The sun had set on Era. A calm came over the town like it did every night. It was still the safest place in the country. The most threatening thing was the cold bite of the nighttime air. Snow stuck to the ground melted on the walkways from boots traipsing up and down the paths all day.

Above the city was the base of the knights. A watchful eye over the city, nestled on a mountain path. The moon's light guided any up the winding path to the front doors still unlocked and patrolled, waiting for any eventuality.

The headquarters was still abuzz with the news of the Ball in Crocus, hosted by the king. A group of high ranking knights and an escort left for Crocus earlier that day. Captain Baldanti led the knights to crocus as the Captain-commander had suddenly fallen ill.

In that calm and secure night rustled malicious intent. A dark day for the knights hidden within their own walls. The dark forces moved to spread venom into the ranks.

-Kaz-

Kaz was still in the headquarters. A late-night as he wrote up documents from missions he had yet to report on and new duties that came along with a new title. His late-night brought a grimace to his face as he poured over inconsistencies in the paperwork. "It can't be,"he said as he read the orders that released known prisoners from the cells, dated for earlier today. He stood up from his desk, ready to investigate a letter slid beneath his door.

He opened the letter and his eyes narrowed upon reading it. grabbing his jacket he stormed out of the office and headed to the cells.

He went deeper and deeper into the prison. No other knights seen or heard. An eerie feeling lingered in the air. He arrived at the cells to see a hooded knight. No others around. not even in the cells.

Kaz stepped one foot back ready to battle when the man spoke.

"It's too late we got all the information we need. It's over," the man muttered. Kaz noticed immediately that his badge wasn't red.

Kaz began to gather the wind around himself, "What information,"he asked as boots clattered behind him.

"Kazimir Seiryu you are under arrest for treason," four knights appeared behind Kaz and stated.

The wind mage's face turned cold as he realized what was happening, "A strange place to arrest someone. A dark corner of the prison without others around...That was a mistake." He gathered the wind around himself as his eyes glowed white with wrath. The knights looked around at the wind filling the hallway and charged.
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As soon as the battle comes to a close, Kaz will wait at the cell, unaware of any others that will show up.

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Once everyone arrives the Red badged knight will reveal himself.

Joining the Mission:

It was always interesting in some manner to what would happen and to figure out which way to get a knight. Most of them would be rather simple to deal with, With whom was next to arrive to this plan they would most likely have fair more trouble then the other people.

Judina stewing in her own inner workings that she had to deal with. Regis trying what he did. Priscilla getting away Judina was a rather serious ticking time bomb and it was something most likely already taken into account when it would be time to deal with the blue haired knight.

Walking into the area where she would normally pick up her mail and where the other knights generally got mail from at least she assumed anyway.

Looking into her mailbox Judina pulled out an stranger letter between the varying things in there ,most likely it was work that needed more to be done, It was kind of starting to bug her greatly. Judina was a lady with a short tempered already and maybe they needed to figure out how to get this to work. Opening up the letter she would read it. The letter was far too out of place and different for Judina to feel comfortable with, But because of her own bullheaded nature Judina would actually follow what the letter stated.

What such a detail, with out red badges. It seemed there were many of them. Would this person know what exactly they where doing? Did anyone know what to expect with dealing with her? It was an interesting question to ponder over to anyone who might have to deal with her.

So Judina would be on her way to this location the letter mentioned. Already in a kind of horrible mood to start with, The already stressed out Rune Knight Judina would just want to know what this was all about, Deal with it then go back to what she was doing."That horrible monster of a murderer, My dolt of a brother....What else could be going on right now..."That kind of unsettled anger in her voice, She was ready to blow up on some one.

Then while on her way two knight would finally speak to Judina."Miss Judina Charlotte Karlinus, You are under arrest by order of the Rune Knights."This did not baffle if anything confused Judina horribly more then she was going where she was.

Judina would finally reply."For what exactly?"mentioned some how withdrawing her anger for that very moment. Then what she would next would most like send her into full blown attack mode."Treason, Surrender quietly for the safety of everyone else."To Judina's face from calm and settled, To full out anger.

So she would speak."Treason? What exactly do you know of treason? Me of all people committing treason?"She started out by mentioning, They would have to pry the armor and metal away from her to get her to give up. Surely they warned them of this?

"I fought deamons and monsters for this land, To Protect others and bleed for them, Yet I am the person who has committed treason? Defeat me first."Judina would be doing what exactly she would most likely be guessed for doing. Going head long first into things.

Did they expect her not to fight? She did not even draw out her sword for this, It would be her bare hands and nothing else."Then I will give up and you can have me for your joke of treason!"She did not take long to tackle on badgeless Rune knight with her shoulder and flowing it into a punch to their jaw and gut. Then grabbing a part of their outfit and throwing them into a wall.

Then with the second person Judina would step back as they took action again her with some kind or weapon, Judina then would slam her head on their headbutting them as hard as she could then kneeing them in the gut, Judina then guide the knocked out knight to her left side to leave them there.

Judina would eventually arrive at the cell she would read in the letter and she would be mumbling to herself in anger and not paying attention to who else was around. She was still in fight mode and had yet to settle from it.

Noyiah Packed up her belongings and moved them into her satchel done her work for the night, pulling a couple of extra hours where she could to help save up for her new temporary home, she wanted to have at least have to make sure she was pulling her weight, after all it was her plan and she didn’t want  Kazimir to have to put up for the majority. Rubbing her eyes she leaned back in the chair, she had pulled a long day starting closer to 8am and stretching her day out as she got ready to leave for 9pm ~a thirteen hour day,  not bad~ she thought to her self-moving her hands from her eyelids to her temples. It certainly was long.

Her alone time ended abruptly as something slide in under the door, she sighed as she leaned forward and glanced down, expecting the next load of file she would have to have done tomorrow, but instead it happened to be a letter of sorts. It caught her by surprise, but she was intrigued, it wasn’t often she got letters.    Getting off of her chair she leaned down and picked it up.  She retook her seat as she leaned back and slit the letter open with her fingernail.

The letter revealed a meeting point, and a small warning, it was an odd letter, it was not at all what she expected, but if she was to understand this correctly, she would have an hour to get to the meeting point. “ red badges” she repeated to herself taping her chin, before she started to skim through some other files to see if she could dig up anything.   Unfortunately the digging through files left her with half an hour left and no extra clues at to who wore the red badges, it certainly was something that was kept under wraps.

Already ready to go she got up and picked up her bag and headed for the door, she caught the sound of people moving down the hall,  but it seemed a little late for most people.  Opening her door to take a look she seen two guards walking towards her. Slipping out of her door she took the opposite hallway as them to try and sneak past.  But as soon as she disappeared from their sights she heard them starting to take charge towards her.   She made it about halfway down the hall before the guards caught sight of her again, and they yelled “HALT!”  she unfortunately Noyiah did, after all she did work here.  Her hands rose up  showing her surrender,  she wasn’t dumb enough to try and run from her coworkers or attempt to fight them, she wasn’t even sure if she could trust the letter.

“ Noyiah Dashi,  there is a warrant for your arrest” they called out.  

Noyiah’s face turned from shocked to mad, this is exactly why she hated working late, nothing good ever seemed to come from it. Noyiah sleight of handed her letter, as the guards approached she would shift her weight onto her heels and turn slowly to face them  her hands up, but the envelop slipped from her grip between her finger and thumb to pinched between her middle and ring finger sticking out of the back side of her hand,  from there she raised her hands and took the time to scratch her head, dropping the letter onto the back of her coat collar,  from there it slipped down, getting caught where her belt tied off in the middle. “for what if I might ask?” she asked taking the time to scan them for the red badges, none of which were seen.

“ for treason” the guard replied as they had her turn around again patting her down, they took her dagger that sheathed into her boot, and not finding anything else they cuffed her and started to bring her towards the cells. , Noyiah thought about it as they walked her towards the cells, a different wing then she was used to.  She hadn’t done anything to merit this, and she was about resist and ask about the evidence for their arrest, when they entered the door to the cell room. Hey keen eyes instantly spotted this as room F, thought she wasn’t able to catch the cell numbers from here, but in surrounding cells were a few of the people she had associated with. Her eyes immediately looked to Shimura who she had met with only days before, something told her it was his fault and her eyes portrayed just that as she was walked past him and put into a cell nearby. A glare held at Shimura.

As Kaz waited, One by one more knights began to enter into the area. he recognized all of them from various places. Shimura angrily entered first, followed by Judina who seemed stuck in a trance. "Ah you all as well. As they spoke another familiar voice from long ago spoke.

"Xandra is that you. Its been a while," he greeted the three of them. He was about to say something more when a group of steps came down the hall. He pressed himself against a wall and peeked around a corner. It seemed Noyiah was arrested and brought here by some knights. if the brought her here they must know too much about what's going on.

"Well, it looks like we need to secure this place first. four rogue knights and four of us. Let's go," Kaz dashed through the air over the corrupt knights' heads to cut off their escape. "Sorry Can't let you go now," He cast blade of wind at one as his comrades would hopefully rush in to take out the rest.  It wasn't discreet at all but they would understand in time.

The knights fell unconscious and once the others took care of theirs they would put them in the cells. By the time Kaz turned around the cell was already open. "Hey Noyiah, I find you in a lot of trouble down here," he teased about the last time he had come through her and she had been under attack. But his eyes showed he was more than relieved to see she was unharmed.


Once all the knights had assembled a man appeared in the deeper parts of the cell, seemingly from out of a wall. He had his hands held up as he entered, "I apologize for the subterfuge,"He crossed the hall to stand in front of them. His hand slowly reaching for his badge. His fingers grazed the rune knight relic and it flashed with a dull red.

"I'm the one that called you all here. My name is Rahal and I am the last remaining member of the Rune Knight Internal Affairs division," he lowered his hands and put them in his jacket pockets. His uniform was just like theirs except there was no insignia to show his rank. His body was rail thin and his cheeks were sunken in.

"I contacted all of you because after looking at your records and the company you keep I determined you were the most capable group not a part of Captain Baldanti's corruption. For years he has been conspiring against the crown and working with criminals. He is planning something during the King's ball but we don't know what. We believe he released a bunch of prisoners from here and has moved them to crocus. He also,"

The man took a pause. His eyes shifting to the side. "Killed all the members of my division accept for myself and the leader. I believe my commander is currently being held captive by Baldanti. And poisoned the Captain-Commander to get him out of the way but he survived."

He shook his head, bringing himself back to the task at hand. "To get to the point. The captain commander has woken up but is in no condition to deal with the threat. I've been given permission to assign you all with the task of traveling to crocus. Finding out what Baldanti is up to and stopping it. gathering evidence that can be used against him and freeing the Internal Affairs commander."

"At worst, we fear he is planning something against the king. In which case he must be stopped. You will most likely need to intercept him at the ball. Once all is said and done, you may need to explain yourselves to the king but I trust you will have gathered enough evidence to prove Baldanti's guilt. meanwhile, I'll stay here and search for and documentation that can help prove his guilt as well."

He gave them all a nod and asked, "If you have any questions I'll answer them, but time is of the essence."

After the team asked whatever questions they had, the man would step towards Kazimir and hand him a new insignia. "From the commander. It'll make things easier."
"Baldanti is a captain so if anyone questions your reason for being there till them you are on a task with Captain Seiryuu."

He would then disappear down a corridor and reveal a back doorway out of the headquarters so they could avoid any other knights. A mana powered vehicle was waiting for them.

Kaz looked back at the group. A healthy mix of talents and abilities among the people he trusted. "Alright then. let's go clean up some corruption," He said with a smile as he sat in the driver seat of the vehicle. His hands grasping the steering wheel with vigor.

"So how does this thing work?"

exit

As he impatiently walked back in forth in irritation at this newfound situation, Shimura noticed that the other person in the cell was a Kazimir, which was definitely a shock to the magma mage. He wondered if Kazimir-sama’s past had finally caught up with him, and that Shimura had gotten mixed up into the situation due to affiliation and respect for the other male. Though, that did not make sense, Kazimir-sama was in a time of war and his actions should have been sanctioned thusly. “What mess have you gotten us...” he was cut off by the sound of someone else entering into the cell. Shimura did not recognize the girl who entered into the cell, this woman was a complete stranger to him. But, he would assume that this newcomer was another knight.

Shimura remembered what the letter told him, don’t trust anyone without a red badge, and from what he could see in the darkness no one here was wearing a red badge. For that reason, Shimura remained quiet and decided for their reasons to be unveiled before introductions began. After a couple of moments, another girl walked into the cell, she made a comment about 'what do we have here' Shimura raised an eyebrow and said nothing. Though, he started to wonder who had summoned them here and who else was to show up.

Someone else entered into the room, this time it sounded like a group of people. Shimura turned to see that Noyiah-chan was being escorted by some guards to the cell. The magma mage couldn’t help but smirk and chuckled quietly to himself, he finally made the decision to break his silence. “Now this has obviously been a mistake! Seeing, that Noyiah-chan, misses goodie goodie two shoes is here” he mused out loud, and shrugged off her glare with a smirk. Something told Shimura that Noyiah-chan blamed him for her arrest.

Shimura nodded when Kazimir mentioned that they should secure the area, while Kazimir-sama had dashed up in the air and over the corrupt knights, cutting off their escape. A smile formed across Shimura’s lips and he rubbed his hands eagerly for combat. As Kazimir used a blade of wind to cut down one of the knights, Shimura entire body would transform into molten lava, the ground hissing as he charged forward and rammed his fist into an corrupt knight’s stomach. The knight he punched went unconscious and when the fighting was over Shimura would return to normal and place the knight in the cell.

As a man appeared in the shadow, Shimura would gather with the rest of the group. He explained that they were contacted because their records proved them to be a capable group, and they were informed that Captain Baldanti’s corruption had gone too far. Shimura clenched as he was told that Baldanti was working with criminals to work against crown and that Baldanti was plotting something that would take place at the King’s ball. The man would explain that it is their job to basically foil Baldanti’s plan and to bring him to justice, or well at least that was what Shimura was planning to do. He would nod in agreement to the task. "No worries, we will bring him to justice"

It was nice to know that even though he was new, his record proved that he was dedicated to the Knight's cause. "Well, at least this can be the start of cleaning up the rune-knights, and creating a better organization to better the world." he would reference a conversation that he had with Kaz, and follow him to the vehicle that was waiting for them. "Well, it certainty beats walking." he would climb into the back seat, not really wanting to see how badly Kazimir-sama may drive. 

It just seemed the situation had changed, One Judina was now a bit more compelled to fix at this point. But it just seemed there was one thing that really needed to be fixed first. There was three left and a still very angry Judina, whoever this new person she was yet to was Judina felt maybe he could at least take out another a second knight rather then just one knight alone, But she would not judge, Yet anyway.

It was becoming a bit a bit annoying to Judina to just have all of this kind of cycle the way it did. Yet again the remaining three did not have anything she was looking for it meant as quickly as they seemed to be a problem they would not anymore.

Judina would just walk towards where Noyiah would be held, Where some one she assumed was new and she did not get the name of yet took out one of the four guards, She would then tackle one of then from behind, Pull them back and throw them right into another. She then with the last one standing punch the last standing guard or corrupted knight standing in the back, then with a few steps forward slammed them against the wall. She would then walk over casually to the two other she deal with first and time her time kicking them both in the face. Letting out a very angry sigh. Noyiah was out already and Judina did not seem to mind at all one less things to do in the end.

Judina would take her time listening to what was going. It seemed like the very thing she kind of did not expect to go on was something of reality, Some one needed to feel what justice was rather then claim it as their own way. But when learning what was going on and everyone was leaving at one Judina would do at least one thing."I will help but i will travel alone, I need a bit of space."with that she left.

[Exit]

Being ever perceptive, she was walked into her to the cell, Shimura called her out as if she had anything to do with this, her glare only Grew more Resolute, as she dismissed him entirely, not dignifying his words.  Though at this point she started to determine that his involvement was not likely, but if it wasn’t him who set this up, who? She questioned herself mentality attempting to recall and clue she might have looked through in her hours of papers and pen scratches.

She got into the cell and looked about Kazimir seemed to be in the room as they walked in, but she wasn’t going expect him to break her out if she was accused of Treason, she would battle this in the courts.  But his burst into action made her realize that this might have been a setup, something that went deep. She recalled the warning Kazimir had gave her the day she was accepted into the rune knights,  ~The people that trained me clashed with high ranking officers and I've arrested a decent amount of corrupt knights.~ The words echoed in her ears as she recalled the events of that day, maybe this was what he was trying to warn her of way back then.

Noyiah’s back pressed against the wall at the back of the cell as she held her hands behind her back, still cuffed she made sudden jerking motions from behind her, and as Kazimir charged in to fight of the Guards that took her in, a Loud thump of her cuffs falling off would emanate from the cell.  She would stretch her fingers out and then look to Judina and Xandra, it appeared that they were involved in some way. She rubbed her wrists for a moment recalling the last time she had to pick anything open, it had been at least a couple of months since a job called for it.  

After the guards were dispatched if the cell door was locked, Noyiah would slide the lockpicks from her sleeve out and open the door for the others, leaning down to take her dagger that was confiscated. Replying to Kazimir’s offhand comment about her being in trouble all the time down here, she shrugged, “ I admit this is not my favorite place” The click of the cell door rang out and she shoved it open ready to leave before the Knight with the red badge showed up.

It was clear by the time the Red badged Knight came forth that tonight was going to be a long night. She listened to his words, nodding occasionally, it was certainly going to put a damper on her night but she agreed with another sharp nod, she didn’t have any questions their task was straight forwards and required the skills that she knew she had, hoping to prove to be a key part of this plan to show her worth to Xandra, the knight that allowed her to back down from training only a couple of nights ago.  

As they approached the vehicle Noyiah piped up, “ when I said id see you around I was kind of hoping for different circumstances ” she mentioned to Xandra,  looking back to Kazimir, she smiled at him getting into the Vehicles she slide in by Kazimir, taking the drivers seat with a hip check that would shove him over. “  I have read about these, it consumes mana, and you will all need your mana, ill take work with what little I might have until someone else has to take over,  but thanks for coming to my Rescue” she said to Kazimir  rolling her shoulder letting the joint crack as she did so.

Once everyone was seated she would try her best to work the vehicle, something she would get a hang of rather quickly  Calling out the Judina “ we will see you there, best of luck.”. After they would get a start she would casually admit “ im sorry Shimura, I at first suspected that you were the reason behind this, and well . . I was wrong. “

[EXIT]