, the spell will activate. Let's go."

"Wait." Rydin broke, interrupting her head-start. "Shouldn't we wait longer? Would the information have spread by now?"

She paused mid-stride, glimpsing his puzzled grimace. "No. We can't wait any longer," Isla voiced, tugging her hood lower and regarding the slumber of Detra's star across the rooftops. "Night is here."

He bobbed his hooded head and followed her alongside the mountain's edge to the hideout. Reaching the building's rear, Isla threw a hand up and halted. She glanced at Rydin, placing a finger to her lips then pointed at him and forward. They needed to split.

While Rydin covered the direct alleyway, she squeezed through the building's narrow backside. Her deft footsteps carried her through shadows with silence and a required covertness. She peeked around the corner, assessing the area. No movement or unplanned interlopers, good, she could continue.

She lurked down the adjacent alleyway, mindful of the loose garbage and wooden barrels lining her path. With each broken window, she spared a look, the upper floor deserted. Candlelight flickered inside, casting sight upon the worn-down interior and cracked walls.

Isla crouched as she neared the front. She probed the entrance, spotting the two thugs manning the station. They wore broken cavanas tilted forward, their backs supported by the wall. One yawned and rubbed his dazed eyes; the other had both eyes closed, his breathing heavy.

Thankfully, the more foolish of the two neared Rydin. If he woke, he'd be disoriented, but easy.

She breathed deep, sliding her weapon clean from its sheath. One second more, and she charged the closest guard. He craned his neck, their gazes connecting with his widening. Her blade descended before he reacted, wounding his chest. With her momentum, the goon toppled backward, earning her a second grunt.

Instantly, Isla switched her attention, but water encased the second guard's head. The man flailed, hands cleaving the liquid saturated air. Ignoring him, she watched her bald-headed bandit crawl inside the building. She trailed him, a foot longer and she yanked his head back, slitting his throat.

The man's head plummeted with a crack on the wooden floor. Flicking her wrist, she cleaned her blade. "Done?"

"Yeah," Rydin whispered as he appeared in the doorway.

"Drag him inside," she added and stepped back as Rydin dragged the blue-faced sleeper inside.

"I'm starting to think you're an expert at these things."

"Easy when it happens a lot. Ready?"

Rydin straightened, cracking his knuckles. "Yeah, let's go. Leef's waiting."

Isla nodded and scanned the ground before them. Splintered wood and the remnants of the window covers littered the floor. She maneuvered around the larger pieces, lest they alerted those below. As they neared the building's rear, faint voices wafted into earshot. The source appeared around the last corner, a basement hutch with an attached ladder.

Pausing by the corner, she leaned towards Rydin. "Activate and drop the spell. I'll close the lid. We wait a minute then jump down," Isla whispered. "Protect your brother."

Rydin acknowledged her orders and fetched the magic inscribed ore from inside his cloak.

Creeping forward, Isla kneeled beside the entrance, peeking below. She counted eight men a story below. One chance, that's all she had.

Rydin dropped beside her, outstretching his arm with the glowing ore hovering over the opening. His palm turned inward and the sleep spell plummeted.

On queue, Isla slammed the wooden lid shut. A second passed, and the muffled voices intensified to shouts.

"Will it affect us?" Rydin questioned.

"No, it wasn't strong or long enough. But we still need to wait out the release." She tapped her thigh, listening as the cries quelled. "Time to go." Isla lifted the cover and plunged below, her knees bending to soften the impact.

With a glance, she surveyed the fallen and slumped kidnappers. A few crates here and there added a time adding obstacle, but bearable. Opposite the ladder and against the wall, slept the abducted children.

Ignoring them, she aimed her attention on the stupor induced men. Two fools had surrounded the ladder, their bodies crumpled, the spell nailing them first. Isla provided them sweet release with a single sword strike to their necks.

A thud sounded nearby and she had a quick silent exchange with Rydin. Her gaze flickered right and her body followed, continuing her onslaught. One by one, she slit their unmoving throats. Isla quickened her pace, knowing her frozen time would soon end.

"Isla!" Rydin called.

She spun around, sword drawn defensively. Yet, the expected attack never came.

Instead, Isla stared upon a half-clothed man, his hairy broad chest exposed. His hazel eyes dilated and blood leaked from his yellow-toothed mouth.

She retreated a step, granting the stumbling man unrestrained passage to the ground with long, protruding rocks riddling his back. Her gaze bounced to Rydin. Both hands remained raised from his spell casting, but the shadows of regret had long since vacated his face.

He killed for her.

Isla repressed the thought, returning her attention to the sluggish kidnappers stirring awake. Two remained.

She rushed the closest, his arms grappling a stalagmite as his legs trembled. Still, her sprint lost no surprise. With a slash, she tore through his light clothing and skin. The blade gouged his stomach, ripping through fat and muscle. With the sleep spell no longer dulling his senses, he screamed and withered.

Twisting her body, Isla targeted the last kidnapper. He scrambled towards the ladder, ignoring her pursuit. Elongating her stride, she reached him at the first step. The lanky man spared her no glance, his retreat dangling before him.

A quick downward strike cleaved into his lower back. The superficial injury incited a howl, but he clung to the rails, continuing his ascent.

Isla hacked his feet, her attacks driving deeper each time. Finally, the senseless barrage halted his retreat. His blood rained and the once protective leather boots had their backs shredded to bits. With a final blow, he fell, kissing the dirt and moaning.

She stepped close, her sword at his throat. Her eyes flickered to his youthful face and the scar marring his cheek. He grasped a silver locket hanging around his neck, his squinted and pained gaze defined her as evil.

"Please, don't kill me," he cried.

Isla pressed her weapon's tip further, drawing blood and watching him flinch. She evaluated his words and challenged herself. Should she spare him? She examined her inflicted wounds and shook her head. No, he would die either way.

"Any final words?" she asked with a solid, smooth tone.

Tears overflowed from his eyes, streaking his face. "No, please," he choked.

Isla pierced his throat, noting the vitality vacating his eyes, and the man turning boy hacked his last breath.

She removed her blade, curling her fingers around the sweat coated grip. The cold steel glimmered underneath the blanket of blood. Her body recalled the short sword's weight. Yet now, the heft swelled, weighing her down. Had a sword always been this heavy?

"Isla, we should go, the kids are awake," Rydin called from behind.

She stared at the blade, her body numb, but still she turned to face him. Isla averted his gaze, her attention focused on wiping her weapon clean. "I'll go up first."

"Sure." He tapped the girl entwined with his leg. "Come on, you first."

"No!" she cried. "She's scary." She cowered behind Rydin. Her long brown locks touching the dirt floor.

"Don't be mean to Isla. She isn't scary," Leef argued as he rushed forward. "They were bad!"

"No! She hurt them like the bad men hurt mommy."

Rydin knelt down beside her, rubbing her shoulder. "It'll be fine. We need to go up to get outside safely. What's your name?"

"Sena," she mumbled.

"Sena, don't worry. Everything will be fine."

Leef moved closer to Isla, a pale-brown haired boy joining his side. "Sena. Vale and I will wait for you."

Sena nodded. "Okay..."

Isla sheathed her weapon and scaled the ladder. With nothing awaiting their return, she signaled for the boys to follow and then walked outside. Silence still shrouded their surroundings but over the rooftops, near the docks, a red tint blemished the dark overcast sky.

"Is everything fine?" Rydin asked beside her.

"It looks like they attacked the ship."

"Rydin!" Leef cried.

They both turned, staring at Leef. Dirt smudged his cheeks and spoiled his clothes. With a scratch or two, he looked fine otherwise.

"I'm sorry," he said as his head dropped. "I didn't want to be left alone." He twiddled his thumbs and glanced up.

Rydin ruffled his blond hair then brought him close. "Just don't do that again," he murmured.