Marcus knelt in his cell watching the prostrated lapine girl softly sobbing before his cell, he tilted his head wondering what the trick was this time? The priest was getting brownie points, but what was this nutjob expecting? He was already a captive, the guild already took their stuff, just what was this little pickpocket hoping to achieve playing the pious card. Growling softly he narrowed his eyes, "Knock off the water works, there's nothing to be gained by this falsehood so state your terms, I want out, I want to save Mari, I want out of this shit stain of a town. What will your help cost?"
Glancing up the bunny girls eyes were even redder than he had seen before, it truly looked like the girl had wept but still Marcus hardened his gaze, he fell for the old priest making a big deal of his title months ago, only to realize amongst humans he was barely considered an ally of their pantheon, as long as he wasn't blessing people or blighting crops they didnt give a rat's ass if he was divine or not, yet this thief expected him to believe she was truly upset? Not a chance! It's an act, it had to be but what her game was she'd have to spit it out herself.
Wiping her face she crawled forward holding the bars of his cell door leaning her forehead against the dirty metal. "Ye dont git it do ye? Walkin' around town wit yer pretty pretty, to them it's no big ting, but to us lord... ye're everytin' to us beast folk, an honest to gods Dragon folk? There be only one of dem in tale an' story, we was raised hearin' about the old days when th' dragon god was about, we was respected, we wasn't just a meal on some shite nobles menu. We had pride in us all. But afta ye left us we fell, we fell 'ard. But ye be back? Yer not feedin' me a line o' shite? I'll 'have ye swear on yer own divinity that what you says is true."
"Swear on my divinity? That sounds like an oath, is that what you need thief?"
"Aye dat. If dragon god ye be an' serious about yer words the oath will prove yer tale true easy enough but if it don't trust me boyo, ye won't 'have to wait fer the nancy boyo, I'll skin ye meself right now fer gettin' me 'opes up, so say tha words, an' please... please don't be another liar..."
Marcus frowned closing his eyes and focused his mind, if the stories he read were how oaths worked here she was expecting him to bet his divinity on the conviction in his heart, but to be honest he barely believed it himself. He wasn't human, that much was true. He hatched out of the shrines egg, again true, but did these factors truly make him the Dragon god? Their dragon god? Sighing he opened his eyes and focused on the girls fervent red gaze.
"I do swear on the core of my divinity, I am Marcus, I'm this eras dragon god." The words slipped from his lips but as he heard himself speak it was instead the divine dragon god spirit using his vocal cords, the words while understandable in his mind came out in a language he did not know, the dragon tongue perhaps? Maybe the words of god? He simply didnt know, but he did know he felt a fiery itch in his chest, glancing down he could see the fading image of a strange looking organ slipping back into his scaled chest... was that his heart?!
Lifting his gaze the bunny girl had crawled back against the opposite wall, she was cowering trying to cover her floppy ears, bloody lines escaped her eyes and nostrils practically all seven orifices were bleeding and her body was cringing, he could hear her softly begging forgiveness, for mercy for doubting, for just the chance to be allowed to live. What did this to her? The oath?
'The Dragon tongue. Spoken by a divine being to a lesser species. She is lucky, most weaker mortals who have heard our name in our native tongue in times past would be outright slain or driven mad of being told a divine truth. While I think it a touch overkill, I do feel her faith in us blazing bright, congrats on converting your first penitent.' Divine Dragon god spoke in his mind with a satisfied smile, 'I advise doing the same with the shrine maiden when you copulate with her in future, you'll like what it does for the true faithful.'
Marcus inwardly frowned not liking the divine guides implications, it seemed to mean that unbelievers were punished but what would Mari, one who thoroughly believed in him, heard the intoning. Shaking his head he looked to the girl and softened his voice, "My oath was given, free me. Help me."
The soft command was like a lash to the girl, the whimpered apologies were cut short as her bloodshot eyes snapped open and she scrambled down the hall and fumbling with what he suspected were the keys. In short order she scrambled back vigorously trying keys before darting to his side to remove his collars and cuffs. As he stood up the girl stood beside him trembling, her head was bowed almost expecting him to lash out and punish her unworthy self or just kill her, before a god she was but a bug, to doubt the god and force an oath from his lips, being smite on the spot was no less than she felt she deserved.
Rubbing his wrists he shifted his hand over and stroked her unruly dark brown hair, her scared gaze finally looking up at him with a tinge of fear and hope, "No need to be scared girl, I do need your help, I need to get to Marigold. Ah yes, never got your name, as you can guess, I'm Marcus."
The bunny girl trembled as he spoke flinching when he mentioned his name but noting this time he had spoken common rather than lashing her very soul with his name she still trembled and spoke softly, "This unworthy one be called Kia m'lord, never 'ad any title other than sewer rat if ye prefer it over this unworthy ones identity."
"Kia will do better than rat. Now Kia get me to Marigold, can you do that?"
Nodding softly she motioned to the chains in her hands, "Sure I can m'lord, I'll lightly wrap yer wrists in this length o' chain, should only be the one guard near 'is room, he'll believe I'm bringin' ya to be shown off by the leader t' break the girls spirit, but gettin' out will be a bit harder, there be the whole guild between us an' the exit. There are a few other cloaked beast folk, but not enough ta help clear us a path."
"We can figure the escape out when it's time Kia, for now I need to see Mari, she needs to be safe."
Quickly wrapping his wrists and detaching the links from the ring on the wall she lead Marcus into the maze that was the thieves guild warren's. The sight didn't even bother the few guild members they passed and like she surmised the brute guarding the corridor to the guild masters chambers wasn't any more bright than the other thugs they passed, with Kias quick words, and a small pouch of what Marcus figured was coin, they soon found themselves before the chambers of the guild master. Kia was picking the lock while Marcus kept look out, however a cry of displeasure from within tore his attention from the hall, pushing Kia to one side, he lifted a foot and kicked hard against the door, bashing it inwards and stumbling forwards.
Marcus' eyes reddened as he beheld the room within, a lavish bedroom decked out in trophies and opulent furniture. Most striking was a crying, gagged, Marigold, no longer wearing her travel clothes but instead wearing a dress of thin crimson silk that did little to hide the outline of her body, her distress was from Palious standing before her, the torn top of thin silk clenched in his fist freshly ripped from her body, for a moment Marcus had to admire Mari's lovely endowment as they heaved bare in the air before narrowing dangerously on her assaulter. Palious frowned, glancing from his prey ready to curse the dead fool who dared interrupt his fun, "The lizard? How the hell are you here?" The man's eyes narrowed watching Kia enter behind Marcus and snarled, "Ungratful little bitch, you freed this bastard? To think I kept you off the streets and brothel, fine. After I deal with this chump I'll wet my appetite with you first before I continue this main course."
Tossing aside Marigolds torn top the man turned to face Marcus, casually pulling a long knife from inside the sleeve of his tunic. Sighing softly he looked at Marcus like a lost opportunity, "Should have just stayed in your cell beast, figured with your build I'd sell you as a gladiator but serving you up as an exotic dish works too."
Snorting Marcus' red eyes narrowed on the blade, the vicious looking dagger looked like it was well made and maintained, was it sharp enough to cut his scales? He doubted it but didnt want to test it. As Palious closed in, his stance open as he played with the blade, Marcus eyed the overconfident man's approach, quickly darting to the side as Palious lunged forward trying to bury the blade in his belly. Dropping to the floor, Marcus kicked out with his leg sweeping low to the ground, but frowned as Palious leapt over the low kick, jumping backwards as he shifted his grip and stabbed down to impale Marcus' hip.
Shifting his body Marcus growled feeling the bite of the blade slice along his hip, he had barely missed being impaled but it did show Palious' blade was enough to hurt him. Rolling away from Palious, he crouched low throwing his arms crossed over his head, blocking the man's arm who had darted after the rolling Marcus and had aimed for another stab, the thrill of toying with an inexperienced opponent flashed in Palious' eyes as the man lifted a leg and kicked Marcus in his wounded side, drawing a gasp of pain from his mouth, "Give it up lizard, you untrained beasts are better off serving yourself up like proper animals, you cant beat me, not in a thousand years."
Palious danced back, crouching low to look in Marcus' eyes, a playful evil gleam watching Marcus struggle, clutching his bleeding hip. Palious smiled all the wider as he reached down and pulled a more typical iron dagger from his boot, Marcus could well recognize it as Marigold's weapon, "Ah, you know this blade do you beast? Good, all the more fitting when I use it to carve out your heart."
Advancing slowly the experienced thief twirled both blades confident in his ability to slowly slice Marcus apart. "You body cultivators are all the same, you get a few tanks and believe you're better, well skill trumps strength beast and now you're gonna die."
Marcus rose up, glaring at Palious before rushing forward with a growl, all reason seeming to have left the overgrown lizard, the loss of control was just what Palious' taunts were aimed at and he readied the daggers to gut the stupid beast when he yelped in pain and surprise. Struck from behind, Kia and crept closer kicking the guild master on the ass driving him forward, still he had the presence of mind to lash out at the lizard in front of him but blinked as he caught naught but air with both blades, Marcus having stopped short just out of range. Off balance, and his weapons out of alignment, Marcus rushed in on Palious slamming a fist into the man's face with his full force.
Palious felt his nose shatter as the strengthed punch slammed into his face, almost spinning him around as another, more dainty fist swung up under his chin. Kia was by no means a body cultivator, nor trained in fist fighting but the off balance man was hardly in position to stop her. Though as her small fist connected with his chin, snapping his face towards the ceiling, she yelped in pain and shook her hand. Palious rocked back on his heels before collapsing, his nose and lip bleeding as he was dropped into unconsciousness. Marcus winced clutching his hip as he staggered to Maris side, reaching up to pull the gag from between her teeth.
"Oh gods Marcus yer hurt, ye should 'ave just gotten away, ye dumb shit comin' back for me was stupid..."
Marcus frowned a hand cupping her chin as her eyes widened staring at him as he silenced her with a kiss, roughly silencing her protests and whispering into her lips, "Shut up, like hell I'd leave my lover to this shithead." Letting the kiss linger he leaned against her bound body reveling in their reunion before there was a slight cough from behind. The pair glanced over, Kia had rifled Palious' person but looked on with amusement, "If yer gonna claim yer lass Dragon god, may dis unworthy one drag this bastard out an' castrate 'im? Slimey git won't stay out long if ye two busy yerselves wit dis kinky shite."
Coughing Marcus glanced away as Marigold struggled a bit trying to cover up her bare chest behind Marcus, that familiar blush was in full effect and was creeping down her very revealed body, "Speaking o' which who is this Marcus?" She glared at Marcus shifting her fiery gaze from the concealment of his body to his new companion with suspicion. "Did you and she...?"
Kia jumped up waving her arms and shaking her head, her floppy ears waving back and forth, "Whoa whoa whoa, less not tink down dat route pretty pretty, yer boyo is untouched. I'm jus' fixin' me fool up, I'm sorry I got the two of ye inta all this shite."
"Wait... YOU'RE THAT BASTARD SEWER RAT!? MARCUS GET THESE FUCKIN' BINDS OFF ME, I'LL KILL THAT LITTLE SHIT!"
Marcus sighed and winced holding his hip, fumbling around and using her discarded top to stop his bleeding, "We're not killing her love, she repented and wants to help. We do sort of need her to get out of here." Reaching up he fumbled at the cuffs holding her wrists a moment before Kia tossed him a key she produced from one of Palious' pouches. Marigold rubbed her sore wrists before stomping towards Kia, the smaller bunny girl hung her head and trembled a bit. She could feel the Dragon God's woman staring down at her with dense killing intent before yelping as Marigold flicked her forehead sharply, "Get any funny ideas about my Marcus an' you an' me are due a serious talk."
"Come on Mari, leave the kid alone..." Marcus chimed in before Kia herself glared around Marigold, "Fook yer kid shite, I ain't no kid! We rabbit folk are jus' short is all! See!" Snarling at Marcus she reached up and tugged the neck of her own shirt down, leaning forward to show off her own cleavage hidden in the confines of her clothes her cheeks burning at the rather forward action she just did. Marigold stared daggers at them both making Kia release her neckline and straighten up, but Marigold continued for her, "She's not lying, lapine beast folk are like dwarves, they stay on the short side, makes it hard to judge their age. But listen here, ye flash yer goods at my Marcus again and I'll get myself a lucky rabbits foot... not so lucky fer the rabbit, ye get me?"
An awkward silence descended upon the trio, Kia coughed and turned away to search for treasures in the guild masters room while Marcus helped Marigold get more presentable, while they couldn't see her trousers they did find a similar corset that could cover her chest, though it did tend to make them more presentable at the same time. As the trio busied themselves their attention was drawn to the door as a shout came from the corridor, around the bend had come the bribed guard along with a few soldiers and the fat magistrate, the greasy meatball of a man was berating the thug, "Where is that useless Killdare? I got his message he had a package for me but... wait..." Looking down the hall he pointed, "The girl from the market! I take it back, Palious you glorious minion of mine your reward will be double. Men! Capture the girl, kill the beast! Five silver to the man who brings her to me!"
Glancing around Marcus slammed the door, looking for a way to barricade it when Marigold slammed down a locking bar, why the guild Masters bedroom needed a bar to brace the door neither asked but were thankful for it, Marcus kicking it open had made it rather unlikely to close properly without it. Turning to Kia he asked, "Time to go, where now?"