Shiva's point of view

Jim seems to know the man we are following. The man's name sounds familiar, but my mind is racing too fast to focus on it. Hearing that Grizz is dead, or if he isn't is a prisoner of the Unseen has me off my game. Then, Azeghial said there was time for Jim to save his elf wife. Jim seemed to be getting more and more upset even before he said that. So now I'm freaking out worrying about Thea.

Why the fuck can't Sarge talk to me too!? It would make things so much easier! I'm starting to get even more agitated because it feels like I'm being kept out of the loop. Jim keeps glancing back at me and smiling. It's like he is trying to reassure me even though it's not working. In his eyes, I can see he is worried and barely holding it together.

I know Jim feels something for me, not like he does for Thea. Even if he can't admit it to himself, I know he loves Thea. I can see it in the way he acts around her, and the way he looks at her when she isn't paying attention. Thea has tried telling me over and over that he will see me like that in time. I don't know if I believe her or not, but she said he wouldn't make me leave.

Whatever God is listening, please let Thea be ok. Azeghial's head twitches as I send my silent prayer out. Something about the action triggers a memory in my head. The name Azeghial, it was the messenger Jim met in the ethereal plane. That does explain why he seems so different then the rest of the people in the crowd.

"Look, can we please just hurry this up?" Jim keeps scanning the crowd as he tries to rush Azeghial.

"Just a little farther, then we can talk. We don't want anyone seeing or overhearing what I'm going to tell you." Azeghial motions for Jim to walk along the outside edge of a caravan or wagons. He seems agitated, but steps around the lead wagon. He is almost past it when Azeghial grabs his shoulder and spins him around.

"Sorry, this is going to feel unpleasant." Before Jim can respond, Azeghial places his palm on Jim's forehead. The two seem to blur for a second, then Azeghial is gone. Jim's body goes stiff and I rush forward to check on him. He collapses to his knees, a heaving sound comes from him.

"Jim! Jim, are you ok!?" He tries to wave me off as he forces himself to his feet. He leans against the wagon, his eyes staring into space.

"Fuck! Yeah, I'm fine. I just need a second." He starts to shake his head violently back and forth. When it doesn't seem to be helping, he slams the palm of his right hand into his temple. "FUCK!" I try and comfort him, but he pushes me away gently. I look into his eyes and see that he is afraid.

"What the hell happened!?" He shakes his head. His mouth opens and shuts repeatedly before he finally starts to speak.

"Don't ask me about that. I'll explain when I can, but don't ask me. Please." His eyes are pleading with me to drop it, so I nod my head slowly. I can see relief starting to spread across his face slowly. He shakes his head again as he pushes off the wagon.

"Come on, we need to get moving. Thea is in trouble, and we have one more stop to make." Jim starts to push his way through the crowd. When a merchant tries to step in front of him, he shoves him out of the way without slowing.

"Sorry, he's in a hurry." The merchant curses at me as I jump over him. I push myself to get beside him as he breaks free of the worst of the crowd. He looks over to me and smiles weakly.

"Shiva, please don't tell Thea what happened with Azeghial. I promise I will explain everything to both of you. I just need to do it in my own time." His voice sounds like he is scared, and that worries me more than anything.

"I won't say anything, just promise me you will explain when you can." He nods his head and smiles at me.

"I will, I promise." He turns back to the road ahead of him, his eyes scanning it wildly. "If I can." His words are so quiet for a second that I think I imagined it. I'm about to ask him what he means when he speaks again.

"There. Come on, we need to hurry." I twist my head to look at where he is pointing. Coming out from the edge of the treeline is a merchant's wagon. Trailing behind it is a line of people walking in two rows.

"Jim, that's a slave trader." He nods his head as his eyes narrow in on the slaves walking behind.

"I know, but we are going to need some help."

Jim's point of view

"Sorry this is going to feel unpleasant." As Azeghial places his palm on my forehead, the entire world shifts. The ground rushes up to meet me as I feel my stomach empty.

"Fucking hell that's rough!" I'm trying to wipe the combination of vomit and spit off my chin when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Jim, are you ok?" Alexis's voice causes me to jump. When I turn my head, she stands above me and looks down concerned.

"I'm fine, what are you doing here?" When I look around, the landscape is not the road into Shevel where we had been. It's the familiar gray swirling mist of the ethereal plane. "Ah fuck, don't tell me I'm back here!"

"You know where we are?" Alexis is looking around a scared look on her face. I let myself fall back onto my rear as I look around the area again.

"Pretty sure I do. It's where I was when I used the crystal you made me. Or at least I think it is, looks the same." Alexis is opening her mouth to reply when Azeghial's voice comes from behind us.

"Not quite the ethereal plane, but a similar space." Alexis helps me stand as Azeghial starts to walk past us. "Come along, we have a long way to go."

"Where are we headed? I thought you said you had a message for me." We have to jog to catch up to Azeghial who hasn't even slowed down.

"If you ask questions, it slows us down. Trust me that I'll let you know what you need to. If you do, then you will get back in time to save your elf. If we take too long, we will miss our window. Your choice." He turns his head to look over his shoulder at us without slowing.

"Got it, no questions." Alexis nods beside me as I speak. Azeghial stares at me for a second before continuing.

"The core is here because thanks to your actions, your futures are linked. You both have a choice in your future, one that will shake the whole world." I can see a giant shape starting to come out of the mist.

Jutting up from the landscape is a huge black spire. As we continue to walk towards it, I lean back to try and see the top. The spire disappears into a blackened sky about two hundred feet or so up. The smooth black stone blends into the empty sky.

"What is this place?" Alexis's voice pulls my attention back down to us. Azeghial stops beside a low shallow basin at the base of the spire. The liquid inside of it is a murky green color with a thin mist swirling on top of it.

"There isn't a name for it that would mean anything to you. This is a place where the past and the future converge. It's where what is and what can be, flow together. Think of it as a nexus of time and space." He motions us forward to look into the pool of liquid.

"The core can be sustained by you. If you are captured, King Marcel will use that knowledge." From the depths of the pool, an inhuman scream echoes out into the air. My feet start to back away on instinct as my hands reach for my gun. Azeghial's hand clamps down onto my wrist as he drags me close to the pool.

"Don't look away now! If you fall, this is what will happen!" Alexis stands beside the pool and stares down into it. A look of terror is plastered on her face. Her hand covers her mouth as she lets out a low gasp.

"She is seeing what her future holds if you fail. You need to see what is in store for you, so you know what the stakes are." The screams from the pool grow louder. As if thousands of voices are screaming out in one long continuous yell. The more I hear it, the more I can pick out individual voices. Men, women, and children are screaming.

"What will it show me?" Azeghial pats my shoulder gently as I tilt my head to look into the pool.

"It's your vision, look for yourself." He nudges me one more time as I turn my head to look into the pool. My breath seizes in my chest at what I see.

On a battlefield covered in flames walks a blood covered man. The rifle in his right hand spits out a stream of death. Bodies fall by the wayside under his boots as he marches forward at a steady pace. There is no mercy for the ones who try to flee. They are cut down before they make it more than a few steps. I feel my stomach lurch again as I realize the man is me. Behind me walks Thea and Shiva, tears streaming from their eyes.

The battlefield shifts to an empty field, and I am surrounded by kneeling people. I see hundreds of elves and beastkin as well as what I'm assuming are dwarves, kneeling in the dirt. A man I don't recognize walks up behind me. He speaks in a calm voice as if this is just another day.

"Kill them." The version of me in the pool winces. I raise my hand into the air as it starts to shimmer above my head. I'm mouthing something I can't understand as the light solidifies. With a deafening crack, the kneeling people collapse to the ground. Inside the pool, I start to cry, tears streaming down my face.

"Time to go, hero." The man who ordered the people dead walks away, and I follow along behind. The view shifts in the pool and this time I am walking in a giant forest. Smoke is in the air as the trees burn all around. Thea and Shiva trail behind me. I can just make out their soot stained faces.

"Where is this?" I don't expect an answer to my question. Azeghial surprises me with one as I continue to stare into the pool.

"This is Windsor, more accurately this is the home of Willow grove. Thea's old grove, her family by blood." I feel my chest tighten as I watch more and more elves fall. A dim light starts to form over my chest. I seem to stumble as the light condenses. A platoon of orcs appear in front of me with the manticore from Alexis's dungeon behind them. At a wave of my hand, they charge forward and cut down people as they go.

From somewhere in the smoke, a tall elf charges forward. His armor is covered in blood, and his blades are chipped. Long blonde hair trails behind him as he charges straight at me. When his blade meets the barrel of my rifle, it passes through it cleanly. I drop the useless rifle as I kick the elf back to gain some room.

"That's Thea's father." Thea's father falls seconds later. An attack shatters his armor, knocking him to the ground. As he lays there gasping, I set one foot on his chest.

I can't hear, but I see myself mouth that I'm sorry. My rifle materializes in my hand and I pull the trigger. Thea's father's body twitches, then I step over it as I continue through the trees.

The scene in the pool changes again. This time I'm fighting in a darkened cavern against a group of dwarves. It changes again and I'm leading an army across a vast desert. The scene changes over and over again. In each one, the scene is the same. Wherever I go, bloodshed and death follows. I feel my stomach lurch, but there is nothing in it to throw up.

The scene changes again to a nearly empty throne room. King Marcel sits on the golden throne and looks down at me. He is giggling like a madman, twisting in his seat with glee. Thea and Shiva stand behind me, their eyes looking hollow and empty. My own eyes are just as empty, unfocused as I stare into space.

"You should never have ran from me. All you did was delay the inevitable. Don't you agree, dog?" King Marcel squeezes his hand around a pale gray stone in his hand. In the pool, I see myself wince as if I'm in pain before I answer.

"Yes, your grace." At my words, the king laughs loudly. He steps down off the oversized throne and waddles over to me. As he draws near, I see myself wince again before I kneel on the ground.

"Yes, finally learning aren't you, dog." The king grins down at me as I stare at the floor at his feet. "No defiant words from you now?" I shake my head as I continue to stare at the ground. "ANSWER ME, DOG!" Shiva flinches when the king yells, but remains in place.

"No, your grace. I have no words of defiance." My voice sounds almost angry, like I'm fighting to keep from screaming.

"I really should thank you, dog. If it wasn't for you, the war would have dragged on much longer. You and that core were so helpful." I nod my head once as the king continues to speak.

"Now, there are no more lands for me to conquer. So I'm going to set you somewhere safe. Just in case there is ever a need for an attack dog like you again." The king laughs again, his voice echoing in the vast chamber. His laugh is cut off in a strange strangled gasp.

The king looks down to see the tip of a blade protruding from the center of his chest. He tries to turn as the blade is withdrawn. The king looks more surprised at who is behind him than he did about getting stabbed.

"Simon, why?" He collapses to the ground in a heap as he stares at the gaunt man above him. Simon picks up the pale gray stone from the king's hand with a smile.

"Because I am done with you now. You were always just a puppet. That's why we killed your brother and put you on the throne instead. You were easier to control." Simon turns to me as the life fades from the king's eyes.

"Now with him out of the way, I don't need you either." I lift my head to look at him, my eyes almost hopeful.

"Oh no, I'm not letting you go. If you were free, it could be difficult to control you. My people can maintain order in the world now. They don't need a hero causing problems for them." The stone in his hand pulses with a pale gray light as he smiles down at me.

I slowly raise one hand to my chest pulling Alexis's core from under my armor. It seems like I'm fighting against something as I do. My neck strains as I seem to try and pull away from the core.

"Crush it." Simon's voice carries a hard edge to it. I can see Thea and Shiva staring at me as Alexis's core crumbles in my hand. A bright flash nearly blinds me as Alexis's core ruptures. When the light fades, I'm still kneeling on the ground, staring at the pile of pink powder on the ground.

"Now, strip off that ridiculous armor of yours. Honestly, why you ever felt you needed it is beyond me." I stand almost robotically and strip off my armor. As it falls away, I see a collar around my neck. Unlike the ones I have seen before. This one is bulkier. It looks like spikes dig into my skin as it anchors to my neck and back. When my armor is laying on the ground, Simon looks behind me. An evil grin spreads over his face as he turns back to me.

"Tell me, do you actually care for the sluts behind you?" I feel myself getting angry as I stare down into the pool.

"Yes, sir." My voice almost sounds hollow, but I can hear the edge of fear in it.

"Which one would you say you care for more?" I can see the muscles of my jaw fighting to stay shut to no avail.

"I don't know, sir." Simon seems annoyed at my answer.

"Which one have you known longer? I forget." I can see myself struggling to not answer.

"Thea, sir." Simon smiles as he looks over the two women.

"You, cat, get over here and kneel in front of him." Shiva seems to fight against the collar as it literally drags her in front of me. As she is kneeling on the ground, she looks up at me with a pleading look on her face. I can see in the pool that there are tears streaming down my face. A sinking feeling sets in on my stomach as Simon's mouth opens.

"Wrap your hands around that pretty neck of hers." I can see the muscles in my arm strain not to do as he says, but to no avail. My fingers grip her throat almost gently.

"Please Jim, don't." Shiva's words are barely a whisper, but they are echoing in my ears.

"Now kill her." Shiva's hands come up to fight against my grip as it tightens. Her legs start to kick out as she struggles. I hear my own voice screaming out as the light leaves her eyes and her body collapses on the ground.

"NOOOOO!" In the pool, I see myself collapse on the ground beside Shiva's corpse. Holding her to my chest as I sob loudly. Thea moves forward and wraps her arms around me as she starts to sob.

" Lay her body on the ground, dog. Now elf, lay down beside your sister." Thea's body goes stiff as she moves to lay on the ground beside Shiva. She looks over at Shiva's face before looking up at me.

"Please, please don't make me do this!" My hands are shaking as I stare down at Thea. Simon moves around behind me, leaning in to whisper in my ear.

"Now kill her, but not so quick like you did your cat." I'm screaming down at the pool as I see my hands wrap around Thea's throat. She struggles against me as my hands tighten and I can see the fear in her eyes.

"Now let her breath a moment." Simon is leaning in over my back as he watches. "Now that she can breathe, finish it." I hear myself screaming no, but I don't know if it's me in the pool or on the ethereal plane.

When Thea's body goes still, I feel myself collapsing on the ground. Somehow I'm still watching myself in the pool as I sob on the ground beside it. The version of me in the pool continues to sob alongside me, and Simon walks calmly around him. When I look up at him, I can see the rage in my eyes.

"Here, take this." He calmly offers me a blade. I recognize it as one of the Arkansas toothpicks made by Assad's shop. My fingers wrap around it slowly and I can picture me driving it into his body. Simon smiles as he motions for me to stand.

"You know this is your fault, right? You proved to be too much of a problem to be allowed to live. So now, finish it. Join your playthings in death, and know it's all your fault." The blade rises slowly until the edge reaches my throat. I can feel the sharp bite of the blade as it opens my neck. The warmth of my blood flowing over my chest as I fall.

"NOOOOO!" I throw myself back away from the pool. My chest is heaving as I feel my stomach lurch. Bile burns the back of my throat as I heave over and over again. Azeghial runs my back soothingly as I try to get control of my body.

"You needed to see the road you were heading down. All the Gods agreed on that." I feel my body move before I realize it. My hands grab the front of Azeghial's robes as I twist to slam him to the ground.

"WHY WOULD I NEED TO SEE THAT!? WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU THINK I WOULD NEED TO SEE THAT!?" The way he remains calm just makes me angrier. So I start to slam him into the ground, my whole body crashing into his as I scream.

"ENOUGH!" Without any sign that we have moved, Azeghial stands above me. A golden glow emanates from his body as he glares down at me. His foot is pressing uncomfortably hard down on my chest. He takes a second to compose himself before speaking.

"You were shown this so you could decide for yourself what happens next. It was not a decision that can be made lightly." I struggle against his foot, but I can't budge it at all.

"What about Sarge, Vaunea and Jacob? I didn't see them in the pool." Azeghial shakes his head slowly.

"You killed them first. It was to show you that they had complete control of you. The only reason they spared Shiva and Thea was to placate you." I feel my stomach lurch again at his words. I feel like I'm going to puke again, but there is nothing left in my stomach.

"How can I avoid that?" I motion towards the pool where Alexis is still kneeling.

"It's not an easy path. There are several ways you can avoid that outcome. Only one that doesn't lead to the same fate eventually. It requires sacrifice on your part, and a burden that will weigh on you and your family forever, if you live." He lifts his foot off my chest to let me stand. I scramble to my feet to stare into his eyes.

"If I follow that path, Thea and Shiva live?" I'm searching his face for any sign of a lie.

"They live, but their fates are altered as well. It's not a decision to make lightly." I feel myself getting angry at his words.

"You just said if I don't do it, then they die! How is there any choice in your mind!?" Azeghial stares into my eyes for a long moment. His face is blank and I feel myself getting angrier at his silence. Finally, I see something that looks almost like relief pass over his features.

"Most people would ask what they have to do. You don't care about yourself though, do you? It's all about the ones you care for, the ones you love." I feel the tension in my shoulders relax the slightest bit.

"For the ones I love, I will do great and terrible things." I know it's a bastardization of a quote from earth, but it's the truth.

"Head into the trap, and break through at any cost. You will be met in Rathenk by a messenger of your patron." At my confused look, he chuckles.

"The fuck does a patron have to do with me? When the hell did I get a patron?" Alexis's voice draws my attention to her.

"Not the kind of patron you are thinking about, Jim. Here, your patron is the God who has a claim on your soul. He is saying another person with the same patron will meet you." Azeghial nods to Alexis before turning back to me.

"I'm not going to lie, it won't be easy. You may not live through what is required of you. Thea and Shiva will be safe, and if you live, they will reunite with you."

"What do you mean reunite?" Azeghial motions Alexis closer as he raises a hand to me.

"I don't have time to explain. I will give you the information you need. It's up to you to finish this." I feel a tug on my body as he starts to motion with his hand.

"Wait, who is my patron? If they want me to do this for them, I deserve to know who they are!" Azeghial smiles at me as I feel the world going black.

"After you escape Dolus, not until then. If you fail, it can't be leveraged against you." I feel my body being pulled back hard.

Suddenly, I'm back on the road out of Shevel. Before I can steady myself, I feel the ground rush up to meet me. My stomach heaves as it tries to empty itself again. Neither Shiva or the wagon behind me have moved while I was gone. Judging by her reaction I get the feeling I haven't been gone long.

Shiva is trying to comfort me, but I wave her off. I force myself to my feet and lean against the wagon. I feel a shift inside me. Somehow I know more than when I left, the knowledge swirling around in my head. I can hear Shiva asking me if I'm ok so I try to reassure her.

"Fuck! Yeah I'm fine, I just need a second." My head still feels clouded so I shake it to try and clear it. "Fuck!" I feel more information filling my head, and it's scaring me. When Shiva tries to comfort me again, I gently push her away.

"What the hell happened!?" I push down the thoughts crowding my head to look into Shiva's eyes.

"Don't ask me about that. I'll explain when I can, but don't ask me. Please." I plead to her with my eyes too as I can't explain what's going on now. Even if I had the words to do it, I just don't have the time. I see her nod to me and I feel the relief flow over me. I give my head one last shake as I push off from the wagon behind me.

"Come on, we need to get moving. Thea is in trouble, and we have one more stop to make." I start to push my way through the crowd, not caring about who I upset. When I knock down a merchant who tries to get in my way, I hear Shiva apologize to them. As I break free of the worst of the crowd, I start to move faster. Shiva manages to catch up to me, but I know she won't be able to keep up the pace.

"Shiva, please don't tell Thea what happened with Azeghial. I promise I will explain everything to both of you. I just need to do it in my own time."

"I won't say anything, just promise me you will explain when you can." I nod my head and smile at her to try to reassure her again.

"I will, I promise." I turn back to the road ahead of me, my eyes scanning it for what I know will be there. Part of the information swimming in my mind is where to get the help I'll need to get out of Dolus. "If I can." The words come out as a whisper as I think about what Azeghial said. I may not live through what lies ahead.

"There. Come on, we need to hurry." Shiva twists her head around to look at where I'm pointing. Coming out from the edge of the treeline is a merchant's wagon. Trailing behind it is a line of people walking in two rows.

"Jim, that's a slave trader." I nod my head as my eyes narrow in on the slaves walking behind.

"I know, but we are going to need some help." There, the last three in line. Those are the ones who can help my family, my grove escape Dolus. Azeghial showed me in the last seconds what I needed to know to escape. Yes, it is going to be dangerous, but it can be done.

As we draw closer to the wagon, I can hear the driver singing loudly. Perched on top of the wagon in the driver's seat is a fat merchant in dark brown robes. A smaller man with his nose pressed into a book sits behind him. Every time the drive opens his mouth, I see the smaller man wince. The driver takes long pulls from a bottle as he continues to belt out his song.

"And the far away women, they know me by name. The greatest damn merchant to ever be-again. They sing of my riches, they sing of my falls. But mostly they sing of my great giant balls!" He burst into a loud round of laughter as the smaller man behind him shakes his head.

What is it with every fucking merchant I see being fat? I come to an easy stop and raise my arm in greeting to the merchant. When the merchant sees Shiva and I stopped by the road, he pulls the horse's harness hard. The wagon slides to a stop just short of us as he pulls a lever beside him, I assume is the brake.

"Ho there friend, wonderful day ain't it!" The merchant takes another pull off his bottle before offering it to me. I smile but wave the bottle off, the smell of spilled alcohol nearly making me gag. He smells like he just bathed in the contents of a liquor store.

"Oh, it's a great day. Where you headed, hope it's not there?" I cock my thumb behind me and motion towards Shevel in the distance.

"Boss! What are you doing? Thea is in trouble!?" I try to keep my face neutral as Sarge's words echo in my head.

I know, boy, but I have a plan. Just trust me, and let Thea know we are coming as quick as we can. Azeghial gave me more information. I need help if I want to save her. Sarge feels angry at my words, but he remains quiet.

"Oh, we were on our way there. Why is there some reason we shouldn't?" The small man behind the merchant finally peers out from behind his book as the merchant takes another long drink.

"We got out just before they locked the city down. Some sort of fire or something broke out." I turn to look back at the city, pointing at the black smoke still rising in thick clouds. "See, there's the smoke still. Hell, it has to be big if we can see it from here."

"Fuck! There goes the easy profit on this trip!" The merchant spits off the side of the wagon in disgust.

"Oh, why's that? Did I miss some great market in the city?" I turn back towards the merchant as I try my best to look confused.

"Don't you know about the dungeon, son?" I keep my confused look as I nod my head slowly.

"Yeah, what about it?" The merchant laughs as he starts to climb off the wagon. When he hits the dirt, he turns to face the wheel. Soon the sound of urine hitting the ground breaks the silence.

"Well nobles pass through Shevel on the way. Most pick up slaves to protect them inside it. I was planning on selling my stock and making a pretty coin. Drug them all the way from the border of Windsor too." He finishes his business and turns to face me, still tucking himself back into his robes. His eyes scan over Shiva's form and I can see the lust in his eyes.

I'd kill you now, but we are too close to the city. Count yourself lucky. When he turns back to me, his face is all smiles again.

"Nice slave you have there, would you be interested in selling her?" I try to keep the smile on my face from slipping as I shake my head.

"Oh, no. She's far too useful for me to part with her. Even when you don't count how flexible she is in bed. She is death himself with those blades of hers." The merchant smiles, but I can see he is annoyed.

"So what brings you down this road, headed to some far off town I'm sure. Some business I don't need to keep you from." He starts to act like he is about to climb back into the wagon when I speak again.

"I'm meeting up with the rest of my party and headed to the dungeon myself. Shevel turned out to be a wasted trip for me. None of the slaves in the city were what I was looking for." At the mention of slaves, he turns back to face me.

"Well, why didn't you say so before?" He spreads his arms wide and motions to the slaves behind him. "My name is Boris Vanmort, finest purveyor of slaves in Dolus. Whatever role you are looking for a slave to fill, I'm sure I have it. Need a shield bearer? I have two of them. Spell-casters? I have them. Front line fighters? I have plenty." He pauses and looks over at Shiva again.

"Or if you get tired of the cat there, I have slaves that double down in bed." I feel my temper flaring up as he says the last part, but I push it down.

"Well,I'm all good on front line fighters right now. My partner is a rogue of some skill so I'm good on that. I know I carry a sword, but I'm dual trained as a spell-caster. So I'm not needing any of those. Don't really trust slaves for that anyway. What I'm needing is something to watch my back in the dungeon. Too easy to get stabbed in the back by a greedy partner if you are focused ahead." I wink at Boris when his eyes flick up to the man still on the wagon. "Know what I mean?"

"Oh, I know what you mean." He starts to scratch his chin as he looks back at the slaves. I do my best to not look at them too. I'm not wanting to give away which ones I already know I want.

"Protection of that sort I'd suggest an assassin. If you know how to kill without being seen, then you know how to protect against it." I pretend to ponder his words as he yells at the slaves behind the wagon.

"And you have an assassin with you, do you?" He nods his head at the same time the smaller man climbs down from the wagon still holding the book.

"We do, but I'm sure a lowly adventurer like you can't afford them." I turn to face the smaller man as he speaks, noticing the sneer on his features.

Great, he's a judgmental prick. I try and give him my best smile as I dig out my coin purse.

"Oh I think I can manage. I've had a good year." The jingling of the purse causes the smaller man's ears to perk up. Boris laughs loudly as he slaps him roughly on the back.

"You see Pilias, I told you to not judge on appearance. Now, you just insulted our valued customer. Apologize so we can get on with the deal." Pilias stares at Boris open mouthed for a moment before turning to me.

"I am sorry for my assumption. You have to admit that you do not seem the type to have a small fortune on hand to spend on slaves." I nod my head to him slowly.

"Oh, I know I'm rough around the edges. You still shouldn't judge others on appearances. If you do, you will continue to miss out on customers." Pilias nods his head as he cradles his book to his chest.

"I'll leave you to your purchases then. Boris, I think I'll check the other inventory for any problems before we get into Shevel." Pilias disappears around the end of the wagon as six slaves fall into line behind Boris.

"Now these, I guarantee they will be more than capable of protecting you wherever you are." He starts to tell me about the individual slaves, but I block him out. Instead, I start to move down the line, pretending to examine each one. The ones I want are all the way to the end of the second row.

"Night elves. I have never seen them in person." I come to a stop in front of the trio.

They are almost a shock to see in person. The image in my head doesn't match up to the people in front of me. Their skin is a deep blue, almost black with dark purple hair coming down to their shoulders. They are all fairly tall, just a little shorter than I am. They can all look into my eyes without tilting my head. Their eyes are completely black and follow my movements as I walk around them.

They are all dressed in matching leather armor. Their gear is well maintained, but stained with dirt and mud from days on the road. On each of their hips is a pair of slim daggers with ornate grips.

Two of the elves are female and one male. The older female and male seem to be around the same age. I would guess them as mid twenties, but I know in this world that doesn't mean much. The younger female looks to be in her late teens. The way she keeps glancing at the other two makes me think she might be their child.

"Good eye. They are a rare sight around here. I picked them up from a merchant out of the north." I can hear in his voice that he is already adding onto their price in his head.

"Are they a grove?" I turn the male elf's head to the side as if I'm checking for hidden scars. I can see the anger in his eyes as I do. There is no doubt in my mind he would kill me if he could.

"What's left of a grove. Not that night elves form groves like other elves." I nod my head as if I'm paying attention, but I'm already moving to check the older female. I know it looks to Boris like I am checking their quality. In reality, I'm making sure they don't have any injuries that would slow them down.

"It must have been a difficult fight to capture them." I slip my finger in a hole in the older female's armor. She winces, showing me the wound is still tender to the touch.

"I guarantee their range of motion is not hindered. If you like, I can have them go through their paces." I wave Boris off as I move to the younger elf. When her eyes meet mine, I see fear in her eyes. Her eyes flick over to Shiva, and I see a look of disgust cross her features for a split second.

"So what kind of price do you have on them?" Boris lets out a long breath as I turn to face him.

"Which one are you interested in? I have a tentative offer for the youngest. She has been guaranteed untouched, so she is worth more." I nod my head as if I'm listening, but really I'm just wanting Boris to hurry up.

"The male I can do five platinum on, the older female I can do four, and the younger." He pauses and scratches his chin thoughtfully. "For her, I can do six platinum." My mouth is moving before I can stop it. Years of dealing with flea markets and country traders has taught me to not just agree to the price.

"I'll give you thirteen for all three." Boris looks surprised, but he recovers quickly.

"I can't do thirteen. I wouldn't even break even on my overhead. Fifteen and a half that's the best I can do." My mouth outruns my brain.

"Thirteen and a half." I can feel Shiva's eyes burning into the back of my neck. Boris looks thoughtful and yells for Pilias. When the smaller man walks up, the two huddle around the book in his hand. I can hear them arguing for a moment before Boris turns back to me.

"Fifteen the way they stand. That's with their weapons, but no supplies." I manage to clamp down on my mouth before I try and bring the price down again.

"Sold." I toss Boris the bag of coins as I speak. "Have your bookkeeper count that out. If it's not enough, I'll grab the other bag." Boris nods and hands the bag to Pilias before turning to me.

"Didn't expect you to buy all three. I never would have priced them like I did if I had known." He digs into a fold in his robe as he walks up to the first night elf.

"I figured as much, that's why I didn't say I wanted more than one." Part of me is sick with myself at the way I can pretend this is not bothering me. The other part of me keeps pushing it down.

I need their help. I have to save the people I care about.

"It's more than just care about, boss. Even I can see that." Sarge's voice is like a shock to me. I know he is right, but I can't admit it. Not even to myself yet.

"Now while he is counting, let's get these three transferred to you." Boris and I work quickly to finish the trade. The stone for Thea, Shiva, and Vaunea's collar feels heavier as the three elves are added to it. It sits like a lead weight in my hand as I shove it back into my pocket.

When the transfer is done, Pilias comes back with my nearly empty coin purse. He seems happier now that he has taken my money, but I push that aside. I'm almost positive he has taken more than we agreed to. Fortunately for him, I'm in too much of a hurry to let them hold me up.

"Well, I hate to buy and run, but we need to get going. Especially if we are going to catch up with our party before dark." I reset my hat on top of my head to block out the sun. Judging by the shadows off the wagon, it's not quite noon yet. I feel a tiredness set in on my bones as I realize how much has happened already today. It weighs on me more when I realize the day is far from over. Boris smiles as he climbs back up on his wagon.

"Oh, I understand. We are going to try and get into the city. Assuming the gates are open when we get there." He releases the brake on the wagon and snaps the reigns, making the horses lurch forward. As the wagon pulls away, I see him take another pull from the bottle as he starts singing again. Pilias winces at the noise and buries his face in the book again. When the wagon and slaves pass us by, I turn to Shiva.

"Shiva, we have to move fast now. I know you can't keep up." Her face screws up in anger, but I cut her off before she can say anything. "I'm not saying you won't try, but it's a fact. I want you to keep the younger elf with you. Follow as fast as you can." I turn to the two older night elves as I keep speaking.

"You two are coming with me. I don't have time to explain, but help me and I'll free you within two days. You have my word." They both look surprised, and turn to look at each other before turning back to me.

"Why would we ever trust a man who bought us as slaves?" The man's voice is higher than I would have expected. His tone is cautious, but full of suspicion.

"Because I hate slavery in all its aspects. If I had time, I would have bought all of the slaves and freed them. Right now, my grove mate is in trouble and I need your help." I don't know how, but I know that I have begun speaking in their language. Their eyes widen slightly as I do the shock apparent on their faces.

"I swear, help me save my grove and escape Dolus, you will be free." Shiva lets out a growl from behind me.

"The fuck are you saying to them?" I start to turn when the male answers, stopping my movement.

"We will help, but if you betray us, we will find a way to kill you." I chuckle at his threat. I know he is serious, but it's more funny to me than anything else.

"Deal." I turn to Shiva and I see her annoyance. "Shiva, you two follow as quickly as you can." Turning back to the older two, I smile. "You two try and keep up with me. I'm going to warn you now, it's going to be a rough pace." I start to run down the road, and the two night elves fall right behind me.

"What about me, boss?" I smile at Sarge's voice in my head. I know he is going crazy having to hold back.

"Sarge, seek, seek! Find Thea, guide us in!" Sarge's bark as he slips out of Shiva's shadow. This makes the older elves jump. Out of the corner of my eye, I see them look to each other and back to me. They look shocked, but don't say anything. As Sarge charges down the road, I force myself to go faster. If I was alone, I would use lightning steps and temporal grace. I need the elve's help, so that's out.

"Whatever God is my patron, please let me reach her in time." Sarge is so far ahead that I can't even see him now. I know where he is, somehow I can feel him stronger now than before. In the back of my mind, I know Azeghial opened up another facet of my skills. I just hope they are enough. I hope I didn't waste too much time finding help.

"Boss, there's a lot of people here." I can hear Sarge is nervous in the tone of his voice.

I know, boy. Is Thea still ok? My breath seems to hitch in my throat as I'm waiting on Sarge's reply. I can feel Thea is still scared through the bridge. What I can't tell is if she is hurt. Something is clouding the connection.

Her and Vaunea are tied up, but they seem ok. The big fucker from the pit is here. He is working Jacob over." I feel something else slip to the front of my mind. Another bit of information that could be useful.

"Don't let me trip!" I grab the male elf's shoulder to guide me as I activate the skill.

Familiar's sight! The road is gone, and my vision of the world shifts. It takes me a second to get my bearings again. I can see the clearing where Thea, Vaunea and Jacob are being held. The angle is weird. I didn't think about that part before. The whole world seems different from Sarge's point of view.

"Boss, is that you?" I feel myself grin as I continue to run down the road blindly. It's weird to feel your body move while your vision remains still.

It's me, Sarge. I'm just borrowing your eyes for a bit to make a plan. I feel his agitation, and it makes me realize he doesn't care for this. He isn't complaining, but I know this isn't going to be a regular thing.

Circle the group, boy. Show me where they all are. As Sarge circles the group, I do my best to lay out my plan. I can't just go charging in guns blazing. If I do, then more than one of my friends will die. There are too many people, too close to them. I would never be able to take them all before Thea would become a hostage, or worse.

I break the connection with Sarge's sight when I'm sure I have a good picture of the group. By his count and mine, there are twenty-eight of them, counting Thrasher. Three are apparently spell-casters of some kind. The rest seem to be some kind of fighters or brawlers. One thing is for sure, they are not military or guards. They look more like things than anything else. I turn to the male elf as we run, eyeing him carefully.

"All bullshit aside, how good are you two? I know night elves are some of the best at infiltration and execution, but how good are you?" He tilts his head as he runs beside me, then looks at the female for a moment.

"Our grove lived in Dolus since before the law that enslaved us. We were betrayed by one of our contacts three months ago. Or we would still be free. We can infiltrate anything you need. Just tell us where we are needed." I nod my head to him as he finishes speaking, my mind already forming a plan.

"It's not going to be easy, but I'm pretty sure we can manage." As we run, I fill them in on my plan. As we get closer to the clearing where Thea and the rest are being held, we break apart. The two elves disappear into the woods on the left as I break right. I know sarge is ahead of me, and I know he is ready.

For those I love. I will do great and terrible things. I'm going to show these fuckers exactly what that means. I shed my jacket as Sarge falls in beside me. My body feels loose, not tight or stiff. I know the fight is coming, and I'm ready. I can feel Sarge is ready for it too. He feels excited, and just a little scared. The same as me, it feels like we are moving as one. A pair of killing machines, ready to rain down vengeance on those who wronged us.