Going Feet First Ch. 06

"I'll take my leave," Galen muttered before he turned and stepped out of the carriage and back into the cool, night air.

"Release me, you traitorous wench!" Fretheim snapped.

Galen made a beeline for Celia, passing by Fretheim without giving him much more than a second look. He had both his hands bound behind his back with Haru keeping a firm grasp on his collar, enough so to tear his shirt open as she fought to keep a grip on him.

"I'll settle him down," Flak announced, puffing on a new pipe.

Snarling, Fretheim asked, "Who the fuck are y-"

There was a heavy crack as the Marine drove his fist across the Noble's jaw, making both his knees temporarily give out before he managed to stand back up.

"You know, I wouldn't be here if you just read the contract," Haru said sliding a knife along Fretheim's cheek to draw just the slightest amount of blood. "I don't deal in slavery, so that voided the assurance of neutrality. Too bad for you. Because there's someone here who really, really, wants to kill you."

The Nobleman cursed and pulled again against the witch's grasp. Flak gave him another blow to the gut and stepped aside for Petra to step forward, the Assassin rolling her claws and boasting a vicious grin.

"Fucking bitch," Fretheim cursed as he tried throw his weight forward, but Haru grabbed him by the hair and gave it a twist. "Are you- argh, just going to get on with it you filthy, Nekonian whore?!"

The Shadow Stalker cracked her knuckles. "Knight Captain Sactau and his sister send their regards. For their Ra'zorlich mother, many years ago."

The Nobleman's eyes widened, his breathing hastening.

"My record for removing a heart is four zets. Haru, would like to track for me?"

A sickening smirk crossed the Skull Wraith's face. "Gladly."

Placing her claws on her victim's chest, at the bottom of his rib cage, Petra let out one satisfied sigh before she said, "Go."

...

Away from the scene unfolding behind him, Galen hugged onto Celia and rested his head on top of hers. The two stood in silence on the edge of the gathered group of Fretheim's slaves, all of whom stood in confusion or wonder as they took in this new change in their situation. For a moment, the Private opened his eyes and started scanning their faces, his brow furrowing as he made a realization.

"Where's Val?" he whispered.

"I don't know," Celia answered without breaking their embrace. "She was in a different carriage than me, must have fled again. Why do you ask? Are you after her as well?"

A silence hung in the air as he stared at the faces of Fretheim's slaves. In the end he shook his head in the negative. "No. I'm sure she won't be of any trouble. You said you had something for me?"

Smiling, Celia let go of her soldier and pulled some pieces of paper from her breastplate to turn them over to him.

"What are these?" he asked.

"Records," she answered. "Papers Pretayus kept from when he... sold my sisters into slavery. It's in the local Human script, but I think Petra can translate. With these we can..."

Looking at the documents and the lengthy paragraphs written with an alphabet he didn't recognize, he suddenly made a realization. "We can use this to find the other Tree Elves Pretayus kidnapped! How'd you get these?"

"Val gave them to me, before we left Fretheim's home. There was a journal full of records like these, but she kept that and only left these."

At first Galen frowned at the news, but then shook his head. "I guess once this is all wrapped up, we have a new mission to look forward to."

Celia nearly squealed, but settled for grabbing his collar and pulling his lips to hers for a long, drawn out kiss.

"Thank you, love. You have no idea how happy that makes me."

"And how proud that makes me."

Both Human and Elf turned to a dull, blue glow behind them where yet another welcome face awaited them.

"Necela!" Galen cried, keeping one arm draped over Celia as he turned to the Goddess. "You're okay!"

She nodded. "That little witch only made me lose another puppet, Galen. I am unaffected, if a little annoyed."

He gave an understanding nod, "I see. Come to see the final victory?"

She smiled, "Yes and no. I'm primarily here to take these girls away to get them help, but I also came to see you two back together again. Hearing what you plan next was... how do you say it... 'icing on the cake?'"

A chuckle escaped the Private, "Glad I'm still doing right by you."

"Yes, you are. Farewell for now, my Soldier. I might contact you again."

"Oh! Necela! Before you go," he pulled the two pieces of Pretayus' pendant out of his pocket and offered it to the Goddess just as she was about to disappear. "I don't know how to rightly destroy this, so I'd rather turn it over to you to deal with."

Necela's eyes narrowed as she accepted the pieces, her mouth quirking as she scowled upon them with disdain. "I know exactly how to dispose of these. Thank you, Galen. Safe travels."

She snapped her fingers, and with a puff of silver dust, disappeared with all of the girls that once belonged to Fretheim, leaving behind nothing but a green Nightwatcher. Moments later, Haru and Xerivan stepped forward from the shadows, the Witch grinning as she asked, "Ms. Moon take care of the extras?"

Nodding, Galen answered, "Yeah. Took them to go get them help."

"Good," Haru muttered. "Xerivan couldn't carry that many anyway. Princess is still pissed at me, but she is calmed down enough to hitch a ride back to Redding. Are you ready?"

Looking down on Celia and gently rubbing her arm, Galen nodded and answered, "Yeah, let's get out of here."

.........

A nervous tremble had Dee's tail vibrating as she stood in the castle dining hall. Drow were seated against the wall, tending to wounded or their equipment while another one of them sat at the long table with the crown prince. Several of the city guard were here as well, though they weren't raising their swords to the Elves among them nor paying her any mind.

Then there was that blond Neko man, Petra's friend, standing by the door to the hall. A real charmer he was. Stoic, stone faced, short in his answers. She could hardly get a sentence out of him any time she asked a question. He wouldn't even acknowledge her when she asked about Petra.

What was that Assassin thinking?

After vanishing for a day, she shows up at Dee's window in the dead of night asking her to guide her friend, a Neko, back to the castle on his... prison wagon. A payment of two gold coins later, she gets him and his wagon there, and a group of Drow climb out! And none of the guard on watch even look twice at them! Then the guards made sure to bring her into the castle, saying her presence was "desired" inside.

Just what do they want a common whore here for? she thought warily, looking around at the people surrounding her.

"-been speaking with the Prince since Dreek sent to free you, though the big decisions were left for you to decide, your highness."

The Hybrid turned her head toward that familiar voice coming from the open doors of the hall right. Her brother's signature armor came into view and she was running before her mind knew her legs had bounded her forward.

"Devon!" she cried, leaping into him.

His steel embrace wrapped around her as he caught her and shifted his footing to keep himself from falling over.

"Onyree," he smiled back, his use of the Nekonian word for "sister" drawing Farok's attention. "It's good to see you, too."

The siblings hugged for several moments though the focus of the room quickly shifted away from them and to the group following in behind the knight-captain.

Jrastra rose from her seat at the table when she saw Princess Iim'treemay walking in, Dreek on her right and Galen on her left. The Private held a young surface Elf under one arm while Flak trailed off into a corner, puffing on a pipe. The moment Petra entered the room however, that blond Neko immune to the Commandant's empathy, Farok, grabbed his Assassin friend by the arm and pulled her back out into the hall.

Pushing the others from her attention and being less than subtle in her firm motion for Prince Jackson to follow her lead, Jrastra moved to meet with the royal in the middle of the hall. Upon approaching her, the Commandant and Prince both bowed their heads with respect, and Iim'treemay was quick to return the notion to the human royal.

"My Princess," Jrastra addressed, "It is good to see you in good health."

"Something for which you and your team here tonight are owed credit," she replied before turning to the human royal. "Prince Jackson, is it?"

He nodded. "It is. Good to meet you in person, your highness, despite your reason for being in Redding tonight."

"Indeed," she said, a low growl echoing from her stomach. "We have terms of peace to discuss, I see you have food upon your table, and I am famished. Shall we sit and speak in civility or stand and wear upon my thin patience?"

The Prince stepped aside and motioned to the dining table, "Let us sit, your Highness. Though I warn you the food is not hot."

"In my present state, I could care less," Iim'treemay replied before she turned to Jrastra. "The others are dismissed but you are to remain. I understand you began negotiations so you are to catch me up so the human here has no need to repeat himself."

"Yes, my Princess," Jrastra responded before looking to Dreek and Galen at royal Drow's back. After giving them a simple motion with her head, they both turned and walked off, the soldier speaking in a strange tongue with his Elf.

...

"What are your plans beyond tonight?" Farok asked, his arms crossed as he looked to Petra.

Letting out a sigh, the Assassin leaned back against a stone column holding up the hallway ceiling. "I am bound to stay with Galen unless he says otherwise," she explained, motioning to the collar around her neck.

"I could easily cut off his head to set you free," the ex-Huntmaster growled, though she instantly raised her hand and gave her head a firm shake in the negative.

"No, I wouldn't let you, Farok. He is a good person and I would put myself in the path of your blade before I let you strike."

"I do not want to see you bound to him. I want you to be with me."

"And I don't care who you want me with! Necela-"

Petra caught herself and silenced immediately while pinching the bridge of her nose. She took in a lungful of air and gritted her teeth. Feet shifted in front of her, and she saw Farok was taking a step toward her.

"Necela what?" he questioned, his shoulders squaring off as she gave him an unimpressed look.

"That first night, after the blast that killed Teirie..." Petra frowned and shut her eyes to focus her thoughts. "I was declawed by the Willhers that found me and brought to Galen to have my fate decided. When I woke, my mind was rattled loose and with that crippling of losing my claws, and the failure of my mission going through my mind I felt I wanted to die..."

With narrowed eyes Farok looked to the Assassin's hands, his brow arching as he stared inquisitively at her claws emerging from her fingertips.

"I begged Galen to kill me, with every bone in my body I begged for him to end my life. But he didn't. He sentenced me to servitude to keep me alive just before Necela came to us. In person."

At once Farok's eyebrows rose, his narrowed gaze widening at the revelation. "In person? Not a Nightwatcher?!"

"In the flesh, she came to us," Petra said with all seriousness. "And she personally sent Galen upon Pretayus. And through her own hand she gave me both this collar to symbolize my bond to my master, and these new claws to protect and serve him in his purpose."

Letting out her lungs, she looked down to her finger tips, to the natural weapons the goddess had returned to her, and then back up to her old friend. "Galen has been blessed by a Goddess, and has shown me nothing but kindness since we met. Without him, I may have not have gotten my claws back. I may have been killed by myself, or the Willhers after."

A hard look came over Farok as he took in her words. His fist clenched, but then went loose while he gritted his teeth. As he was about to speak again, a dull light caught both their attentions.

Fluttering down the hallway without a care for the world came the familiar, light-green glow of a Nightwatcher. The butterfly fluttered past the castle decorations and ornaments, past the red stains on the stone floor where the bodies of slain guards once lay before they were removed, and moved straight for the bickering Nekos. With a degree of grace it planted itself right on Farok's nose, the blond, bi-pedal feline blinking in bewilderment as it stared him right in the eye. When it finished inspecting him for whatever it searched for, it turned to Petra and paused.

Slowly, pushed by instinct, the Assassin held out her hand and the Nightwatcher fluttered down into her palm. There it stayed a few moments, once again performing whatever inspection it did until at last, it flashed red and fluttered over to plant itself onto a wall. Both the Warrior and Assassin stood in bewilderment as the bug took a place on the ceiling and dimmed its glow.

Moments later, when he took in what had just happened, Farok nodded and sighed. "Who am I to disagree with Necela?"

Petra turned to him just as he swept his cloak over his shoulder to cover up his armor. A defeated look had come over him, one that had Petra's heart sinking with his gaze.

"Knowing you are in safe hands, I will be taking my leave once the sun comes up," Farok mumbled. "I will return to Atzla to make a new home there."

Petra stepped forward and hugged onto her old friend. "Not all things turn out how we want them. Some do, some don't, but in the end it all comes out to how it was meant to be."

She leaned back and held him at arms-length, holding his bright orange gaze with a gentle smile. "We had fun times Farok. We broke many Neko traditions and Ra'zorlich laws. Dueled under the sun and fucked under the moon. But it is a time past. Divines wanted me on this path and I'll see it to the end. When we return to the forest again, I'll be sure to visit you."

As strong as the old Huntmaster was, the Assassin could see the watery look in his eyes. With a grin she leaned in and kissed his cheek and patted the breast plate of his armor.

"Petra?"

Both the Assassin and Warrior turned to see Dee standing in the doorway of the dining hall, Devon at her back.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," the Hybrid Courtesan whispered meekly. "But my Brother said you had news for me. About Fretheim?"

Petra's smile widened as she stepped away from Farok and toward her friend, holding a devilish look. "We burned his home to the ground, and when he was in his last moments, I told him that you and Devon send your regards before I tore out his chest. Turns out he had a heart after all."

Dee's widened eyes slowly blinked as her mouth fell open. Behind her, Devon nodded with a victorious smirk and placed his hand on her shoulders. Without thinking, Dee took a pace forward and hugged the Shadow Stalker while resting her head on her shoulder.

"He's gone?"

"He's gone," Petra affirmed.

The Hybrid sniffled. "Thank you. Necela bless you. You and all your friends."

"I'll be leaving now," Farok declared, drawing both Devon and Dee's attention as he turned to start down the hall.

"Where to, Farok?" the Knight-Captain asked.

Farok stiffened up and stared down the long corridor. "Atzla. Home. When sun rises, I intend to walk out the gates the moment they open."

"Won't be that easy with the mess we made tonight," Devon said. "You may not be able to part for several days when the city learns of what transpired. There will be confusion, some unrest for sure. If that happens, I would like someone I could trust to guard my sister's place, someone that can handle damn near anything."

"And why should I be tempted?" Farok asked, glaring over his shoulder.

Ignoring the look from his sister, the Knight-captain continued, "Because that would give me time to set you up with everything you'd need to get back home quickly and without any further harassment from any of the city guards. A horse, some money, papers for the border."

Frowning as Farok thought the situation through, of how tiring it was to trek from Atzla to Redding on foot, and the skirmishes he fought with various guards once he arrive, he sighed and nodded. "I accept."

"Devon?" Dee whispered.

"Trust me," he replied. "I'm not sure how this city is going to take the news. Seeing him fight tonight, I'm not sure I'd trust any other in this Trench than him."

"His swordplay is indeed fantastic," Petra noted with a mischievous look.

"So go on home," Devon ordered. "I'll come by when this is sorted."

The Hybrid looked to her brother, then to the Assassin with a slightly confused expression, but finally turned to Farok and took his hand to lead him to the exit. "Come, I can get you a warm meal and a soft bed. Any friend of Petra's is a friend of mine."

Without warning, the Nightwatcher above leapt down from the ceiling and fluttered off after the two as they headed for the way out. Fully intent on performing its test again.

...

Unrolling her map out onto the floor in a back corner of the dining hall, Dreek looked to Galen and pointed to the picture of a cathedral that he estimated to be a half-mile away from the castle. The Private frowned as he checked the streets and planned a route, mouthing directions to himself as he did so.

"Are you sure you wish to go alone?" the Commandant asked in a low whisper.

He nodded. "Haru said to come on my lonesome if I wanted my magic back, but issue there is Celia doesn't leave my side. At the same time, I want to heal Felyn and the others back in Faerssune... No, only Celia comes with and that's 'cause she doesn't want me to leave her alone. If I bring anyone else it'll just put this whole idea into more jeopardy."

A respectful look crossed Dreek's face as she looked up at him. "Alright... Don't forget the dinner you owe the Qu'essan. She still expects that, so be sure to not get killed."

A slight chuckle escaped the Private as he nodded. "I'll be sure to come back, Commandant."

...........

A single lantern was lit above the front door of a massive church, the lone flame giving just enough light to keep Galen's Dark vision from working against the pitch black that surrounded him. Swallowing a lump in his throat and fixing his rifle over his right shoulder, he firmly held onto Celia as she quivered under his left arm and pushed open the entry door. Several more lamps glowed within and after another moment to gather his courage, he stepped inside.

Some dust was kicked up when the door closed behind him. Past the entry area, the two stepped out into the main hall of the cathedral and wondered at the architecture of the old building. High arches held up a curved ceiling painted with dozens of elaborate scenes, stained glass windows lined the building, and rows and rows of benches on either side extended right up to the raised stage at the front. There, beside the choir stand and the preacher's podium, was a trio of statues holding a plaque with a symbol each.

Stepping up onto the elevated platform stage, Galen and Celia both took a moment to examine the elaborately carved, granite pieces that stood at least ten-feet tall each. The first was a woman with long, braided hair flowing down the back of her toga robes while she held a plaque engraved with a sun in her hands. The second was a fairy-looking woman, with long, free flowing hair, four wings and a plaque bearing a crescent moon.