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Six years after the events of Knight Mallory's Hellhound Encounter

It had been about a week since Mallory had finally gotten her sword back. To her it had been an almost interminable length of time, especially towards the beginning of the 50-day sentence, but in the end she had to admit that it had done her some good. Having more time and reason to practice with other styles of weapons and her magic had aided her in becoming a more well-rounded fighter, and the time spent establishing the training academy and soup kitchen had done similar good for her as a person.

When the weapon had been returned to her though, it was clear that it hadn't immediately lifted a cloud from her like she had expected; Like she had hoped. Those days of fitful sleep without her familiar blade by her side had taken her back to a time and place in her life that it she had tried for too long to forget.

But she wasn't the same person she was back then. She wasn't as weak as she was back then. She could make things better. Especially with the help of her new friends.

Cai had been the logical choice. She was probably a little closer with Noko or Amephia, but she had asked him first, and of course he agreed. So here they were on a wagon headed northwest, the catfolk swordswoman looking quite good with the new black accents dotting her sword and armor. Her weapon was on par with royalty's, she was a more capable fighter than ever, and yet she just stared at her left hand, gripping and letting go of the air in front of her.

Cai sat on the wagon beside Mallory, his thoughtful gaze flickering between the tense catfolk swordswoman and the landscape rolling past them. It had been a bit of surprise when she'd come to him asking for help, but then he had noticed the usually enthusiastic and playful woman had been having some troubles of late, even after Ms. Amephia had returned her newly reforged sword. Of course he'd agreed, eager to help her however he could, and in the rush to get himself prepared to accompany her, it had felt like the wrong time to pry into just what it was she needed from him. Now, as their journey continued, he watched her gripping at the air, her body tense under her armor, and wondered just what it was that had her so unsettled.

"So...where are we headed, Mallory?" The half-elf asked carefully, giving her the chance to reveal as much as she felt comfortable.

Mallory jumped at the sound of his voice, even though she had obviously known he was there the entire time. Her tail was flicking around behind her like she was on a hunt too. Or maybe like she was being hunted. "Oh, sorry! It's uh, it's a place just outside of Harn's Pass. There's... well I think there is... some demonic activity there, so I thought you might be able to help. You know, just in case."

They had both dealt with powerful monsters before, so they did know the value of having backup. But it seemed like there was more to the situation then her simply wanting a bit more muscle.

"Demon hunting..." Cai gasped. "Yes, I can help with that." He glanced away, wondering at her reaction. It was true he was among the better-suited members of the Guild to handling that kind of enemy and it was his duty to the Dawnflower to send such evil creatures back to the Abyss, but there was definitely something more to this. He'd never seen the catwoman so unsettled and on edge, and that worried him in turn. Usually Mallory could handle even facing down fearsome monsters or enemies with a smile. Only...the way she'd brushed him off like that told him she wasn't comfortable even talking about what was really going on, and he didn't want to press her much harder and open old wounds.

Reaching to his belt, the cleric laid a hand on the holy book he had hanging in a pouch there, seeking wisdom from his Goddess. He really wanted to help Mallory, and right now the best way seemed like just keeping quiet and letting her show him what was happening here. As the wagon rolled on, he murmured a brief prayer, calling up the spells he knew which would help him handle demons, just in case.

Mallory really didn't want to talk about it. Talking about it hurt, and it was way easier to just leave these things buried deep down forever. She had a much better life now, and nobody would have blamed her for leaving her previous troubles all behind. Especially since she was coming to make things better for others! That was worthy of commendation, and she wouldn't even have to open up!

Yet she knew that she should. Knew that if she didn't then she was endangering Cai and herself to spare her feelings. She took a deep breath, then asked the cleric, "Say Cai, do you, uh, believe in fate?"

"Fate?" Cai glanced back at her, his eyes widening in shock at the unexpected question. He straightened in his seat, his lips curling thoughtfully as he considered his answer. Despite his youth, as an experienced cleric he'd had to grapple with such thorny philosophical questions before. When he spoke again, there was a quiet certainty in his voice. "I do...think we each have our path, things that are meant to happen to us on the road, but it's up to us to choose how we react to those events. Lady Dawnflower teaches us that the right gesture can turn even the wickedest soul on the path to redemption, but they still have to take that chance for themselves and not ignore the opportunity. So, I'd argue our fate is something we choose for ourselves." He stared at her hopefully.

Mallory listened, looking thoughtful the whole time and nodding occasionally. "I'm... really not so sure myself. There was this woman in the village I grew up in. She claimed to be some sort of an oracle, but if she really had the gift of prophecy, well I don't think she would have been in some tiny village in the middle of nowhere." Mallory did crack a brief smile at that thought, though her more troubled visage chased that away soon enough.

"She would tell all of the village kids about 'our futures' though, and at the time we loved that. When I think about it she was probably just going off of what we liked. She would tell the miller's kid that he would be of great service to the village, told Becky that she would find an amazing husband, but me? She saw how I swung around every vaguely sword-shaped stick. So when she said I was bound for adventure and greatness, I lapped it up. Became a true believer in prophecy for a while."

"I don't know if I do any more, but I do think that the fortune teller had a point. You can see who might do what early on if you know what to look for. And if you had the goal of stopping adventurers, stopping future threats to demons and monsters, well, I don't see how you could do any better at it than where we're going."

Cai pursed his lips thoughtfully as he listened to her story. Mallory had never spoken much of her past before, at least not to him. He could understand where she was coming from with her talk of prophecy and guessing someone's fate from their past. It would have been rather hard to realize during his youth that he would one day become a cleric of Sarenrae...but the Dawnflower Herself must have seen something in him even then or else she'd never have sent Her servant to him at his darkest moments.

The cleric frowned to himself as Mallory explained the last part, taking a moment to consider what she'd said. "So...this place we're headed to is that dangerous..." He murmured cautiously, his hand drifting over his holy book once more. "Does someone there target those with that potential? Or is this more about corrupting them from the path where they could do good for the world?" Both options were terrible to consider, but the latter made his hand grip the book tighter.

The knight tensed up as he asked that question, if she even could get any more tense that was. Mallory knew that she wasn't in danger, but still had to force herself to relax so she could reply. "I... I think that they were just targeting those with potential. Of all that I did see there, corruption to evil goals was not one of therm." It was clear that she struggled to even get through that sentence.

Cai gasped in shock, his breath catching in his throat as he saw just how much Mallory was struggling to even speak. It was clear something about this place they were headed had her balancing on a knife edge, and he could guess it had to do with her history there. As a cleric of the Dawnflower he knew well enough that the wounds that were the hardest to heal were often those that were kept hidden in the heart. "I think I understand." He replied. With how hard she was clearly finding this, he didn't want to push her to speak about exactly what had happened, but whatever had, he could guess what it meant for their mission now. "We're going to stop them, aren't we?" He murmured, his eyes narrowing with resolve.

Mallory nodded immediately, "Yeah."

Truthfully though, she had no intention of just stopping them. She wanted to make them pay. To make them bleed. To kill them. She wasn't going to be able to hurt them as badly as they hurt her, but she was absolutely going to try.

If she could. Mallory recognized her own weakness. She knew that she could barely talk about what had happened, even to this day. So how she planned to not only stand up for herself, but even fight was anyone's guess. Failure wasn't an option.

But it hadn't been an option against the dragon, or Mya, or those hellhounds either.

Cai gazed at Mallory, seeing the tense determination flickering across her face, then the way her tail bristled behind her and her body shuddered under her armor as she seemed to waver. For someone as strong and brave as her to end up this tormented...the cleric felt his jaw clench as he considered just what kind of agony must lie behind her reactions. He had to help her stop these monsters she spoke of...for her own sake, and for everyone else they must have hurt, but he also hoped it might help the swordswoman to start to put the ghosts of the past to rest. "We'll do this together." The half-elf promised, his voice filled with resolve. "And we're not going to let them hurt anyone else."

It did help her to hear his confidence, the smile that spread across her face this time was much more genuine and long-lasting. That was one thing she had now that she had lacked back then perhaps even more important than money. Friends. Going out on her own in the world had seemed like a grand adventure, but being away from anyone that could have actually helped her turned out to be a nightmare.

Now though, now she had friends who would accompany her on dangerous missions even without knowing exactly what they were up against. Would be willing to throw themselves into the jaws of danger just for a chance at helping her. "Thank you, Cai. Truly. You know, we probably won't make it there tonight, should we stop for the night at the village where I grew up and get there in the morning?"

Cai sat back in the wagon, relieved that she seemed to be feeling a little better, only to glance at her in surprise when she mentioned the village from her story. "That's on the way? Sure then, sounds like a good idea." He nodded quickly. "Better to stop somewhere safe for the night and make sure we're ready." He was also curious to see the place where the brave catfolk swordswoman had grown up, but since she'd brought up the idea, she wouldn't mind him taking the chance to get a quick look around, would she?

"Yeah, when I was a kid the monsters and adventures always came from the mountains up north, so when I left town that's where I headed. After that I was just trying to get as far away as I could, so I ran south until I ran out of food, then kept going south until I ended up at the city and the guild. The rest is history as they say. We are only about an hour out of my 'home', though how much of it I'll even recognize is up to chance." The change of topic did seem to be helping the cat relax a bit.

---

It was an easy ride to the village. Honestly most rides with this fancy horseless carriage that Amephia had gifted them were. Mallory wasn't sure whether it was magical or divine or clockwork or something else entirely, but it absolutely ate up even the worst roads, and maintained a healthy speed as it arrived in a positively tiny little village. There was the promised mill, a general store that seemed to mostly offer clothes, a very small inn with a pub, and three other houses. Not even a church of any kind, it really was nothing special. "I hope you weren't expecting a reception or anything. I didn't even stop on my way back the first time." Mallory didn't sound like she had particularly missed it.

"This is where you grew up?" Cai's gaze flickered over the small village, craning his neck out of the carriage to see as much as he could. Growing up in the cold luxury of his grandfather's estate, and then spending most of the time afterwards in cities, he could find a certain rustic charm in the tiny hamlet, but...even he was struggling to see much to really recommend it besides that. It certainly didn't seem like the place where a brave swordswoman like Mallory would make her start. "Do you have any family here? Anyone you want to see before we head to the pub?" He suggested carefully. Even if it was becoming clear Mallory didn't consider this place her home at all, he didn't want her to miss that chance if it was something she wanted.

"I did. I mean, I would say I mostly grew up on the fields and in the woods rather than here exactly, but this is where we came to sell the crops and get new clothes, whenever that actually happened. As for family, no not really. My parents took me in at a young age like many others, but I was the last kid they took in, and they were already old. Everyone else has long since flown the coop, and they're both dead. The owner of the pub might recognize me, but it's been a while." Mallory almost seemed more interested in the tree that grew at the center of the town, smiling slightly as she saw it. That hadn't changed much it seemed.

“Oh, sorry about your parents." Cai replied. It seemed like Mallory had made her peace with that loss at least, but he didn't want to open any more old injuries. He followed her gaze to the large tree at the centre of town, his eyes drifting over the branches. It was quite peaceful, and he could almost imagine spending some time resting in the shade with Noko, a smile flickering across his face as he thought of his girlfriend lazily lying back on the grass beside him. “So, shall we head to the pub and get ourselves soon rooms then?" He asked, glancing back at Mallory. “Unless there's somewhere else you want to see."

"It happens. They lived good lives, and left the world a better place than they found it. I don't think you can ask for much more than that. But yeah, let's get a room." The door to the pub creaked as it opened, like this entrance wasn't really used much. Inside the place was just as quaint as the outside, a few tables, and a small bar with only one seat that looked like it was regularly used. There was a half-orc who was well into his middle age manning the place, idly cleaning a few dishes when the creak of the door interrupted him.

"Good evening travelers, a room fo— wait." He set the dish down as he looked at the pair of them, though his eyes focused much more on Mallory. "Mal? Is that you girl? It's been years!" Despite the circumstances, he seemed a bit less joyous than one would expect from a long reunion. There wasn't any malice behind it, but no true elation either.

Mallory just smiled and nodded, "It sure is. Didn't think you could keep me away so easily, did you?" The little joke came naturally to her, but didn't seem to land.

He shrugged, "Didn't think you wanted to come back." An uneasy pause ran between them.

Cai glanced uncertainly between the pair, feeling rather awkward at the undercurrent of vague unease. He wondered just what lay behind the tavernkeeper's apparent certainty that Mallory wouldn't return to the village she'd grown up in, and why this man who'd apparently known her from childhood didn't seem all that happy to see her either. Well...the long pause and the uneasy way the pair were staring at each other made him want to say something at least. "Good evening, sir." He stepped forward, smiling politely at the tavernkeeper. While he was relaxed around his fellow guildmates now, signs of the half-elf's noble upbringing tended to become rather more pronounced when he was talking to strangers. "My name is Cai, a friend and guildmate of Mallory's. We're looking to stay a night at your fine establishment."

There was no saying how long the two of them would have stared at each other had Cai not interrupted. Mallory was quite thankful he had though, the catfolk breathing a sigh of relief as the half-orc turned to the cleric instead. "Sure. One bed or two? And will you be staying for breakfast?"

Mallory was the one to answer, before Cai could get the chance. "Two beds, and we'll be leaving without. We still have a distance ahead of us." There was a moment where it seemed like he might make a comment, but it passed and he simply reached below the counter to pull out a key.

"Second door on the right. Soup is here if you need some. Rates haven't changed since you left Mal. Just don't be a stranger this time."

Cai bit his lip, tempted to just come out and ask what was going on here, but once again he felt like pressing Mallory on the subject, especially in front of her...acquaintance or whatever this man was to her, wasn't going to do either of them any good. It was looking to him like the catfolk swordswoman was trying to keep this interaction as short and to the point as possible, as if even just being around someone who knew her from before was making her uncomfortable. "Do you want to get some soup before we head to the room?" He asked the catfolk swordswoman carefully as she took the key. "Or we could just have some of our rations there if you like?"

"The soup would be lovely", Mallory answered. "Is it the mushroom and wild rice?"

The man nodded, pulling out two bowls.

Mallory smiled, "You know, I did miss that. And you Harold. And Becky. And Simic. But I just couldn't have stayed here."

He nodded at that too, a bit more slowly this time. Harold poured the steaming soup before setting the bowls on the bar, gesturing for the two adventurers to take it. "Maybe that's true. But you know us. We'll always be here."

Mallory seemed to cringe at that line, looking a bit embarrassed. "I'm... I'm sorry." That was quite enough of that interaction for her, so she grabbed the bowls and headed to the room, gesturing for Cai to follow her.

Cai moved to follow Mallory towards the room, feeling the gaze of the innkeeper following them all the while. It felt a bit sad somehow to the half-elf, that the return of a brave adventurer like Mallory to the place of her birth should be so...subdued. Did that half-orc innkeeper even know anything about all the amazing things Mallory had done since leaving this village behind...the monsters she'd faced and slain, and the people she'd saved in her work for the Guild? It didn't seem like it to him. It seemed more like he still saw her as the same as she had been when she left this village...and perhaps that was why his friend was so eager to escape the conversation.

"Was he a friend of yours...from before?" Cai asked uncertainly as soon as they were out of earshot of the tavernkeeper, stepping in behind the catfolk swordswoman as she moved down the corridor.

"He was... an acquaintance. He was definitely a friend of my parents though. They all were, the Gwynns were really the center of this community. Always there for what anybody needed, and even though they never could conceive, the kids they fostered kept the whole village fresh year after year. And being that I was the last one, I guess they really expected me to stick around and continue the legacy." Mallory paused her story for a moment to take a spoonful of soup and catch her breath. "So when I said I was leaving and took most everything I could carry to sell in exchange for equipment, well I underestimated how badly it would go down. And that was that bridge burnt."

Another spoonful of mushrooms taken unenthusiastically. "I never liked this soup."

Cai took a spoonful of the soup himself during the pause in Mallory's story, lifting it to his lips. He tried to be charitable and consider the difficulties acquiring good ingredients in such a small village, but even he had to admit the soup was...far from the best thing he'd tasted. As she continued talking, he set down the spoon and gazed at her sympathetically, beginning to understand just why her return here had been quite this uneasy.

"So you just had to leave...like that?" The half-elf gasped, feeling a sharp stab of sympathy for his friend, starting out her adventuring career having those she'd grown up around looking down on her like that. He paused, stirring the bowl of soup as he tried to muster the words he hoped might comfort her a little. "I know what it's like...to have everyone expecting things of you that you just can't be." Cai continued, glancing down at the swirling soup. "I...guess they think they know what's best for you, and that's what can hurt the most. But Mallory, you chose differently, that takes strength and courage not everyone has, to take that chance and trust yourself."

"Thank you, but that's not the part I regret. Leaving was, if not good, important. I would have hated being here for life. No, what I regret is the fight that we had as I was leaving. As fights tend to do it got very personal. I was told I would never make it and was throwing away my life and my parent's legacy. I told them that they would never amount to anything, never leave, and be forgotten. By the time I wanted to apologize I was already too far down the road to turn back." This part of the story had seemingly been easier for Mallory to talk about, especially with the rather bland soup to fill the gaps. When she continued though her voice was appreciably more strained.

"So when they turned out to be right and I needed somewhere to go, I couldn't exactly come back here. Especially not when I had already lost half the equipment I had sold my inheritance to buy. It was like I had looted the fucking place, then lost everything but the sword anyways. I figured it was better to just..." Mallory's voice cracked hard, her lower lip trembling as she spoke, "to just sell myself for a bit until I could get back on my feet."

Cai listened, leaning in sympathetically towards his clearly struggling friend. Concern flickered across his face as it dawned on him just how terrible it must have been for Mallory to have those words hanging over her as she started out on her adventures, and then worse...to come to believe they'd all been right after all her struggles. No wonder this was so hard for her. He gasped in shock at her last words. "Mallory!" He stammered. "I didn't...I never...knew" The cleric froze, swallowing as he struggled to think of just what to say, the torment on her face leaving him. "I'm...so sorry that happened." He reached out and took her hand, gently holding it in his and hoping that would help her at least her a little. It stung him badly learning how this brave, kind woman had suffered so much bad luck, and seeing just a glimpse of the scars it had left on her now. "Do...you want to talk about it? I can...just listen, if that'll help."

Mallory didn't want to talk about it. But she knew that if she stopped now she would never want to start again. Best to get it all out while she could. "I was... I was just doing it for money, so I tried to find where would give me the... the best rates. That's really what I was worried about, the money." She signed and shook her head, the words running out of her now as the tears started to flow from her eyes.

"I was so fucking stupid, when I got a better offer I just took it, without even looking deeper for a single fucking second. I didn't even know what being paid in scrip WAS, or why it was a damned scam. Technically I wasn't a slave. But every day I was going deeper in debt, and they were getting worse and worse to me." The tone of her voice as the words tumbled out of her left little doubt about how bad it was, or that she really has been bottling this up for a long time. A tear dripped down into her soup, but she didn't seem interested in eating it anyways.

Cai shivered, feeling his own throat tighten as this awful story spilled free of his friend's lips. He hardly dared imagine what these kind of callous, evil men would have done to the catfolk swordswoman...and on top of that, she seemed to blame herself for ending up in their hands. The tear dripping down her cheeks stabbed at his heart. He'd never seen Mallory cry before. "What they did to you...it wasn't your fault." He stammered. "You were desperate, you didn't know, and they took advantage of that."

"I know, I know, but that doesn't make it any fucking better! The-the-the only reason I'm even here today is because other girls put their neck on the line for me! This one, I don't even know her name, she told me to lie to them about what hand I used. So I did, I told them I was left-handed instead of ambidextrous, and then you know what they did the first time I tried to escape?" Mallory took in a shuddering breath, blinking tears it of her eyes,

"They cut that hand in just the right places so I couldn't use it at all. The hands of fighters, the tongues of casters, the ankles of rangers, half the girls there were fucking intentionally crippled, and I haven't done shit about it because I was too fucking scared to go back! Too much of a coward to try to help people who I KNEW were suffering!" She choked back a sob, practically falling onto the cleric as she sought out both physical and emotional support.

"No..." Cai gasped hoarsely. As Mallory fell onto him, he froze for a moment, before he raised his trembling arms and wrapped them around his shoulders. He'd always viewed the catfolk swordswoman as one of the strongest, bravest people he knew, facing down whatever challenge lay ahead of her with her sword in hand. Yet now she felt as fragile as glass against him. He held her as gently as he could, hardly daring to breathe as she rested her weight on his slender body. "I...can't imagine how terrible that must have been." He murmured, needing to say...something, no matter how small. "No wonder you were so afraid. It's their fault, they hurt you so much, and they hurt all those other girls as well. I know you feel like it's yours too for being scared...but it isn't. Don't let them off the hook. And...we're going to stop them now. We're going to make sure they never hurt anyone else ever again." The half-elf's voice simmered with quiet resolve as he spoke those last words.

Mallory didn't say anything more as she lay there against him, but the knight's sobs continued to wrack her body. She let more of her weight rest against the cleric instead of supporting herself, just letting her body and emotions fall onto him all at once. Even through her tears though she could hear the determination in his voice, the way he talked with more force than she had ever heard him before. "Th-thank you." She replied quietly, truly appreciative to have him here right now. The catfolk had never told anyone that part of her story, even in passing, so the mere act of talking about it had hurt. In the end though she knew it would do her well. Maybe not as much as getting actual revenge would, but it was a start.

Cai held the sobbing catfolk gently in his arms, letting her rest her weight against his body. One hand gently stroked her back in what he hoped was a soothing way. As a cleric, he could fix almost any physical injury with a prayer to his Goddess, but the pain Mallory was struggling with right now couldn't be healed that easily, no matter how hard he might wish for it to be otherwise. When she whispered her quiet thanks, he felt a flicker of relief, feeling her sobs ease ever so slightly. "Glad I could help." The half-elf cleric murmured. "Whether that's just listening...or putting these bastards down for good."

She continued to lean on him and just cry for a few long minutes. This had been building up inside of her for a good while, so it was no surprise it would take some time to let out too. "Thank you Cai. For everything. I don't think... no, I know that I couldn't do this without you. And no one should have to live through what I did." There was another pause before she added, "We could cause a lot of good tomorrow. But we'll need to be well rested to take on any demons."

"Yes...we'll need to be." Cai nodded. "After what you just told me...I'm not taking any chances making sure these monsters get stopped." He gave the catfolk woman one last look. She seemed to be feeling a bit better now, like telling him the awful tale had helped her shed some of the burden she'd been carrying. He was very relieved at that, but...their task still lay ahead of them, so much more urgent now he knew just how terrible these people were. The half-elf let his arms slip from the catfolk's shoulders, sitting straighter. "Shall we head to bed now then?" He asked. "Unless there's something else you needed..."

"Not... not tonight. For now I just need to not be awake for a bit." An interesting choice of words, but considering her tossing and turning maybe promising sleep would have been a bit optimistic. She took off the equipment she still had on before getting into bed, but kept the sheathed sword in very close reach, almost touching it as she did her best to get comfortable on the bed. "I'm going to help them. I'm going to help them. I won't... I'm not leaving them behind any longer." She whispered to herself as sleep slowly started to overtake her. With her nerves alight and her emotions still powerful it was going to be difficult, but the catfolk knew what she was up against. Knew that she couldn't fail.

Not again.

Heading to his own bed, Cai slipped off his belt and the sheathed scimitar hanging from it and set them aside. Reaching down, he ran a lingering hand over Lady Dawnflower's book. The cleric murmured a quiet prayer to his Goddess, asking her to watch over Mallory, both tonight and during what was to come, for the healing rays of Her sun to help the brave catfolk swordswoman, and everyone else these awful people had hurt. With Sarenrae's help, they'd put an end to these evildoers! When he was done speaking, he climbed into the bed and pulled the covers over his body. Sleep didn't come too easily to him either, not with Mallory's terrible story running through his mind along with thoughts of what lay ahead, but at last, Cai felt himself slip away.

---

The catfolk's sleep was fitful and spotty, but perhaps the cleric's prayer had helped as it was still better than what she had been getting. Unusually for her she was the first one awake, and by the time that Cai was pulling himself out of his slumber Mallory was already armed and armored, nearly ready to depart. She glanced over in his direction, giving him a small smile. "Are you ready to make the world a better place?"

"Ah...yes!" Cai replied quickly, rubbing the sleep out of his bleary eyes. "Just give me a moment!" He got himself hurriedly out of bed, not wanting to make the catfolk wait any longer. After fixing his robes and fastening the belt back around his waist, with his sheathed scimitar dangling over one hip, the half-elf straightened confidently, ready to leave this place behind and then make the world a better place as his friend had said. "Let's go then! Lead the way, Mallory!" He nodded to the door. He was glad he could be here to help her, but after their conversation last night he knew she'd need to be the one leading the charge when they put an end to those who'd hurt her so much.

Mallory was definitely nervous, her flicking tail and twitching ears made sure anybody could see that. But compared to yesterday she seemed notably less tense, so that was probably good. As soon as Cai was ready she pushed open the door to their room... and immediately saw Harold waiting there. Not a good way to start the morning, especially considering how he looked just as grumpy as yesterday.

"Leaving already? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised this time." Seems he wasn't here to make amends either. Mallory appeared totally unsurprising by this turn of events.

"It was nice seeing you too." She sighed softly, then said in a much more genuine tone, "I do mean it too. If you or anyone else ever wants to visit the city, well I'll have a room for you."

The half-orc man paused for a moment, then nodded before stepping aside. Seemed that was the end of that discussion.

"Thank you for the room, sir." Cai nodded stiffly to the surly half-orc as he walked past. While he did feel a little bad that Mallory would once again be leaving her birthplace under a dark cloud, after the story he'd heard yesterday he didn't doubt that drawing a line under her past and moving on was better for the catfolk swordswoman. These people who'd said such harsh things, who hadn't believed in her...it was clear they didn't need or deserve Mallory's attention for one moment more.

He followed his friend back out of the pub and out into the centre of the tiny village, where the cart was waiting for them. The half-elf breathed in softly, mustering his resolve. Now he knew just how important this mission was...he wasn't going to take any chances in making sure these people never hurt anyone else ever again. "Ready to leave?" He asked Mallory, pleased she seemed to be less fraught then yesterday.

There had been some honest hope in Mallory's heart that time would have softened the tensions between them, but she also wasn't surprised that they hadn't. The sun was bright as they stepped outside, with a refreshing breeze keeping things temperate in the settlement. An honestly beautiful day for the cat to take a long look at that tall and old tree before turning back to Cai. "I think I am.

Cai climbed up onto the carriage, sitting down on the seat and waiting for his friend to join him. His gaze flickered briefly over the tiny village one last time, certain that this was the last time he'd ever have any reason to stop here. It seemed the same might well be true for Mallory as well, by how definitive that last goodbye to Harald had felt. He glanced at the catfolk as she sat down beside him, the magical carriage Ms. Amephia had given them humming to life at her touch. "Okay, here goes..." He clenched his fist, determination in his eyes. "Let's put a stop to these bastards." The cleric knew his Goddess would prefer even men such as these be offered their chance at redemption, but he wasn't going to shed a tear if Mallory decided otherwise.

Mallory was shortly behind Cai in boarding the vehicle, and it set off not long after. She wasn't sure if she ever would be back. Maybe one of them would visit her someday. Maybe this was just another chapter of her life that was now closed. Perhaps closing one was appropriate considering how she was re-opening another. Between the two she was pretty sure she would rather stay here, much as that wouldn't solve anything in the long term.

"Let's do it. Together."

---

The rest of the wagon ride was a rather quiet affair, almost solemn. At least until they started getting near to their destination. The town of Felsfall was a pretty unremarkable place by most standards. It wasn't big enough to be a proper city, but it was the largest population center for quite some miles around, and the crossroads at its center kept a healthy stream of travelers and merchants coming and going even in their harsh winters. With a lot of money travelling through most of the place was designed to appeal to them, get them off their horses and inside to part with their money. Which led to the above-average number of restaurants, casinos, and brothels.

Overall, nothing special. Except for how it made Mallory grip her sword so tightly it looked like it might have claw marks in the leather of the grip. Her eyes darted around the place while the fur on the back of her neck stood absolutely on end.

Cai's gaze flickered over the town around them. He sat on the edge of his seat, his jaw clenched. There was something seedy enough already in the attractions all around them, the way many of the casinos or restaurants had a scantily clad girl outside to frantically attract customers from their numerous rivals, or the signs with saucy names and pictures, offering nights with young women for a price. After Mallory's story, his eyes flashed at that, wondering how many of those women were willing. It just felt like there was so much greed here...everyone trying to scam or rob each other, and even with the sun on his face his Goddess felt rather far away.

He glanced at his friend, his breath catching at how tense she looked. And no wonder...they were about to find the people who'd hurt her so badly. Both of them needed to be ready for that. The half-elf reached down for his own scimitar, ready to draw at a moment's notice. "So...how will we find these people?" He asked Mallory, his voice hushed.

Despite his quiet tone Mallory still flinched when he spoke and took a long second before she could respond. "Th-th-th-th-these aren't the ones we're looking for. I don't know if they're good, but nowhere else is near as bad as where I was." Based on what Mallory had described before that was a low bar. "We might be able to help them later, but the place we're looking for is actually on the north edge of town. It's... I'll tell you can see it."

The town obviously had a working knowledge of the fact that sex sold, as every sign and "greeter" made very clear. Mallory's eyes kept darting around, looking for threats like any of these low-lives were actually a threat as their cart trundled through the densest of the buildings, and she didn't settle down even as things started to spread out a bit. It almost seemed like they were going to leave town entirely when her gaze suddenly locked onto a decently large three-story building on the edge of town. Her tail puffed up to its maximum extent like a frightened streetcat's would and her ears folded flat against her head as she just stared at it.

The structure itself was unassuming and typical enough, save for having almost no windows and a complete lack of windows without bars. The only thing that separated it from the rest was the sign. "Adventurer Girls Serving YOU! Knights, Casters, Bowgirls and more!" A strong-looking elf girl with a two-handed sword and armor that didn't cover any more than a bikini graced their sign, with various markings promising that the girls "Knew how to work a sword" and other lewd puns hanging near the doors.

Mallory didn't say a word or move a muscle, but the look on her face made it very clear what was happening.

Cai's eyes widened in shock as he saw the sign ahead of them. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword; his knuckles white as he gripped the weapon. How could they be that brazen? But by Mallory's reaction this had to be the place...which meant it was nearly time. He glanced at his friend, frozen stiff on the seat behind him with her tail bristled and her ears flat. Even without the story she'd told him, he could have told just by her reaction how terribly these people had abused her, and that made his gaze narrow with bitter fury at the thought. "Mallory..." He murmured softly, conscious of just how hard this must be for her. "I...know it's tough, but we need a plan...with the other woman in there as well. Can you think of a way for us to rescue them?"

Of course Mallory had thought about that question. When she had thoughts of swooping in and getting her revenge it was always one of the more potent nagging problems aside from the fact that it made her legs go to jelly, but she had never thought the problem through to completion. Once the people who had hurt her were gone the problems would solve themselves, right?

It wasn't that simple. She knew that at best they would have to find somewhere else, likely they would be reliant on this place, and worst they might be enthralled or otherwise corrupted by the demonic presence that she just KNEW must be causing this. Cai hadn't sensed any yet, but Mallory was sure of it.

"I... I don't know. But everything WILL be better if we take him out. It has to be."

Cai bit his lip, suddenly growing even more worried for his friend. He should have spotted something sooner. It was obvious how badly she wanted to just end this place in one fell swoop, so much so that she was ignoring everything else, even the safety of the other girls in there. In a mission like this, that could be...really dangerous for her and for them. "Mallory...talk to me, before we go in there...I need to know what's going on so I can help you...and the others trapped in there as well." The half-elf continued softly, staring at his friend. "Who is he? This man...you want to take out."

Mallory was really breathing very quickly, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her eyes stayed locked on to the building. "H-h-h-he's the owner. He's a human, kind of short, bum leg, scratchy beard, a bit of a limp. He's... he's a real sadist and... and he does everything. Doesn't trust anyone with any of the business or the... the girls. He's... he knows. He really knows just how to break you down, how to keep everyone struggling and in just the right amount of debt. And hunters that can get anyone back if they manage to escape. He likes... he never got good at fighting or adventuring so he likes to take it out on anyone who did. Make us pretend to have lost a fight. Or just beat the shit out of us and call it a fair fight." The words poured out of her again, the cat's eyes glazing over as she recalled detail after detail, encounter after hellish encounter.

Cai stared at his friend, his own breaths quickening. The agony in every word Mallory spoke was clear, the terror and pain she'd suffered at the hands of this awful man. Every time he thought he knew just how terrible this place had been for her...it became clear she'd been hurt even more. His jaw clenched as he imagined the kind of vile man who'd do this to her. "We'll stop him, Mallory..." The half-elf murmured insistently. Reaching over the carriage, he grabbed her hand, determined to bring her out of this spiral the one way he could. "You're one of the strongest people I know, no matter what he said or did to you, and that scum isn't going to get to believe otherwise for one moment more. We're going to bring this place down around him, make sure they never do that to another woman ever again." He paused a moment, holding her hand tightly, before continuing. "But first we need a plan. We need to make sure the other women aren't hurt and get them to safety. Rushing in there isn't going to help anyone, the bastard might even be able to get away if we do. Can you...think about how we should approach this? I know it's hard, but anything you remember...do they have many guards?"

Mallory blinked hard as she wiped tears out of her eyes, nodding at his question. "There's always two at the main door, and at least one at the others. One at the bar, two on busy nights, maybe a few more around the building. And he... I saw it once. There was a party coming for one of their members and he... he..." The cat's speech broke up as she gasped for air, her sob literally choking her. "Hostages", she finally managed to get out.

There was a pause as the cat tried to collect herself. It took a while and another round of tears wiped away before she continued, "If we just went in I don't even want to know what he would do to the girls. And that's without considering the demons!"

"I...understand, we'll need to handle this carefully then, get the women to safety and away from the guards." Cai nodded, after waiting for her to get out as much as she could. The willingness to take hostages was another black mark on this bastard's name, but it made things more difficult for them. They couldn't risk any of these women getting hurt any more!

He paused again at that last part she said, frowning to himself. She'd brought the possibility of demonic involvement up before as well, but even this close to the building he'd yet to sense any traces of the Abyss. For a cleric of his power to not detect anything...that either meant they were incredibly well-hidden somehow, or else...Mallory was mistaken. "I haven't sensed any demons yet." He explained. "And I should be able to. Mallory...I need to be sure, what makes you think there were any?

The cleric's cool and collected handling of the situation was a great asset compared to Mallory's... lack thereof. Her stress was understandable, but still a detractor from her combat performance to be sure. And perhaps it clouded her judgement in more ways than one. "It... there has to be. He's not... he's not very powerful and... and this whole place is so evil! It just makes sense, right? It's not just one bad guy, it can't be. It can't be."

It was hard to tell whether Mallory was still completely confident in herself or losing faith in her own judgement. "I mean like, any one of the girls there could have turned out to be an incredible demon slayer! And now they're just in a cycle of debt and abuse, and all that abuse and rape is perfect demon fuel! It has to be something more, OK? I can't have lost almost two years of my life for NOTHING!" No matter how much sense it made, or how passionately Mal advocated for it though, there was still no trace of demonic presence.

Cai listened calmly, even as he began to understand just what was happening here and Mallory's insistence that a demon was to blame sounded more and more like what she wanted to believe rather than any truth at all. It was clear she needed to get this out, to sort it through in her head first, so he let her speak until she fell silent. The answer he had to give her was not a pleasant one, and even thinking it made him feel awful as well, but...the glaring lack of any Abyssal traces around the building ahead of them was something he just couldn't deny, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Sometimes...people can do just as much evil as demons, Mallory." The half-elf began, his eyes soft and sympathetic as he stared across at his suffering friend. "Sometimes they don't even need a reason. It isn't just one bad guy, as awful as he is...it's his guards, it's everyone who came here and suspected the girls weren't there by choice and didn't do anything about it at all, it's this awful place for just turning a blind eye and letting more women get lured into debt. That's all that's needed, as terrible as it sounds. Just...people, who choose to do horrific things because it's easy or because they enjoy it. I...wish I could tell you there was a demon at work here, I really do, but I'd sense if there was."

"It... it could be hidden! Or like, maybe the walls are blocking it! That would... I mean... can you... is there...?" Mallory stared into Cai's eyes, her excuses and reasons growing weaker by the second. She knew the cleric well. Knew that he was good at what he did. Knew that she trusted him and his judgement with her life. Logically there was no reason to doubt him or his perception, he knew demons far better than she did. And aside from the general circumstances she didn't exactly have any evidence to back up her theory.

The realization seemed to almost physically hollow the catfolk. She held the cleric's gaze for a long few seconds before simply looking down at the floor of the cart, pure depression mixing with the fear and tension she had been feeling. "So that's it then? Nothing but some old rapist perv and bad luck." Her tone was flat and empty, with none of the prior fire and conviction in her words.

"Sometimes that's all it takes to cause more misery and pain than a hundred demons ever could." Cai nodded, his heart aching in sympathy for his friend. He wished it could be otherwise...he wished he could tell her there was some big, important reason for why this awful thing had happened to her, but in his heart he knew the answer was far more bleak.

"Sometimes evil is just a small, petty thing, but that doesn't make it any less terrible and cruel for those who suffer under it. I...can't say going in there and putting an end to him will just make everything that happened to you better, it's never that simple. But it's going to make sure that he'll never make anyone else suffer ever again. So...take a few minutes, as long as you need to get back on your feet." The half elf held her hand gently in his, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Then we're going to bust into that place, save every single woman those bastards have trapped in there, and you're going to send that old rapist perv to the Hells."

There was an attempt by the catfolk swordswoman to smile at his encouraging phrase and return that sympathetic look of his. But it just didn't work. The fear of the place, the sadness of her wasted years, the collapsing of the excuses she had used to try to justify what had happened to her, all of it sucked any potential to even feign a moment of mirth out of her. There wasn't a word as she just stared at her armored feet, letting time and her emotions pass through her and process.

It wasn't working. The longer she stared, the deeper into her mire she went. The weight of the worst parts of the world and her experiences pressing down upon her. If she stayed any longer she might never leave the depths of her own mind.

But Cai needed her. The women there, they needed her. For so long she had neglected them, not helped them. It was her biggest regret, and every second she wasted just made it worse. The only way forward was in. To keep moving.

When Mallory finally looked up her face had more determination than before. The sadness and trauma was still there of course, but it was behind a mask. One she wouldn't let crack. "If we just kick down the door they're going to kill half the girls there before we get to his office. But... but I AM the only one to ever escape. He... he... he... he wants me back. I know he does." She didn't elaborate on what her plan entailed. She didn't need to.

Cai's first instinct as soon as he understood Mallory's plan was to try and talk her out of it. It felt far too dangerous, sending her straight into that place alone, to face the man who'd done this to her when she was still in so much pain. But the determination in her eyes froze the objection on his lips. With what she'd told him about this man's brutality, her idea might be the only way to save the women trapped inside that awful place. Mallory had trusted him...telling him everything and bringing him here, trusted him even when he'd told her what she'd always believed about this place couldn't be true. Now it was time he trusted her in turn. "Okay..." He nodded stiffly. "So...while he and his guards are focused on you, I can start getting the women to safety. Is there any other way inside the building I can use to slip in unnoticed?"

Mallory had kind of known this would happen. Somewhere in her mind had been the knowledge that she was the most potent distraction they had, and that the safety of everyone there should be her priority. She didn't know if she was prepared to give herself up, but she was absolutely ready to be what Cai needed to get in and free everyone. So she reached into her bag and pulled out a small bottle with a clear brown liquid inside. The label was black with white text, reading among other things, "Single Malt" and "80 Proof".

"You know I haven't touched a drop since I was here last. It was cheaper than water to buy with his scrip. But since I left it's only been catnip for me." Before Cai could object she took a deep swig, the face she made clearly showing her disgust at the burning sensation. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to be going back in while intoxicated, but Mal didn't know if she could have done it sober. She took another little gulp, then poured some on her hand, splashing it on her shoulders. The scent of it would be strong on her, that was for sure.

Another deep breath from the catfolk before she took another swig, then reached for her sword. She unbuckled it and handed the blade and scabbard to him, looking a little unsteady already. "There's a door on the north side and one on the east. North is going to be your best option to get in, but whichever is closer will be best to get out of. More secluded stairs are near those doors, but there's a larger staircase going down into the bar area that the main entrance opens onto. The girl's rooms are on the second and third floors. Rentable rooms are on the first, as is the bar and his office. Any other questions?"

Cai nodded as she explained herself, committing her instructions to memory, determined to see this through. Her courage demanded nothing less from him, and he was going to make sure he didn't squander this chance she was giving him, or leave her in danger for one second more than he had to. He took the sword carefully, very conscious of how much she valued the blade. "Do you think he'll...take you to his office then?" Cai asked, worry in his eyes as he imagined what that might mean. "I'll get the sword back to you there as soon as the women are safe. Sarenrae...watch over you." The cleric murmured softly, touching the holy book at his belt as he implored his Goddess to protect his brave friend during what lay ahead of her.

"Almost certainly. I'm going to go in and pretend to be drunk, punch a guard, then get taken down. I can't... I mean I can't imagine that there wouldn't be at least one person who recognizes me, and then straight to his office." She paused for a moment to take another swig, then continued, "The first time I escaped I got dragged back and brought straight to him straight away and then..." Mallory had accidentally talked herself right into one of her worse memories from her time there, no doubt thanks to the alcohol taking her off of her guard. She froze up entirely, even her tail stopping while her eyes went wide.

Subconsciously the catfolk reached for her sword at her waist, but of course it wasn't there. The misericorde she carried was, but that was no sword, and it wasn't the large hilt she wanted for support.

"I'll be there...as quickly as I can." Cai assured her, his heart pounding with worry for the brave catfolk as he held her sword carefully against his chest. "What you're doing here is...one of the strongest, bravest things I've ever seen." He nodded to her, then eased himself out of the cart, slipping her sword under one arm, his other hand resting on the hilt of his own scimitar. "I'll head for the northern entrance first, and get inside as soon as I see an opening. Good luck, Mallory..."

It was rather poetic. The last time Mallory had been here she was also without her sword. Only then she hadn't been here willingly, nor had she been without her weapon by choice. Now she was choosing to be here, and willingly giving up her blade, all for the sake of someone else. Many someone's else, but none of them that she knew or had met. "Thank you. Please be quick", her tone was hushed, but there was no doubt that she meant it. Every second that she was in there she was in danger, having to choose between exposing her true strength or taking abuse.

She would need this last swig. Mallory watched him walk off with her sword, walk off with the object that had provided her so much comfort both awake and asleep. Having it taken away had inspired her to come back here, but she hadn't planned on giving it away again. Not ever.

Regardless, there was work to be done. Mallory waited for him to walk away a bit before she got out of the carriage herself, stumbling slightly as she headed for the double main doors of the entrance. Best not to think about what she was doing. Best to just do it.

Cai skirted round the building, one hand resting on the blade of his scimitar. His gaze narrowed as he spotted the entrance Mallory had mentioned on the north side of the building. As she'd told him, there was a single guard waiting beside the door, a burly dwarf with a scarred face who was leaning against the wall looking bored, a sword sheathed through his belt. While the man didn't look near dangerous enough to pose a challenge to a cleric of Cai's skill...the half-elf knew he couldn't risk him somehow raising an alarm and getting the women inside hurt. He'd have to wait for Mallory's distraction, then use that chance to get into the building and find the hostages before they could be put in any more danger. His heart pounding, he tensed, ready to move as soon as that opening emerged.

---

While Cai was sneaking around in order to avoid making an alarm, Mallory was doing the exact opposite. She finished off the bottle of alcohol in her hand as she stood in front of the double doors of the entrance, taking one last bracing breath before kicking them open hard. The two guards just inside looked at her in surprise, her mussed and drunken appearance not entirely inaccurate.

"Did ya' miss me?" She hissed with pure malice in her voice, not giving the guards a second to answer before she swung the empty bottle at the head of the man on the right, shattering it and sending glass and blood across the floor of the bar. A moment passed where everyone from the girls dancing on tables to the few patrons stopped and stared. Then all hell broke loose.

The other guard grabbed his cudgel from his belt and swung wildly at the catfolk, who dodged aside and swung the broken stem of the bottle at him. The bartender was the only one who actually recognized her and loudly started shouting the alarm, summoning another guard who had been busy with some of the "merchandise".

Seeing that things were not going smoothly, the few patrons took off for the other doors, fleeing the building in an act that alerted the other two guards. Mallory was outnumbered five to one, but the doors were unattended.

Cai watched, tensing up the guard suddenly stiffened in shock as the call for help echoed through the building. With a muttered curse, the man turned and pounded into the building, leaving the door he'd been watching unguarded. Cai waited just a bit longer, his heart pounding with worry for Mallory, but knowing if he moved too soon he'd spoil this chance she'd given him.

As soon as he felt like it was safe, the half-elf darted forward, heading for the door. He slipped inside, his feet hardly making a sound as he stepped lightly over the wooden floor of the building. His nose wrinkled at the smell of alcohol and sex hanging in the stale air. The corridor he stood in now was empty, but he could hear muffled shouting and noise of pounding feet from down the way the guard had headed. Mallory....remembering her instructions, the half-elf headed for the staircase ahead of him, slipping silently up the the wooden stairs like a shadow, his eyes narrowed in determination.

The place really did match what one would think of given Mallory's description. Dark and shadowy, air so dank it was a wonder how the wood hadn't rotted away, smelled like the inside of an old condom, and every single door had a big lock on the outside. Signs about various "tools" and "aids" for rent or sale were everywhere, and the patrons who had been there at this odd time were quick to want to get away from the fighting, just in case the law was called. A few of them ran past Cai and out the door, but none spared him so much as a second glance.

Mallory on the other hand was getting a lot of attention. The sharp end of her broken bottle was enough to keep them from grabbing her, but it likely wouldn't remain that way for long. Especially now that word was spreading about her identity. "Is she really the one who escaped? This whore?" One of the half-dozen guards who were circling her asked. That phrase earned a snarl from her in return, but it clearly got to her too. Not that any of them cared about her feelings.

"No surprise she couldn't find work without her sword hand. Dumb sluts are better off staying here, I mean just look at this drunk cunt!" A chuckle ran through the guards, their mirth the last straw for the catfolk.

"Shut UP!" Mallory shouted as she lunged for the nearest guard, slicing his forearm open wide... and putting herself in easy baton range for the others. Even as the one she attacked screamed and grabbed at his wound, his comrades closed in and started attacking her mercilessly, hitting her again and again with the wooden clubs.

"Careful, boss will want her in one piece!" Cautioned the bartender, but that barely seemed to slow their assault.

As the seedy-looking patrons fled past him in obvious desperation to escape any scrutiny of their activities, Cai briefly considered trying to stop them to ensure they faced at least some justice for the women they'd no doubt gleefully paid to abuse. The signs about restraints, whips and other dreadful things for hire around him spoke volumes about the tastes of those who'd willingly visited this place. For all his bitter anger though, the half-elf cleric knew getting the women to safety was more important, as was ensuring he reached Mallory in time. Justice would come for their sins in time.

Darting for the nearest room, Cai flung open the door. Inside there was a large bed with ruffled stained sheets and handcuffs hanging prominently from the frame. A young woman was cowering in the corner of the room, dressed in scraps of silk. She looked up as he approached, tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm here to help you escape this place." The cleric told her in a hushed voice, holding out his hand like he was approaching a frightened animal. "Come with me! No-one's going to hurt you anymore..." His voice burned with resolve at that, but he looked at her kindly.

The woman had some obvious scarring on her arms, back, and rear, which would have made sense for an adventurer. If it wasn't so clear that the markings were rather new. As he got closer another sign of the awful treatment came into view too. Even with his soothing words she flinched backwards, recoiling from him and pressing herself into the corner of the room. "Is this... this is a trick. He put you up to this, didn't he? I'm... I'm not going! Alright, tell him I said no!"

Meanwhile in the dining room the sound of fighting was only intensifying. Even with Mallory largely downed, she continued to struggle and cause generally as much of a ruckus as she could, delaying the guards from moving her at the cost of yet more baton blows being inflicted upon her hide. "I'll kill him! I'll kill all you!" Mallory was playing up her drunkenness, but didn't have to try terribly hard to do so. Maybe she had taken a bit more than she intended.

Cai bit his lip, very conscious of the pressure he was under. As much as he didn't want to rush this clearly traumatized girl, he needed to get her and all the other women here to safety as soon he could. If he could get just one to trust him, he hoped the others would come along more easily. "You've got nothing to be frightened of, I'm a cleric, of Sarenrae." He held up his holy book, a faint, soothing light shining from the sun emblem on the cover. I'm not working for the men who did this to you, we're here to shut this place down and stop them! I know you're scared...but my friend, she was...here as well, but right now she's risking herself to help! So I need you to come along with me, okay? I'll get you to safety and heal your injuries, and we'll make sure no-one here can ever come after you again, but...right now I need you to come with me!" He held out his hand to her, hoping she'd listen.

The girl was still scared, that much was clear. She hesitated, bit her lip, tried to look around for some evidence to the contrary. But that faint glow from the holy symbol was hard to fake, and it was hard to imagine that a real cleric would participate in the man's cruel tricks and tests of 'faith'. That and the fact that the sound of Mallory's tussle was reaching them too. There was clearly something going on out there, and the girl wouldn't have become an adventurer if she didn't have some bravery. "I... fine then. But my party-mate, you have to get her too. She's in the next room."

Downstairs from that scene, things were not going well for Mallory. While at first she had been feigning her loss against the guards, by now their superior numbers, her lack of a weapon, and the intoxication were all getting to her. She wasn't faking losing anymore. There was one guard on each of her arms, picking her up off of the floor so all she could do was squirm and kick at the air mightily. While the catfolk was strong, the guards were no slouches either, and when they had one of their colleagues continue to whack her with his baton it only hindered her more.

She was fine with losing this fight of course, that was the plan to keep them occupied and away from taking any hostages. But she hadn't really thought about what would happen afterwards. Mallory knew that Cai needed more time to get the girls out, but they were taking her straight to his office. Straight back into her nightmare. "W-w-w-wait, no! Don't bring me to him, please!" There was no acting here. The catfolk was desperate, thrashing back and forth to try to break their grip, all thoughts of strategy or tactics now being thrown out the window.

Cai breathed a sigh of relief as the girl agreed, especially as he heard the struggle down below intensifying. He couldn't imagine how terrible it must be for Mallory to let herself be taken by these men again. He had to hurry and make sure she was safe! "Here...come with me, quickly!" He gestured to her, turning around to leave the room. The girl clambered to her feet and moved to follow him as he darted back out into the corridor, thankfully still empty. He could probably rely on the guards being occupied a little longer at least, and when the owner was focused on Mallory there'd be no-one to give the order to hurt the hostages.

Moving down to the next room, he eased the door open, finding another girl inside, a willowy elf woman, naked and lying flat on the bed, her arms bent up behind her and bound together by coiling lengths of rope. She was whimpering in fear, and struggling to rise. The customer with her must have been interrupted in the middle of his cruel use of her. His jaw clenched, Cai stepped up behind her and drew his scimitar, neatly slicing through the binds in one deft cut. As the girl awkwardly wriggled up, the cleric sheathed his sword, not wanting to scare her any more. "Don't worry, I'm here to help!" He said urgently. Glancing back behind him where the first girl was just peering through the door, he waved her inside. "She's your party member, right can you calm her down and get her up to leave in a hurry? I'll go get the rest of the women as well! "

The poor elf girl certainly looked worse for wear, even once the ropes were off of her. She was obviously scared of the cleric and his curved blade, but luckily he had a bit of help. The first girl he had rescued entered just after him, reaching a gentle hand down to stroke her back. "Hey, it's alright. He's getting us out of here. Someone downstairs is helping." The elf stared at her for a second, then just nodded, getting up slowly. Or at least attempting to. It wasn't clear what the problem was, she looked fine. But the elf could hardly walk, and required a lot of support just to stay upright. "I'll take her outside then... then come back to help."

There was less fighting and fewer impacts audible from downstairs now, but Mallory herself was definitely louder. All of the guards were sticking close as they dragged her towards the owner's office, inevitably approaching it despite her fervent fight against them. "STOP, please! I'm sorry alright, I'm sorry! Just please not him! I'll... I'll take you all to the private rooms. Every last one of you, I'll make you feel like a GOD!"

Her begging only earned her another smack to the back of the head. They all knew what became of girls who escaped. They knew they would get their chance at her after the boss was done, and they would get a hefty bonus for letting him have the first go. They were paid in real money of course, unlike the girls. Mallory kept struggling against them as best she could right up until the moment they rounded that last corner. The familiar heavy and darkly stained wood of that door, the creak of the poorly-oiled hinges, all of it still felt so fresh in her mind from the last time she was here. In the face of her worst nightmare coming true the catfolk didn't try to run or to fight. She just froze.

Cai froze in the corridor for a moment as he heard Mallory's anguished cries echoing from down the stairs. He could have told himself she was acting, making sure the guards believed her to be weak and helpless, but...the sheer terror in her pleas was just too raw to be anything but real. The half-elf darted forward, all the more desperate now to save the stranded women here and get to his friend before something terrible happened. Heading to the next room, he threw open the door.

A naked man reared up from the bed in shock where he'd been crouching over the young halfling woman lying sprawled across the sheets, anger in his eyes, before they found the furious cleric standing in the doorway and went wide with shock instead. Cai's book was in his hand in a flash, a prayer to his Goddess on his lips. Before the man could even scream for help, bands of golden light wrapped around his body before fading, the divine magic holding him helplessly in place and stilling even his tongue. For a moment, the half-elf considered just cutting the evildoer's throat anyway, but he thrust the thought aside, moving to help the girl instead. He shoved the paralysed man off the bed, letting him fall, and leaned over the halfling. Her eyes were dull, but after a moment she blinked and they found his face. "I'm here to get you out of here." The cleric explained hurriedly. "Can you stand?"

The demonstration of his goodwill apparently worked about as well as talking to the previous women had, as the halfling was almost eager to go with him. She scrambled to her feet, nodding hurriedly as she uttered a completely strangled, damaged noise of thanks. Apparently she was one of the former casters who had lost the privilege of vocal cords that Mallory had mentioned. She didn't run outside though, instead staying next to him and urging him towards the next room.

Just like the woman upstairs, Mallory had fallen silent. Her eyes were wide and glazed over with terror, the full scale of the horror of her situation really sinking in. That ugly, unkempt bastard had balded a bit more since she had last seen him, but his beard was longer than before. Those curly black hairs that had felt so uncomfortable against her fur the last time, and she was increasingly sure would again.

"Well now, look who it is. I thought I had lost ye'! But they all come back in the end eh?" He spoke in a thick northern accent, with a coating of a sneer further tilting his words. Judging by the voice alone, at least one part of Mallory's early plans for adventures were right. Monsters did come from the north.

He walked around the desk towards her, waving off all but the two guards holding her and the bartender, his longest employee and the only one that remembered her personally. Not that they went far outside his door. The sounds they knew she was going to make were too much of a delight to miss. Reaching down he grabbed her chin in a crushingly tight grip, tilting the catfolk's head up to meet his gaze, looking down at her as if that position alone would cement that he was above her. That she was his again. "We've got a LOT of catching up to do cunt."

Very conscious of the chilling silence from downstairs, somehow even worse than the noise of struggle had been, Cai led the mute halfling back out into the corridor, leaving the paralyzed bastard lying limp across the dirty floor of the room. Following the girl's urging, he moved to the next door and shoved it open with his shoulder, one hand on the book of his Goddess and the other at his scimitar in case there were any more of the scum who visited this establishment around.

This room was...worse than the others. Rather than a bed, there was a wrought iron cage in the corner, with a few dirty rags instead of blankets. On the far wall, a muscled woman was pinned up by her wrists and ankles with harsh iron manacles, dangling there in exhaustion with her head bowed. Her body was littered with bruises and scars, with more recent welts, livid and red, across her bare breasts and thighs.

Cai darted forward in a flash, murmuring another prayer and holding out his hand towards her. The warm light of the dawn shone forth from the cleric's palm, and as he pressed it against the wounded woman's skin, the worst of her injuries faded in an instant, leaving only a few faded scars behind. As she raised her head in shock, the cleric deftly slashed through the manacles, in too much of a hurry to look for a key. "Quickly, I'm getting you out of here!" He urged the woman as she stumbled free of the wall, her eyes narrowing in determination as she understood.

Things were really going well upstairs. The fact that these girls were adventurers, were strong both inside and out helped. They didn't want to be here, and had the determination to make things better. All they needed was the little push that Cai was providing, and the opportunity that Mallory was giving them to make it happen. Maybe if they knew the dear price that was being paid they would be more hesitant, but it was also wise not to waste it. The muscular girl seemed quite appreciative of the healing and also stuck with the cleric and the halfling, ready to carry out anyone else who couldn't walk.

Mallory whimpered pathetically. It was the first noise she had made in a long while, and it spoke nothing of her immense strength and skill, nothing of her growth since she had gotten away. This was her regressing into old fears and failures, being back in this room with him enough to wipe away everything she had built up. "I can't believe THIS is the bitch that managed to get away. Two decades of operation and I only lose one girl, one stupid delusional cunt." He smirked, then corrected himself. "Well, I guess now I haven't lost any."

There was no opposition to him. The two men holding her just nodded, completely on board with puffing up their boss's ego. His smirk twisted into a cruel smile as he looked at the redhead, then suddenly struck, viciously kneeing her in the gut. It knocked the wind out of her in a pained gasp, the only reason that she didn't fall to the ground were the men holding her up. As she wheezed for air the man in charge grabbed a set of heavy metal restraints from his desk, gesturing his lackeys to lift her up a bit higher. The tabby catfolk was limp as a sack of potatoes, not fighting him in the slightest as he secured her wrists to her ankles, the instinct of not resisting him one that he had worked hard to write into her brain.

It had been so long that Mallory had thought she would have forgotten those lessons entirely, but apparently her body hadn't let them go. They were just laying dormant, waiting for her inevitable return. Once she was bound to the point of uselessness he gave the order to drop her, which the men did without hesitation or gentleness. One, then two vicious kicks connected with her side, making her wheeze again. "Sorry", she said quietly, the first word she had managed since being brought here.

"Not yet ya aren't. But ya will be." Another kick sent the chained cat sprawling, then he turned to the remaining men. "Bring me one of everything, and sharpen my scalpel."

---

Cai moved down the corridor from door to door, each time urging the frightened, traumatized women within to escape with him. Despite his growing fury as he saw how each of them had been abused, the scars and marks on their bodies, and the cruel implements and restraints in their rooms, the half-elf forced himself to stay calm, knowing he had to make sure he didn't scare the traumatized girls any further so he could usher them to escape and get back to save Mallory. The growing group who came along with him definitely helped with that, both in calming down the terrified adventurers and in the case of muscular warrior carrying out a young rogue who'd had the tendons in her ankles cut.

Soon he was up on the third floor, where it seemed this vile establishment had catered to those who particularly enjoyed the fantasy of abusing an adventurer. The women he found here were wearing skimpy parodies of their adventuring outfits, clerics in little more than scraps of cloth marked with defiled symbols of female deities, fighters in leather bikinis carrying sex toys instead of swords and, in one nauseating example, a ranger sharing a basket with her 'animal companion', a large and vicious male hound who the cleric had been force to paralyze to get to give up its plaything. He had to carefully urge each in turn that he wasn't with their tormentors, several seeming terrified like the first girl had been that this was some kind of trick. Cai was torn, his heart pounding. As much as he wanted to carefully heal and help each poor girl in turn, he was growing ever more conscious of just how much time he'd left Mallory in the hands of the awful man she'd told him about.

While Cai was seeing the depths of the depravity and cruelty of the men who both ran and attended this awful establishment, those same terrible characteristics were also keeping him and the girls safe from interruption as they worked together to break everyone out. Downstairs none of them wanted to miss a second of what the boss was going to do to this runaway. He was normally exceptionally cruel with them, and this one had been gone for longer than any other. No doubt he was going to make the things Cai saw look like a pleasant time in comparison.

The men he had sent off eagerly returned, their arms laden with "gifts" that were unceremoniously dumped onto his desk. The bartender returned last, honing the razor-sharp blade of a shiny scalpel on a whetstone. He started to close the door behind him, but the boss held up a hand to stop him. "Leave it open. I want all the bitches to know what happens when you run from me."

All the while Mallory was absolutely frozen in place, her uncomfortable bound position not mattering in the slightest. She knew it was nothing compared to what would come next. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry", she whispered again and again, her thoughts not on Cai upstairs or the mission or anything but a default state of sorts that just wanted to lessen whatever pain was going to come to her.

At least she wouldn't have to wait long. One of the guards used a serrated knife to tear her armor off at the leather joints, exposing her body unwillingly again for the first time in years. The boss leered at the sight of her orange and white fur, the toned body she kept up with hard training. A perfect canvas for the barbed whip he selected. "Kept yerself in shape eh? Good, you'll make a nice therd floor attraction. 'Specially if ya still scream as good as ya used to!" He punctuated his sentence with a powerful swing of the whip, the sharpened tip of the leather instrument whistling as it crashed into the exposed white fur of her belly.

Cai heard it. The girls heard it. The guards cheered when they heard it. Mallory absolutely screamed like she used to, judging by the cruel grin that split the face of the owner of the place as he wound up for a second strike against the catfolk now reeling on his floor. "I'M SORRY!" Came her pleaded response, but that wasn't going to get her any sympathy.

Cai froze as the piercing scream echoed through the building. The agony and terror in that awful sound was like nothing he'd ever heard. Then his friend's helpless plea following afterwards, sounding so helpless and broken there was no doubt in his mind Mallory wasn't acting any more. Barely minutes after she'd given herself up to this man, he had her that terrified and helpless. A second shriek filled the air, jolting the cleric forward as Mallory's suffering and agony made his task even more urgent. The girls with him winced and shuddered, pained expressions on their faces, but it was clear all of them had heard the same many times before. Cai leapt down the corridor towards the last set of rooms, frantic now to get the hostages out before his friend had to suffer any more.

Just like most things in that awful man's life, his power over the swordswoman didn't come from ability or effort, but from his monetary leverage and sheer cruelty. Every one of the girls following Cai or exiting the building now were in the same situation, their disadvantages in luck or situation being mercilessly exploited. He really was doing the right thing by helping them now.

But that didn't make ignoring his partner's cries any easier.

"Give it to her boss!" One of the men shouted as another passed out drinks to his coworkers. They were using this as a spectator event, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the boss when he was really mad. Her gear was being taken and handed out as trophies, the men who had grabbed her each getting a piece of armor, while the bartender who had recognized her was checking out her misericorde. Meanwhile Mallory just wailed, thrashing about as much as the bindings would allow.

SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! That cruel whip crashed into her again and again, the awful man making red marks all across her belly, breasts, and even the inside of her thighs. Never was she given a moment to calm down or breathe or even to think her miserable cries interspersed with sincere apologies all she could manage to get out. Blood trickled from some of the deeper lash marks and places where the barbs had caught.

Finally a moment's break came. The boss took a step closer, reaching down with a foot to step on the inside of her thighs, forcing them apart and holding the cat down, stopping that incessant squirming of hers as he reared back with the whip, holding it for a second as the tension in the room built... then bringing it down right on her sensitive inner folds.

Mallory's shriek hurt even Cai's ears upstairs.

Cai stumbled up to the last room down the corridor, tears in his eyes as he listened to his friend's awful screaming just go on and on. He'd never heard anyone in that much pain before...that much terror. The cleric knew he could heal any injury this awful man inflicted on Mallory's body, but what was done to her mind wasn't so easily fixed. He had to hurry...he had to get to her before this continued much longer. Driving open the door with his shoulder, he stumbled into the room. Just inside, there was a cruel wooden pillory, locked shut around the arms and head of a young woman wearing scraps of silk embroidered with crude symbols where spells of protection might have been woven into the robes of a wizard. She was wriggling frantically in her bonds, trying to crane her neck and see what was happening, clearly terrified.

Too desperate now to wait, the half-elf leapt forward and cut the lock holding the pillory in place, before swinging the upper part open to free her. The girl almost fell, clearly exhausted and in pain, but Cai hurriedly caught her against his own body. "It's okay..." The cleric murmured hurriedly. "I'm here to help!" The girl was limp and trembling, hoarse whimpers instead of words escaping her shivering lips. Another caster who'd had clearly had her vocal cords cut, the thought sending a flicker of bitter rage through the half-elf, his worries for Mallory growing even more. Cai glanced at the women who'd followed him standing in the doorway and looking in. "Can you take her?" He asked desperately. "My friend downstairs...I've got to help her!"

She understood. The screaming, the pure terror, it was unfortunately not something she was unused to, even if it did sound especially bad today. Up here on the third floor as well, it sent a shiver down the spine of more than one of the girls. They worked together well, one of the stronger and more capable helping to shoulder the burden of the damaged caster. One of the others had grabbed some jackets and clothes from a bin of items that had been left behind and was distributing them to everyone they could. Most of the girls were outside now, especially those injured or incapacitated. It did not seem like any wanted to come with him though.

It took a long while for Mallory's scream to come to a close, and as soon as it did one of the employees gave a whoop like a sports player had scored a goal. A chuckle ran through the assembled guards at that, and even the boss cracked a smile. Tears spilled down Mallory's face freely as the catfolk sobbed nearly incoherently about how sorry she was and how much she regretted running.

"Caz, grab the collar from my top right drawer, Arnoux get me a hammer and a knife", the boss said, and his workers were quick to follow those instructions. Caz was first to get back with his item, a heavy grey metal thing with a hinge on one side and two wrought semicircles that overlapped when it was closed on the other. The boss's smile was wicked and wide as he took it, wasting no time in putting a knee on her chest and pressing. With Mallory held in place she could only shake her head, whimpering softly as he put it on.

Right now the thing was just loosely around her, but the hammer that Arnoux was bringing promised to change that. There was an almost maniacal look of triumph in his eyes as he took it in his shaking hand, raising it above his head like the whip... and brought it down in a clanging blow, wrapping the two rings around each other.

Mallory flinched as it whistled by her, two more blows all it took to make the collar utterly inseparable. It wasn't coming off without the help of a confident blacksmith now.

Cai watched for just a moment longer as the stronger girls ushered the weaker ones towards the way out, making sure all of them were headed safely for the exit. Mallory's brave sacrifice had earned them this chance, and he couldn't let that be in vain. The moment he was convinced the women would be safe leaving this awful place however, the half-elf sprinted for the stairs, leaping down them in a few hurried bounds. Mallory had stopped screaming, but with the sound of metal ringing on metal echoing through the building now that was quite the opposite of comforting. After seeing the full horror of what these men did to their victims, he felt sick with worry for his friend, knowing the awful owner would want to do his very worst to make an example of the escapee.

The half elf bounded down onto the first floor landing, sprinting for the set of doors down the corridor with his gleaming scimitar in one hand and Mallory's blade under the other arm. It wasn't hard to follow the noise of coarse laughter from up ahead, and he flung himself through the set of double doors and into the main rooms of the brothel, heading for the offices of the man responsible for all of this.

"Now THAT is a good look for ya'! Little bitch ain't gonna be runnin' away with that on yer neck, are ye?" He said with a chuckle that spread through his onlookers. "Here, I'm done with this", he handed the hammer off to anyone who would grab it, leaving just the knife in his hands. He spun it around once, feeling the weight of it, holding the poor catfolk in suspense as he looked down the edge of the blade as if making sure it was sharp enough.

"You know, I've 'eard that tails aren't just fer looks and bein' a handle on yer ass to fuck ya harder. They're important for balancin' too. Ya cut off a mouse's tail and they can't run right for life." Reaching down he grabbed the end of Mallory's bushy tail, pulling it taught. "So I've been wondering, are ya two-legged tailed beasts any different? And well, I know that ya just love to run, so I figure ya'd be a perfect way to test that out." The look on his face was wild, uncontrolled, positively maniacal as he brought the knife closer and closer to that beautiful fluffy tail of hers, only going slowly to prolong her state of suspenseful terror. Cai was just outside the door from them now, but every second was another second closer to her being dismembered.

The door had been left open to let Mallory's screams reach and terrify the girls above, the men utterly unaware their prizes had already slipped from their grasp. The guards were crowded eagerly near the doorway, watching with sick smiles and laughter as their boss prepared to mutilate the terrified catfolk. They didn't even notice the approaching cleric until the moment Cai burst through into the room, his eyes taking in the scene in an instant as the sudden appearance of the sword-wielding half-elf in white clerical robes stunned the men.

Cai saw Mallory cruelly bound up, a balding, short and bearded man leaning over her with a wickedly curved knife in one hand and her tail pulled tight in the other, the cruel edge just inches from her skin. His friend's face was a mask of tearful terror, her naked body marked with vicious red welts. The half-elf reacted in an instant. "Close your eyes, Mal!" Cai shouted. "Sarenrae, let your radiance burst forth!" At the cleric's hurried prayer, it was like the piercing light of the sun burst forth from his hands, the dazzling glow filling the room with impossibly bright light, blinding the guards as the power of the Dawnflower was channeled through her cleric's hands.

The knife was mere millimeters away from slicing the catfolk's tail, pushing into the soft fur of it but not quite breaking skin when they were rudely interrupted by Cai's entrance. They all looked up in confusion, none of the girls would ever be so bold as to barge in, and while they had hosted clerics as customers before, none of them would have dared to wear their garbs or symbols openly in such a place.

Only three of the group recognized Mallory's name, and none of them had any instinct to react to or obey the cleric's words. Mallory on the other hand would have taken instruction from any male voice at the moment and promptly shut her eyes tight, as if by doing so she might shut out the whole world. She couldn't of course, but it did work in shielding her eyes from the intense burst of light.

Screams filled the room, but for the first time it wasn't Mallory's or one of the other girls. All of the guards and the owner were instead shouting about their eyes, clutching their faces and doubling over as their sight was robbed from them in a flash. The owner even didn't drop the knife quickly enough and cut his own cheek by accident, while the others simply suffered from the light alone, trying to figure out what was happening.

"Who the fuck are ya?" Asked the owner angrily as he staggered to his feet, trying to move in the direction he had seen Cai come in from. With him going away and the familiarity of the situation shattered by the men's screaming, Mallory started to unfreeze as well, her primal response thawing and finally allowing her to realize what was happening. "Cai?" She asked weakly.

As easy as it would have been to cut apart the screaming, blinded guards, Cai focused first on his friend, desperate to help her after hearing so much of her screaming earlier. He dashed over to her, easily slipping around the stumbling bearded man who'd been about to cut her tail. Just from her description earlier he knew the bastard had to be the owner of this vile place, the man who'd tortured her and all those other women. For a moment his hand tightened round the handle of his scimitar, but as eager as he was to send that scum to the Hells something told him it was Mallory who'd need that chance even more than he did.

"It's me, Mal." Cai murmured to the bound catfolk as he leaned over her, his voice soft enough that only she'd hear over the panicked screaming of the guards. His enchanted scimitar flashed, easily cutting through the bonds that held her. As soon as she was free, he laid a hand against her fur, murmuring a prayer under his breath. The warm, healing light of his Goddess filled her body, knitting shut the cruel welts the whip had left on her skin. "Can you stand?" He asked hurriedly, conscious that the blindness he'd inflicted on the screaming guards wouldn't last much longer. "I have your sword." He held out the sheathed blade towards her.

"Stupid fuckin' cleric scum!" The boss shouted, swinging wildly with his hands to try to find anything useful. Neither of the two heroes paid him any heed though, with Mallory far more concerned with the comfort of the healing spell washing over her and the reappearance of her partner. In her mind he truly was the embodiment of a goddess right now, saving her from hell at the hands of a man who had already done too much damage to her life.

"Yeah I can", she said as she shakily pulled herself up to her feet and practically snatched the sword from his hands. The time when it was being reforged had helped to reduce her emotional dependency on the object, but right now she needed whatever help she could get. She gripped the scabbard tightly in her left hand, and in one smooth stroke unsheathed the blade and cut the back of the boss's ankles. A technique she had learned from using the curved blade she practiced with while this weapon was being reforged, and used it to a devastating effect.

The boss screamed as he fell, his blood spilling freely onto the floor as he was torn between his still recovering eyes and his now completely disabled legs. Mallory didn't stop there though. Moving as if in a trance she darted through the room, cutting ankles and wrists as one attack flowed into the next, hitting every man there before any single one of them could get their sight back.

The whirlwind of attacks wasn't even that physically straining, not compared to what she was capable of. But by the time she had finished she was panting for breath, the adrenaline of the situation pumping through her veins. She was back in her worst nightmare, that was true. But she had a weapon this time. Her pulse pounded, blood roaring in her ears as she looked around the room before her eyes settled onto Cai.

She stood there for a moment, still panting in animalistic fury, naked save for the sword she was carrying and covered in blood both from her wounds and those she had inflicted. Her breathing slowed as she looked around the room at all the injured men, all of the people who had made her suffer for so long. Her panted breaths continued to slow and reduce in intensity as she slowly made her way over to Cai, tears starting to spill from her eyes. It was only once she was right up next to him that the breaths gave way to sobs, the catfolk painting a picture of two extremes with her incredible attacks and emotional outburst.

"Are they... are they all safe?" She managed to ask through her sniffles and choked cries.

Cai watched as Mallory cut down each of her tormentors in turn, something beautiful and brutal both in the flurry of graceful movements as she crippled the men with a few precise cuts of her sword, cutting tendons in wrists and ankles. He didn't even have to raise his scimitar once or cast another spell, not an instant of worry in his mind that any of these evil men could stand up to his friend now she was armed and not bound at their mercy. When she turned towards him at last, surrounded by the moaning, twitching bodies of the crippled guards, he waited, stunned into silence, until she started sobbing and stumbled towards him. The cleric stepped forward to meet his crying friend.

"Yes...they're safe." He assured her, hardly able to imagine what she must be going through right now but feeling his heart ache with sympathy all the same. "They're waiting outside...some will need healing and help, but...they're free now, all thanks to you, Mal."

Mallory nodded at Cai's reassurance, taking the opportunity to sag into his supporting arms. Later she would probably be embarrassed about getting blood on his robes, but for now she just needed someone to hold her gently. Someone she could pour her feelings out onto now that the source of her wounds was finally in a place to start healing.

Well, maybe it wasn't quite yet. As they were having their quiet moment, the men scattered around the room behind them were all groaning in pain, clutching at their wounds and rolling around on the ground. Mallory would have been happy to leave them like that, but one in particular was still of interest.

She took a bracing breath before pushing away from Cai, moving back towards the bearded man with his useless legs. In this position above him Mallory wasn't as afraid, but he was just as angry. Probably more. The rage in his eyes that drove him all his life burned brightly, not extinguished in the slightest by these wounds. "You dumb BITCH! You lied to me! You shouldn't be able to-"

Mallory's sword precisely sliced an ear from his head, cutting him off in the most literal sense. He cried out, moving his hand from the ankle to the side of his head and placing a big bloody handprint all over himself and his cut cheek. "Where do you keep your money?" She asked simply.

"Ah! Ah! Fuck that hurts! You think I would tell you? You're dumber tha-AHHH!" Perhaps he should have thought about his other ear before speaking to her like that.

"Where is your money." She wasn't so much asking him as telling him to tell her. Mallory knew that he didn't trust anyone enough to put it in a bank, and he never left the place, so it had to be around here somewhere.

"FUCK! All the nine hells! There's a false floor under the desk! And the keys are in a hidden drawer inside the desk!"

Mallory turned to the bartender. "That true?" He nodded frantically, eager to avoid his employer's fate.

That was all she needed. With a flash of her sword she stabbed down through the owner's eye, then flicked her sword inside his skull. The man convulsed as she did, then again as she pulled the blade out. He may twitch a bit longer, but there was no recovering from that without a large diamond. "We're giving the money to the girls." She told Cai simply. "The rest of these men can figure out their own fates."

Cai straightened as Mallory turned back to him, the blood of the owner pooling over the floor from his twitching body. While the cool execution of the man might not strictly have been what a cleric of his Goddess was supposed to sanction, after what he'd seen and heard he wasn't about to object to what had happened. Besides, there was something...right in how simply and easily Mallory had put an end to the bastard after all the terror and pain the man had inflicted on her, after how weak he'd made her feel. He hoped his friend could find some comfort now.

"Good idea." He nodded at her suggestion. The crippled men here would be left to their own fates, helpless in a town that would likely care little for them. He could hope some might one day find the strength to see their evil deeds for what they were and seek redemption in the Dawnflower's light, but that was up to them. The women deserved his help far more. Ignoring the moaning bodies, the cleric helped Mallory find the hidden trapdoor under the desk, sliding it open. There were a few small keepsakes inside the chamber below, a wizard's staff broken in two, a spellbook with several pages torn out, no doubt relics of the man's failed adventuring career he'd kept out of spite. Ignoring them, the half-elf reached inside and found the key, handing it to Mallory. "Anything else...you want here?" The half-elf asked his friend, giving her a sympathetic smile.

Mallory didn't necessarily feel good about killing the man. For all the hurt and pain he had inflicted on her and so many others, the catfolk wasn't the biggest believer in retributive justice. But she knew that as long as he was still in the world he would be hurting others, making people's lives worse, and still haunting her memories. Now he would be limited to only one of those three. Most importantly he would never have the opportunity to start his twisted business again, as well as sending a powerful message to any of the remaining workers here.

As Cai rifled through the man's hidden treasures, Mallory went around the room collecting her armor and equipment that had been so rudely removed. Most of it was bloodied and some of it was even dented, but that was a small price to pay for what she had accomplished here. The damned heavy collar was still stuck on her neck, and would likely stay that way until a blacksmith or someone equally qualified was able to take it off of her. The weight would be a constant reminder of what she had experienced, but she wasn't forgetting it anyways.

In response to Cai's question she just shook her head, not having anything to say. The sooner they got out of this place, the better. She led the way out of the room and towards the girls waiting outside, only to just about run into the muscled girl that Cai had run into wielding a big rock carried above her head and wearing only a large winter coat. There was a moment of confusion as they looked at each other before understanding set in. "He's dead", Mallory said simply, prompting the woman to drop the rock at her side.

The boss was dead. The serpent was cut off at its head, but everyone who had been bitten by it was still left. The three of them all walked out slowly to meet the group. What else was there to say?

---

With Mallory and the muscled adventurer by his side, Cai stepped out in front of the crowd of women waiting just outside the former brothel. While a few still looked blank or terrified, as time wore on and there came no sudden attempt to recapture them or reappearance of their tormentors, hope was slowly making its way back onto the faces of the girls, frantic and fragile, but there all the same. No matter the awful things he'd seen and heard today, things he knew he'd carry with him for a while, the cleric found comfort in that. Though when they made it back to the guild he knew he'd need some time in Noko's arms to feel like himself again. At least he could tell himself that without him and Mallory, these poor women would have kept suffering, kept being hurt. Now they could be helped instead. With Mallory still quiet and somber after her killing of the man who'd caused all this suffering, Cai stepped out in front of the crowd himself.

"It's done. You're free now, all of you." The cleric announced to the women, his voice, trained for sermons, carrying through the air. "We can take any of you who are willing back to our guild's hometown where we'll find a place for you to stay, as long as you need. You won't need to pay...or anything, and anyone is welcome. If there's somewhere you'd like to travel on to afterwards, we'll arrange transportation there as well. Bring anyone who needs healing to me now, and I can help them with their injuries before we head out."

Mallory had been silent as Cai spoke, but when he finished she had more to say. She took a step forward to speak, scanning the crowd as she did. "I'm... we're also splitting up his money between all of you. If anyone has earned it, you have." She got a bit closer, still looking as she spoke. "I personally am always hosting sword lessons that you're all welcome to, and there are plenty of resources for other skills as well. If you don't want to go back to adventuring, the soup kitchen could always use help too." She was relaying important information, but her mind and attention were clearly somewhere else.

"I'm sorry, but is there... is there anyone missing? An elf girl, dark curly hair, brown skin, short for an elf, missing the tip of her right ear?" A murmur ran through the assembled group, some of them glancing around, but there was no one matching that description, and no one was missing. A tense moment passed before one of the taller girls spoke.

"Do... do you mean Annabeth?"

Mal's eyes lit up, "Yes! She was a ranger! I couldn't have escaped without her!"

The tall girl didn't respond. The silence was short, but painful. A little shake off her head was all that was needed to tell more than words could.

Cai was silent as Mallory spoke, glad her words seemed to comfort the waiting women, though he quickly noticed she seemed to be looking over the crowd for something more as well. He stiffened slightly, worried for her. Then as she spoke up about her friend, he felt his heart catch in his throat. She had to mean the woman who'd helped her but...he hadn't seen anyone who looked like that when he'd been saving them. He waited on tenterhooks, hoping he was wrong, but then the tall girl confirmed his worst fears with that shake of her head. They'd...been too late.

"No..." He gasped out, a dull ache in his chest. He turned to his friend, staring sympathetically at her. "Mallory...I'm so sorry." He stammered. She already blamed herself for not going back sooner! He couldn't imagine how awful it must be to learn this now, just when they were supposed to have fixed everything at last!

It was clear that it hurt the poor girl to even break the news to Mallory, to say nothing of the look on the catfolk's face when she heard it. Yet again tears welled up in her eyes as she shook her head. "No... she... why did... why did it have to be me? We should have gotten her out, she wouldn't have waited a second! She was... she deserved so much more."

What Mallory was saying was true, but in her addled mind she failed to consider how it might have actually been worse. How storming the place with insufficient resources or planning would have ruined their chances of ever stopping it. How the ranger who couldn't draw a bow wasn't as capable of a fighter as a swordswoman who was missing only a single tool from her arsenal. All that mattered in the cat's mind right now was that it was one more person she had failed.

Normally that might have sent her spiraling. But right now, with his blood still on her sword, right now she was going to be strong. For Annabeth's memory. Mallory shook her head, taking a steadying breath. "For every one of you that's here now I'm sure she would be bursting with joy." Mallory smiled weakly at them, while under her breath whispered to herself, "And I'm never going to be late again."

Cai stood helpless as he watched Mallory's eyes well up with tears once again, the despair in her voice as she shook her head and murmured tearfully to herself. He wished there was something he could say...but what words could possibly help his friend right now? Then the catfolk swordswoman seemed to swallow her grief and straighten, steadying herself, before smiling feebly at the women they'd both just saved. Cai could still see the dull pain in her eyes, but at least she seemed to be pulling herself out of hopelessness. It all felt so unfair...that she should be grieving so much when she'd done something so good today, nearly sacrificing herself to save all these women from a similar fate! Maybe there was something he could say after all. He stepped over to her and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

"Whatever Heaven she was taken to, she'll be very happy to know about this, about what you did today, Mal." The half-elf said, very much believing that this woman who'd helped his friend at her darkest moment would have earned her place there with the angels. "It must feel terrible...I know, but without you coming back here today, no-one would have saved these women at all. You were strong and brave enough to do this, no matter how awful and terrible it was coming back here. When she chose to save you...maybe she knew that too."

The metal collar on Mallory's neck felt colder and heavier than ever as Cai worked to reassure her. He truly had been an incredible aid on this mission, emotionally and physically. There was no way that Mallory could have done it without him, and she didn't think she would have even made it to her hometown. Not to mention how badly she had frozen up when she was actually face to face with that bastard.

"Thank you Cai. Really, thank you. I just... I don't even know if there's room in my heart for more sadness right now. Let's just focus on getting everyone here clothed and healed and safe. I don't even want to see this building anymore." She may be using the excuse of being busy to avoid dealing with her emotions right now, but after all this confrontation maybe she had earned a bit of a reprieve. Some time to process everything.

"Okay...I'll handle the healing, you make sure everyone's ready to leave." The half-elf nodded. Time helped many injuries, he knew...and he could hope that once they were far away from this place his friend had the chance to recover as well, and maybe someday see her heroism for what it was. He wished that things could have been better, that her friend had still been alive...but at least they'd done something good today. He turned back to the crowd of women. "I'll heal those who have injuries first, we'll be travelling back to the city shortly so anyone who can't walk or is in a lot of pain...please point them out to me." He tried to smile encouragingly at the women, his jaw clenched slightly.

Their time spent in this place had forged something of a bond between the women, and soon they were bringing those who needed healing most to the cleric's attention. Cai moved between the women, murmuring prayers to his Goddess, his hands glowing with the light of the dawn as he laid them on scarred, wounded skin. Beneath his fingers, severed tendons knit anew, and livid weals and welts inflicted by cruel implements vanished to leave uninjured skin. Soon sweat was glistening on his forehead, and the half-elf's face grew tight with strain, but he kept going, kept healing those who needed it. These women had suffered enough...

Even with Cai's healing, some of these girls had been injured or disabled for so long that merely fixing the physical wouldn't be enough to get them back to normal. Something that might seem so simple, like walking, was actually quite complex. Mallory had never fully recovered the use of her left hand.

Still, it was a strong start, and the cleric's abilities were an invaluable aid. Those that had more recently been injured were quite likely to make a full recovery. One of the girls though had other concerns. Just before Cai could heal her she put up her hands, "You don't have to push yourself. Another hour, another day, it hardly makes a difference. You're already done so much for us."

As he was working to heal them, Mallory checked to verify that one thing hadn't changed. The girls had absolutely no possessions of their own anymore. Even if they came here with some, anything valuable in their possession would have been pawned off to the owner in exchange for just a bit more scrip. Their only hope was that it would be in the vault, which Mallory went to check out with a few of the other girls.

There was only one way into it, a secluded stairway just inside the building. Clearly added later than the rest of the construction and not designed for user comfort, the tight entrance led to a heavy metal door that matched the key perfectly. Mallory glanced back at the other girls briefly before inserting the key and turning it. The door was well-oiled and swung open easily.

The amount of treasure inside was staggering. Gold was piled high in neat stacks, gleaming gems stood proud and organized by color and type, with enough diamonds alone to revive the man upstairs dozens of times over. For a man who had always acted like he was scrounging for every cent, the riches down here were enough for him to live like a king without making a dent in their number. And somehow it hadn't been enough for him. The pig.

Cai raised his head, his surprised gaze finding the woman who'd stopped him from healing her. His frustration had grown as even his healing gifts hadn't managed to repair all the injuries inflicted on these poor women, and that had made him even more desperate to just help those he could. Only, now...she'd told him he could wait. He opened his mouth to protest, seeing the limp, swollen fingers on one of her hands and the bruise on her lip, but she just smiled and shook her head again, telling him she was fine.

"I'm sorry..." The half-elf slumped, the exhaustion of channeling so much of his Goddess' power in quick succession catching up to him now he paused in his frantic attempts to heal everyone. "You're right...I should wait and recover a bit." He bit his lip, glancing over the women he hadn't yet helped, nursing their injuries. When they noticed him looking, several straightened and smiled gratefully back, trying to hide their wounds so as not to worry him he could guess. It didn't feel very good knowing they were still in pain, but there wasn't much sense exhausting himself until he couldn't help anyone at all. He sat down in the grass with a long sigh, deciding to wait for Mallory to get back.

It was good to know that for all their challenges and hardships, the girls at least wouldn't have to worry about money. But still, there was the small problem of, "How are we supposed to carry all this?" Mallory asked, only to get a resounding shrug in response. Well, they were going to have to get all the girls back too. What was a few more carts in their entourage anyways?

Not long after, Mallory came back up to see the exhausted half-elf on the grass with a decent number of the girls healed up. She was sure he would get the rest of them as soon as he could, and was probably feeling bad he hadn't done more, even after he'd done so much. Maybe it would be good to give him a distraction. "There is a LOT of gold down there. And a lot of girls here. We really stopped someone awful today. I guess all that's left is going back home then." She sat down next to him, leaning on his shoulder for comfort. "I know I've said it, but thank you."

Cai glanced at Mallory as she leaned into him, smiling tiredly at his friend. The warmth of her body resting on his shoulder did feel comforting, and he hoped she found the same. On this journey, he'd learned so much more about the catfolk swordswoman, the pain she hid under her smile, the losses and abandonment she'd suffered, but also how her determination shone through at the worst moments, and how she'd found the strength to face her worst fears just for the sake of saving others. Once they returned to the Guild, he knew they'd be closer for it. "You're welcome." He replied, shifting his weight against her shoulder. "Just glad I could help."

The women around them were starting to chatter excitedly to each other as news of the horde of treasure the bastard had kept hidden spread amongst them, enough for all of them to have lives of comfort or continue their adventuring journeys once they'd recovered from their injuries. All of them were scarred, whether it showed on their bodies or not, but slowly it seemed their strength of spirit would return. Cai smiled again, remembering how they'd selflessly let him rest rather than letting him exhaust himself healing them. "I think they'll all be okay, once we get them back to the guild and get them help." He told Mallory. "We did good today..." The cool afternoon wind swept past the pair as they sat tiredly in the grass together, exhausted by their experiences but taking comfort from each other. This quest might be over, but...there'd be others to come for the adventurers soon enough.

There would always be regrets, and there would always be more work to do, but for right now they could just relax against the warmth and support of each other. "We sure did."