Danmachi – Card Wizard

The following day, early in the morning, Ais and Aidan left the inn to go and enjoy the beach. The previous day, they had been forced to learn how to swim, and they were ready to put it into practice, although, for Ais, only in the area where her feet could touch the bottom.

Arriving at six in the morning, there wasn't anyone at the private beach since most of the other familia members had drunk excessively and probably wouldn't be up for a few more hours.

With the sun barely lighting up the lake in front of them, the two immediately went for a swim and soaked in the water.

—-

After a few hours of staying in the water and spending time playing in breaking the waves or diving in them, the two left the water just as people arrived, and the beach started to get lively.

"Well, I'm going to go and explore the city. Do you want to come?" Asked Aidan as he wore a t-shirt and stayed in his swimsuit.

"I'll come with you. We've already gone to the lake, and I don't know anyone else here." Replied Ais as she wore a dress on her swimsuit to hide her bikini.

"Alright then, let's go and visit. Maybe we'll find something interesting." Continued the boy as they both left the beach and started to roam across the small city.

Taking a breakfast from one of the stalls selling Ais's favourite food, they explored the city.

After a few hours of travelling and seeing about half of the city, both Ais and Aidan stiffened as they felt someone with bad intentions follow them. With a quick look at Ais, Aidan started to walk at the same pace towards the more populated areas of the city. After all, he did not know the strength of the tracker, and he had no intention of fighting it if he could avoid it.

—-

(Trafficker POV)

'Good! Those kids should sell for a lot. I've never seen them in the city. They should be travellers. That's even better since a traveller disappearing won't raise many alarms. The pretty boy should sell well with noble ladies. They always want new toys, and that boy should do. As for that girl, she'll sell well as a sex slave.' Thought the scarred man as he licked his lips greedily and followed the two of them from a distance. 'By capturing those two, I should be promoted in the cartel.' Suddenly thought the man as his eyes lit up in anticipation.

'Hum? Are they going back to the public road? I can't let them go there, or I won't capture them with many people. Let's do this.' He thought as he grinned with excitement and ran at full speed towards the two children.

—-

(Normal POV)

"He's coming closer fast!" Exclaimed Aidan as the two of them broke off in a run, and he took out the communication card linked to Finn."

The two of them were slower than the man by a significant amount. 'He's probably a level three or four adventurers. A level two won't be this fast.' He thought as he watched the card that didn't seem to connect since the other didn't answer.

Looking to his right, he saw that Ais, just like him, had started to call the old hag as she liked to call the elven woman.

Stretching his hand, he used his telekinetic powers to control the cards and send a barrage of fireballs, thunder and countless shields to block the man. Unfortunately, the man was too strong as he evaded the attacks and broke through the shields with pure physical power.

Just as the man was coming closer to the partners and his hand stretched out as his wretched smile widened, seeing that he was about to capture them, the card finally answered as a dishevelled Finn looked at the card. "What is it, Aidan?" He asked in wonder as the boy never called for anything. "Help." He shouted as a force pushed him to the ground along with Ais, knocking them out.

—-

(Finn POV)

Seeing the situation through the card, his half-sleepy expression vanished as he didn't bother to wear his shirt, took his storage card and called Loki with his communication card as he raced towards the center of the city.

"What is it?" Asked a tired Loki, stunned seeing Finn in the middle of the road shirtless with his spear in hand.

"Look at the tracker card and tell me where Aidan and Ais are? They've been kidnapped." He shouted as he continued his run.

"What?" Exclaimed the goddess as she fumbled in the cards she possessed and, after taking out the tracker card, started searching for the name Aidan, Ais and Finn.

"Two kilometres south-west!" Said the goddess as Finn heard the goddess get up and leave the room.

Breaking off in the fastest run he could, it didn't take long to reach the called location. "They shouldn't be far. From the moment Loki gave me the information, about thirty seconds went by, the man should be a level three of four adventurers, so he can't be that far."

Relying on his senses as one of the strongest adventurers in Orario, Finn didn't take long before he broke off in another run, just fast enough to see a man carrying two knocked out Aidan and Ais, about to enter a house.

Not bothering to wait for others, he immediately sped towards the kidnapper and pierced him in the legs with a strike of his spear, going through both knees simultaneously.

Catching the falling children as he kicked the man with full force to the ground, a resounding crack sounding out as a pained cry came from the downed man. Finn turned his attention to his two students.

Verifying that they were alright, he breathed out in relief.

—-

(Loki POV)

Hearing the news from Finn and giving him the location of Aidan and Ais, Loki's perpetual smile disappeared from her face as rage could be seen brewing in her eyes. 'How dare they attack members of my familia. How dare they attack Ais and Aidan.'

"Everyone, wake up. There are slave traffickers who kidnapped Aidan and Ais; capture them all!" Said Loki in a loud and angry voice, waking up almost everyone in the familia as a member immediately sped run towards the beach to alert the early risers who were enjoying their time at the beach.

"Riveria, go to Finn. He should have caught up with the trafficker and saved Aidan and Ais." Said Loki as Riveria appeared behind her.

"Yes." She said as she immediately disappeared from her place and ran towards Finn.

"Either gods or nobles lead every big organization in this world. I really can't wait to see which one has the guts to kidnap my people." Continued Loki as she looked through the window, her constant playful face nowhere to be seen, as only worry for the two young children of her familia and hate for whoever was behind this organization.

—-

(Normal POV)

"Hum." Mumbled Aidan as he slowly woke up as the captain of the familia was carrying him.

"I see you are awake." Said Finn as he gave a quick look at Aidan before focusing on the road ahead.

"What happened?" Asked Riveria, who was next to them with a concerned expression.

"Well, we wanted to explore the city since it's not every day we have the chance to leave Orario and not fight in the dungeon. When we were walking, we noticed someone following us and decided to go back towards the more populated areas of the city. However, before we could do that, the man attacked us. We weren't fast or strong enough to evade him." Said Aidan as he lowered his head. He had thought that he had become more powerful but today was a quick reminder that as a level one, while stronger than ordinary people, he was still the weakest in terms of adventurers.

Turning his head towards Ais, who was still sleeping in Riveria's arms, he asked: "How is she?" With a concerned tone.

"Well, she's alright. Just like you, she was knocked out by the man." Explained the elven women who came to help Finn.

"I see." Nodded the boy as he thought with slight amusement. 'I wonder how she'll feel when she wakes up in the arms of the old hag and torturer as she calls her.'

"Did you think of something bad about me?" Asked the elven woman as she glared at him with scrutiny.

"What? No." Answered Aidan as he shook his head while thinking: 'She has good instinct.'

"Alright, we're here," Interrupted Finn as Riveria wanted to continue her interrogation. "Go up. I'm sure Loki wants to meet you and Ais. She's with Gareth on the top-most floor." Said the captain as the executive gave Ais to Aidan to bring up.

"Thank you for helping us." Said Aidan with gratefulness in his voice to the two leading members of the familia.