Blasted

Morde rushed to undo the barrier, but whoever's banging from the outside kept it up with utmost fury. 

Zayne rushed to grab the red book and the half glass globe that Morde had used, giving up the interrogation altogether. 

In the same motion, he slid underneath the table, activating the star shield, which created a wall of fire so hot, any and all things touching it will get incinerated. 

He only heard a loud bang from the outside, and the starshield was snuffed out, creating a ring of ash around him. 

" Don't move. " an guard in the base uniform said, pointing a wand at him. Zayne just sat down where he was, surreptitiously pushing the half globe into his pockets. 

The officer held him at wand point for some time, as the other guards came and inspected the scene all around. 

He just sat in the location where he was like a very well behaved child. 

After some time, the crowd of guards parted into two for an officer to come through. 

Zayne watched in surprise as the officer walked to him. 

He was sturdy, with a square jaw, and a striking face, like an ugly muscle headed action hero from a detective novel. 

" Zayne Rhafyre ? " he asked before Zayne could say anything. 

Zayne was surprised. 

" How do you know my name ? " surprise was etched on his face, as he looked up at the man. 

" Do you know Claire Bassett ? " he asked, ignoring his question. 

" Yes. Yes, I do. Is she alright ? " Zayne asked if the officer knew Claire at all. 

The officer grunted in response, gesturing to the guy holding him at wand point to lower the wand. 

Zayne crawled out from under the table, still holding the book and the phone in his hands. It's pure coincidence he got away with that. The officer must have thought they are his personal items, that is why he is holding them so dearly. 

" Did you see this man ? " Bloodhound asked Zayne, showing him a picture of Morde Zelle. 

" He is the one who brought me here. '' Zayne recognized the officer. 

Before the officer's attention shifted, Zayne added one more detail. 

" They have more people on board. They put them all in cages. " Zayne said superfast, trying to catch their attention. 

" I can lead you there. I think. " he added when the guards focused on him. 

" Lead us. " Another officer who came up right beside the bloodhound said seriously before the bloodhound can get a word out. 

Zayne ran ahead. 

Now that his fight with Morde was over, his brain started turning again. Now he realized one of the guards could have escaped into the cargo bay just to kill the prisoners there. After all, these prisoners have seen the low level and high level guards' faces on the ship, and these guys are just nasty enough to kill witnesses no matter the age or gender. 

When Zayne reached the cargo bay, one of the guards of the ship was fiddling with the mechanism to lower the cages into the water. 

Before Zayne could knock his head off, the officer behind him reacted, binding the prisoner and throwing him in the corner. He just flicked his head to the side, one of the underlings of the officer manned the station and started reversing the mechanism. 

Then, the mechanism that lowered the cages started running in reverse at a super fast rate. 

Despite them coming here faster, four people almost drowned. 

There was a healer among the crew. They started healing the drowned people immediately, but these victims would face the side effects for quite some years, if not their entire lives. 

The guards following behind entered the cargo bay, horror dawning on their faces as they looked at the extent of this criminal operation. They had always thought the base quite safe, with crime only happening in the slum areas. However, among the trafficked victims were so many children from all financial situations, with more than half being children of hunters. Most importantly, most of these children come from affluent families, with both their parents being hunters. 

The leading officer's face changed as his eyes fell on one of the children. One could clearly see there's a personal connection there. 

He gestured to his subordinate. 

Due to his super senses, Zayne clearly heard what the officer said. 

" Arrest every last one of those orphanage staff. We are going to route these SOBs root, stem, and leaves. Do not care what sort of personal connections they claim. Even if it is Dinkin Wale himself, you will grab him by the hair and drag him to the station for me. Put all the responsibility on my name. " The officer commanded. 

Bloodhound, who is usually like a mad dog who would have been contrary just for the sake of being contrary, kept silent this time. 

The man who spoke was Song Chae Ron, the main commander and the invisible strongest man of their base. Usually he is low profile, never going against the base owner. It is rumored in the inner circles that if he really decides on something, then even the base owner would not be able to do anything. Moreover, he is but a little hunting dog who came here with a vendetta against Morde Zelle. His vendetta is over. He caught enough criminals to fill his track record before Commander Song arrived. 

Investigating the kidnapping is far beyond he,Bloodhound's capabilities, which are more attuned to someone with organizational crime investigation. 

So, he followed behind Commander Song honestly for the rest of the exploration, despite having more men on site. 

" You can go home, for today, Mr. Rhafyre. If possible, submit a written statement from the time you were kidnapped, in a series of events. " Bloodhound told him. 

" What about Claire ? " Zayne asked immediately. 

" I called the station a while ago to release her. She would be returning after giving her own statement. " he told Zayne. 

" Thank you, officer. " Zayne thanked him, before hopping on the buses that the base arranged to the village. 

When he arrived home, Claire was waiting for him. 

" Are you alright ? Do you need healing ? " She asked as soon as she saw him, her hand lighting up with a white light of healing. 

" I am alright. " Zayne answered her, his heart settling upon seeing her. 

It felt bittersweet to see her. On one hand, he thought Claire's decision to run was absolutely correct. On the other hand, it stung him that she is that clear headed in a situation where he could have died. Just how insignificant does he have to be ? 

Zayne had grown up overnight when his brother died. He knows just love is not enough to sustain a relationship forever. He and Claire had too much to gain from staying together. So, even if Claire does not want to date him, is she leaving him hanging because she wants a boyfriend on the paper ? 

That is the situation now. Everyone in the school thinks they are a couple. Even the guards who came to rescue thought his girlfriend was the one to report to the police station. 

However, they are not boyfriend and girlfriend, but a suitor and the maiden. 

" Claire ! … " he wanted to ask what their relationship was, but knowing the answer, if it is no, what could he do ? 

Can he get away from her at this point ? 

Nope. he liked her too much. He just has to convince her he is the right guy. 

" The children are by themselves for too long. Shall we drop by ? " Claire asked him. 

Zayne nodded in answer. 

' Boooooooooom… ' 

A grand explosion went off the moment they landed on the cliff of the island mountain. 

Claire just threw Zayne on the cliff, rushed down the cliff at maximum speed. 

Robin and Brie were standing on a higher ground, while a hurt twins and Dolce with multiple cuts were floating towards them. 

Claire landed behind Brie, whose expression changed into contrition. 

Robin still hadn't noticed her. 

As soon as the children came to them, Brie placed her hand on them, the wounds on their bodies closing slowly. They are still unconscious. 

" Brie Rhafyre, Robin Bassett ! You better have a very good explanation for what happened. " Claire pronounced each word slowly, and steadily, cold anger radiating from each of her words. 

Sprinting to the location , Zayne reached the area. 

There was a crater in the beach, around the diameter of fifty meters. The children must have expelled all their mana at once to create such a large crater. Once the mana is depleted completely, a person dies or has long lasting injuries. Claire activated mirror eyes to check on the children, who, fortunately had some mana left, barely enough to sustain their lives. 

Robin rushed behind Zayne with his floating wheelchair. 

Zayne pulled him out with his own hands, but he stuck behind Zayne using all of his strength. 

" To the house. " Claire said in the same ice cold tone. 

Brie followed with her head hung, while Robin doggedly stayed behind Zayne with all of his strength.