Drog says "Are we going to kill them?"

"Yes, I hate slavers."

Ruby says "Is that why the two wagons have cages on them?"

"Yes, that is how they transport slaves. Drog, no killing the slaves!"

Drog says "Yes, master."

Mericel says "What's the plan?"

"Okay, Mericel and Ruby, you are going to attack from the back, prioritize killing any who go for the cages. Leyla you follow them in and heal any of the slaves who need it. Drog, you and I will attack the front."

Drog says "Yes!" the girls say "Okay!"

"The slave trader should be in the front wagon, if we threaten him the guards should rush to protect him. That will be your signal to attack, girls."

With no arguments the girls stay put while Drog and I move north looking for a good spot to attack from. We find it half a mile up the road, the road curves and the back will be out of sight as the first wagon rounds the bend. We get into position and wait for the target to arrive.

Drog says "I hope they have some sexy slaves!"

"You are a demon, what does sexy have to do with anything?"

Drog says "I may be a demon but I am still male!"

"If Ruby hears you talk like that she will roast you alive."

Drog says "Nope! I know her secret so she can't touch me!"

"What secret?"

Drog says "If I say that then it will lose it's power!"

Drog is saved by the lead guards appearing, soon followed by the first wagon. I draw Blitz and as the first guard passes me I step out between him and the second guard. I spin a full circle and continue towards the wagon as the bodies fall behind me.

The other guards start shouting and one sitting on the wagon raises a crossbow and fires at me. I cut the bolt out of the air and take out another guard with the same swing. Screaming and snarling behind me tells me Drog has joined the fray.

The fat man with a lot of jewels diving into the back of the first wagon must be the slave trader. Cutting down two more guards puts me a few steps from the wagon but more guards are running at me from around the bend in the road. Before I turn to face them I kill the crossbowman who is almost done reloading.

Charging into the guards hacking and slashing, their armor does nothing to stop me from mowing them down. When Ruby hits them from behind none of them escape us. It is over in minutes, all the guards are dead, and we have a few minor injuries at most.

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If I can get a few more people as strong as us even an army wouldn't be able to stop us. Not to mention all of us can still get even stronger. Oh yeah, can't forget about the slave trader, he is still hiding in the back of the wagon.

Reaching into the back of the wagon I grab the slaver by the neck and drag him out. He immediately starts begging for his life, offering wealth and slaves in exchange for his life. I strip him of his jewelry, a quick check shows nothing magical, and his money pouch which is quite heavy.

"How many troops guard the border with Illium?"

Slaver says "Err, about five hundred cavalry and two thousand foot."

"Hmm, that is more than I expected. Any other forces?"

Slaver says "There are about four hundred irregulars who act as bandits!"

"So, they raid into the other kingdoms and sell slaves to you?"

Slaver says "Me and others! Spare me and I can tell you everything!"

"I don't really need to know anything else. Drog, he is yours."

Slaver says "No, wait! No! NO! AHHHHH!!"

The slaver's death scream brings a smile to my face as I walk away. I head back to check on Leyla and the freed slaves. I am surprised to find the slaves are all women, twelve human women, and six beastwomen.

"How are they, Leyla?"

Leyla says "I have healed their wounds, but they are all malnourished and exhausted."

"That's no surprise, were you able to find the keys for their manacles?"

Leyla says "There are no keys, the manacles are welded on."

I lean in to take a closer look at the manacles but the human woman shrinks away from me. Even getting this close I can smell that the slaves are pretty ripe. Maybe I let the slaver die too easily.

"Don't be afraid, I will not hurt you."

Pulling the cleansing stone from my pouch I touch it to the woman. Once clean she is more inclined to let me look at her manacles, as Leyla said they are welded shut. Grabbing the manacles on either side a slight flex rewards me with a pop and the manacles come apart.

After cleaning and freeing all the humans, I move on to the beastwomen. Of the six, two are rat type, two are bunny type, one is a coyote type, and the last is a fox type. They don't seem scared of me but they all sniff me as I free them.

"Ladies, please loot the guards, look for weapons you can use, clothes that can be made to fit, and especially shoes."

Leyla says "Shoes? Are you planning to make them walk out of here?"

"Well, yes. Why?"

Leyla says "Did you miss the part about them being exhausted and malnourished?"

"No, but we can't stay here because this road is patrolled. We need to get a decent distance away and then we will camp and feed them."

Leyla says "Can't we take the wagon?"

"The wagon can't leave the road, if we stay on the road we will run into soldiers."

Leyla says "Didn't you want to kill more soldiers?"

"Are you, of all people, telling me to use those girls as bait?"

Leyla says "I am saying a day in the wagon will be better for them, and if we happen to run into soldiers you get to kill them."

"Do you know how to drive a wagon? Because I don't."

Leyla says "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."

"Alright fine, you win, we take the wagon until nightfall."

Leyla says "See Mericel, he wasn't unreasonable like you said he would be."

I turn to glare at Mericel but can't find her. I hear Leyla laughing as she runs off. Shaking my head I walk over to the wagon to check and see what supplies the slavers had.

The salt, pepper, and sugar I find go straight into my pouch. The rations I leave in the wagon for the girls to eat. I am tossing the rest when I notice a faint aura around a couple of waterskins.

When I pick one up and examine it I find it is an everful waterskin. I hang one above the rations for the girls and drop the other into my pouch. Then I set about helping Leyla get the wagon turned around and the horses cared for.

Drog says "Master, more humans are coming from the north."