For Hans, the week started off alright. Just taking up a commission like usual, from one of the many request forms written, availably pinned on the posts board, adjacent to the counters within the Virgice Shale's Union Branch. Much was routine, only until he caught his eyes on a commission with practically no pay. He made an exception due to curiosity and read its description.

'Seems like Virgice Shale's City Lord commissioned this. But seeing that this request can barely pay for food and board for a night, probably just a token effort for the records. I mean no one wants to butt heads with the Cult...'

The reward was very much disproportionate to how much danger the request implied. But Hans has always had a soft spot for kids, all the more for an orphan of Virgice Shale's Orphanage, Virgice Chalice, much like he once was.

"Well west means that they're going off the Isle, I've got to hurry if I want to rescue the kid..." 

Hans walked up to the counter and spoke with the receptionist present, sorted out all the required paperwork, and then promptly left for his retrieval quest.

He took advantage of his twenty years of experience in tracking down and following the tracks of the kidnappers. His particular skill set and capabilities were the only things that allowed him tracks, any lesser experts would have lost sight of the abductors in the forests surrounding Virgice Shale. Hans travelled, from Virgice Shale Isle City to the Sylvic Isles and finally to the Wilde Isles, home to the beast shifters: The Morphe. 

This request he took on was such a time and money sink. A month's worth of sniffing up, down, left and right, with a side of almost bankruptcy. 

***

'It's been three days... Good news, found the kid. Bad news, I'm trapped. The cult got to me just as I was about to run with the kid'

Hans silently watched as a trio of cultists—the same trio that kidnapped the kid—struggled in carrying, or well, dragging someone towards his cage, kicking up greyish dust all along the way. They were clearly very frustrated with the new unconscious prison, seeing as how they tried and failed to toss Hans' new cellmate into his cage. They just kicked the guy instead, until finally, he was fully inside the cage. Oh poor, poor Remus.

COUGH- COUGH- cough-

Dust kicked up, clouding the vision of the cultist in the way of the opened cage door. The security around the cages grew lax with the passing of days, today, especially with half the number of cultists in the immediate vicinity compared to his first days here. The circumstances of escape right now, in this singular moment were probably the best as they could ever get.

'I only need to just jump and run... but I'll take my chances, don't want to leave the kid here now... and these...'

Sigh-

Tugging on his shackles, "If only I could use my Mana...", all would be futile if he got cut down on his way out. Without access to his Mana Kata, he estimated he would barely eke out an escape, well only if he left on his own. Despite how burly Hans looked, he was in fact an Earth Mage. His spell repertoire was not inclusive of movement spells and his Attribute distribution was heavy on the mental Attributes that contributed to his spellcasting.

He caught himself from further brooding and took in the sight of the new guy. The guy was looking somewhat pale, with dry lips, a gaunt visage, shimmering hair—a clear indicator of a Vitae Realisation—, and some variant of what he presumed were robe from The Sects.

Light grey threads, woven into a rough robe. Just that, all an almost beige-like grey. This design he was unfamiliar with, indicating either the man was of a small, obscure branch or a member of some young manster of the Dosser Sect. Either one gave no confidence to Hans as generally, The Sect looks down on The Union. It would be worth noting that more often than not, Cultivators are egotistical in nature and can easily take offence. A Mana-less Mage will have a better chance of catching fog than coming out alive from wrestling with a Cultivator.

'Clearly a Cultivator, a Cultivator this talented going missing shouldn't of gone unnoticed by his Patron Master... hmm, maybe his master will bail him out and we could take advantage of the commotion an angry high-leveled Cultivator make when finding their disciple like this...'

Looking to his left, "Kid, whatever we do, best not offend the Cultivator. Just follow my lead, whatever I do, you do. Okay?" Hans said to little Mia.

"Uhh... o-okay erm Mr. Hans" Mia replied nervously.

Hans nodded and grunted affirmation in his gruff voice, "best case scenario he'll be our ticket out of here..."

***

First off, things started mildly. Just some innocent head-bobbing and flailing about. But every single day, things progressively escalated. Remus got more... animated. 

'It's been only a day since that young man made the last fiasco. I don't know why they even care to tolerate his lunacy. A fellow cultist of their being tortured in front of their eyes fazed them no more than slight discomfort. These zealots are a lot more deranged than I initially thought.'

"### #### ## ##### ### ###### ### ####### #### # ## ## ######" Remus voiced.

'Looks like the victims of his next fiasco will be us, he has been going on and on, and on speaking in that incomprehensible language... I sincerely doubt that he is sane... What's worse than an egotistical maniac? Well, a crazy, bipolar egotistical maniac—on and off, going from doing hyperactive chants to subdued brooding—it's as if flicking a switch between two personalities...'

"#### ### ###### ### ###### ###" Remus uttered.

Hans motioned Mia to move closer, "Kid, stay close to me and remember what I said about our friend here... now laugh when I laugh...", he called out whilst eyeing Remus. 

AHAhahahaha~

When in doubt, laugh... and opt out. When is an awkward situation, laugh... and change the topic. When faced with an impossibility, laugh... and sneak away if possible. This technique got him far through life, especially with unruly employers making dubious requests. Hopefully, it'll work even in the face of such a challenge.

'I was foolish to think he would be helpful, or normal for that matter... almost always Cultivators aren't right in the head... its probably something to do with their Mana Kata and this seems like an especially bad case... I guess no elder Cultivator would be coming for him, makes sense no other Cultivators came for him even after almost a week...'

sigh~

***

Mia was apprehensive. The last few weeks were the worst in her whole twelve years of life. For her whole life, barely anything seemed to be in her control. Death of her whole family, burdening her with being the final link of the Vulpin bloodline. Living under wraps with fear of being subjected to the same fate as all of the other Vulpin blood. Then after just a year after fleeing the estate and living in Virgice Chalice, she was abducted by retched cultists.

Mia felt an overwhelming sense of being powerless. With needing to wait a few more years until she could gain access to The System and unlock the Vulpin Mana Kata, things were looking hopeless beyond measure. But amazingly she held solid mettle within her, as she finally set on grasping her fate for herself.

'I'll just have to risk force transitioning into accessing my bloodline Mana Kata...'

Mia felt that an opportunity was in front of her. Cultivators held masterful control over their Mana Katas, she only needed some tutelage. Then her bloodline will do the rest. If only she could somehow communicate with the Cultivator in front of her...

***

"Told ya kid, best be on our best behaviour... the cultist definitely looked at him funny, that's why they got handled like that... Hopefully this'll probably be the worse things here'll get..." Hans said objectively.

'I don't think we need to worry about the Cultivator taking our heads since he didn't so much as frown towards us, minus the cultist. But still, I don't see any way to escape this predicament of ours...'

Every three days a portion of the prisoners were sent somewhere, ever since they brought in Remus into the encampment. Every trip, only the cultists returned, all without any prisoners in tow.

'All this movement of prisoners means that they found the new dungeon entrance instance. Well that just means all of us are just going to be fed into the dungeon. Blasted cultists...'

"Hey" Hans called out "Miss dungeon fodder, looks like you'll be joinin' us in futile death... This must've changed ya mind 'bout this cult... Do ya think we can budge out an escape together?"

"No! I stand by The Precepts! If I must perish, so be it! It won't be long until the beasts feel requiem!" the broken cultist replied in fervour.

"Foolish zealot! You cultists misunderstand The Precepts!" Hans spat with venom.

thump- thump- swish~ thump-

thump- swooosh~ klang!-

"####! ## ####!" Remus exclaimed when his head bumped with the roof of the cage.

thump- crunch- bletch-

Remus landed, crushing a Dour Snail, and said, "### #### ## ##### ### ##### ### ######## ## ###### ## #### ####!" 

Hans, Mia and the broken cultist were in utter shock. Step by step, backing away, they made some distance between themselves and Remus, for they knew what was to come. Dour days were upcoming.

***

The physiology of the inhabitants of Pyrrhir are beyond the normal mortality with how their bodies are enhanced through Mana. Mortal body functions that would be vital are no longer such when one progresses in levels. That includes bowel movements, which it is normal to never actually have stool. The body is reconfigured to wholly accept all that is eaten, so the saying 'be careful of what you put in your body' means significantly more as they gain permanence in the body.

Hans during his scuffle when being captured, managed to swallow his spacial ring. He did so in hopes of keeping essential tools that could allow autonomy for possible escape and subsequent survival in the wilds of Wilde Isles.

'Hopefully, the enhancement doesn't break before exiting me... Otherwise, I'm toast. No, I'll be torn like bread given as pigeon feed...'

Hans counted days, keeping track of when the ring would exit him.

'It's been almost a month, I should be doing the deed any day now... Huh? Were moving early?... I need to get it out now!'

What Hans did at that moment, the sounds that he made, the position he was in—nothing in his whole life was more compromising and shameful—he manifested being unashamed in an effort to salvage what little pride he had left, this was apparent through his poker face.

***

Mia stepped out of the cage with her arms held taut in fists, showing resolve. She planned to force herself into accessing the Vulpin Mana Kata, then break the chains of Mr Cultivator and Mr Hans. With them, escaping would but assured, she held no doubt.

Those simple scribbles Mr Cultivator scaped into the cage gave bountiful insight to her. She referred to them almost religiously over the past weeks, progressing on her Mana circulation. She was on the precipice of unlocking her Mana Kata even without the System's intervention and acknowledgement she was supposed to be granted when of age, around fifteen. The normal timeline would have been far too late for her.

She had spoken to Mr Hans about this plan of hers, but he rejected the proposition sternly.

'Ugh, adults think they know everything... I'll show you Mr Hans that I'm not that helpless!'

Ah, the hubris of children, so very naive. Mia clearly wasn't knowledgeable of Vitae, the tell-tale signs of an outstanding individual. The precursor to excellence and power. The key to Arhat. If even Mr Cultivator—possessor of a Vitae Realisation—couldn't break his shackles, would her effort even produce a scratch?

'Here goes nothing!'

Mia started her Mana circulation egregiously, "AAAHHHHH!". The process proved to be painful, but Mia pressed onwards regardless.

※ Initialising System...
   ...                
   ...                
   ...                

※ Configuring System...     
※ User/Name: Mia Vulpin...
   ...                    
   ...                    
   ...                    

※ Bloodline Detected...
※ Mana Kata Unlocked...
   ...               
   ...               
   ...               

[§] Congratulations! [§]
-------------------------------
※ Registered Mana Kata:
⟨ Vulpin Conflagration (4☆) ⟩ 

[System Tier II]
Name: Mia Vulpin
Epithet: -
Level: 0 | Initiate
Unallocated Attributes: 0

Attributes:
⟩ Strength   |  0/50 
⟩ Vitality   |  0/50
⟩ Endurance  |  0/50
⟩ Dexterity  |  0/50
⟩ Speed      |  0/50
⟩ Perception |  0/50
⟩ Acuity     |  0/50
⟩ Intent     |  0/50
⟩ Attunement |  1/50
⟩ Vitae      |  0/50

Mana Katas [1/1]:
⟩ Vulpin Conflagration (4☆)
  [5.3%:Knack]

"HIYAH!", She shouted and touched down, hard, on the shackles that held Mr Hans.

KLANNGGG!~

"OUCH!", Mia anguished, with her left hand held in her right, crouching down on the ground in pain, a grimace held her face tight.

"Noo!", Seeing what was happening, Mr Hans jumped and shielded Mia.

Whenever a captive attempted any form of escape, with no exception, each and every one of them got mutilated. Sometimes it was just a hand, but most of the time it was either an arm or a leg.

A cultist tugged on Mr Hans whilst trying to jab a spear at Mia, this went on for roughly a few seconds, but for both Hans and Mia, it felt like minutes had passed by. Fed up, the cultist just stabbed Hans through his shoulder instead.

"UGH!" Mr Hans snarled and promptly pushed down the attacker. 

The other cultists were clearly bemused and let things develop into a brawl, of which Mr Hans was crawling away while holding Mia in a hug. The fallen cultist got up and started kicking Mr Hans furiously.

"Ugh- Kid, ta-take this" Mr Hans said while passing his ring onto Mia.

sob- sob- snuffle-

"I'm sorry, I- I'm sowry" Mia spasmed.

"Take it Kid!" Mr Hans repeated himself, still enduring the pain of being impaled.

HICK- sob- sob- snuffle- sob-

"O- oh- okay...", Mia grasped tightly onto the small object that was handed to her.

"Now, ugh- run your Mana through it... picture looking into it... and imagine as if you were plucking that small purplish stone inside of it..." Mr Hans as calmly as he could, directed her on what to do.

But Mia's mind was stuck on the dagger available inside and took that instead. Mia stifled her sobs and parted herself from Mr Hans. She was prepared for her last stand.

Held tight within her jittering hands was a dagger, which in her small palms looked as much as a sword. The dagger glistened red and hummed as if flames were present. Mia was not going to back down as she raised her arms high and pushed in the last wisps of Mana available to her into the weapon in hand.

Mr Hans saw all of this. He admired Mia's mettle but lamented how unfortunate she was to be dying here.

'She would have made a fine Union Agent.'

That was the last of Mr Hans' thoughts as darkness awashed his awareness.