The High Tueurs

"Jack are you saying it was all a trap?" (Red)

Emma and Red leaned over Jack.

"But wouldn't there be no way for the Rogue Sorcerers to tell when we would be coming?" (Emma)

"And where we would be sitting?" (Red)

"Unless..." (Jack)

"Unless what?!" (Red and Emma)

Jack thought about the magic he had seen up until that point. All the powerful, weak, and strong.

"I think they have someone who can see the future. The way Frankenstein talked. It was as if he knew everything that I was going to do before I was going to do it. Like he knew you two would leave and that I was going to be all alone. It's like he knew exactly what you were going to say, and exactly what to say back. I think we fell into a trap." (Jack)

"A trap? Then what about the others, the other teams. We'll have to contact Marry now!" (Emma)

"I agree with you Emma, but if what Jack said is true, then this Frankenstein has taken every single person here as a hostage. So even if I contact Marry what can we do? We are pinned against a wall." (Red)

She fell into thought, thinking up a plan.

"I have a plan. While I contact Marry and the other squads I want you two to try to find the bombs planted in the stands-" (Red)

"They're not bombs. Their human monsters." (Jack)

"Human monsters or whatever they are. We only have a short time frame until they are released. So once you gather them all I want you to toss them onto the stage all at once and I'll use my magic to trap them. " (Red)

"Ok... Sounds like a plan." (Jack)

"Let's do this!" (Emma)

---

Meanwhile outside the Auction House. Marry ordered all of the Attacking Team to regroup at point A.

"Francisco, Williams, Caleb, get your squads ready for action, we just got word back from Red." (Marry)

She read the texts.

Williams stepped up with questions.

"Captain, should we enter through the A or B exits?" (Williams)

"Hold it, I'm reading." (Marry)

Francisco pulled out his watch. He pointed to a Second-Class Sorcerer standing in the back of the group.

"George get the laptop." (Francisco)

George pulled out a laptop and placed it firmly on the floor. He then opened it up and started hacking his way through the Auction House's security system.

Francisco watched from over his shoulder. He watched as he scrolled through the building's cameras. The empty hallways, the empty backstage, not a single security guard in sight.

"Captain? Something seems off. There's nobody inside except for the Auction Hall." (Francisco)

"Hold that thought Franci, I'm almost done reading." (Marry)

She read every last word, every last sentence, every last syllable. She finished.

"Ok, I got the picture. It seems we've been set up. They somehow knew of our raid and Red is debating on whether the enemy has a Rogue Sorcerer with foresight magic or there's a traitorous spy on the inside. But she also says that that isn't the biggest problem we have. It's the fact that they have hostages, every single person inside is a hostage." (Marry)

"Then what're our choices?" (Caleb)

"Well, we either let all the hostages die and head in as backup immediately. Or we leave the hostage situation to Red and her team while we wait patiently for their call." (Marry)

"So either way we're just sitting ducks?" (Williams)

"Exactly. But that doesn't mean we can't strategize. We need to come up with a plan of attack, to gather intel and understand the enemy." (Marry)

Everyone sat down. Their thoughts racing. The possibilities of defeat, of death, of completing the mission.

Francisco sat staring at the inside of the Auction House through the laptop.

Marry looked out at the small window that peered down at the massive building. She watched as the lights shined and the buildings cried.

Suddenly Caleb looked up in confusion. He looked straight at his Captain. Straight ahead with full headlights of questions.

"Cap! I'm confused? I've done this type of training before but it all seems so wrong. Shouldn't we actually be in the clear? If this was all really a setup and if the enemy knew of our arrival this whole time, then why would they create hostages? In my training, I've always seen hostages used as pieces for bartering. But these Rogue Sorcerers don't need that leverage." (Francisco)

"True, it doesn't make sense to me. It's as if there's something we're missing in this equation. Just looking at the interior of the building. There seems to be something off. Like we're missing a piece of the puzzle." (Francisco)

Suddenly Williams began walking away from the group. He walked all the way to the other end of the room, to a small table hiding in the corner. There he caught a glance at a playing card. A card of kings, of clubs, of black.

He picked it up.

"For now we are waiting on Red's signal. Once either of the two Infiltration Teams comes in contact with an enemy we will storm in and not worry about any hostages or whatever. And we must enter with extreme caution. Like you have all said, something seems fishy here. As if there are some ulterior motives at play." (Marry)

Willaims leaned forward. His eyes sucked in, staring.

He felt the edges of the card, its beautiful design, unlike anything he had seen before.

---

Meanwhile.

In the backstage of the Auction House.

Qway, Yaku, Oliver, and John are hiding down a long white hallway disguised as the Auction Staff. They are wearing sharp black suits with dark glasses to hide their faces.

A buzz suddenly shook in Oliver's pocket. He pulled out his phone.

"Guys, it's Captain Red. She says..." (Oliver)

He quickly skimmed through the long winding texts.

"She says we're in a trap. And that everyone is a hostage. She also says that there could be other Rogue Sorcerers around, and the possibility of a traitor spy or a Sorcerer who can use future magic." (Oliver)

"Should we split up and contact the outside?" (John)

Qway leaned back uncaring. Yaku pulled out his old briefcase with full seriousness.

"No, we should stay and fight. Wasn't that the whole point of the raid and the mission? If we kill those Rogue Sorcerers now then that saves time and lives." (Yaku)

Qway squatted forward smiling.

"Plus it'll give us promotion points." (Qway)

Everyone lit up. John turned to Oliver.

"Oliver, how many more points do you need to participate in the First-Class Sorcerer contest thingy?" (John)

"You mean the Promotion Exams?" (Oliver)

"Yeah." (John)

"I need a lot more than what I can get here. I'd need to at least take down two more A-Class Monsters." (Oliver)

John turned to his Third and Forth-Class partners.

"What about you boys?" (John)

Qway laughed.

"Haha. It doesn't work like that in our squad. I'd probably need to take out ten A-Class Monsters just to get to Second-Class." (Qway)

"Ten?!" (John)

"For me, this mission will probably get me promoted to Third-Class. But that because I took out five B-Class Monsters in my last mission." (Yaku)

Qway turned confused.

"Yaku when did you go on a mission?" (Qway)

"I was put on an emergency one last week. You really didn't see that I was missing for two days?" (Yaku)

"Haha. Yeah, you are kinda invisible." (Qway)

"Thanks..." (Yaku)

Oliver looked around the backstage area. He felt something off about the long white hallways leading to different rooms and pathways. He looked in the opposite direction, back and forth, around and around.

"There's something off here but I can't put my finger on it?" (Oliver)

"What is it?" (John)

He came to a sudden realization.

"Where did everyone go?! Wasn't this place filled with workers earlier?" (Oliver)

The group turned in all four directions. They watched every angle, every corner, for any disruption-

Two Masked Sorcerers appeared from thin air. They slowly strutted down the white hallway. Their masked faces. One Red, one Black.

"Are those the Rogue Sorcerers?" (John)

"They have the masks. And the Red ones a woman." (Yaku)

The Masked Rogue Sorcerers slowly stepped closer.

Everyone held out their arms, ready for any magic attack to come their way.

"Yaku our weapons! Now!" (Oliver)

Yaku cracked open his briefcase. He reached into his portal, pulling out a short purple dagger and a pair of brass knuckles. He handed the dagger to Oliver and the knuckles to John.

Qway took a few steps back. He looked down the hallway leading to the stage area. He looked back at the Rogue Sorcerers, at his teammates.

The Red-Masked Woman held out a beautifully crafted katana, with its curved edge and luxurious tainted blade. She pointed it out at the enemies.

"Are you ready to die?!" (Red Mask)

"Anytime!" (Black Mask)

"No idiot I was talking about them!" (Red Mask)

"Oh..." (Black Mask)

She looked at the enemy once moreover. The enemy once moreover. Just one more look. She saw their faces, their stares, their eyes. She watched as Qway slowly backed away from the group. She watched as Yaku pulled out his Hermes Dagger. She then slowly lowered her own katana. She looked at her stunning red dress that morphed around her model-like body.

"Ok you got this!" (Red Mask)

"What?" (Black Mask)

She jumped up to the tips of her toes and ran in the opposite direction of the fight.

"Wait, don't leave me! You expect me to kill a Second-Class Sorcerer and two Third-Class Sorcerers all on my... She's already gone..." (Black Mask)

The Black Masked Man stood slumped over. His bare black-gloved hands to his sides. His heavy black military vest weighing his body forward. He leaned against the wall. His black military boots connected to his black cargo pants. He pointed out at Oliver.

"You-" (Black Mask)

"Who are you?!" (Oliver)

"Wa... Let me finish my sentence please." (Black Mask)

"Um... Ok I'm sorry you go first." (Oliver)

"Thanks. Now let me introduce myself, I mean... Ourselves. We are The High Tueurs! And we have come to end this battle before it begins. To wipe out the Magic Force from the face of the earth and to bring back the order of monster once again." (Black Mask)

"What?" (John)

Yaku pointed his Hermes Dagger.

"We can extract information later. For now we fight." (Yaku)

"Agreed. We have him outnumbered. And if our information is correct, then each one of these guys can be taken out by Toby. And that means that they're weaker than Second-Class Sorcerers." (Oliver)

"Isn't Toby not really a normal Second-Class Sorcerer? And you're the only Second-Class here Oliver." (John)

"If we all work together then we will surpass Second-Class, we will be First-Class." (Oliver)

John turned around. Qway was missing.

"About that Oliver... Qway is missing." (John)

---

At the same exact time.

The beautiful playing card morphed into a thousand smaller playing cards.

In and out they went, forming into a living breathing human being.

Williams stepped back.

A Turquoise Masked Man stood in the barrage of playing cards. He stood with his cloak of flowers, with his fierce disturbing smile.

"Guys! A intrude-" (Williams)

The Turquoise Masked Man grabbed him by the throat.

All the other Second-Class Sorcerers turned around in unison. They all looked at the masked man, with his eyes of determination and power.

"Everyone get back!" (Marry)

Everyone jumped back.

Williams looked at Marry. His looks of fear. His arms pulling hard, unable to break free. He looked with tears. He reached out...

"Heee... hell... lp...!" (Williams)

"Willaims don't strugg-" (Marry)

Snap!

He snapped Williams's neck.

"Shit!" (Marry)

Thump!

He fell to the group, lifeless, and limp.

All the Second-Class Sorcerers raised their fists up high. They all started weaving their hand signs, reading themself to start chanting and casting their magic.

"Before we start fighting. I am the leader of The High Tueurs. And this is a declaration of war. A war against not just the Magic Force, but against all of humanity." (Turquoise Mask)