It only took me a few moments to find and gather everyone and bring them back to the guys room.
Where Fels was waiting patiently.
As I closed the door I went to stand by Athenas' side.
Right after I did so Fels reached into his cloak and took out a bell. He then shook it, and a strange sensation passed over me.
"What did you just do?" Athena asked.
"I covered the room in a silencing barrier so our conversation cannot be overheard. On purpose or by accident." Fels explained.
"Oh, so interesting." Echidna said. Her gaze focused on the item in Fels' grasp.
"Echidna." I said.
"Right, sorry. I'll ask about it later." She said.
I gave her a curt nod in response.
"So then Fels, what does Ouranos wish my children to do for him?" Athena asked.
"As I told your captain before, a rescue mission." Fels said. "One that must be completed tonight."
"Are you crazy?" Athena asked. "Asking us to perform a rescue mission so last minute. You're not giving us any time to prepare."
"I realize that, and once more I apologize. You will be compensated for your troubles. Ouranos has given his word on the matter." Fels explained.
"He better have." Athena said. "So then, please tell us the details?" She asked.
Fels gave a nod in response.
"At 2AM a slaver boat will be docking at an abandoned dock on Melen's southeastern coast. Once they do they will make an exchange with a group of individuals I have been tracking for some time now who kidnapped the individual your familia will be rescuing." Fels explained.
"Who are these individuals you have been tracking?" Diluc asked.
"They are members of the Ikelos familia." Fels revealed.
The moment he said that all of us got disgusted looks on our faces.
Since the Ikelos familia is well-known to be involved in criminal activities even now, but finding proof to take them down permanently has been difficult.
Those bastards are careful.
Not to mention they are actually quite strong. A good number of their members are level three and they have about a dozen level four's. Then there is their captain. Dix Perdix. He's level five, and although he's a piece of shit wearing human skin his skills are the real deal.
So now I can see why Fels is asking for our assistance. Especially with the Ikelos familia involved.
This also means the individual he is asking us to rescue is most likely a Xenos.
Which should be fine.
I don't think any of the others would take issue with the Xenos. I know I don't. Still, I'll be on guard just in case.
"I see." Athena spoke. "Very well then. Everyone, let's begin making preparations."
"Yes, Athena." We all said in unison.
We then started prepping for the rescue operation.
It's 8PM right now, which means we have six hours until the rescue.
Again not a lot of mine, but we can definitely make it work.
Those criminal scum won't know what hit them.
----------------------------------
(3rd Person: POV)
Under the cover of darkness, a medium-sized boat entered an abandoned dock.
As it did so a group of seven individuals were waiting on shore in front of it. Standing around a cage covered with a tarp.
These individuals belonged to the Ikelos familia.
"Looks like our contact has arrived." The leader of the Ikelos familia members spoke. "Let's make the deal and get paid. Then celebrate." He told his men.
All of whom grinned and shouted in agreement.
They paid no mind to their surroundings, since it was the dead of night and they were in an abandoned area that people rarely ventured into. That's why they decided to be somewhat loud.
However they all quieted down instantly, when the boat that had just docked was attacked with magic from both its left and right side.
Seeing this put the Ikelos familia members on guard immediately.
"Shit, we've been found out!" One of the members cried.
"Yeah, but by who?" One questioned.
"Doesn't matter. We can worry about finding the traitor later. Retreat." The leader ordered.
As he did so his men followed his commands.
They started retreating, taking the cage covered with the tarp along with them.
The group moved to an alley in between some abandoned warehouses on the dock. But seconds after they did a giant stone wall appeared in their path, blocking their advance.
"Shit!" The leader shouted. "Destroy that stone wall!" He ordered his men.
One of them with a large Warhammer stepped up to do so.
But before he could even take a swing a shadow appeared over him, causing the man to look up.
When he did so he saw Ryuu descending towards him from the sky.
Alf's Lumina held tightly in her grasp she reached the Warhammer wielding man and delivered a chop to the top of his head, killing him instantly.
Landing on the ground, Ryuu then pointed her weapon at the remaining Ikelos familia members. A cold look in her eyes.
"Give up and you will live." She spoke.
"Shut it bitch!" The leader screamed at Ryuu.
He then took a moment to look at her body, and licked his lips in a perverted manner. "Actually now that I get a better look at you I can see you're just my type. So how about I teach you some manner and then we can have some real fu-"
The leader of the Ikelos familia members stopped speaking. He then fell to his knees with a cold sweat racing down his entire body.
The reason.
Immense killing intent was being directed at him.
Courtesy of Morax.
"Shit boss!"
"Get up!"
"Fuck this. I'm out of here!" One of the Ikelos familia members screamed.
But before he could make his escape Rogue stepped out from the shadows directly behind him, and then placed him in a sleeper hold, pulling him back into the shadows.
All without his comrades being any wiser.
Speaking of the rest of the Ikelos familia members, most of them raised their weapons in Ryuu's direction.
"Screw this!" One of them shouted. "There's only one elf bitch in front of us. So let's take her ass out and then we can escape!"
"Yeah!" The rest of the Ikelos familia members shouted.
Those poor dumb bastards.
Just as they moved to attack Diluc, Leonmitchelli, and Gaul entered the fray. Jumping down from the rooftops of the warehouses to assist Ryuu.
In no time at all the four of them made short work of the Ikelos familia members.
Their leader not moving the entire time. Since the immense killing intent Morax is directing at him kept him in place.
He felt that if he made a single move he would die in an instant.
Which isn't entirely untrue.
When the leader of the Ikelos familia members was the only one remaining, Morax made his appearance.
Jumping down from one of the warehouse rooftops, he slowly but surely walked up to the leader. A completely serene smile on his face.
But what the leader saw was a demon in human skin.
Reaching the leader Morax leaned down and looked him directly in the eyes, placing his left hand gently on his shoulder.
"Hey. So, I didn't quite catch what you said earlier?" Morax spoke.
"What?" The leader asked.
"I said. I'm not sure if I heard you correctly earlier. That you were going to "teach the masked elf some manners" and then "have some fun" or something along those lines right?" Morax spoke.
"Um, um.." The leader stuttered.
Since he felt that if he answered in a way Morax didn't like he would experience a fate far worse than death.
"Well, I'm waiting. Answer me." Morax spoke.
But he didn't sound mad or angry at all. Which only made the last remaining member of the Ikelos familia fear for his life even more than he already was.
"I...I mean. Yes." The Ikelos familia member answered.
"Good, that's what I thought you said." Morax spoke.
He then squeezed the shoulder of the Ikelos familia member tighter and tighter until....
*Pop!*
It made a popping sound, signifying Morax just broke his shoulder.
"Agh!!" The Ikelos familia member screamed in pain.
But Morax cared not.
He then held onto him and leaned into his ear. Then he whispered. "If you ever look at my precious Ryuu or any woman like the way you did earlier ever again, next time I won't just break your shoulder. I'll cut off that thing between your legs. Are we clear?"
"Yes!" The Ikelos familia member shouted.
"Good." Morax said.
He then leaned back and punched the Ikelos familia member in the face, knocking him out.
Once he did this Morax put a normal smile on his face and moved over to the tarp covered cage, like what he just did was done by an entirely different person.
None of his familia members commented on it though.
Since they all knew what Morax was like.
He could go from relaxed and happy, to a cold and calculating killer in an instant.
But none of them were scared of him.
Reaching the cage Morax didn't hesistate.
He grabbed the tarp and pulled it off.
Confirming his suspicions.
Inside the cage was a female, but she has monster features. Those of a harpy.
The Athena familia had just rescued a Xenos.