Bingo

Felix swallowed the lump clogging his throat, keeping the dagger still in his hands with Raz in his sight. Alma kept her bow drawn, ready for the next move. Raz remaimed on his feet, not daring to take another step forward or backward. His eyes did the moving, glancing here and there, searching for his best route.

Poor Spi'Reto remained out of the action, digging through the thick wall of ice trapping his leg ankle deep from the other side.

An elemental? So this guy controls water, he didn't show that when we took him in last time. Wonder what changed, what does that make him now? He didn't look like a fighter then, now he looks like he's planned for this. I really hope this works.

Alma raised her aim as Raz' foot slowly slid back a few inches, his body shifting as his muscles grew tense. Without even blinking, he rolled backwards forcing Alma to release her shot, grazing his shoulder. Recovering, he clasped his hands together as a surge of vapor began to surround his palms. Felix felt himself entranced at the sight, water droplets seemingly forming out of thin air to his eyes, drawn from the moisture within the cool air and being collected into a ball of water.

Alma was quick to aim her second arrow, not wasting any time to aim for his arm and letting go. It was anticipated as Raz spun with the momentum of the arrow, slipping from its trajectory and releasing his own attack back at her. She had expected a splash of water to her face, crossing her forearms to guard against it. It slipped through, not quite exploding on impact but rather absorbing it and keeping it's form, with her head at the center!

Felix watched as the elf began to panic, grasping at the fluids trapping her head, splashing against it with no effect. Raz watched Felix with steady eyes, his hand clenched with his fingers forming an odd pose, almost daring him to make a move against him. His sword was drawn, yes, but the fight in him began to wane as the elf fell on her knees, coughing and struggling to breath.

"She'll drown at this rate if you stand there. Toss over your sword and go to her, I will let go if you comply."

Damn it! I was caught off guard, no clue how this kid would attack or if he would run off.

Turning around, Alma's eyes locked on to his, filled with panic and terror as she felt powerless to fight back. With a crossed look in his eyes, Felix threw the sword over and ran to Alma's side.

"There, now let her go!"

Raz nodded, his hand releasing its hold as the water drowning Alma drenched her body and hit the muddy grounds below. Alma fell over Felix, coughing hard and gasping for breath, doubling over as he helped her. He wanted to share a few words but decided against it, choosing to walk past them and follow along the tunnel to find the others instead, but not before retrieving a leather bag from behind a large trunk.

Felix looked back and watched him leave when Alma squeezed his hand tight.

"Th-Thank-" It was all she managed before releasing another barrage of heavy coughing and spitting out water residue to clear her lungs. Felix hugged her tight, patting her back to help her breath easier.

"I hope they know what they're doing." He sighed.

Alma raised her head, placing it against his chest before replying with a raspy voice. "They're our girls, they damn well better."

Stepping carefully, Raz scouted the area as he exited the tunnel to find himself into the main area of the camp where most of the tents were left standing. Looking up, he noticed some wooden bridges connecting a few of the larger trees as a sort of post for aeral vision. Its architecture was amateurish at best, some of the planks had fallen off from the bridges and one platform looked half built even, an unfinished project from its appearance. Surrounding the settlement was the ice barrier he had formed, doing its job well as evident from the numerous villagers watching him from the far side among the tents, cowering and trembling.

It wasn't a sight he thrived in, rather it pained him to see them so scared. Raz drew in a reluctant sigh, hanging his head for a brief moment and breathing in.

"Please, I don't mean to harm any of you. Syri and the other, D-Damari I believe, I just need those two and then I will be on my way. That's it."

No response. None of them spoke, out of fear or refusal he couldn't tell. Raz found himself uncertain of what to do next, intimidation was something he preferred to avoid, but he assumed they wouldn't be sharing the location of the two girls anytime soon. He glanced over at the villagers again, studying them to find any of the girls with no luck. In fact, none of them were cat girls at all, only humans it looks like.

Dropping his bag, he yanked one of his leather pouches open and began dispersing it's contents around him in the shape of a circle, wiping his hands of it's powder afterwards. Above him were loose, rickety bridges strung up and scattered. Beside him stood a pair of horses observing him with interest, and behind him looked to be some cargo of wooden crates and barrels.

"Let me just say I am not a fan of combat, I prefer negotiation over violence so long as the option remains." As he spoke, his hand reached for the vase on his back, touching the cork on its bottom side. "There are cats in this place, I saw it. A bear too, whom I doubt can fit inside those tents without making a noise."

Raz took this opportunity to grab two more pouches, parting them open and tossing them aside from opposite ends. Brushing his hand along his belt, he counted four more pouches in his hold before picking out one and holding it in his hand. Feeling the powdery mixture on his touch enhanced his control, stimulating his touch and reducing the stress required to actively focus on how to coordinate the element to his command. Slowly, tiny droplets of water began to form around the powder, taking in its contents in extremely light porportions as Raz raised his hand, pushing the powder droplets up. As they began to rise, the vase on his back began to vibrate as he pulled the cork out, leaving the villagers puzzled to find nothing gushing onto the floor.

He was growing tense, the vein on his head became visible as someone crawled out from one of the tents.

"By the looks of it, that's a lot of focus you're having. It's not easy controlling the stuff, is it?"

His eyes fell on Janette as she stood on her feet, taunting him as he kept his stance and silence.

"I was worried when I saw you make that ice wall out of nowhere, I thought we were done for. But then I remembered you said you would hurt yourself without some tools in hand. I'm guessing that blue stuff you sprayed around helps you control it, right?"

"There you go again with guessing correctly, are the girls in that tent as well?"

"Just me." Dimyri announced, exiting from the opposite tent and standing beside Janette.

"Good, grab your sibling and let's go."

Dimyri scoffed, folding her arms. "What about my current state?"

"I don't know, Father will resolve that somehow."

"And if he can't?"

"I don't know, let's go."

"You said you're trying to turn Monster Girls back but you don't have a clue how to change Dimyri into her Nekomata form." Janette explained with a raised brow. "That doesn't sound off to you?"

"I was brought here to retrieve the two and that's it. Last chance, Damari."

"Dimyri, and I have a better idea. How about this is your only chance to drop your magic and take us back to your papa pope?"

Raz stared back in disbelief, closing his eyes. "You really can't talk to Monsters I guess. So be it."

Without warning, Raz raised his hand to the sky as the droplets levitating above suddenly launched themselves up. Everyone watched as he held his breath and drew focus to his hands, forming a symbol as the droplets then dispersed and rained down upon everyone. Soon, many Nekomata's began to shriek and sneeze loudly, falling from where they hid up high among the leaves and branches, furiously rubbing their noses and rolling in pain among the growing muddy puddle. Among the clutter for groaning cat girls was Syri, having a fit of sneezing as Janette ran to her.

Bingo.

Raz quickly formed a flurry of signs before stretching his hands out, the puddle around her turning solid and freezing over Syri's paws to lock her in place. She grunted and pulled, but her arms and legs were trapped within the ice.

"Damn it, Plan B!" Dimyri cried out.

Raz spun around as from behind the stack of crates and barrels, a raging Grizzly Bear came charging toward him.