Chapter 32: The Plan

“Okay, all set. Do the transmission, Erisa!”

Goatee and Erisa were at Goatee’s writing-table in the Order hall. Goatee sat at a big computer-like gadget he had built. Erisa stood beside him with her hands put on his head and was sending him information with her telepathic powers of a Keeper Class of the Rank Five – the Expert. She, as the one who had already passed the third rank – the Librarian, had a connection to the Zariel archives too, so now she was connecting to the Zariel archives and sending information telepathically to Goatee, who sent it over to the computer, and the computer transmitted it to the team members, who had already taken their leave.

Edmund had gone on the mission, so he had left Goatee in charge of the Order. Lord Nick and Tamie had departed too, as well as all of the ‘sisters’, and Shiba and Diana, who had decided to accompany the friends. Both of their parents turned out to be Libra Bearers who had died while sealing Erik long ago, so they didn’t want their work to be vain. Nora Tinder, on the other hand, stayed in the Order to defend it if ever a situation arose.

Edmund had released his White Peacock spirit and Diana used her Air Dragon one (the Air Dragons had bird-like wings). These two carried the others on the spirits’ backs and flew towards the destination – Georg Braun’s and his wife’s estate. Tiger led the way as she knew the house she had been raised in.

All of the team members had their Star-earphones put into their ears in order to hear Goatee’s voice and receive the transmissions of Erisa, as well as to communicate with one another by their thoughts alone (the Artificial Telepathy System that Goatee Bill had designed in order for the non-Keeper Class team members to be in contact with one another too). The earphones transmitted a signal in their minds:

“Guys, can you hear me?”

It was Goatee’s voice.

“Yes, Goatee, we’re on,” Edmund answered with his thoughts.

“Roger!” all the other members called out too, to notify them their earphones worked as well.

“Good. Erisa will transmit the map now, and notify you of the whole plan”.

“Okay. We’re waiting,” Edmund replied.

Soon a map of Georg Braun’s estate appeared in all of the team members’ minds, as well as the potential locations of Erik’s Illusionary Clones and Jan’s Ghost Clone.

“Have you all got it?” Goatee’s voice called out again.

“Yes”.

“But how do we know these locations are precise?” Riza asked.

“Goatee says it is a trustful source,” Erisa’s voice replied.

“Precisely,” Goatee attested. “The thing is – Erik wouldn’t want to put all of his clones in the same place as it would raise the chances of their being taken out simultaneously, but he would also need all of his four clones in there since Georg is not a weak opponent”.

“Ah, alright…” Riza shrugged, still unable to understand what that ‘trustful source’ was only Goatee had access to.

“Remember the plan now, guys,” Edmund cut in, “I take out one of Erik’s clones with my Blast of Judgment. Nick takes out the second one alone. Diana is the Uranus Celestial Lady, but she is the Air element so working against the Fire might be a problem, hence Olivia Tinder will help her with her Water element and drawings, as a sixth rank of the Painter Class – the Painter. Shiba too, who is the Earth element and might have problems with the Fire alone, will help these girls. These three will take out Erik’s third clone together. The rest of you – Riza, Tamie, Cherrie, Rianna, and Tiger – will assist Jannah as the Ninja rank of the Sneaker Class and the Water element, in defeating the fourth and the final clone.

“During the battle, Goatee will connect our minds with the help of Erisa, so we shall see who’s attacking who and how fast it goes. Thus, we will be able to deal the final blow simultaneously.

“And the final warning – please stay alive!”

“Roger!”

Nick’s voice sounded:

“We have a problem, however”.

“Huh? What problem?” Edmund raised an eyebrow.

“While all of us are fighting Erik’s clones, who the heck will deal with Jan and his plan to enter Lord Georg’s body?”

Tiger grew frightened:

“No! My grandpa! We must protect him!”

“Oh,” Edmund’s chuckle sounded, “No worries, Tiger. There is already someone assigned to take out Jan. He is the Earth element user, so he will not have a hard time against the Air”.

“Huh? Who’s such a person?” the friends wondered.

“It is Goatee’s ‘trustful source’”.

Hearing Edmund’s answer, Goatee grinned with pride. The friends, as well as Erisa, grew confused, unable to understand what Edmund meant. But they decided to trust Edmund and Goatee, so they didn’t ask any more questions. Moreover, they could already see a big mansion up ahead, which was their target, according to Tiger’s words:

“We are there”.