Project Mage

Kintovar, Roselle, and Runebelle stood at a safe distance from the medium-sized jail. Guards were stationed at the gate with attention divided among their duties. Kintovar huddled the trio together to discuss their plan.

“We can’t use our cannons right now,” Roselle whispered with worry. “And honestly, I’m not too keen on the idea of using them anyway. But without Risebelle’s leadership, sneaking around is going to be really tough.”

Kintovar spoke up. “Our situation is tricky, but I’ve got some inventions to help us. They’re not perfect, but they should give us an edge.”

She handed a small, sleek device to Roselle. “This is a cloaking field emitter. It creates a temporary invisibility field around us, but it has a limited duration. We’ll need to move quickly while it’s active.”

Roselle took the device, examining it with awe. “Wow, this is amazing! How long does it last?”

Kintovar checked the device’s settings. “About ten minutes. That should give us enough time to get close and find an entry point. After that, we’ll have to rely on stealth and quick thinking.”

Roselle nodded. She was ready to step up and do what was necessary to free Haras and Mystimona. She turned to Runebelle with resolve. "Runebelle, let's stick together and do this. We've got Dr.Kintovar's back, and she's got ours. We can do it."

Runebelle gave a rare nod. "We'll be alright, Roselle. Just like when we faced those mages in the past."

With their plan in place, they moved into action. Kintovar created her first distraction, a bright flash of light in a distant corner of the jailyard. Guards turned their attention towards the sudden burst of illumination, and Kintovar used the opportunity to dash away, her mission to divert the guards successfully underway. Meanwhile, Roselle and Runebelle slipped into the jail.

Roselle and Runebelle found themselves in a labyrinthine network of corridors. The place was quiet, with only the distant echo of guards' footsteps and the occasional sound of keys jingling. The walls of the narrow passages were made of cold, gray stone, and had overhead lights. Thick metal doors lined the walls, each leading to cells of various sizes.

Roselle glanced around, her eyes scanning the area. "This place is like a maze, Runebelle. We'll need to be careful and navigate it quietly."

Runebelle nodded with a serious look. "Let's stick together and try to find Haras."

Roselle and Runebelle crept cautiously through the maze of corridors using their cloaking field emitter to render them nearly invisible. The cloaking device worked flawlessly, allowing them to slip past the initial group of guards stationed at various checkpoints. The guards, their attention focused on other tasks, remained oblivious to the intruders.

Roselle and Runebelle approached a narrow corridor. Roselle recalled earlier that sound dampeners were placed on their feet by Dr.Kintovar, but it was disrupted when Roselle accidentally bumped into a metal cart, sending a clattering sound echoing through the corridor.

One of the nearby guards immediately turned toward the noise. Roselle’s heart raced. She quickly pulled Runebelle to the side, pressing her back against the cold stone wall.

The guard squinted with his gaze sweeping over the empty space where the noise had originated. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Roselle and Runebelle held their breath, barely daring to move. The guard continued to look around, puzzled. After a tense moment, he shook his head and muttered, “Must be my imagination,” before turning back to his patrol.

Roselle let out a silent sigh of relief. “That was close. We need to be more careful. Let’s keep moving.”

Roselle took a step forward, but her boots made an audible clack against the stone floor. She froze, her eyes wide with alarm. “Uh oh. We’re stuck.”

Runebelle, her gaze sharp and focused, glanced at Roselle with concern. “What happened?”

Roselle bit her lip. “The sound dampener Dr. Kintovar put on my shoes must have stopped working. It was supposed to muffle the noise, but it’s gone kaput.”

Runebelle looked at the boots with a frown. “It must have been damaged when you bumped into the cart. The impact probably caused it to malfunction.”

Roselle’s shoulders slumped in frustration. “What do we do now? I don’t know how to fix this. What would Risebelle do in this situation?”

Runebelle considered this for a moment before responding. “Risebelle would likely find a way to improvise with whatever she had on hand.”

Roselle, her face lighting up with a sudden idea, swiftly knelt down and removed her boots. She inspected them for a moment before setting them aside, revealing her long socks. With a confident smile, she stood up and wiggled her toes. “Hey, this might actually work. The socks don’t make much noise, so it’s a bit of a workaround.”

Runebelle tilted her head, following Roselle’s actions with curiosity. “You’re right. Socks are much quieter.”

Roselle grinned. “Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best. Let’s keep moving before the guards come back.”

The two sisters continued down the corridor. They approached a junction where two guards were engaged in conversation. Roselle activated the cloaking field emitter, and they attempted to sneak past, but suddenly, the cloaking device began to beep and flash erratically. Roselle’s eyes widened in panic. “Uh oh, I think the timer is running out!”

The two guards noticed the flashing light. For a fleeting moment, the cloaking effect faltered, and they caught a glimpse of something moving.

Roselle quickly shoved Runebelle toward a nearby potted plant and pressed herself against the wall. “Hide behind the plant! It’s the only cover we’ve got!”

The two sisters squeezed behind the plant. They barely fit with the potted plant offering only minimal concealment.

The guards approached the junction. One of them said, “I could have sworn I saw something… right here.”

His companion scratched his head and then shrugged. “Maybe it was just a cockroach or something. I doubt it was anything serious.”

The guard that spoke first nodded, but still gave a glance over the area. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. Let’s get back to our patrol.”

Roselle and Runebelle let out a collective sigh of relief. Roselle whispered, “That was way too close…”

She glanced at her device, furrowing her brow. “Kintovar said this device would work for ten minutes, but according to my timer, it’s only been five.”

Runebelle tilted her head in thought. “Maybe the timing was off or the device malfunctioned. It’s hard to say.”

Roselle sighed deeply. “With no more tools left, we have to try and not get caught using some stealth.”

Runebelle nodded. “Stick to the shadows.”

Around a corner, they heard the distinct footsteps of a guard approaching. There was no way to hide, and the corridor was too narrow for them to slip past without being seen.

Roselle and Runebelle cautiously moved through the prison's passages. They soon found themselves in a tight spot. They turned a corner and came face to face with a guard who was just rounding the same corner.

Their eyes met for a split second, but Roselle, thinking quickly, lunged forward. In one fluid motion, she placed her hand over the guard's mouth and used her other arm to pin his arms to his sides.

The guard's eyes widened in shock, but Roselle's grip was firm. She applied just enough pressure to keep him from making a sound while her sister, Runebelle, used a piece of cloth she had in her tools to bind his hands and gag him.

With the guard subdued, Roselle and Runebelle carefully laid him on the ground. They exchanged a silent nod of relief.

After some time, the duo found themselves in an area with barely any lights. It had low-hanging pipes and stacks of crates. They could hear the faint voices of guards in the distance, which put them on high alert.

When rounding the corner, a guard appeared from an adjacent hallway. The guard was massive, and his keen eyes caught a glimpse of the two intruders. Before he could raise the alarm, Roselle sprang into action again.

Her small size and agility worked to her advantage. By utilizing her yellow lightning to boost her speed, she darted forward and leaped onto a stack of crates, then onto the guard's back. Startled, the guard tried to grab her, but she slipped through his fingers. In a flash, Roselle wrapped her arms around his neck, using her small but powerful frame to immobilize him.

Runebelle watched in awe. The guard struggled to break free, but Roselle's grip remained firm. He finally lost consciousness, collapsing to the floor.

Roselle carefully lowered the guard to the ground, making sure he wouldn't make any noise upon impact. She and Runebelle exchanged a triumphant look before continuing on their mission.

Roselle approached the area where the prisoners were being held. She was careful not to make a sound. She had successfully avoided guards and reached her destination, but her relief was short-lived. Just when she was about to move forward, she stumbled upon a translucent blue magical barrier that stretched across the corridor.

The moment she made contact with the barrier, a high-pitched alarm echoed through the prison. Lights flashed, and the commotion alerted the guards to their presence.

Panicking, Roselle quickly stepped back from the barrier, realizing her mistake. The loud alarm blared. Runebelle's sad face mirrored the growing tension in the air. The two sisters huddled together momentarily, but then, to their surprise, they heard the shouted command, "After her," coming from another direction. Confusion set in, but they believed that the guards weren't pursuing them, and the alarm was meant for someone else.

Staring at the magical barrier that blocked their path, Roselle and Runebelle looked at each other. “Now is the perfect time to let Kintovar know!”

Roselle quickly reached for her communicator and contacted Kintovar. "Kintovar, I've found where the prisoners are being held. But there's a strong magical barrier blocking the way. What should I do?"

Kintovar crackled through the device, "Roselle, this is actually perfect timing. Now we need to use force. I managed to get past the guards, and from what I've scanned, that barrier is beyond what we can handle quietly. Be prepared, though. Using your cannon will likely alert other guards, but I have as many of them as possible chasing me to create a diversion. Go ahead, Roselle."

Roselle summoned her cannon confidently and launched off a shot. A blinding flash of explosive energy surged forth, striking the magical barrier with tremendous force. However, once the smoke cleared up from the attack, the barrier remained unscathed.

Inside the barrier, the guards were jolted by the explosion and instantly became alert. They grasped their weapons, realizing that something unusual was happening.

Roselle frowned in frustration. The guards, spotting the intruders with no apparent magical presence, raised their firearms imbued with magical energy.

"Halt! Who are you? You have no sensible magic signatures. What are you doing here?"

"We can't sense them! Could they be robots?!”

"They definitely aren't mages. Were ordered to shoot those types down on sight. Everybody fire!!"

The guards raised their weapons and began firing. Each shot released a frosty mist, and the areas where their shots missed started to freeze.

Roselle attempted to fire back with her massive cannon, the result was only a violent shaking of the area, with no visible impact on the barrier.

‘The Guards are able to fire right through the barrier, but my shots only hit against it… How am I gonna get through that?’ Roselle thought, but with no immediate answers, she decided to focus on moving to a safe area away from the shots.

Meanwhile, Kintovar was racing through the facility with the cacophony of alarms behind her. She suddenly collided with a man who had short, green hair and was dressed in the distinctive black uniform of the CPU.

In a low but commanding tone, he spoke, "I am Lieutenant of the CPU Daimendo. You've caused quite a commotion since your arrival to the city… We've been on your trail for a while. You can't escape the grasp of the CPU…. Dr.Kintovar"

Kintovar curiously looked up at the man while placing two fingers up to her sunglasses and lowering them slightly. "Do you know 'exactly' who I am?”