Retaliation

House Taron Estate

Several figures silently climbed over the fence of the massive estate grounds of House Taron. They scanned their surroundings and carefully avoid both magical spells and physical guards as they stealthily made their way into the large mansion.

"Both of our tangoes should be at the guests' wing of the manor," Tyrier whispered to his men. "We stealth in, grab our two tangoes and exit quietly."

"Try not to get engaged!" Tyrier said. "We want to scare them and give them the impression we can enter and exit like ghosts!"

His men nodded as they stacked up against the building's shadow. "They should be on that floor!" Tyrier pointed to the second floor where the windows were brightly lit. "Let's go!"

They sprinted across the lawn, keeping low using the manicured bushes as cover once the roving patrol of guards was out of sight. They crouched under one of the windows and used a long flexible piece of metal and jimmied the latch, before opening the window and climbing in.

Once everyone was inside, the last man closed the window and while the rest spread out and cleared the room. The room was unlit and empty, decored like some kind of study or library. Hitsu opened his bag of holding and took out the spy camera and slipped it under the door crack. He played around with the camera controls before retrieving the tool back into his bag. "Corridor is clear!"

"Move! Fast and quiet!" Tyrier ordered and they exited in two rows each hugging one side of the corridor walls. The corridor was lit with glow lamps, allowing them to see without the need for night vision equipment. They ignored the doors they found along the way and headed straight for the stairs.

A pair of guards stood at the main hallway where the double stairs that lead up to the second floor were at. Tyrier gestured to Atiled and Young with hand signals and they both nodded, drawing out their tasers. Tyrier raised his hand up before chopping it down and both men darted out and fired their tasers.

Both guards jerked and spasmed as the taser barbs punched through their plate mail and innerwear. The sharp prongs pierced their skin and dumped fifty thousand volts of electricity into their bodies. As their conscious faded away, Atiled and Young rushed forward to grab their failing bodies to prevent making any noise.

They stacked both men in an upright position against the wall and removed the barbs from their bodies. The rest of Claymore One pushed forward and advanced up the stairs. After ensuring the second floor corridors were clear, they headed towards the room where music and laughter could be heard.

Using the spy cam tool, Hitsu could see dozens of people partying inside the room. He played with the camera controls before he said, "Found them!"

Tyrier reached into his pouch and removed a yellow banded canister. "Sleep spell," Tyrier said. "Knocks them out for half an hour or less, courtesy of Magister Thorn and Dr. Sharon!"

The men stacked against the door and Hitsu carefully checked the doorknob, before he nodded to Tyrier who held the spell grenade in his hands. Tyrier pulled the pin, which held a spring loaded mana stone.

Hitsu gently turned the doorknob and opened the door large enough for Tyrier to fling the grenade in. He quickly shut the door once the grenade flew into the room and mentally counted down in his head. "Five thousand... four thousand... three thousand... two thousand... one thousand..."

The sudden appearance of the spell grenade barely registered to the people inside the room. The dark olive green canister with a yellow colored band rolled unnoticed on the carpet and came to a halt underneath a sofa before the mechanical clockwork spring snapped down, the mana stone attached to the head of the spring and touched a large circular rune, carved with a large scale knock out spell.

The mana stone flared up briefly as all its magic power stored in the stone was sucked dry by the rune. A split second later, the mana stone crumbled into dust as all power was drained away by the rune and the rune exploded as the overcharged spell was powered up.

A sudden magic circle measuring two meters wide erupted out from the canister and surprised some of the more clear headed party goers before the spell was completed. The magic circle lit up brightly before disappearing and everyone in the room felt their vision darkening and they collapsed where they stood or sat.

As Hitsu was about to open the door and rush in, Tyrier stopped him, with a shake of his head. "Wait another five seconds! Let the spell expire first!"

Hitsu nodded and waited another five seconds. "Go!" Tyrier said after a while and Hitsu opened the door. He immediately tracked his weapon left, covering the left portion of the room while Loke behind him covered his right.

He immediately saw the whole place was in a mess. The room was large and a party seemed like to be in full swing when they crashed it. Half naked female bodies laid sprawled all over the place, where a massive bed was set against one side of the wall. Sofas and tables filled with drinks and food laid scattered all over the place.

Several musicians slumped over their instruments while several young males were laid out on the sofas with females in their arms. "There!" Hitsu pointed towards a bunch of tangled up bodies.

Immediately they started to pull the bodies away and Tyrier whipped out his tablet, placing it next to an unconscious male, physically comparing the pictures. "Got the eldest brother here! Alberto Rothschild identified!"

"Here's the other guy!" Wolf called out, dragging a body out and Tyrier bent over and checked his identity. "Mallot Rothschild!"

"Alright! Bag them and let's go!" Tyrier ordered and his men bound their hands and gagged them before slipping hoods over their heads and Alited and Young fireman carried them over their shoulders. "Move out!"

They retreated in the same way as they came, without meeting anyone. As they reached the Estate's perimeter fence, shouts and yells could be heard coming from the mansion. "Looks like they found out something is wrong!" Tyrier grinned.

"Too late, suckers!"

-----

House Rothschild, Great Hall

Lord Taron stood with his back straight despite over fifty years old. His long greying hair was combed and tied in a long ponytail that reached his shoulders. In his hands, he clasped a long crystal cane firmly, resting it between his feet.

He felt a sense of unease as he watched Lady Titanna mingling with the guests before him, yet he couldn't pin it down to the cause. He eyed his son, Daniel Taron accepting a dance from one of the prettier girls while the Young Lord of Deflin, Steve, was nursing a goblet of wine, his eyes fixed on Titanna.

Lord Taron turned and spoke in a low voice to Lord Deflin who was seated next to him. "Something does not feel right..."

The old Lord of Deflin nodded slowly as he too felt Lady Titanna's actions were too... calm. "She does not even show any fear or unease, like... she has some kind of hidden card that we do not know."

"Impossible..." Lord Taron replied. "I clearly investigated her assets and strength of her forces. She brought back a total of 27,143 soldiers, out of that, 3,378 had deserted or ran away when they returned to the city."

"We bribed 49 hundred-man leaders and three thousand-man commanders over to our side..." Lord Taron said. "She only has 15,865 soldiers in that army of hers. Even the famed Rothschild's Knights of Silver barely have 60 Knights left in their ranks..."

"There was another 52 mercenaries she brought into her mansion," Lord Taron added. 'Which barely up her odds."

Lord Deflin frowned as he too ran all possibilities through his head. "Wait! Did you see the commander of the Knights of Silver?"

"Knight Captain Judis?" Lord Taron looked around the room. "Now that you mention it... I do not..."

"Steve!" Lord Deflin hissed at his son who quickly came over. "Have you seen Knight Captain Judis anywhere tonight?"

Steve Deflin was startled by the question and he jerked his head up and looked around before he replied. "No!"

"Where could he be?" Lord Taron's expression turned to worry.

"He usually likes to stick close to Lady Titanna and chase all the men away..." Steve said. "Curious..."

Suddenly, a commotion came from the crowd and the guests seemed to be pulled towards the windows. "What is happening?" Lord Deflin demanded as he sensed fear and confusion from the mood of the party.

"Wait here while I find out, Father. Lord Taron," Steve Deflin excused himself and joined the crowd forming at the windows.

After a short while, he came back in a hurry, "Something is wrong... the city seems to be on fire!"

"What?" Both the Lords turned towards the windows. "Let us see!"

They made their way towards the windows and the guests gave way to them due to their lofty positions. They both stared out into the night and saw the city in the distant glowing and hissed. "The merchant and harbor are on fire!"

The guests were muttering among themselves as they discussed the sudden event that was unfolding in the city with excitement. Some guests, worried about their business in those places quickly excused themselves from the party and after giving their apologies to Lady Titanna, they left in a hurry.

Lord Deflin suddenly thought of something he shot a glance at Lady Titanna, to find her eyeing him in return. She gave a mysterious look at Lord Deflin before covering a smile that formed in her lips with her fan.

"Trouble!" Lord Deflin suddenly said. "We have been had! She outplayed us tonight!"

His son and Lord Taron turned and stared at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"She must have sent Knight Captain Judis to burn down our warehouses and business!" Lord Deflin said in horror. "That is why we did not see the Knight Captain tonight!"

Lord Taron turned rigid as the realization came to him. "If that is true... she must have found out about... No!"

"Lord Taron!" A voice cried out from the edge of the crowd. "My Lord! Where are you?"

A messenger finally spotted his Lord at the windows and he pushed his way through the guests. "My Lord! I bear grave news!"

"Silence!" Lord Taron hissed as the surroundings guests eyed him with curious eyes and ears. "Not here!"

The messenger realizing his mistake quickly gave a bow and stepped in and whispered into Lord Taron's ears. After that, he stepped back as his Lord's expression turned purple with fury. "Back! We return to the Estate now!"

"What is the problem?" Lord Deflin asked curiously. "Is it what I fear?"

"Yes and no!" Lord Taron growled. "We... will speak of this matter later! But I need to return at once!"

"Lord Deflin!" Another voice called out and another messenger in House Deflin colors appeared.

"What is it?" Lord Deflin asked while Lord Taron paused in his footsteps as he too was curious about the news the messenger bore.

The messenger seeing everyone watching him, he leaned forward and spoke in a low voice to his Lord. "Several of our businesses and warehouses are burnt down!"

"WHAT?" Lord Deflin hissed in anger as the matter he feared came true. "We... return at once!"

"What appears to be the matter, my esteemed Lords?" A sweet voice came over the whispering guests. "The party tonight not to your liking?"

Both Lord Taron and Deflin turned their attention and anger at the voice. Lady Titanna stood at the edge of the crowd and fanned herself lazily. "Please tell me what is lack, so I can improve my hospitality to you both!"

"YOU!!!"