Storm and Aurora spent the rest of the day going over the information that Ciela and her agents had gathered about their target.
Ciela had spent a lot of time watching the place and the information was extensive.
They all decided that the best time would be at midnight, only a small number of Guards took over the nightshift and reinforcement wouldn't arrive until dawn.
This would give them plenty of time to do what needed to be done.
"Speaking off... Do either of you two know how to pick locks?" Asked Ciela.
Both dragons shook their heads.
"I was afraid that might be the case. I'll teach you two a simple unlocking spell. It can open any none enchanted lock.
Most expensive locks have countermeasures that stops this spell.
But as the mansion is rarely used by the family.
I doubt you'd encounter such locks there." Offered Ciela.
She leaned closer and whispered the word 'Aperire' in Storm's ear, before doing the same for Aurora.
"Remember, avoid the city watch while you're making your way towards the mansion.
The city enforces a curfew after midnight. You'll be hauled of to jail if they catch you out wandering the streets. " Explained Ciela.
"We'll be careful! Thanks for all your help!" Replied Aurora.
Storm and Aurora left as soon as night fell.
In order to avoid drawing extra attention, they left through a small side gate that Ciela normally kept locked.
They made their way though the city towards the mansion.
Whenever Storm or Aurora saw a light from a watch lantern, they'd dart into a nearby alley and wait for it to pass.
After a few minutes, they made it to the mansion without anyone spotting them.
They avoided the main gate, and instead went to the west wall.
Once they got in position, Aurora made a step with her two hands.
Storm ran at her and stepped on the platform she made.
She threw him upwards and he grabbed the top of the wall.
Once he climbed up, he turned around and held out a hand for her. Once she grabbed it, he pulled her up.
They perched on the wall for a moment and made sure there were no guards nearby, before jumping off on the other side.
They ran across the grounds towards the side of the house.
Everyone agreed that using the front door was too dangerous, so they made their way towards the side staff entrance.
The entrance saw a lot of activity and use during the day, but at night it was locked up tight for security purposes.
As they reached the entrance however, they found it open and unlocked.
"I thought Ciela said the door was locked at night?" Whispered Aurora.
"She did? Stay alert! Something is going on!" Replied Storm.
Storm and Aurora crossed the threshold and entered the kitchen.
After making their way through it, they stopped at the door that led to the main corridor.
Storm slowly opened the door and peaked through the gap.
The body of a guard laid face first in a pool of blood in the center of the corridor.
"Keep an eye out while I inspect the body." Whispered Storm.
Storm made his way towards the body and turned it over.
The man's eyes were still open and his face was locked in an expression of fear.
A clean cut went from the one side of his neck to the other.
His sword was still in it's scabbard and his hands weren't anywhere near it.
"Someone cut this man's throat from behind! Didn't even have a chance to draw his weapon.
Body is still warm too, so this happened recently. " whispered Storm.
It didn't take them long to find more guards that were killed the same way.
"Whoever did this is a professional! But not a common thief or assassin either!
They usually try to avoid kill counts this high! Something must have gone wrong!" Whispered Aurora.
They arrived at a door that they knew from their studies of the layout, led to the basement.
Two guards laid beside the door.
Their throats were uncut. But one had a knife still in his forehead.
The other seemed to have been strangled to death with a small chain.
Storm approached the body and carefully pulled out the knife.
It had a leaf shaped blade with a long hilt. The knife ended at a sharp point, but got thicker the closer one came to the hilt. A single ring was attached to the pommel of the knife.
A thin chain was connected to this ring and was tied around the second guard's neck.
Much like Storm's sword, it seemed to have been made by black metal and was extremely sharp.
Storm rolled up the chain and pocketed the knife as evidence, then opened the door leading to the basement.
They made their way down the steps and found a storage room of some kind.
A naked Kitsune in her natural foxlike form was chained to the center of the room.
Her fur was covered in blood.
Several cuts, bruises and burns
covered her entire body
One of her foxlike ears had been cut off and each hand had several broken fingers. Her muzzle was leaking blood.
The nature of her wounds indicated she did not have a quick death.
She was tortured before finally succumbing to her wounds.
Storm approached the body and touched it, then shook his head at Aurora.
Her body was cold, indicating that she died several days ago.
"Damn it!! We're too late!!" Whispered Aurora.
Storm took out a small vial that Ciela had given him before the mission.
She instructed that should he find the agent dead, he was to pour it's contents on the body.
Inside the vial was an powerful acid that would desolve the body and leave no traces of it.
It was grim, but necessary.
Kitsune automatically revert to their natural forms upon death and they couldn't afford to leave evidence of their existence for the guards to find.
He careful uncorked the lid, then poured it over her head, the body started sizzling as the acid did it's work.
After a few minutes nothing was left but a puddle on the ground.
The acid only burned organic material and did nothing to the stone floor below it.
Storm found the agent's belongings locked in a nearby chest.
He bagged the contents, before returning to Aurora's side.
"Let's make our way to the master bedroom! Find the hunter and make him pay!" Storm said.