Raiding?

A few minutes before midnight, we’re all loaded up with our armour and such ready. It’s a bit of a hassle doing stuff like this logistically, because obviously Mia, Paige and Skylar can’t wear their elemental armour in the mundane public, so I need to carry the pieces in my inventory and have them quickly put them on before the raid.

I would have to deal with the same issue, if my inventory didn’t have a quick swap option, between my armour and mundane outfit. I’ve also gathered all the magical emergency phones in my inventory, to make sure none are left behind. With preparations sorted, we all load into the car in the Fateweaver barrier before heading out.

It’s a somewhat quick drive, and we arrive a few streets away from the address a bare 20 minutes after we left. We enter the barrier to the slaver’s HQ, then enter the Kingdom immediately. A quick change of armour as I pass out the emergency phones, all of us concealing them in pockets in clothes under our armour, before we’re ready to take down the slavers.

We exit the barrier facing the building in a simple formation, with Olivia and I at the front, Skylar and Mia in the middle, and Paige and Ivy at the back. The building is a fairly small one and pretty nondescript on the outside. There’s nothing about it to indicate the abhorrent activities going on inside, unlike the usual mana factories we’ve seen so far.

I take a few more moments to study the building, before I notice something unusual. A beautiful, dangerous redhead walking towards our group. What is Belle doing here? Did she lure us here to fight us or something? Cautiously, I walk toward her, ordering my guild to stay put.

As she moves closer though, I see the emotions in her eyes. Sorrow. Regret. I’m not sure what to make of it. “Belle? What’s going on?” I ask her, ready for any sudden moves she might make. She shakes her head. “I’m not here to fight you, so you can calm down. I was the one who sent you that tip. I want to show you something.” She says.

I lower my guard slightly. I look back to the others. Olivia has a sour expression on her face, apparently having overheard and really not appreciating being lured here by Belle. “Let’s go.” I tell them. If she wants to show us something, then I think we should hear her out at least.

I can hear Olivia muttering under her breath. “I’m going to throttle Ali when I get my hands on him.” She curses quietly. I choose not to respond to that comment. If Belle heard her, she gives no indication as she turns and walks towards the building. I follow her with the rest of my guild in step, curious as to what she has in store for us.

When she gets halfway towards the door of the building, she stops and turns around. “You remember that night when we met on that raid and you all stopped me from killing the gang that were in control of that mana factory?” She asks. I nod, a sinking feeling in my chest. I know exactly what she’s going to say next. I just really don’t want to hear it.

“Those awful people you let go have started in the **** business again, this time focusing much more on trading slaves than exporting mana. I’ve been able to track a string of abyssal kidnappings over the past few weeks to this location. This is where they’ve been setting up shop.” Belle says, matter of factly.

My mouth goes dry. I always knew this could happen from letting human traffickers go free after raiding their factories. I guess I just hoped it wouldn’t. Or maybe I hoped I’d never have to face the reality of it. Belle continues speaking. “I gave that tip to Ali because I wanted you all to come here and see the consequences of your decision to show mercy.” She says.

“Mercy is a nice principle, but sometimes it grinds up against reality. The reality here on the ground is that if you give these people an inch, they will take a mile.” Belle says gravely. Her voice is low and solemn. I can tell by her tone. She doesn’t enjoy telling us I told you so. Her next words confirm my thoughts.

“I did warn you about this. I’m normally one to gloat about things like this. I’m the first one to shove it in your face when I’m right and you’re wrong, because I’m never wrong. But I don’t enjoy seeing people suffer. It’s not a nice thing, being right about the pain of others.” She says. I sigh, and notice Olivia has her jaw clenched and her lips pressed in a thin line. A cocktail of shame and protective rage radiates off of Ivy’s thoughts. I’ve never felt those emotions from her before.

“These are the consequences of the mercy you’re not in a position to give. None of us are. It’s why I slaughter and kill those who do wrong. It’s not only what they deserve, but if I don’t, they live on to hurt more people. Killing them is the only way to make them stop for good.” Belle says firmly.

Silence hangs over all of us like a guillotine. None of us know how to react, least of all me. It was my call in the end. And now because of me, more people have been taken from their homes and families. Kidnapped off the streets like I nearly have been, multiple times. Except they didn’t have anybody to help them.

“I don’t want to berate you or mock you. I do somewhat admire what you’re trying to do. I just don’t think it’s the right choice.” Belle offers after a minute or two of silence have passed. “Who the fuck do you think you are?!” Mia hisses. I whirl around, to see Mia wrenching her arm back from Ivy, who clearly tried to stop her. Paige shoots a horrified glance at me, her body shaking. Helplessly, she turns her head to Skylar, whose glassy, tear filled eyes stared at the ground.

Mia marches up to Belle and stabs a finger at her chest. “I don’t care if you think you’re right or wrong. Nobody talks to my girlfriend that way. Everyone here is doing their best and you just lure us here to be a smug bitch and rub shit in our faces. How dare you?” She cries out angrily, barely containing her voice. I stare at Mia, shocked. She rarely swears, even more rarely like this.

Before Belle can answer, Olivia speaks up from behind us. “This is what she does. This is why I refuse to work with her.” Olivia sighs softly. Ivy pulls Paige into a hug, who presses her face into our girlfriends chest, still shaking. I can feel the protective rage boiling in her thoughts. “Nothing gives you the right to treat people this way.” Skylar hisses through gritted teeth, visibly controlling her emotions on her face.

“Look, I don’t give a fuck about your girlfriend’s feelings.” Belle states flatly, turning back to the aeromancer. “She made a foolish mistake and she needs to bear the weight of that decision.” I can see Mia’s fist clench into a fist by her side, and I recognise the readiness in her posture.

I step up behind her quickly and pull her into a tight hug, kissing her on the top of her head to try to stop her from escalating this into a full fight with Belle. As much of an asshole as she is, I don’t want to fight her. Mia tenses up at the sudden contact, before relaxing slowly into my arms. I kiss her again. “It’s okay babygirl, I can handle this. I don’t want us to fight her.” I coo softly into her ear.

Mia sighs. “Just stop being a bitch about it.” She throws back towards Belle, before walking back to the others. She takes Skylar in her arms and they hold each other with grim looking faces. Ivy’s anger hasn’t dissipated, and neither has Skylar’s. I give them what I hope is a reassuring smile. It comes out hollow. ****. Ivy holds Paige tighter. Paige hasn’t stopped shaking.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I ask Belle, turning back to her and trying to gain some control over the situation. I feel a little better having seen my girlfriend stand up for me like that. But even so, my heart is in my throat and my head is spinning. “We can go in there right now and I can show you the leader’s face if you like. You’re a smart girl, you’ll recognise him.” She says plainly.

“Belle is many things. She is not a liar.” Olivia speaks up softly, her voice sounding dejected and devoid of it’s usual authority and wisdom. Belle nods curtly at our mentor in acknowledgement. “What do you intend for us to do?” I sigh, feeling defeated. “The right thing.” Belle says quietly. “Or, let me do the right thing. It’s not a pleasant or fun job. It’s the only way to stop these monsters.” She lets her words hang in the silence.

“Fine. I’m going with you. Anybody else want to come?” I ask my guild. Silence and shaking heads are the response I get. I don’t blame them. I’d rather stay out here too, but I have to take responsibility for this decision. “Lead the way.” I tell her. Belle nods, turns around and strides toward the building. I follow her, each footstep feeling like I’m going to the gallows myself.

It took me a while to adjust to the feeling of killing someone. It’s not something I would describe as pleasant at all. I haven’t fully gotten used to it, and I hope I never do. But every time it’s happened, I’ve been able to rationalise it as self defence. Every time, it was either me or them.

Every time a gang has attacked me to kidnap me and sell me as a ****, I’ve been fighting for my life and haven’t been able to hold back at all, lest I end up the one who’s dead, or in chains. And all of that is disregarding what they’d do if they found out that I’m a trans girl. I’d be even more likely to be mistreated in those conditions, beaten, assaulted or worse.

So I’ve been able to rationalise killing those people as something necessary. Not nice, but necessary for my own survival. It doesn’t stop the twisted feeling in my stomach, but I can at least sleep at night. But this? Killing people in cold blood, who I have the power to spare? I’ve never done that, or been responsible for that before. My stomach turns in knots, and I feel like I’m about to throw up.