10 Dead zone

"Sir, we have lost all electronic communication with Marienburg and the surrounding cities. A flying mage we sent has just returned and confirmed the situation. It's bad! One unit is presumed to have come in contact with the targets but was wiped out before reinforcements could arrive. Additionally, all electronic devices connected to any network are malfunctioning or outright turning against our forces. Automatic doors blocked their way, the combat robots attempted to storm our main branches and their comms are filled with rubbish."

"Have any civilians been hurt?"

"No Sir, they have been completely left alone except for the fact that they can't communicate with cities outside this zone."

"Do you mean communication inside is working?"

"If you aren't part of the military or the police forces communication within the zone works perfectly."

As the chief of police Maine was facing a proper headache while dealing with the aftermath of their first clash with the six targets. Just as Roy had predicted the first confrontation had not played out in their favor. Now he was faced with a whole zone that he had virtually no information on. To make things worse he was forced to preemptively shut down all combat robots that were still under their control. However, he couldn't shut down their entire network, could he?

"Do we have any indication as to where the targets are now?"

"They seem to have completely vanished. We have tried your proposal of searching for the auras of strong mages that aren't listed in our system but since the hit around Marienburg we haven't been able to detect any stationary aura."

"What about a non-stationary one?"

"There is one but Sir... It's moving at incredible speeds and without any discernable pattern."

"Has the council president finally agreed to meet me?"

"No Sir, his secretary contacted us and informed us that the president was to busy and we should first concentrate on capturing the targets."

"Damn that old man! He wants me to send more people to their certain deaths? We don't even know where they are! Roy might know something but can I get him to tell me."

Maine made up his mind and left the control room. He descended multiple sets of stairs and reached the cell where the ex-warden was held. Before he could say anything Roy's sarcastic voice greeted him.

"Am I finally going to get moved to a real prison or is it already time for my execution? Should I feel honored that the chief of police is personally telling me what my fate is to be?"

"I know you are mad about being detained here, Roy but please don't let it out on me. There is nothing I can do."

"One word from you and I would be out of this cell!"

"And give the president a reason to detain us both? I have enough difficulty handling the situation as it is. I'm starting to think that the president doesn't care how many lives are lost in this operation."

"Don't lie to me! Who would dare detain you? You are the boss of these people!"

"Of the police forces yes. However, I have little to no control over the military and the president called over a whole company to be stationed here."

"Did you talk to Kate? She's in the military and we were good friends back in school."

"Your joking, right? Kate is stationed in the Alps. She has no control over the military units in the coastal regions."

"Then that's hopeless too... Well, then what is it you are here for, my execution or imprisonment?"

"Neither. The targets seem to have vanished completely and I thought you might know where they are."

"What do you mean by vanished, did you find a way to track them?"

"Yes, but it isn't very accurate. You told me they are extremely strong mages so I had them search for strong auras that didn't belong to people in our system. But apart from the hit in Marienburg where they wiped out a unit and cut of our communication with that area, we couldn't detect anything except one aura that moves around at great speed."

"You are hopeless... Firstly, they are all perfectly capable of suppressing their aura. Unless they slip up you'd mistake them for ordinary humans if no one told you what they are. Secondly, why would I tell you where they have gone? Like hell, the president would immediately use it as proof that I am in cahoots with them."

"Then why do you know?"

"You said you detected their auras in Marienburg, correct? It was probably intentional to find out if you could detect it. After such a maneuver they would definitely make sure that they remained untrackable for the time being. I don't get the one that's moving but there is only one place the others could have gone to where it's impossible to track them."

"And after all that you really won't tell me where they are? If the president asks I'll say that we got an anonymous tip."

"I could tell you but in return..."

"I can't let you out."

"I know. How about some information then. What happened to my subordinates, they too know what happened so the president surely hasn't left them alone?"

"It pains me to tell you this but except for those on the ship with you, the remaining personnel that followed after was lost at sea. As for those with you they are all in cells below us. Except..."

"Tell me!"

"Aia was taken away by Ken, I don't know where she is now."

"I have a bad feeling about this. But a deal is a deal. I am certain that they have descended to the lower plains."

"The lower plains?"

"I don't know much about the lower realms but based on Abel's comments they are separated bubbles of space where different terrains can be found."

"How can they be accessed?"

"I'm not too sure. My sword was made from the horn of a unicorn that my uncle hunted in one of the lower realms. When he returned home he died soon after and left the horn to me. I also received a map with the location of an entrance to a lower realm."

"Where is it?"

"In my storage bracelet."

"Thanks."

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