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The Consequence of Chains

“VAUGHN!"

The door to Eric's room exploded open, the handle spiraling across the floor. Splinters fell like rain as the tattered ruin of the door slammed against the wall, one of the hinges torn clean off.

Eric leapt to his feet, nearly falling over the back of his chair in fright as Keith stormed into the room, his cape billowing like a thundercloud out behind him. Kat, who had been sitting in a nearby chair, reading, yelped in terror as she leapt up and fell back towards the wall. Her feline side caused her tail to fluff, while her canine side made her instinctually bare her fangs at the intruder.

Keith was beyond furious. His jaw was clenched so hard that his gums bled, his knuckles bleeding from striking the door, and a look of unfathomable rage burning in his eyes. His claws, fully extended, tore furrows into the wood as he stalked forward, tossing his spear aside. He would do this with his bare hands.

Following behind Keith, his eyes narrowed and mana crackling around his hands, Natani glared at slave marchant. Though his gaze lacked the murderous fury that burned in Kieth's, the dark contempt smoldering behind his made it plain that there would be no merciful intervention from him.

Eric raised a hand, hurriedly trying to conjure a spell to protect himself, but Keith was on him before he could finish the first incantation.

Keith struck a blow to Eric's stomach first, knocking the wind from his lungs. As Eric tried to straight, Keith swung his arm as hard and as wide as he could. His clenched fist crashing into Eric's jaw with such force that an audible crack was heard throughout the room. Eric tumbled to the floor, the right lens of his glasses reduced to fragments.

Despite her fear Kat leapt forward to defend her master. She hissed, her own claws bared at Keith, but a flash of light struck her and she collapsed.

“*Sorry woman,*" Natani muttered, lowering his hand. “*Kieth wouldn't forgive himself if he killed you too.*"

“Get up!" Kieth roared, seizing hold of the front of Eric's robes and hauling him to his feet.

“Five years!" Keith bellowed, wrapping his hands around Eric's throat. “Five years of her life! Gone! For you!"

“W-who?!" Eric managed to gasp.

“Kieth wait!" Laura pleaded, trying to enter the room.

Natani extended an arm, keeping her at bay.

“*Stay out of this.*" He warned, shooting Laura a cautionary glance. Laura wanted to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. No words were needed, both Natani and Laura knew that the calm and quiet Basitin they knew was, at least for now, gone. Anyone that came between him and his enemy would be placing themselves in mortal peril.

“She was MINE!" He roared, his sharp teeth inches from Eric's terrified face. “She was innocent, you MONSTER!"

Frightened tears formed in the corners of Laura's eyes as she finally managed to call out, “Keith don't!"

Keith heard Laura's voice, but her pleading only intensified his rage. His fur rippled, and for a moment it almost seemed that his hatred formed a red mist around his body.

With another bellow of rage, Keith heaved Eric across the room, sending him tumbling across his desk. Papers and books went flying, a globe tumbled to the floor, and an inkwell shattered as Eric slid across the polished wood and crashed to the floor in a heap.

“Leave him alone!" Kat shrieked, trying to move. But Natani's spell held her tight.

As Keith stalked forward, clearing the rest of the contents of Eric's desk on the floor with a gutteral snarl, Eric managed to raise a hand. A small blast of fire tore away from his palm and lanced out at Keith.

Thinking fast, Keith whirled his cloak around, the fire spattering against the weatherproof fabric. The flames ignited the cloth, but Keith tore the cape from his shoulders and tossed it aside.

Seizing hold of Eric's raised hand, Keith twisted, hard. Both Eric and Kat cried out as Eric's wrist shattered.

Keith bent down and grabbed hold of Eric's blonde hair, hauling him to his feet, and slamming his head into a painting that hung on the wall.

The painting was of Laura, lying nude and in repose upon a sofa. To a human, the pose would seem to be one of friendly, almost beckoning, sensuality. But to Keith, who had experience with Keirdan body language, the position of Laura's tail, the tilt of her ears, even the way her arms were placed, told of a subject who had been terrified.

“Why didn't you paint the chains you put on her?!" Keith growled, pressing Eric harder against the wall. “What's the matter? Didn't want her collar and manacles to ruin your artwork?"

“I… never… hurt her." Eric managed to gasp.

“No you bought her to be your plaything!"

“It is just…. business."

Keath roared as he again grabbed Eric by the throat and squeezed.

“Not to me!" he snarled.

At that moment, Laura's high pitched shriek from out in the hallway drew Keith's attention. Laura's enitre body shivered in terror as Trace and Flora turned the corner and entered the hallway.

“*Will you quiet down woman, it's fine, they are with us!*" Natani barked.

“That's Trace Legacy!" Laura whimpered, stepping back. The memories of Trace, his Templar robes stained red, tearing his way through the wolven village, carving through men, women, and children as if they were reeds, just about stopped her heart.

All at once, the horror and fear of the moment was too much for her. Fight or flight kicked in, and Laura chose flight, taking off down the hallway on all fours, yowling in terror.

“What the hell is going on here?" Trace demanded, utterly confused

As both Trace and Flora arrived at the doorway, Flora gasped in fright at the sight that greeted her.

“Kieth!"

Trace ignored a growling snarl from Natani as he pushed past him into the room. “Kieth, what are you doing?!"

“Shut up!" Keith growled, looking over his shoulder. “This is between me and-."

As Keith spoke, a loud snap rang out through the room and Keith was sent flying by a repulsion spell. Tendrils of smoke rose from Keith's chest, and the front of his tunic had been torn to shreds.

Eric gasped for breath as he raised his hand again, aiming his palm at his attacker. Tendrils of cold raced out of the air, twisting around to form a deadly icicle. Keith managed to get to his knees as Eric's spell finished, the light blue glow of mana reflecting in his golden eyes.

“*Look out!*" Natani cried. Thinking fast, Natani drew a dagger and threw it at Eric.

Eric cried out as the blade dug into the back of his hand the moment before he fired. His spell ripped across the room, tearing off the top half of Keith's left ear and embedding itself into the wall.

In a flash, Keith rolled across the floor and grabbed hold of the spear he had tossed aside. Before Eric could recover, Keith threw his spear as hard as he could.

With a poinginat *SHUNK* the spear buried itself in Eric's chest. Eric stumbled backwards, a thin trail of blood running down the side of his mouth as he stared at the quavering spear shaft. As he hit the wall, Eric's legs gave out and he collapsed, leaving a long red stain on the wall as he slid to the floor.

“NO!" Kat wailed. “Eric! No!"

Eric managed to raise his head, his gaze meeting Kat's. For a moment he smiled at Kat, before the light in his eyes faded and he slumped forward.

As Eric died, Kat let out a loud, agonized wail.

Ignoring the sobbing Keidran, Keith shakily climbed to his feet, a ugly bruise already forming on his chest.

Trace stared wide eyed at Eric and then at Keith. “What… what have you done?"

Keith didn't answer, instead pushing past Natani, Trace and Flora and stumbling out into the hall.

“You-" he turned to Flora, “ You were a slave. When a master dies, his spells fail, correct?"

“I…" Flora nodded quickly, genuine fear in her eyes as Keith looked at her. “U-unless they are killed by a slave then… they should."

“Good. We're going to need to leave, now."

“Where are you going?" Trace called out as Keith made his way down the hallway, blood dripping from his torn ear.

“To get my fiance."

As Keith spoke those words, Natani felt a sharp sting in his chest, but he quickly shook it off.

As Keith limped off, Trace turned to Natani. “What happ-" He paused as Natani looked at his with raised eyebrows. “Oh… right… uh…"

“*What happened?*" Flora asked.

“*That fox… the one who ran… apparently she was his fiance. Other than that, he really didn't say much.*" Natani looked back at Eric, the look on his face as if he were examining something foul stuck between the pads of his feet. “*And this one enslaved her. Well, at least bought her.*"

As Flora relayed the translation to him, Trace looked back into the room, his attention drawn by the many paintings on the wall.

“And…. that's not all…" Flora continued, relaying more of Natani's message. “Eric… slept with her…"

“Wait… they were in love?"

Flora shook her head. “No… Trace… when a Kiedran is wearing a collar… They can't say no…to anything."

Immediately Trace's gaze darkened. “Oh… I see."

“*What about her?*" Flora asked, gesturing at Kat. “*We can't just leave her.*"

“*Why not?*"

Flora's ears pressed against her head. “*Because they'll blame her for killing her master.*"

“*So?*"

“*They'll kill her!*"

“*And that is my problem… why?*"

Flora's eyes narrowed and her lips curled, “*You want her telling them we were here?*"

“*By the masks…*" Natani snarled. “*Fine!*"

“Uh… what is-" Trace paused as Natani raised a hand and a small coil of green light emerged from his palm.

The moment the light touched the still wailing and thrashing Kat, she fell instantly to sleep.

With a final, “Humpf" Natani turned and stalked off.

“What was that about?" Trace demanded.

“Well we can't leave her here." Flora explained, gesturing at Kat. “If the Templar think she did this, they'll kill her, and all the other slaves to."

“So where's he going now?"

“To find the other slaves." Flora looked back at Kat. “Also… he said you had to carry her."

“Great…" Trace sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Just great…"

===

“Laura…"

Laura whimpered a little, her tail pressed between her legs as she cowered behind a barrel of flour. The voice sounded like Keith's…. but how could she be sure? Maybe it was Legacy, trying to trick her, to finish her off.

Despite her fear, curiosity eventually won out. She slowly peered up and over the edge of the barrel of flour. In her shivering hand she clutched a pot lid.

As soon as she saw it was Keith she leapt to her feet. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw his burned tunic, and bleeding ear.

“Keith!"

“I'm okay." Keith said, managing a smile as Laura shakily walked towards him.

“E-Eric… is he…"

“He will never touch you again."

Laura shivered for a few moments, before leaping forward and into Keith's arms.

“Blarg!" Keith yelped, his legs giving out from under him as Laura struck his bruise. He dropped to his knees, wrapping Laura in his arms as she wept into his shoulder.

“I got you." He said quietly, holding Laura tightly. “I got you."

“I'm sorry." Laura cried. “I g-got scared! I tried t-to find you but-"

“It's alright." Keith smiled and stroked the side of Laura's face. “Let's go home."

“H-home? But my family-"

Keith shook his head. “No, to my home." A look of excitement drossed his face. “I did it Laura, I have him, the Grand Templar."

Immedialty the fear returned to Laura's face. “Keith… he's evil! He's a monster. The things I saw him do..."

“He was evil, but he's lost his memory!"

“Are you sure?"

“Yes, but that doesn't matter." Keith gripped Laura's shoulders. “The condition of my return was that I bring the Grand Templar back with me, they didn't say anything about his memories. I can go home, and you can come with me."

“Keith…"

“We'll be safe there. We can go to one of the outlying islands and live there. No interference, no slavers, no templar, no families… just you and me."

===

“This is it here sir."

“Show me."

Roderik's hands clenched into fists as the physician peeled back the sheet covering the body on the table, revealing the face of his brother.

“It's him."

The physician bowed his head. “My condolences sir."

Roderik spun round, turning his gaze on the captain of the town guard standing a few paces behind him. “What leads do you have?"

The captain wiped his brow, the steely gaze of the templar made his skin crawl. “Not much I am afraid. We investigated lord Vaughn's house and found signs of a struggle."

“What about his slaves?"

“We could not find them."

“And his ship?"

“The Na'Rella set sail last night."

“Fine. Anyhting else?"

The captain shifted, “Well, there was one other thing."

Reaching into his cloak, the Captain withdrew a glass jar with a piece of bloodstained cloth within it.

“We believe this blood is from Lord Vaughan's attacker."

Roderik took the jar and carefully opened it, withdrawing the cloth.

“Have you tried a tracking spell?"

“Well that's just it sir… the speel didn't work."

“Didn't work?"

“It's almost as if the blood… rejected the spell."

Brining the cloth up to his nose, Rederik sniffed. Immediately, his eyes narrowed. “Basitin."

“My lord?"

Spinning around, Roderik flung his cloak out behind him. “Ready a ship! I have a feeling I know exactly where they will go."

“B-but sir, there are no spare ships."

“Then find one." Roderik looked over his shoulder, her eyes flashing as he raised his long, curved blade. “Or I will carve one out of your corpse."

To Be Continued?