Chapter 43: Prelims Day 2 (Part 5)

[Captain John! We have a situation here! Captain I need to talk to you! Grrk!] - Unnamed Guardsman

[I apologize for my officer Prince Julias he's not usually like this.] - Captain John

[No no, don't worry about me Captain. Afterall he seems... distressed.] - Prince Julias de la Abelis

After leaving the battalion of troops he'd been assigned to he'd run through the streets as fast as he could, looking for anyone of a higher rank that would be able to help Karen and her friends. His wild running eventually led him to the steps of the Mayor's mansion where the Captain of the Guard, John de la Mustum was speaking with who he now saw was the honorable Prince Julias. Cutting off his rather rude interruption at the sight of the unexpected person he waited impatiently while the two wrapped up their conversation, barely managing to maintain a respectful bearing in front of the Royal Prince.

[Now what do you want Lieutenant Kars? Did you not see that I was in the middle of an important conversation?!? You'd better have a damn good reason for interrupting us or I swear I'll...!] - Captain John

[Commander Jean is attacking a contestant from the tournament! I'll explain everything later but we need to stop him first!] - Lieutenant Kars

[Now see here Lieutenant...!] - Captain John

[Captain. Why don't you take some of my own guard to see about this... Lieutenant Kars's claim. It sounds important and our own topic can wait.] - Prince Julias de la Abelis

[I-If you wish it Prince! Ok Kars you better be telling the truth or it's your ass I'll send to the Royal family! Now show me where you saw this!] - Captain John

Several Hours Ago

[Why don't you head home Kurata? We're gonna do a girls night out.] - Karen

[Yeah! Although if you wanna join in on the orgy later... OW!] - Veronica

[Shut it Ver! Sorry about that Kurata why don't you head to the dorms for now, I'll make sure Karen remembers to contact you when we get back.] - Malaise

[This one understands and although this one does not wish to leave Mistr... Miss Karen's side, this one will persevere for one's sake.] - Kurata

Back to Present

It had been a few hours since he'd left his Mistress. He knew that she didn't like being referred to by that nor did she like him treating her with the deference required of her position above him but his Code was clear on what happens to a warrior that loses in a serious battle. Only loses in the pursuit of training are acceptable and as far as both he and his family was concerned he was already dead. Thinking back on the moment when he'd first seen his new master he realized that even then he'd known that something was different about her. When he'd seen her match his heart had sped up and his eye's had witnessed the beauty of her form. She wasn't particularly powerful, he'd seen warriors far more powerful than she in the past. She wasn't very intimidating, he'd seen monster's that put the fear of death in the bravest warriors and caused battle master's to flee in disgrace. But something about the way she fought, the way she moved, made his warrior's spirit yearn for her.

He wasn't attracted to her, no nothing so base as sexual attraction. And even if he was his Mistress was very clear on her interests not including men. No, what he felt was the future. Every moment of his past had been screaming at him from that first glimpse that she was his way forward to greater skill and power. And then he'd won, or at least he thought he had. Shame filled him as he remembered the few seconds of his greatest regret, those few seconds when he'd believed that his Mistress, his salvation, had been defeated. What had followed had torn apart his Pride, ridiculed his Skill and thoroughly trampled his Self. And he'd lost. Defeated before he could fully feel her technique's and learn from her.

Of course after his defeat he'd been willing to die, he thought he was, but... In the back of his mind, in a place far removed from his Pride, Skill and Self, he'd felt a small amount of disappointment. Not disappointment at losing to a greater warrior, no, disappointment that he wouldn't get to witness more of his Mistress in battle. That disappointment had led to him suggesting a practice from hundreds of years ago that had fallen out of favor. He would live, but only so he could die when the time came to pay his Mistress back.

Of course he hadn't told his Mistress the full responsibility that he had taken on his shoulders. He knew she wouldn't approve of it and although it shamed him to not explain what exactly he had promised to do for her he was willing to bear that burden if it meant he could die with honor when his time came.

[They're in there? Why the hell did the building have to be a literal fortress?] - Arlen

Arlen, after wandering through the various sewers and underground passageways under the city, had gotten lost. Finding himself completely turned around he'd attempted to find the nearest person who could tell him where to go and after wandering around for nearly half a day he'd stumbled onto a group of them. With their backs turned to him he had realized that they hadn't yet seen him and when he'd been about to call out to them to get their attention he'd overheard one of them mentioning some new "cargo" that the gang had gotten. Hiding himself immediately he'd approached the group from behind and, after listening in on their conversation, decided to follow one of them as he split off from the other 2.

That of course brings us to the present, where the sight in front of him was causing a massive headache to start. Surrounded by a channel of sewer water, with only a single stone bridge crossing said canal, sat a massive warehouse that stretched to the ceiling above. Barely within eyesight in the darkness the height boggled the mind, especially since this place had been dug out for some Goddess forsaken reason. What's worse is that it would be nearly impossible to cross the river of unmentionable content without going through the guarded entrance. Seeming to have been carved out of the bedrock it was built into the damn building didn't even have any windows until the third story up. Even the various houses and other building's carved onto this side of the water weren't particularly helpful as none of them reached far enough across the gap to be useful in any way. Hell in any other situation he'd have been impressed by the sight of a literal city like this, in fact the few times that he'd been allowed to accompany his mother when she met with the Dwarves he'd seen similar buildings and they'd always amazed him as a child.

[Were the Dwarves involved in making this city? Huh... I'll look it up later. Now what to do...] - Arlen

Creeping as close as he could he was about to make a break for it and try his luck when a massive explosion suddenly rocked his surroundings, blowing a large hole in one of the upper floors of the building. Arlen, not believing his luck, immediately acted and took advantage of the new situation as he ran to take out the distracted guards.

[Okay then you all remember the plan right?] - Moon

[Yeah, I'll act like I'm hurt and when they come to check on us you'll jump them. Wait but how will I fake it? I'm not an actor or anything although I may look good enough to be one.] - Foxy Lady

Rolling her eye's at the arrogant rich lady in front of her that still hadn't figured out her situation Moon ignored her question and made sure the other prisoner's in the cage knew their own role in their escape. Their neighboring cages, catching on to their furtive moving, knew that something was about to go down and Moon could now see every eye that was visible shining in the darkness as they stared at their own group.

[Okay then, since we've prepared enough I want you to scream like I'm trying to kill you.] - Moon

[But how?!? I-I don't think I can...!] - Foxy Lady

[Like this.] - Moon

Slashing her claws across the woman's stomach suddenly she felt them bite into flesh, leaving a nasty looking wound on her skin. Quickly making sure that she hadn't caused lasting damage she nodded to the other's, who were staring at her with surprise on their faces, as the merchant looking foxkin acted like she was dying to what only amounted to a surface cut. Making sure that she looked tied up to a casual glance Moon and the rest of the group backed away from the crying woman as shouts could be heard getting closer.

[What the hell is with all the noise?!? Either shut up or... What the hell happened here?!?] - Idiotic Guard

[Holy shit is she bleeding?] - Moronic Guard

[Yeah, she accidently caught herself on a metal spur and cut herself.] - Moon

[Like we care, just shut her up!] - Idiotic Guard

[Are you sure about that, with her looks she'll be worth less if there's damage afterall. You DO plan on selling her as a sex slave right? I doubt any nobleman would look twice at damaged product.] - Moon

[You! Stay there, my... associate and me will amongist ourselves.] - Idiotic Guard

Barely stopping herself from smirking at the man attempting to use words beyond his ability and failing Moon nodded somberly as if he had impressed her with his intelligent decision. Glancing back at the caged group the 2 moron's took some distance to whisper to each other in what they obviously thought were quiet voices but were completely audible to every one of the prisoner's. The foxkin woman, to her credit, had stopped shrieking her head off by this point and was now curled up in a ball while periodically whimpering to herself.

[<murmur> Shit Bob I think she's right.] - Moronic Guard

[Dammit! And Harris will have my ass if he finds out I got one of his precious "products" damaged before he could sell it. Fine!] - Idiotic Guard

[Now you guys stay where you are or my friend here will start shooting. No tricks!] - Idiotic Guard

[No sir, of course we would never even think of trying to trick smart people like yourselves.] - Moon

After arguing with each other loudly the two moron's confidently tried to threaten the one's that they hadn't yet realized were playing them. The "leader" of the two even motioning to his even more moronic counterpart that was holding a loaded crossbow, incorrectly as far as Moon could tell. Stoking their ego with her response to his threat Moon had to try her hardest to not burst out laughing at the absolute stupidity of their captors.

Warily watching them while the "leader" quickly unlocked the cage the moron didn't even react when, as soon as the door was open, Moon rushed the two and slashed her claws across his friends neck, catching the key as his nerveless fingers let it drop. Now standing in front of the armed and, supposedly, dangerous man Moon gave him a wink as he immediately dropped his crossbow and ran.

[Shit! Can't let you run!] - Moon

Quickly hooking the dropped weapon with her foot she raised, aimed, and fired in the same movement, barely tagging the fleeing man between the shoulder blades before he could escape the room and raise the alarm. Keeping her eyes on the only entrance Moon quickly moved out of the way of her fellow prisoners, allowing them to finally taste freedom as the person that had made this all possible, the foxkin woman, continued to whimper in the corner of said open cage.

[Hey, use this dumbass's key to unlock the other cages too. If we're leaving we're going together.] - Moon

Barely sparing a glance at her newly escaped comrade's Moon kept her eye's trained on the door in case anyone came looking for the two resident moron's. She wasn't going to get caught with her pants down this time after what it had led to and she still needed to save her siblings, wherever they were. Briefly glancing down at the dead bodies of the two idiot's she felt a brief moment of regret at killing them before she got the location of her family but immediately put it out of mind since it couldn't have been helped.