Large heavy droplets fell from the sky, splashing against the soiled dirt of Lakata. City as dark as the ink black sky above it, as black as the sin of its people.

But even those heavy drops flogging the ground were not enough to wash off all the sin. Neither were they enough to hide his tears on his bruised face.

“ O holy one blessed by the goddess herself, have mercy on us! Heal my wife! She is a devotee of a pure heart! Have the mercy o mother! “

Again and again the man screamed in a hoarse voice.

”Comander!”

”Yes o high one.”

”Have I not told you to silence that dog?!”

”Yes but...”

”There is not but! Your sole purpose is to obey my word! And my word is you go and silence that fucking dog! Rip out his tongue if you must but I will not stand this any longer!”

Nerto spoke no more. He bowed clicking his boots and left, cursing his life and the time he joined the temple guard. So much blood he had on his hands. Cursed be that bitch.

When the doors rattled, the man outside went silent. His prayers were heard, his faith answered! With the body of his wife in his arms he ran towards the light passing through the opening crack.

”O holy mother hundreds be praised the goddess...”

He froze. Instead of the holy one, a man of a stone face and bloodied fist awaited him.

”You should have left when I told you...”

Nerto cursed upon himself while his fist fell upon the innocent man. He came here for a blessing while all he got were a mercenary’s fists.

” No! Please no!”

The beaten man covered his wife.

”I beg you! No! We will leave!”

The soldier turned around and left the crying man under the weeping sky.

Indeed, no amount of water would wash away the sin of this city. Thought another man hidden away behind a tree. He saw the whole scene and anger boiled within him. He had no love towards the one owning that temple nor did he wish to get involved. Yet, anger is a powerful thing.

”Please no, she did nothing wrong...she is sick...”

The beaten man cried as the stranger bend over him. Ignoring his presence, the stranger took off his glove and pressed his palm against the woman’s cheek. So cold her body was.

”Heal”

He whispered.

”Make sure she eats something warm.”

Several coins found its way into the crying man’s fist before the stranger left.

”Honey? What is going on? Why are you crying and... where are we?”

The woman’s eyes were clear and focused and her voice... her voice...

Garrado cried even harder, hugging tightly his beloved wife. A miracle!

”Quick, we must show our thanks the one who showed mercy!”

But there was no sign of the stranger, he vanished just as he appeared.

***

Stupid, Idiot, moronic master. Even though her mouth was held shut by a leather muzzle tightly locked around her head, Neira’s glowing eyes spoke more than Joe could currently stomach.

Bending over, he horked out another pint of blood. Even with all the extra constitution, using that skill nearly killed him.

”WOULD YOU MIND AND STOP MESSING UP MY APPOINTMENTS?”

”DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH PAPER WORK EXPLAINING SUDDEN MIRACULOUS RECOVERY COSTS ME?”

Joe smiled and bend over again. Another round of convulsions shook his body. DEATH poked his blinking health bar. There were still few points left. Disappointed, SHE walked away.

”Please remind me to never again use that on a temple ground...”

Few seconds more and the curse would finish him off. Neira let out a silent sigh and handed him another stinking potion. Joe cringed when he recognized the cheap, thin glass bottle they bought in bulk from a glasswork apprentice. It was his own brewing. To his surprise, many people bought and used it. If they could keep it down after drinking it that is.

”Don’t need it. I’ll be fine in few hours.”

Of that she was doubtful yet he was her master. She put the potion away then grabbed her master and holding him in her arms, she bounced off the alley ground and with cat’s grace landed onto a rooftop. Jumping from roof to roof, she reached their inn in no time. Joe kind of remembered she had pluck him out of his armor and his cloths but after that, there was nothing more.

Morning welcomed him with a headache and general soreness.

”Look at that, he’s alive. This must not be my lucky day... All the plans I had for my freedom...”

Neira sat at the edge of his bead, brushing her tail. Over the last few months her body picked up few pounds here and there, hiding the bones under a nice layer of natural fat that made a woman’s body so tempting.

”Still A-Flat I see? Your butt sucking all the fat?”

An angry growl answered him. Had it not been for the slave seal, Joe was sure her brush would be stuck in his throat by now.

”No freedom for you this time.”

He pat her muscular thigh. A curious person she was. At times it was difficult to judge whether she wished to kill him or rape him or maybe both? It was a mystery. One he didn’t particularly care to solve. Her mood swings were annoying and her feral nature felt too aggressive for a proper fuck toy but... And this was a big but, she was useful. Be it warming up his bed, carrying heavy stuff, finding way, finding plants, tracking animals or tracking people, smacking monsters or smacking people. She did that and much more. She could manage their stock, haggle with merchants, gather information and gossips. Within a week she mastered reading imperial runes under a shitty teacher he was. She swallowed algebra as if it was nothing and even went through his books when he wasn’t around. She learned on her own how to start a fire with mana sparks.

”What?”

Ashamed, she covered her chest. Her fur left nothing visible yet the gesture...

”Nothing. Been wondering whether I like you more with or without the muzzle.”

Joe sent her a kiss and watched as her ears dropped slightly and her cheek tufts puffed out, her kind's idea of blushing. He truly enjoyed her company and that bothered him.

Never again, he promised himself.

”Get dressed. We’ll get our payment and be off from this stinkhole.”

***

”Ten thousand gold in uncut gemstones. Five hundred thousand gold in gold bars and twenty thousand gold in imperial coins. Does that satisfy our deal?”

”It will as soon as I finish counting”

”Ah yes. Quite understandable. Our office is to your disposal.

”Would you like something to drink, Sir?”

”Tea, please.”

Joe sat down and spilled the gems onto a provided silver tray. Counting gold was as simple as putting it into his item box where the value would appear beneath while each precious stone had to be analyzed first before its value could be estimated.

One by one he picked up each stone, analyzed it, note down its value and put the gem back into the pouch. Whenever he would fill a whole column in his ledger, he would sum it up then write the result at the top of next column and continue with analyzing.

It took him a bit shy of four hours to count down all of the jewels. Just to be sure he run once more over his calculations then set aside three small stones and one gold coins. He put them on the silver tray and pushed them towards the waiting clerk.

“I am satisfied with your payment, we can conclude the deal.”

Joe rose and stretched his arm towards the waiting man.

”I See.”

The man gave a nod towards one of the waiting maids. She came up a removed the silver tray.

”It was a pleasure doing business. If I may,”

Another maid came with official looking envelope of the Moon Dust company.

”A letter of recommendation. Show it at any of our guild posts. It should ease out any of our further dealings.”

The clerk gave Neira a long bored stare.

”If you are perhaps heading towards High Peaks, be warned. Patrols report abnormal monster activity and the last caravan that went through, suffered heavy losses.”

Joe took the letter then slightly bowed his head and left. Today’s deal was the culmination of several months long grinding of skills and resources. Now all that left was stock up and be gone from this damn city as soon as possible. Somewhere dry that is. It had rained nonstop ever since they arrived within the valley and sharing a room with a wet demi got old fast. Especially the smell he would do without. But if the reports were true and High Peaks garrison got overrun then going there with just the two of them seemed risky.

”On second thought, there is a place we should visit. I’m sure you gonna love it.”

Neira gave out a snort through her muzzle. There was nothing in this city she would love, maybe except setting it on fire. And judging by the smell of sickness and unwashed bodies, she knew exactly where they were going.

Lakata slave pens were the biggest in the norther part of the empire. If you wanted a slave, this was the place to go. Humans, Demi, Elves, Mermaids, Dryads, Naga... They had all. From sentient species through feral beast to monsters and spirits. If it existed they had it. If it didn’t exist, they would have it for a few coins extra. Exotic fuck toys, servants, workers and soldiers. They had it.

Joe paused by a cage of a busty dryad spreading an intoxicating scent through the whole pavilion. She send him a wink and a kiss, exposing her secret garden.

”A splendid choice dear customer. I am sure she shall fulfill all your desires. If not, a full refund guaranteed!”

Well, with a price tag of nine hundred million gold, she better do.

”Oh, I don’t doubt that. However, I am not a man that would squander his coin. She does not fit the purpose I require.”

Joe moved his eyes towards the shady man.

”Do you perhaps have some, discounted goods so to speak?”

Pig like lips curled in disgusting smile.

”Aaah, certainly! This way please.”

To say this was a pavilion dedicated towards discounted goods felt like an understatement. A grave yard seemed like a merrier place. Neira stopped and refused to enter when the smells of festering bodies and death assaulted her nose.

”Don’t get kidnapped, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Joe waved her off to a corner then followed the slave master deeper into the galley. This was a lair of death and despair.

”CAME TO SPOIL MY DAY AGAIN, HAVEN’T YOU?”

Familiar figure stood by one of the cages. A paladin level 150. Indeed a rare find.

”That one seems to have expired.”

Joe pointed at the dead man.

”Ah, indeed. If you excuse me for a moment. “

DEATH looked as the seller run off.

”WELL?”

”How should I ask, any fresh ones left?”

Peculiar, SHE studied the man whose soul SHE put into this world. HER eyes drilled deep into his being. Still not ready.

”I HAVE NO BUSINESS WITH THOSE TWO IN THE BACK. YET.”

HER hand pointed at a set of cages in the back. Joe bowed humbly and walked away.

“Status Savila”

He spoke as his eyes met the single eye of a crippled demi. One of her arms hung lifeless and looked beyond broken. If he were to risk a guess, she had a close encounter with a bus. Or at least that’s how her body looked.

*DING*

Name: Savila Gender: Female Level: 79 Age: 37 Race: Demi Class: Knight HP 689 / 4472 MP 0 / 114 P.att 321 M.att 67 P.def 1560 M.def 226 STR 245 INT 141 CON 500 VIT 9 DEX 170 MEN 5 Racial traits: Base HP +21%, Base P.Def +11%, Keen senses, Survival instinct Status: For Sale Tough Body : HP Boost: HP +80%, Stamina Boost: +75%, HP Recovery: HP +420/h, Damage resistance: Incoming damage -30%, Damage absorption: Can absorb damage up to twice the current constitution level. Fortitude : HP+25%, Stun immunity, Paralysis immunity, Reduced bleeding Crippled: P.Att -90%, Unable to use some skills Fever: HP-60%, Stamina -62% Hungry: P.Att -12%, 5 days since last meal Internal bleeding: HP -150/h Dead Rot: Time remaining 1 day 12 hours 32 minutes

A knight huh. Then what about the other one?

“Status... Ne... Neph... oh for fuck sake. Status the one I’m pointing at.”

*DING*

Name: Nepheralllanthiephloila el Tarrral vale Dahpharesssieris Gender: Female Level: 102 Age: 937 Race: Elf Class: Bow Master HP 215 / 1117 MP 730 / 2464 P.att 0 M.att 2755 P.def 534 M.def 3882 STR 147 INT 211 CON 190 VIT 103 DEX 442 MEN 257 Racial traits:

P.att+18%, Silent walk, Keen senses, Child of the forest, Accuracy +50%

Status: For Sale Blind: Unable to attack Mute: Tongue removed forcefully Raped: Soul deterioration stage I No will to live: In state of apathy, this person is awaiting death

”Ah, dear customer. Have you found anything up to your taste?”

”Yes. I’ll take both.”

”What a splendid choice. An elven princess and a mighty demi warrior. Given the state they are in, that would be ten thousand gold... each.”

Joe looked him straight in the eye.

”I’ll give you one hundred gold, total.”

”What! Such insulting offer I cannot accept!”

”Then how about this one? Fifty gold total and I promise I wont inform the town’s watch you had an undead outbreak in your slave pen?”

The seller shrunk and bowed deeply.

”Sold.”