[img]http://i.imgur.com/8mPMSWF.png[/img] [b][u]Aliquam: Academy of the Arts: Northern Sector (Performance Hall)[/u][/b] His brow twitched in irritation as the news of the latest developments across the Academy filtered through over the Pride’s communicators. They had managed to capture and subdue one of the thieves attacking them, and even garner some useful information about the number of their forces from him, but it had yielded little success after Angel’s status report hinted at difficulty occurring within his, Moira and Syed’s group. Not even Lute’s report of his group capturing another thief helped matters much. Sure, it still gave the Pride some measure of advantage having captured two of their five adversaries… but at the same time, they had defeated them. And there was no knowing what the Masked Phantom or his remaining followers had done to them. It was difficult to know what to do. Coercion and threats no longer seemed to work on Jay. This was exactly like his games of poker… a gamble, with no way to know who held the stronger hand. And the stakes… they were so much higher. Dylan, Dalia and the rest all turned and looked towards him, pondering what the best decision to make would be, but unable to know entirely what would be best. Marcus clenched his teeth shut. ---- [img]http://i.imgur.com/2uDBgEK.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/WDVJyuu.png[/img] [b][u]Aliquam: Academy of the Arts – Central Section[/u][/b] “Yow… that hurt…” Lucien brought one of his hands to his forehead, frowning at the mental anguish backlashing back at him after Francesca encountered, and rudely disposed, his cat summon. Unfortunately for those in the Central Group, their only effective means of following the female thief had been thwarted, and her whereabouts rendered a complete mystery. Estelle and Tobias had been carrying Lucien over their shoulders as they and Amy followed in the summoner’s direction… but now it was futile. And with the updates they managed to gleam over the communicator from what was happening to the rest of their friends… it was difficult to know what to do next. “Sorry, leader. She found me…” Lucien winced. “Guess I’m more tired then I thought. Perhaps I should take a cat na-” Lucien didn’t finish his commentary after he caught the venom filled gazes sent his way by Amy and Tobias. Now really wasn’t the time. And after their encounter with Francesca, both were far too angry to listen to silly jokes at this time. “Ah… aheh. What should we do?” Lucien asked. “She got away… but we caught two of them, yeah? The Boss and Syed, though…” Amy nodded, and folding an arm under her bosom, turned to look to Estelle. “And Lute’s party is injured too. Honestly… this has turned into such a mess…” Estelle pondered the situation for but a moment, before she raised her head in a confident nod. “We split up and help reinforce the others.” Estelle explained. She quickly turned from each of her friends and Tobias to the other, as well as (carefully, this time) pressing down on Tobias’ communicator to relay their group’s activity to their friends. “Amy and me will head for where Lute, Trixie and Rose are. They need medical help and reinforcements, so we’ll head there. Marcus, Dalia – Lucien and Tobias will head for where you guys are. The northern sector, right?” Marcus confirmed Estelle’s questions, and more specifically answered their position within the Performance Hall, for Lucien and Tobias to find them. Lute followed that up by confirming the specificity of their group’s location – in the south-western sector of the Academy, in the courtyard right by the western entrance to the Academy. After this confirmation Estelle wasted no time in breaking communication and splitting up their group to immediately begin helping the others. “Leader… Boss… and Syed…?” “And that stupid fop, Angel?” Tobias asking uncharacteristically with a frown. “I know,” Estelle immediately replied. “Me and Amy will head to the Western Sector where they were first, and then to Lute’s group. They’re not far.” Confident smiles and nods returned to her emphasised understanding, and they broke apart. Amy sighed as Estelle started, shaking her head from side to side. More running… --------- “Quit squirming, lad,” The confident blonde haired man in the regal suit spoke, shaking his head from side to side. “You won’t be able to escape, so just settle down and relax. You’ll make it easier on yourself. Just be grateful you have more value at the moment conscious. It doesn’t mean I won’t silence you if you continue, however. If you comply and do as you're told, then by the end of this I might even give you your die back.” Walking calmly and confidently upon silent buffers of wind beneath his feet, the Masked Phantom stalked forwards with a confident smile on his face, one arm supporting the rope bound and mouth taped Angel lugged over his shoulder (The Masked Phantom’s wind magic imbuing the lazy aristocrat well enough to make him weightless), the other hand holding up the student’s communicator, for him to have listened in on every part of the Pride’s conversation. This whole night had been interesting and exciting, and this only helped add to it. Information was, afterall, everything. [img]http://i.imgur.com/KfQDBLF.png[/img] “Mattis, my good man,” The Masked Phantom pushed on his earpiece, activating the communication between himself and the other four members of his group. “They’re sending reinforcements to where dear Fabian is located. If you’re quick and quiet enough, you should be able to deal with the people holding Fabian easily enough. They’re injured. And Fabian – keep talking. Annoy and distract them as much as you can. It should make it easier for Mattis.” “Francesca. Our dear friend Jay is in the Academy’s northern sector… the Performance Hall, to be exact. Be careful and stay to the shadows and await further orders… it appears from all indications that they are a sizeable group there, and they too are getting reinforcements.” [i]“Merde…”[/i] The woman’s voice replied. The Masked Phantom smiled. He being the one to tell her gave their group yet more advantage - Jay was hardly in any position to speak to them, doing so unnaturally could tip their opponents off about their communicators and more. “Jay. Sit and wait tight. They won’t hurt you.” The masked thief finally addressed the last member of their party. “These people we’re up against… they’re not like the priests and priestesses. It makes them more dangerous, but it’s no real difference. They may be Guilders, but they won’t grievously hurt or kill anyone. I know this all too well.” “Nothing has changed, my friends. Keep calm and carry your wits about you as always.” The communication between the thieves was cut. However, communication didn’t remain silent for long… -------------- [b][u]Aliquam: Academy of the Arts[/u][/b] A squawk of static echoed out across all of the Pride’s communicators, much to everyone’s surprise listening. It quickly settled down, and they could hear something beat rhythmically from it. It sounded… like a clap. And then a laugh. “Salutations and greetings, my friends,” The voice emerged from the communicator. Marcus, Lute and Estelle all looked towards their communicators with surprise. The voice didn’t belong to any of their friends. It was- [center][b]“I am the Masked Phantom. I believe we should talk.”[/b][/center]