Having to open the door at normal speed was nerve-wracking. If a guard was guarding it they would have enough time to grab their rifle and aim before they could even see each other. Luckily it looked like all the guards had really gone to the southern part of the warehouse.

They were in a small hallway with two doors, both leading to the left. The group closed the door they came through behind them and prepared to open the next one. They started with the one closest to them.

When they opened the door, ready to fight, they were surprised by what they saw.

There were a number of typewriters sat on a table, with about a dozen chairs, one for each.

When Villin looked at some of the documents laying next to the typewriters they seemed pretty normal. They showed proof of delivery, shipment information, and things of the like. It seemed that this warehouse mainly stored iron and copper, with some other metals thrown in there.

But this barely even caught the groups’ attention. The most notable object in the room was at the very end. There was a full metal, mechanical device that took up the entire wall.

When they got closer they saw hundreds upon hundreds of electrical wires in between full-metal plates. In the very middle, a box was popping out. It seemed to be a computer screen, just underneath it was a keyboard as well.

Villin didn’t know what it was but the whole thing screamed groundbreaking technology. Kayley and Rein didn’t know where to look since they had never seen a computer but Villin did. He walked up to the computer screen and looked at it. The screen was very dark but Villin was still able to read what was on it. It looked like some sort of chat room.

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HQ: Singular magus detected at point-of-interest fifty-seven. Eastern control squad 12, take care of the situation immediately.

ES 12: Moving in immediately. Target will be detained and sent to the temporary facility at coordinates xxx-xx-xxx

HQ: Acknowledged

ES 12: Four targets detained. One target checks out as a magus, low threat. Three other targets seem to be newly-awakened, non-existing threat. The magus will be sent to the research facility at xxx-xx-xxx. Requesting permission to harvest the three newly-awakened.

HQ: Permission denied. Sent them to us, we will use them in our talks with the council.

ES 12: Understood.

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“Holy shit!”

Villin’s unexpected exclamations attracted the attention of Rein and Kayley, who then also looked at the screen and squinted trying to read the words.

Both Rein and Kayley then looked at Villin, they weren’t sure what was so weird. But this was only because they didn’t really know anything about the mortal words.

“The fact these people seem to somehow have access to long-distance communication is horrible news. When we escape they will immediately send more people after us. At the very least there will be twelve times as many soldiers as we dealt with now. Furthermore, this is only in the east, who knows how many more people they’d have in the other regions and in headquarters.”

Villin was breathing slightly heavier now as he felt the pressure increase. “We have to destroy this machine before leaving, even if it will expose our location. If we can we should also destroy the tires of all their transportation. As long as they get to a different base it will probably still have this kind of machine, we need to delay them as much as possible.

Villin felt himself calming down again as he thought about ways to improve their chances, then, he looked straight at Kayley.

“Kayley, you have the perfect spell to get rid of their vehicles, go back out, and make sure they no longer have anything they can drive. If it’s safe and you finished it would be best if you can open the hood and destroy the engine as well, but only if it’s safe and quiet. Meanwhile, Rein and me will check the final room, we will destroy this machine in two minutes if possible so make sure you’re quick.”

In response to this Kayley nodded as she headed for the exit. Things were getting a lot more dangerous. Their enemies should realize they weren’t in that room any second now.

“Let’s go,” Villin said as Rein walked together with him toward the last unchecked door.

Villin opened the door and ran in ready to pounce on whatever soldier he found, but there were none. What he did see however was a table with a number of metal tools on them, some of them bloodied. Then he heard something, a barely noticeable sobbing. He walked a few steps forward and noticed a girl sitting in the corner. Villin saw a patch of skin was missing from the girl’s arm and her hands were inside of some sort of metal box but this didn’t deter him.

“Amelia!” Villin felt happy knowing she was alive and inside of the facility even if she had gotten hurt.

Hearing a familiar voice, Amelia looked up. And when she did, she immediately saw Villin and Rein take a step back. Rein looked terrified, a normal expression to have when you see someone with a blood-covered face and a missing eye. But Villin didn’t look at her the same way, taking a step back he looked at her with a worried expression. Then he took multiple steps forward.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get here sooner.”

Amelia felt like crying again, but this time it wasn’t because of fear and uncertainty. It was because she was happy, happy that he hadn’t looked at her in terror even now.

Villin then put his glove on her arm and used his saved healing spell. Following that the pieces of skin that were missing were largely regrown but as for the eye, it was completely gone.

“Let’s talk later alright Amelia? We have to get out of here.” Even though Villin wanted to comfort his friend they didn’t have the time to, they could do so later. But before he turned around Amelia spoke to him.

“The box around my hands, it sucks up all magic power it comes into contact with, I can’t cast anything right now.” Amelia looked at him with a worried expression, this didn’t improve when she noticed he also looked worried.

“Well, let’s try to get you out of them then. But no matter what we have to leave within two minutes, with or without magic.”