Chapter 6: Xavier

Map rooms were specially designed areas, with an incredible amount of infrastructure, that allowed for one to have a "living map". Using advance hyperpresence's with high precision resonance from a vast network of magical ritual obelisks, grants the ability to view events in the city in real time.

That's what the plaque on the wall behind me said, as to what it means no idea. It also only worked for non-living things, I could, however with my endless mana heart, use it as a lens to look across the entire city at once for whatever I was tracking. It didn't remove any of the restriction of the tracking spell, it just allowed me to look at the whole city at once. It was approaching dawn when I finally located the princess.

"Your majesty, I have her location. The aide is preparing the royal guard and arranging for the other units to encircle the entire area. The rescue mission itself will happen latter today."

"Why isn't happening now?" In a low anger that I could hear clearly.

"We don't know exactly what they want. They also aren't aware we know where they are located, rash action on our part, will trigger rash action on theirs, your highness."

"So, I'm supposed to do nothing while my daughter is suffering who knows what." His voice had climbed as he continued his sentence.

"You are not doing nothing, you're trusting the people you hired to do their jobs, plus I'm going to brief you on the exact plan before we execute, that way we can make sure it's the best we can do, okay?" The king visibly composed himself as he forced him self to calm down.

The king knew everything about me in general. At least the official stuff, it's not like I had deliberately hidden my gender I just never took my armor off around others. Most people took one look at my short, stacked figure and never take me seriously again. That is at least until I beat them enough.

"The support units will establish a cordon around the area, the royal guard will conduct the grid search and restrict the area as we ensnare them. A few select specialist and I will be inserting ourselves into the kidnapers themselves."

"Violently?" He interjected.

"Yes, your highness very violently. We will also be recovering the princess. Once we have her recovered, we will extract her and return here to the castle along a predetermined path. The rest of the royal family, including you and the three princes will stay here, we can't rule out this being an attempt to get to his majesties,"

There obviously were more words that wanted to be said from the king. but I came up with an excuse and quickly finished arrangements. That said, magic was an exertion no matter what form or amount was used. Wizards and magicians were often measured by how many consecutive casts they could perform. Akin to muscular exertion, magic executed a fatigue on the body, so rather than busy myself, I found a quiet place and slept.

"Were ready Sir Xavier." I was slowly woken by the aide speaking in a soft voice. He didn't know everything but did know I used a lot of effort to locate the princess. I stood and worked the kinks out with some broad movements. Reattaching all my armaments I looked at the aide and simply stated.

"Let's go."

We took horses through the city. If one thought about it, my armor, weapons plus me came in at the size of a large adult male, so I needed a war horse. Supposedly my horse had pegasus or unicorn or divinity in its blood line. Trixie was just stubborn cutie pie that didn't want to admit she was adorable. She was black with cute white points, and a spotted nose, a literal giant wall of muscles, like me.

"Sir, the insertion team is ready." We had arrived and dismounted. I took a moment to greet and familiarize myself with the team, and they like wise. We did a short brief based on the updated information and went straight into the rescue operation. Despite the dereliction in this section of city, the local gang that controlled this territory did put some effort into things. This was an actual compound, the buildings surrounded it were in various states of disrepair. A wall was made from stacked rubble and half-done construction. The space itself was elliptical a roadway on either side, a main building in the center and a few shacks on the side. It was expected that the princess was being held in the outbuilding in the back. It had two gates, one in front that was broken, and a hole in the back wall where wood had been stacked up. They may have caught wind, but it didn't really matter. The guard would sneak in and search for the princess and fight from the back, I and the captain of royal guard would break down the doors in the front in a flashy manor. If they ran, there was a wall of steel and point ends waiting for them.

"This is your first and last warning, In the name of the king, the royal guard demands you surrender the princess and do not resist." The man had a good deep voice for this kind of thing. I'm sure our second team could hear its proclamation. There was no response. Time to get flashy.

A large steel canister was brought forth, and two men I thin plate carried it forward. Pull the blade from my hip and drawing one of the pistols from my holster I stood back and prepared to intercept. Rather than the explosion one might expect, a disgusting slime ooze, and attached itself to the gate. Dissolving along the outer boarders, it than slimed its way backwards, taking the whole gate with it. We moved in from the other side.

It was a full sprint to get to the front door, eyes peeled, no one seemed to be taking shots or arrows at us, so moved in and stood by the door. Captain took up the other side and slapped some sort of runic scroll on the door. Broad sword ready he counted to 5. This time the door exploded, very violently at the kings request. I breached first, unlike a traditional living room this one had impromptu barricades that were waist high. Two men were standing behind like that would have been enough to protect them from me.

Pistols were a very uncommon, since magic could do everything, they could but better. For people with low mana talent outside the body, they made ideal ranged weapons. I didn't hesitate to put a round into a man's chest. Single shot but incredibly reliable with significant penetration and stopping power, a gun after my own heart. The first man stings cut fell, the second seemed stunned and appeared uncertain if his sword would be enough, so I gave him mine. Pointy end first, the sword hilt blossomed from his chest. Behind me, two members came down the stairs into the waiting blade of the Royal guard captain.

"Surrender thyself!" He cried as he attacked the two men. It seemed odd to me to tell them to surrender as he assaulted them. As a broad man with a broad sword, he resembled a butcher more than a knight. Difficult to argue with when he was cleaving the two individuals to bits, their own weapons' clattering uselessly to the ground.

Someone in light gear had come into the rear door, holding a staff. Slapping another round in I didn't hesitate to fire. Sparks flew from his shoulder where the round connected defensive magics activating. He still staggered back and bore pain on his face, I simply waited. Without taking cover like he should, he charged a spell. When he formed the circuit to discharge said spell, I simply removed my other pistol from its holster and calmly shot him in the head.

Distracted by his spell casting, his defenses were far weaker. His head rocked backwards as blood sprayed from the newly generated hole. When it appeared no one else was going to come, I leaned over the barricade, unsheathed my sword from the chest plate of the dead guy, and left things upstairs to the captain. I moved to the back joining the team that had a few men beating and subdued. As I did a man fell from the second story, his eyes lifeless.

"The captain has it well in hand did you recover the princess?" I asked the leader of the rear insertion team, his armor had some blood on it, and I couldn't read his expression through his helmet.

"I think its best if you see for yourself sir." I followed him back into the shed, there in a bundle was the princess nightwear.

'Get every one of them out here right now, I have questions."

The extraction team heard my voice and moved with great haste. It didn't take long for every member of the compound to be huddled, surround by steel in the rear grassy courtyard.

"Let me explain to you what about to happen, with the princess belongings found in your possession, you're at best going to be incarcerated for life. Worst, you're going to be tortured and die slowly. Rather than waste taxpayer money on this. I'm going to give you all a special deal."

I took my ax from my back, a large, long handled monstrosity that was just shorter than myself.

"A question going to be asked, if we don't get the answer we want, one of you is losing something. A special bonus whoever gives the most helpful and useful information gets to walk pardoned, if your still alive at that point."

"First question, where is the princess right now?" It didn't take long for screams and cries of pain to resonate with the entire district.