[attr="class","frankieimage"]❝Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done!❞

[attr="class","frankiescroll"]
Frankie made his way to the forests near the outskirts of Kikka actually curious about how this particular job was going to go. Typically, Frankie abhorred doing missions, even those that were assigned by the Magic Knights. He understood logically their importance and didn't fault the organization for assigning them out. However, the importance of Frankie's experiments were so vital to the uplifting of all of society that he found that assigning him missions ultimately derailed from that grander purpose! How important was it really to send him caroling or to scare off a few wolves from the local fields when he could be inventing magic items that had the possibility of curing world hunger or disease?! One just fell far short of the other when comparing their importance. Still, despite his best efforts to report the criticality of his studies they were often ignored and he was still assigned various missions. He supposed it was the price he had to pay in order to have some of the autonomy that he had gained by enlisting himself with the Magic Knights. Not only were his experiments better funded, but some his experiments would have likely caused some... issues with legality had he not some authority to misuse. Still, it wasn't always a waste of his time. There were some missions he actually looked forward to. In fact, when he was told about this mission he was so intrigued that he hadn't needed to be convinced at all!

The mission statement hadn't sounded all that exciting at first. His responsibilities during this mission was a simple escort job. The 'perfect' tree for the Yule celebration in Kikka had been identified and they had required someone to retrieve the fallen tree from the nearby forest and bring it back to town safely. However, what had been interesting is why such a boring job had required a Magic Knight. It appeared that previous attempts to carry other trees had met resistance. However, not from humans or even monsters, but rather squirrels of all things?! The furry members of family Sciuridae had shown not just an uncharacteristic level of aggression towards anyone who attempted to carry off trees, but also an uncanny level of intelligence. By all reports these cousins of rats and mice were carrying out relatively sophisticated tactics in order to ward off anyone who would dare encroach on their part of the woods. That extra bit of information for this mission had been all that was required to convince Frankie to participate without any complaints. Even if these animals had been trained by a person their mental acuity simply did not match what should have been biologically possible. Which led Franklin to the hypothesis that something was going on outside the norm, that these animals had likely be altered in much the same way he had found reindeer and other local wildlife being changed during this strange season. So, the mad mage had set out immediately for Kikka, excited to see and study these squirrels for himself.

The travel to the woods had been relatively uneventful. A quick flight by his golems had him arriving in Kikka in no time and from there a simple hour or two's travel by foot to a nearby wood had him reaching the destination that had been indicated in the mission report. Whatever strange animals were plaguing this situation didn't seem to have any desire to deal with the town directly. Frankie updated his theory, more certain that their obsession seemed to be directed at the act of removing the tree and not at any hostility towards Kikka. This once more reminded him of the reindeer at Nairn who would molest and assault the townsfolk as they entered their particular section of the forest, but would otherwise not bother to chase the citizens beyond a certain point. These squirrels were likely similarly territorial. Frankie was deducing that if they did attack if he could just dissuade them enough or get far enough away from them they would likely give up on the whole affair and allow him to travel the rest of the way in relative peace.

Upon arriving Frankie found a well dressed individual surrounded by a small number of well armed guards, all of which were looking in every direction quiet warily. The mad mage was figuring that this was the local lord who had requested the mission and an armed escort of his. Frankie approached the other man, making sure his Green Mantis mantle was clearly visible. "Good day, I am Franklin Stein of the Green Mantis Magic Knights. I accepted your request for an escort. Please direct me to the fascinating magically altered squirrels so that I may study them. Oh, and the tree that you are looking to have transported as well I suppose." The man had first jumped at Frankie's appearance, but quickly gained his composure as he realized that the mad mage was the person he had been expecting. "Um... Yes, I am the one who put out the request. Is it just going to be you?" Frankie didn't bother to answer the question. He didn't know why he was so commonly received with skepticism when he reported for these sorts of jobs, but he had long since grown indifferent. "I mean, I apologize, of course you are more then up for the task. The tree is directly behind me right at the edge of the forest's clearing. We've already felled it. Thankfully, we weren't attacked during that process. They seem to only make a move shortly after trying to get it out of the forest. However, no doubt they heard the crash of the tree and will come to investigate it if they haven't already. We left a cart for you to load the tree on so you can transport it. Myself and my men are going to take our leave though now that you are here. It isn't safe to stick around too long with those creatures around." The anxiety that all this business with the squirrels had caused was clearly evident so Frankie didn't bother to ask any additional questions or keep the lord for longer then he needed to. With luck he would see these squirrels soon enough and be able to have all his queries answered through careful study of them afterwards.

Once the local lord and his people had left Frankie made his way over to where the fallen tree had been pointed out to him. As was promised he found a rather impressive looking tree and the cart to haul it all waiting for him. The tree was sadly not already on the cart, but it was possible the lord and his people feared any moving of the tree would incur the wrath of the squirrels. Not about to do any of the heavy lifting himself Frankie spoke the first command phrase, "Servants of Creation!" The spell words left Franklin's mouth and in doing so activated the spell, causing Carbon Matter to disperse from his grimoire and take the shape of five burly apes. Although as the earliest of his spells these golems had long since become some of the weakest he could create they were still plenty strong enough to lift the tree. At Franklin's mental nudge they moved to carry out this task, four of them lifting the tree with two on either side as the final fifth ape helped guide the large tree trunk onto the cart without damaging it or the tree. Once the cart was loaded two of apes moved to act as the draft horses, putting themselves into position to pull the heavy load while the others served as sentries.

However, before they could depart Frankie recognized the threat the squirrels represented. If they truly were as crafty as the mission details had indicated they would likely be waiting for some sort of ideal ambush. Rather than simply fall into their trap without warning Frankie opted to create scouts that would serve as his eyes and ears as they travelled. "Mus Musculus Carbo!" With the shout of the new spell Carbon Matter swirled along the wheels of the cart, forming four small mice. These little minions were the latest in the spells he had learned and with their enhanced Sensory abilities proved to be very suitable vanguard for the mad mage. They already had considerable more abilities in Sensory then he had and they were able to go out to a greater distance then his apes. Besides, he felt there was a certain sense of irony sending out his mice to thwart the other tree dwelling rodents. With a wave of his hand and a telepathic order the mice raced off into the fields ahead, their keen senses probing for any sort of enemy. Once they had been given a suitable lead, but not so much that they were outside the range of his spell, Frankie ordered his apes to begin marching the tree back to Kikka and sat atop the cart so as to take advantage of the moment of respite.

For a good hour nothing happened. Frankie wondered if they were simply not going to attack at all or if they had somehow recognized the threat a Magic Knight possessed and had grown more cautious for it? The latter was an interesting proposal and one Frankie almost wished for given the possibilities. Eventually though he did get word back from his mice that the presence of the squirrels had been noted. In particular their unnatural amount of mana had been recognized, or at least the mana registering off one squirrel in particular. Frankie wondered if that was their leader? He mentally labeled that one subject zero. According to his calculations it wouldn't be long before Frankie came upon them and judging from the general directions and locations he had gotten back as information they had set themselves up on either side of the dirt road back to Kikka, hiding themselves in the field. A classic ambush? How utterly fascinating for these animals to adopt such a human tactic. Deciding the best path forward would be to ambush his ambushers Frankie cast a third spell. "Earthen Raptor!" Frankie called out, the command phrase for his spell causing one more surge of Carbon Matter as three massive eagles were fashioned out of the Element. They made silent screeches as they unfurled their wings and as directed by Frankie took the sky to stay as out of sight as possible. It was time to see if the squirrels would take the bait!

Frankie continued forward, acting completely unaware. The squirrels for their part had been utterly patient, allowing the mad mage to roll his cart exactly in the center of the waiting attackers. Then one massive squirrel chattered his teeth and forward they all surged from either side of him. In total there appeared to be five squirrels, four soldiers and their leader. Two had encircled the Magic Knight on either side with the leader moving about within the brush commanding while attempting to remain hidden. Against an unprepared foe they would have likely succeeded, perhaps not by decimating their enemy, but surely with any hit and run tactics. Even now Frankie's quick calculations led him to believe they were targeting him and the tree, willing to ignore his golems. That sadly was a mistake. Before the four squirrels could even reach his position two of the huge eagles swooped from on high, having hidden themselves within the glare of the sun at Frankie's command. Each massive claw easily snatched a single squirrel, the dog sized creatures completely caught unaware. Gripped by the gigantic eagles their proportions, although scaled up, still mimicked the natural predator and prey dichotomy of a natural eagle and squirrel.

Even as they shrieked in horror the other two tried to come on. However, they were quickly blocked by the three apes he had serving as guards. Two of his guards quickly fell to the furious claws and teeth of these abnormally sized squirrels. However, although they were victorious their victory was short lived. The mice constructs that he had serving as scouts came swarming back at Frankie's call. Although they were not designed for combat they were still deadly constructs in their own right and with the apes serving as sacrifices the squirrels could mount little in defense as a single squirrel was overrun by two mice each. In the end Frankie lost one mouse in each battle, but in so doing he felled all four of the soldiers that had been sent to attack him and the tree. At some point their leader must have realized this was a losing battle and had attempted to retreat. However, just as their subordinates this one had forgotten to keep an eye on the sky. The last eagle which Frankie had been holding in reserve came crashing down upon this Don of the squirrels. Although seemingly stronger than their foot soldiers the squirrel was perhaps only equal to his eagle and the element of surprise had robbed it of any ability to fight back effectively. The fight had been over before it could ever truly begin.

Feeling quiet pleased with himself Frankie had what remained of his golems scoop up the squirrels and deposit them on his cart alongside the tree and himself. Those that had not been immediately killed he tended to, living specimens had considerable uses. Those that had died he put separately, an autopsy would be no less useful in its own way. Then he had his apes continue on their way while using his other golems to remain on over watch. Ultimately Frankie encountered no other hostile animal creatures, much to his lament, and was able to successfully deliver the tree without it ever being damaged. The local lord had been grateful, though upon seeing the squirrel his gratitude had melted to fear and anxiety. When it became clear though that Frankie intended to take the animals back with him the lord had gained some of his calm again and positive attitude. Ultimately, Frankie was sure that the noble was glad to be rid of both the mad mage and the squirrels. Frankie didn't care though, he was just glad that the lord hadn't tried to demand ownership of the creatures for attacking his tree. Nobles were keen on owning all sorts of odd pets more out of fancy then actual legitimate academic curiosity. So, Frankie had been quiet relieved when this one hadn't demanded them. Now all he had to do was make his way back to his labs and begin the experiments. He wondered if he could drain their mana and return them to normal as he had the reindeer? If he simply focused on the leader and cured that one would the others naturally follow just as the leader had initially corrupted the others? What did their brains look like in comparison to normal squirrels to have such intelligence? Oh the questions he was looking forward to answering!

[EXIT & CLOSE]

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Notes
Frankie met the person orchestrating the job and got the low down on what was needed. He then summoned all his apes to move the cart, his mice to scout ahead, and his eagles to help in the ambush. Once the squirrels attacked he rounded the lot of them up before any of them could do any harm to the tree or escape. He then dropped off the tree and took the squirrels back to HQ to study.

Spells:

135 - 30 [Sr New] - 20 [Int New] - 10 [Jr New] + 30 [Quick Charge] = 105/135
All spells dismissed at end of post.

Servants of Creation

Mus Musculus Carbo

Earthen Raptor
Items:


Perks:

QUICK CHARGER

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