Three Musketeers And A Lioness

After the fight with the Hydro-Arsonist, Leona took a few days off to heal her singed body and heal her mind. She was troubled by what the woman said in her last moments of life. She urged Leona to find a way to rein in her fighting spirit before it turned her into an animal that needed to be put down. Whether it was a cheap shot that was delivered on her way out or a genuine request was up in the air, but what was not ambiguous was its effect on the Guild Master. It made her feel that spectral Kasim was right in declaring that all she could do was kill.

While she was in the hot springs, Leona was read a message from Minstrel by a female staff member. The town of LeBuque needed her help to rescue a noble by the name of Mr. Townsend, whose house was broken into by Dark Wizards from Fiore. The break-in soon became a hostage situation and now Leona was called in to aid the Musketeers, a special force of Minstrel whose ranks were staffed exclusively by wizards. She was to meet with three of their very best Musketeers and put an end to the hostage situation, ideally with the Townsend family alive and unharmed.

Leona jumped out of the water, dried off, and hurriedly dressed and gathered her equipment. She had left the guild hall and was on the way to Hargeon Town in roughly thirty minutes. Once in Hargeon Town she paid for passage on a boat to LeBuque.

-LeBuque, Minstrel-

Wearing her typical outfit of blue t-shirt and khaki cargo pants with boots, backpack, and Argent Gloves, Leona was impatient and could hardly wait for the boat to dock. Time was of the essence. Leona took a breath and waited until her turn to disembark came because she did not want to make a bad impression on the people of LeBuque. The blonde was a Guild Master now and she could not flout social convention simply because it was inconvenient. Once she walked down the boarding ramp and onto the dock her walking pace involuntarily picked up unti she distanced herself from the crowd.

Leona reached for her left hip and groaned. She was in such a hurry that she had forgotten her Nightshade Machete! It was too late now. At least she still had her knife. Leona pressed on and eventually encountered a pair of Musketeers in full uniform who wore fancy plumed hats.

"Are you Leona Jarnefeldt of the guild Silver Wolf?" The pair of males asked.

"Yes." Leona replied while producing the job notice from her pocket. The pair read it and Leona showed her guild tattoo. They nodded in satisfaction and handed the job notice back.

"Splendid. Please, follow us." They requested. Leona wordlessly followed them until they reached a patch of woods just outside a sprawling mansion. In the woods Leona met up with three female Musketeers dressed in female versions of the Musketeer uniform.

"I'm Atha." The blonde introduced herself with a doff of her plumed hat. Her hair reached down to her shoulder blades.

"I'm Atma." The redhead followed suit. Her copper hair was shoulder-length.

"I'm Portha!" The brunette added last. Her hair was long and flowed to the middle of her back.

"I'm Leona Jarnefeldt." Leona introduced herself to the trio.

"Leona. That's an interesting name. It holds a lot of meaning." Atha mused.

"Now, let's go over the plan." Atma suggested. All four young women agreed and Atha produced a map of the Townsend estate. The two male Musketeers held it while the quartet looked over the map and discussed the plan.

[Word Count: 614]
[Total Word Count: 614/1,500]

-Inside the Townsend walls-

Leona had been briefed on the plan and had covered her Argent Gloves with two long strips of black cloth that concealed the gleaming metal plates. The goal was to use stealth to sneak inside the mansion and free the family, then defeat the hostage-takers. The quartet had managed to slip in through an unlocked and unguarded side gate. Now they were confronted with a lush green yard being patrolled by guards and not very much cover save for bushes near a side door that was being guarded. The only thing that worked in their favor was that it was nighttime.

"We won't be able to sneak through this yard. The grass will almost certainly give our footsteps away. We'll just have to be quick." Atha whispered to the quartet.

"Fine by me." Portha said.

"I'll handle the first pair of guards." Leona volunteered. Aided by a timely gust of wind, Leona quickly crossed the yard and quietly moved behind the first guard as the second walked away to go urinate near some bushes around the corner. He turned around and was nailed in the face with a Mach Straight, knocking him out. Leona slipped up behind the second near the bushes and hit him with a Mach Straight to the back of the head, knocking him out as well.

"Well done, Leona. Let's hide these guys." Atha said as she and Portha stashed them behind the bushes around the corner. As soon as the guards were safely concealed, the quartet slipped into the side door and into the Townsend mansion.

-Inside the Townsend mansion-

Portha quietly closed the door behind them. The quartet was on the first floor of the two-story mansion and were in a side entrance. Atha took the lead.

"We three have been guests in the Townsend home many times. I'll lead the way." Atha volunteered. Leona quietly nodded her consent and followed the Musketeers through a wooden door into the large kitchen. It was empty and unguarded. It was a perfect place to take a breather and plan for the next phase.

[Word Count: 352]
[Total Word Count: 966/1,500]
One group of enemies has been defeated.

The plan was simple. They had to get to the Townsends before the unconscious guards hidden in the bushes were discovered. However, Portha peeked through the keyhole of the kitchen door and found that there were numerous guards in the foyer. They definitely could not sneak by eight of them, not without a distraction. What were they going to do?

Atha held a hand up urging them to stay still. Portha continued to look through the keyhole. Leona and Atma kept quiet and kept still.

"...That family's more trouble than it's worth. They keep on saying the Musketeers are gonna rescue them at any time now." A male voice said.

"Ha! There's not a single one of those dandies anywhere around! They're just paper tigers!" Another voice insisted. The three Musketeers got visibly annoyed.

"Yeah. All they do is beat up on bandits and bums. It's easy to build a winning record when you never fight anyone. If they ever face a real threat, they'd fold like a bad poker hand!" The first voice supported his colleague's assertion. Now the Musketeers were pissed.

"Speaking of poker, you down for our poker game in the kitchen? It's in two minutes." The second voice asked.

"Damn right I am! I'm gonna clean you out!" The first voice boasted. The quartet immediately scrambled back and hid behind the kitchen island. Their enemies would come to them. They waited for what seemed like forever before two men wearing robes entered the room. Atha held her hand up in a gesture that meant "stay still."

One man raided the pantry while the other shut the door. Once he was away from it Atha motioned for Leona and Portha to knock out one enemy while she and Atma went for the other. On Atha's signal the pair went for their man while Atha and Atma went for theirs. Leona clapped a hand over the man's mouth while Portha punched him in the stomach until he went silent while Atha and Atma gave the same treatment to their target.

"Good job, guys." Atha whispered while the quartet hid their quarry in the walk-in pantry and shut the door. That should buy them a little time to get up the stairs before the alarm was sounded.

Portha creeped back to the door and peeked through the keyhole. She held up four fingers to indicate how many men were still in the foyer. Now came the hard part. The mages would have to get up the stairs without making a sound and do so within earshot of four guards.

[Word Count: 430]
[Total Word Count: 1,396/1,500]
Two groups of enemies have been defeated.

Atha and the other Musketeers lined up at the door with Leona behind Portha. At her signal, the door was quietly opened and Portha and Leona crept out and took cover behind a giant potted plant flanking the door. Atha quietly shut the door as Atma took cover behind the other gaint potted plant. The blonde Musketeer signaled for them to stay in place.

They waited as two guards walked by and made idle chatter about what they were going to do with the ransom money they would gain from the Townsends. It seemed that both of them had a gambling problem. They were going to use the money to pay off debts to someone named the Anlecottis... whoever they were.

Once their voices faded down the hallway, Atha held up two fingers to show how many men were left. Seconds later she motioned for Leona and Portha to make their way up the stairs. The pair quickly crept out from cover and silently made their way up the carpeted stairs, clearing the top just as the two guards facing the door turned around. They dropped to their stomachs until the guards turned around again.

Portha got to a kneeling position while Leona kept an eye out for more guards. Portha motioned for them to go up the stairs and go now. The two remaining Musketeers quickly obliged, sneaking up the stairs without an issue. Once they were up top, the quartet reformed and weighed their options.

"We go left. The servants should be in their quarters." Atha said. The other three agreed with her and followed her down the hall until they came to the third door. Inside they could hear voices.

"On my signal." Atha whispered while slipping a hand around the doorknob. She silently counted down on her hand and then slowly opened the door. The remaining three crept in and positioned themselves behind the four guards, Atha quickly joining them. The quartet put a hand over the mouths of the guards and quickly subdued them because they did not know if they had been heard.

"I think the servants are being held with the family." Atma chimed in. Portha sneaked over to a window and looked out. The guards outside the mansion were still oblivious to their intrusion. They would not stay that way for much longer.

"We'd better get to the main room now. They'll be onto us shortly." Portha suggested.

"Good idea. Portha, you and Leona get to the main room. We'll signal for help and be with you shortly." Atha commanded. Portha and Leona nodded before the brunette led the way. Leona was right behind her.

[Word Count: 443]
[Total Word Count: 1,839/1,500]
Three groups of enemies have been subdued. Stealth is optional.

-In the Townsend Mansion hallway-

Portha and Leona crept down the hallway and were back at the staircase they had just sneaked up. Down the hallway was a set of large double doors with two men standing outside. The pair got as close as they dared to, then crouched down. What should they do? As it turned out, the choice was taken out of their hands.

"WE HAVE INTRUDERS! IN THE GARDEN! MUSKETEERS! LOTS OF THEM!" An exhausted man shouted in the foyer. Portha and Leona looked at each other, then nodded. The jig was up. It was time to act before the Townsends could be killed. They stood up and rushed the guards at the double doors, their footsteps sounding like rumbling thunder heralding a storm about to break out.

"WHAT THE HELL?" One asked before Leona's fist met his mouth. She knocked him out with two consecutive Mach Straights while Portha was busy knocking her opponent around before finishing him with a punch to the stomach. Commotion was heard inside the room. They had to act fast.

"STAND BACK!" Leona shouted before using a Gale Cannon spell to break the doors open. They were knocked inward to show four frightened wizards in brown robes and a man in a black robe standing next to Mr. Townsend with a dagger in his hand. Mr. Townsend was bound to a chair, as was the rest of his family, two teenage daughters and a preteen son.

"GET THEM!" The leader shouted. The four mages rushed to stop the two intruders. Leona punched one mage in the face with a Mach Straight, then gave another mage the same treatment. Now she had a clear shot at the leader.

"One false move and Mr. Townsend dies!" The black-robed man warned them. Leona quickly used a Crescent Cutter spell, nailing the leader in the right shoulder and making him drop the knife. The blonde was surprised that it actually worked.

Leona was grabbed and thrown to the floor by a brown-robed mage who began to create sand around her face to suffocate her until Portha stabbed him in the hand with her sword and then punched the screaming mage out. Atha and Atma burst into the room with reinforcements in tow. Their timing was impeccable.

"Get the hostages out of here!" Atha shouted to a group of six Musketeers. They rushed to free the hostages while the four of them surrounded the leader.

"You certainly live up to your reputation, Musketeers. Your friend there is also a tough customer. But the legend of the Musketeers ends here!" The leader promised while clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"We'll help escort the hostages. Leona, Portha, handle him!" Atha commanded before she and Atma ran to help the six Musketeers with the hostages.

[Word Count: 465]
[Total Word Count: 2,304/1,500]

Portha and Leona stared down the black-robed leader of the hostage-takers. He laughed and blinked out of existence, appearing behind Leona and shoving her down. Portha lunged at him and her sword hit nothing but air.

"Too slow!" The mage taunted. Leona got up and faced Portha.

"He has teleport magic!" Portha informed Leona. Leona got up and spotted the man behind the brunette.

"GET DOWN!" Leona shouted. Portha ducked and kicked behind her, hitting the enemy in the shin with the heel of her boot. He cursed before vanishing again. Moments later he blinked back into existence near a bookcase and grabbed a heavy encyclopedia. He vanished before either of them could respond.

"It's time to hit the books!" The mage wisecracked while dropping the book above Leona's head. Leona dove to avoid it and landed on her stomach, where the man kicked her in the face twice before she grabbed his foot on the third kick. Portha managed to stab him in the right shoulder before he vanished.

"I hate this guy." Leona complained. He popped up behind Portha and kicked her squarely in the back, then laughed and vanished. Portha fell onto her stomach and the sword clattered away. The man grabbed it and moved elsewhere.

"Let's get to the point!" He suggested while trying to stab Leona in the chest. Leona rolled to the side and Portha scrambled to her feet, grabbing at the man's arm. Her hand grasped empty air.

He appeared behind Portha. Portha instinctively ducked and Leona hit him with a Smashing Crescent spell that staggered him. The brunette grabbed his collar and chokeslammed him into the floor. The sword clattered free of his grip and Leona grabbed it to keep it out of his hands. Atha and Atma raced into the room and seized the man by the arms.

"I'M NOT FINISHED!" He shouted before teleporting and reappearing behind Leona. She elbowed him in the face and followed with a Mach Straight that hit him in the chest and made him fall backwards. The back of his head hit the windowsill and knocked him out.

"Good job Leona. We've rescued all the hostages, including the household staff. No one was hurt. We're rounding up the rest of the hostage-takers now. They'll be certain to face punishment for their crimes." Atha said as she and Atma grabbed the unconscious man and held him up. He was taken away by a pair of male Musketeers. Leona was glad to have helped resolve the situation before the Townsends were killed. Another male Musketeer brought up a green version of their attire complete with a green-plumed hat.

"This is for you, Leona. This is to let the people of Minstrel know that you are always welcome here. It also lets them know that you're an official wizard." Atha presented her with the attire. Leona gratefully accepted it and wore the hat on her head since there was no room for it in the backpack. If the Musketeers thought she had done a good job, then it was not just idle praise.

"Now, let's send you home. We'll escort you to the docks." Atma said. The three Musketeers immediately formed up on her and began to escort the blonde out of the house and to the docks. Leona had successfully completed her first international job. That victory was sure to boost Silver Wolf's reputation. She wondered where her next job would take her and if she would encounter Atha, Atma, and Portha again.

[Word Count: 586]
[Total Word Count: 2,890/1,500]