The only thing more frustrating than being surrounded by slavers, was the inability to kill any of them just yet.

Casper waits idly against the wall of a small, compact building near the docks, trying his best not to gag at the scent of old mold and rot wafting from the breeze off the water in the thieves guild’s hideout.

Listening in, he can pick up that at the very least Szostes doesn’t like being here either, and that lack of wanting helped her case, but the familiarity in which she spoke with a man who reeked of scum and slime counterbalanced that.

Szostes and this slaver had been talking for the better part of thirty minutes now, each passing moment harder than the last.

It would just be so easy for Casper to let loose in here. Get rid of all of them in one big sweep and cripple the entire County.

Looking down at Elisayra, who winces slightly for the pain still aching in her ruined hands, the fleeting thought of killing nearly everyone, walking into the Count's castle and demanding healing and just doing whatever he thought needed to be done was a pleasant one.

Pleasant until the thought of the looks on the women's faces when they learned the truth passed his mind. As easy as it would be, there would still be consequences after all…

Casper moves off the wall as Szostes ends her conversation and rejoins Casper

“Got everything you needed?”

“No, but I got enough. Come.” Szostes slinks from the doorway, and Casper follows her.

“The boat with the slaves was seen coming back, though slowly. It should be here by tomorrow night, but alas the slaves have already been claimed.”

Casper pauses for a moment, though upon realizing that Szostes has no intent of slowing down, he rushes to catch back up to her.

“What the hell do you mean claimed? I have the ownership deeds, they are technically mine.”

“I mean they are not the same slaves. Their documents have already been reforged and they were claimed. Your ownership deeds mean nothing.”

Casper clicks his tongue as he continues to follow the reptilian woman.

“So, where does that leave us?”

“It leaves us nowhere. I told you that I would help you with what I would do. That is, now, simply wait. If you were both brave and stupid, you could try to board their ship and liberate the slaves yourself, but given how weak you are all, I would advise against this.”

“So that gives us what opens?”

“None, my advice, little boy, would be to stay far, far away. Leave this place and do not return.” Szostes hisses.

“I can’t just do that, I can’t just leave these slaves-”

“I did not say to leave them, leave this place. Hear my words. Do not involve yourself.” Szostes flicks her tail as she leaves Elisayra and Casper to themselves as she stalks from the thieves guild's cavern.

“So do we really just do nothing?” Elisayra asks

“No, we can still find a way. But we won't get very far just standing around here. Lets at the very least try and get you some tools, and see if I can find a weapon to use. Can’t try and liberate slaves without a weapon.”

Elisayra nods, and joins Casper once more at his hip as the two press onward through the guild.

The two make their rounds of the shops built along the arc of the thieves guild.

First, they do a pass to check the prices, comparing the options available to them carefully. Then, they perform a second pass, where they only stop at the stores that offer the best prices to stock up.

If Casper was being honest with himself, he didn’t understand half of the items Elisayra had insisted they would need, but then again he figured he wasn’t the thief here so it probably didn’t matter much that he didn’t know.

Inadvertently, Casper ended up becoming something of a pack mule for their shopping trip. As Elisayra would point out more things for them to purchase, he would load them up into his backpack and pay. Shop by shop, the pack filled and filled until they had to buy a new pack to put it all in, for fear of the original one ripping at the seams from the weight of it all.

“Surely this is it?” Casper asks as they exit the 5th store of the evening.

“Hmmm, just about. I think it would be good to get a few easily concealable knives as well, just in case.” Elisayra adds, tacking on yet another set of items to their list.

Casper chuckles and shakes his head. “At the very least, I need to get myself a weapon too, so let's try and combine those two are our last order of business, please.”

“Oh! I didn’t know you were getting frustrated! I'm so sorry..” Elisayra begins, her eyes going wide at the sudden realization.

“No no, it’s alright. I don’t mind. I'm just a little anxious to get out of here.” He admits. Though he leaves the “because I'm about a second away from slaughtering them all” out.

Together, the two work their way to the weapons dealer. Though there are many in the thieves guild, this building, set high into the wall with a massive balcony and several large platforms leading to it, was visibly the largest and likely had the most stock.

Walking inside the tall wooden walls, it looked more like a bakery that sold blades.

Swords line the walls, spears in barrels, knives on shelves and even nicer looking weapons behind glass. Crude axes, brutal maces, sleek swords and everything in between.

Looking down to Elisayra, she looked just as lost, though in a slightly different way.

Casper figured that if anyone would appreciate the collection available for sale here, it would be Annabelle. Elisayra liked them of course, but Casper watched as she gravitated towards the “pretty” weaponry. The ones with cute designs or delicate inlays.

“Lookin’ for anything in particular lad?” A man's voice calls to him.

Looking over, Casper let his eyes go lower and lower and lower, to finally spot the small dwarven man with his hands on his hips.

“Short swords, mostly. Something agile, durable, sharp.” Casper lists the only important traits he can think of at the moment.

“Wonderful! I got just the selection for you. Follow me.” The dwarf ushers Casper to follow.

Casper follows the waddling dwarf to the glass section, where the man produces several fairly fine looking blades. “Give ‘em a swing, let me know what you think.” the dwarf offers.

Casper takes the first, and gives a few practice swipes over the open air.

“Too light, I need something with some more heft,” he says.

The dwarf produces another blade for him to try.

A couple of swings, a frown, and a sigh later, Casper sets it down.

“The balance feels off to me.”

“Got keen senses on ya, hmmm, might need to pull from the special collection.” The dwarf mutters and rummages around for a couple more designs.

Swing after swing after swing, Casper tests the blades handed to him before finally finding one that felt the closest to his fathers sword. While the others were perfectly fine, he wanted to use something he was familiar with.

Having grown up using that specific sword, it was awkward and hard to use anything else really…

Feeling the heft, the balance, and swishing it around in his hands for a minute, Casper set the final sword down and examined it closely.

“This one is the best, but it’s still not quite right I'm afraid.” Casper offers.

“Hmmm.” The dwarf looks at the blade closely. “This one is an Erart, very famous bladesmith. He makes good work. If you’d like, there is a shipment bound for the city later tomorrow. The guild can sail you out to the vessel before it makes port, and you can see if there is something you like aboard. Pick something out, we will make sure it gets lost in transit for you.” The dwarf offers.

“Is that right? How do you turn a profit on that?” Casper asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Simple really. The shipments are bought and paid for by the high end merchant. The ship's crew don’t care much for the men, they pay like shit but it's consistent work so they take the jobs. The guild comes around, makes sure something specific gets lost, and the crew gets a little cut of the profit.” the dwarf explains. “Hmmm. I get to test the blades on the ship?” Casper asks for clarification.

“Aye, once we port they tally the losses and cargo. Much harder to lose it once it’s in the city. So, you lose it at sea. We drop it in the ocean, the guild picks it up. Everyone's happy.”

Casper looks over to Elisayra as she loads a collection of knives onto the counter to buy.

“Sounds good to me. I'd like to do that then.”

The dwarf smiles.

“Wonderful! You need to head out to the docks tonight then, far eastside under the red lantern. You tell the boys there that Bregga sent you, and they will make sure you are well taken care of.”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Casper nods his appreciation, and makes his way to the counter to buy Elisayra's haul of knives.

“Looks like you got a good number of knives now.” Casper teases as he loads them into the pack.

“They were just very nice is all! Besides, my old leader always told me you could never have too many knives.” Elisayra nods sagely. “But it doesn’t look like you got a sword.” she notes, searching him for any new weapons.

“No, but I have the chance to look at a few more later tonight. So, let's get out of here for now.” Casper rubs the half elves head as they leave the store.

The walk out of the thieves guild, through the streets and back to the inn is long, and relatively painless. Perhaps on a normal man the weight of the straps digging into his skin would have hurt, but Casper simply let the mark heal him as he walked.

Returning to the inn, Casper takes some time to himself to bathe, before later into the evening some of the others arrive back.

“No Alex or Annabelle?” Casper asks as the other girls arrive.

Engee shakes her head at that. “No, Alex had some issues trying to get healing but said she had a plan. She mentioned she may not be back at the inn for a couple of days.”

Casper thinks on this for a time. “And Annabelle was with her?”

“Correct.”

“Damn, I was hoping Annabelle would be back. I had a task for her.” Casper frowns slightly.

“May I ask what the matter is?” Nephinae chimes in.

“I needed some extra muscle with me to board a ship. The slaves we have been waiting for are set to be arriving soon, but our ownership deeds wont work on them. So we need to instead get to the ship before it docks. I have a meeting with several men on a different boat to look over weapons, and I was going to use that as a chance to make my move.” Casper explains.

“Master, if you would like someone who is capable at fighting, I might offer my assistance.” Laihal speaks up.

Casper looks at the half fiend with an assessing eye.

“You don’t happen to have any experience with ships, do you?”

“None at all.”

“Unfortunate, but I'm sure we could manage, surely sailing a ship isn’t very hard.” Casper shrugs. “In that case, you are welcome to join me. You bought yourself light armor, yes?”

“Correct.”

“Good, put it on and then we will head out.” Casper request.

“Of course, master.” Laihal smiles and moves to change.

Casper wasn’t particularly fond of armor. It was bulky, got in the way, and was entirely useless given his marked abilities to increase his body's durability, and healing potential. Beyond those reasons, he also didn’t care for how long it took to don a full set. Even leathers and clothes like Laihal had purchased, which was light by armors standards, had far too many straps, buckles, and other pieces to worry about.

All of that aside however, the worst part of armor was how much of the body it covered.

As Laihal emerges from her room wearing her collection of leathers and clothes, Casper found himself missing the tastefully exposed skin she often showed off.

“Do you not like it?” Laihal asks, teasing.

“I like it as armor, but safe to say I liked your dress better.” Casper admits.

“You are welcome to take me at any time master.” Laihal notes smoothly.

“I am aware, and still I refuse. I am not particularly interested in using my power over you to sleep with you.”

“Even if I was not a slave, I would enjoy the time.” Laihal winks.

“I'm sure you would, but you are a slave, and thus I refuse.” Casper returns the wink.

Laihal pouts, before it breaks into a smile. “Lead the way, master.”

“I really dislike that.” Casper sighs as he takes the half fiend through the town, out towards the docks.

By now the sun was set well beyond the horizon. The only light offered being that of the moon and its reflection against the water, as well as the occasional lantern.

Following the dwarfs instructions, Casper worked his way through the series of wood platforms until he spotted a lantern with a distinctly red glow to it from a distance.

“Master, I have a question.” Laihal starts.

“Please, ask.”

“Am I permitted to kill individuals in order to ensure we achieve our goal tonight?”

Casper thinks for a time, before finally settling. “The people on the boat we are going to are just underpaid workers. I don’t want any of them dead. The thieves guild however? I'm sure it's fine if a few die though I'd prefer to keep the bloodshed to a minimum, that is, until we reach the slavers. Once we are on the slavers boat, feel free to kill anyone who isn’t a slave.” Casper answers.

Laihal smiles at that. “Wonderful, thank you Master.”

“Not sure I like the enthusiasm, yet it’s still appreciated.” Casper chuckles.

Within a few more minutes, they approach a collection of men under the glow of the red lantern.

The group is small, containing 6 men playing cards next to a fairly modest looking sailing vessel.

At Casper's approach, they turn to look at him with contempt. “Oi, what do you want?”

“Never mind what he wants, I want to know what she wants.” one of the other men whistles at Laihal.

“I wouldn’t mind hearing what she has to say.” another echoes.

“If any of you men think you can handle her…” another one says, running his hands through his hair.

“She is my bodyguard-”

“I’d like her to guard my body.” the first one quickly retorts, prompting a laugh from the others.

“Bregga sent me.” Casper grumbles.

“Ooohhh! Why didn’t you say so lad, good to know. Where you looking to go?”

“A weapons shipment is set to arrive, I'm supposed to test the wares.”

“Wonderful wonderful! Know exactly whatcha talkin’ about. Right this way then.” The man takes the cards from their pile and stuffs them into his pocket.

One by one the men get onto the medium sized ship, and while several offer their hands to Laihal to take to aid her on, one going so far as to make himself a step stool for the woman, Casper is left with no one to aid him, forcing him to jump into the boat, and fake a stumble to prevent seeming too capable.

Once aboard the vessel, Casper watches as the men work together to hoist the sails and leave the port into the cool night.

Despite the fact that this was Casper's first time ever on a sailing vessel, it was safe to say that he hated it, and would never be doing it again.

The unsteady rocking of the boat and the ocean, the wide open nothing all around him, he felt more exposed here than if he were to be stripped naked in the middle of a city center. Something about the way everything moved threatened to bring the lunch up from his stomach.

Laihal seemed to be be having an equally horrific time. The last time Casper saw her face was moments before she threw half her body overboard to projectile vomit into the waves.

Whoever invited boats, was clearly some manner of sadist, and the person who thought to sail them to begin with was a masochist. A match made in the heavens really, though unfortunately for him, the result was a personal hell.

“Just another two hours lad, I'm sure you’ll live!” a voice calls out over the roaring wind as their speed picks up.

Sure, Casper would survive, but these men might not. He would kill them for having had a part in any of this “sailing” business.

The time moves by at snail's pace, each moment nearly worse than the last. It had gotten so bad, that Casper had attempted to use the mark to heal himself, but given the constant motion of the vessel every time his body corrected the sensation it came back just as quickly to torture him.

By the time the larger vessel containing the weapons shipment became visible in the night, Casper was of half the mind to launch himself from the smaller ship, damn the consequences.

The only thing that stopped him, was the fact that he would have to leave Laihal alone with these men, which he certainly couldn’t permit.

So, Casper suffered silently until the smaller boat ran up alongside the much larger ship. A large net was cast down to them, and with one man tying off their boat, everyone made their way up the rope to the deck of the larger vessel.

Much to Casper's own personal dismay, the larger ship was not nearly as horrible, but it still didn’t seem to be enough to save him from the nausea that still rocked his entire body.

Several individuals mingle on the deck of the transport ship, most keeping to themselves as the thieves guild personnel converse with them for a moment.

Casper watches as some coin is passed from hand to hand, before eventually one of the deck hands whistles, and a door is opened to a level below.

Some time later, a few more men produce large crates, setting them down on the upper deck of the ship.

Sucking in a deep breath of salty sea air, and trying his best to steady himself on the slowly rocking deck, Casper approaches the collection of crates and the men behind them.

“Well go on, take your pick, ain’t got all night.” One grumbles slightly.

One by one, Casper begins to go through the collection of finely crafted weapons set on beds of hay inside the crates.

As much as he really would prefer to do this quickly, he couldn’t afford to rush the process.

With each swing of a weapon, he cast his senses out to the far horizons, listening for any other ships in the area.

There were plenty. This close to port the vessels were all converging together. There were nearly a dozen other ships still working their way towards the city, all within a fairly reasonable distance from one another, moving slowly.

Testing another blade, swishing it through the air and musing to himself, he began to focus his heightened senses even further, identifying the crews of each vessel beyond this one. Working his hearing through the echoing decks and creaking wood.

Three more tests of different weapons, and his mind settles on the location of the boat containing slaves, the number being only one lower than what he had ownership deeds for, plus the crew.

It was perhaps two miles further behind the current ship he was on now, past another merchant ship which blocked it slightly.

Picking up the final blade in the batch, and considering it to be the most “good enough” of the lot, Casper let out a breath and nodded his head.

“I’ll take this one.” He says casually.

“Right, well put it back in the box and we will drop it closer to port for ya.” one of the men says while scratching his beard.

“Actually, there is another ship I'd like to see tonight, I was hoping you could take us there.” Casper asks, keeping his grip on the blade.

“Lad, not sure you know what it is your askin’, let's not create any trouble. Get back on your little ship and fuck off aye?” the same man presses.

“Honestly, I don’t think I want to. That small ship makes me sick, and I really would much rather sail to the other ship tonight.” Casper continues, watching intently as the thieves guild members begin to slowly fan out.

“Boy, I'm tellin’ you now, get back on the ship.” one of the thieves guild individuals ushers.

Casper smiles slightly.

Maybe it was his over use of the mark during this little adventure that had him itching for a fight, or perhaps it was the way they talked to Laihal, or even just the look of them all.

Regardless of the reason, Casper had decided that he would sooner commandeer an entire merchant ship, than sail back for two more hours over the choppy waters on that tiny sailing ship from the hells.

Was it petty? Most certainly, did he care? Not one bit.

“I’ll give you another chance to agree to sail us, before things get very complicated for you all.” Casper goads.

“Right, get him off my fuckin’ ship.” the merchant dismisses him with a hand wave.

Casper's eyes flicker over to the thieves who instantly launch themselves at him, weapons poised to draw on him.

Casper shifts his weight and snaps to turn 90 degrees. Launching himself at the man on his far right, he drives his foot down onto the hilt of the man's blade, forcing it back into the sheath before the weapon can even be fully drawn.

Reaching out with his hand, Casper grabs the thieves hair and pulls him forward, sending the man crashing face fists into the deck of the ship.

Casper feels the air shift around him, and he ducks moments before the thief at his back swipes a sword over where his head used to be.

With a smile, Casper takes a single step backwards making a wide lunge. In one smooth motion, he grabs the mans over extended arm and drives it down onto his shoulder. Shifting his weight again, Casper throws the man over his shoulder, and slams him down, back first onto the stomach of the first man.

Casper uses the momentum to continue forwarding, rolling over the top of the two thieves to avoid a downward strike from the thief on his left. Moving to stand, Casper turns just in time to parry that final thieves' follow up strike.

The enemy's sword slides off his own. Casper uses the gap to close the distance, locking his arms around the man's waist; he drives forward and forces him to the ground.

Casper grimaces slightly, as the force of the tackle drives spit and flem from the thieves mouth, and out onto Casper's back.

Standing quickly, Casper doesn’t allow the thief any chance to recover, before kicking him in the jaw, sending his head lulling back.

“Gross.” Casper tries to get at the man's spit, but can’t quite reach the middle of his back enough to get at it.

Instead, he watches as Laihal’s tail pulls at the leg of another attacker, sending him into the air, upside down, high enough for her to follow through with a driving punch into his face, forcing the man to spin several times in a wild tumble before he clatters against the deck like a sack of flower.

Laihal runs her fingers through her hair to make sure it returns to its full, wild shape.

“Looks like you handled them well enough.” Casper compliments, as it looks like the half fiend is barely out of breath.

“Of course Master, they were untrained. I know you do not know much of my kind, but I was a rather skilled and proficient hunter.”

“I wasn’t aware hunting animals translated to fighting people.”

“I hunted plenty of people as well.”

“I hope you didn’t eat them…” Casper frowns slightly.

“No no, not my tribe.”

“That's only partially reassuring.”

Laihal offers a sly smile in return, which sends a slight shiver up Casper's spine.

“Now, let's try and sail this thing to the slave ship.” Casper looks out over the deck of the ship, littered with groaning and unconscious men. “Surely if they can do it, it won’t be that difficult.”