Slave. A word that the more Eden learned about, the more it disgusted her. The more she hated how, for the longest bits of her memory, she had accepted it as "normal". Was that what the folks who raised them called "broken"?  Well, despite the lord of magic stepping down, the crest that branded the collar resting around her neck still symbolized freedom. It was still rough to walk around the world with it around, the couple chains still rattling with every move she did, but the training she did certainly helped, as she could actually last an hour without the air affecting her head. Unfortunately, what words she could form were still limited, but now wasn't the time to think about that. Now was the time to hunt.

The berating sun beat down upon the tigerkin's head as she downed another gulp of water from her pouch, wiping the sweat off her head as she stepped into a small oasis town that survived the devastating heat. If the note was correct, there was another set of sellers in this area, worse than she ever heard. It wasn't the fact that they were being sold as slaves, but were being advertised as meals for whoever could offer the coin for it. Apparently, it was going by a fable that, should a person eat the flesh of a mermaid, they would be granted "eternal life".  It sounded ridiculous, but the fact such a trade was even considered was what caused her to act.

Now, how does one find such merfolk? She had no idea of their smell, and she doubted it would have been sold so openly. After all, why else would people keep merfolk in the heat-pocket of the world unless to ensure they could not escape easily? … Either way, she had to find a starting point…

Slavery was one of the oldest crimes committed against another living being, next to murder. It was the act of trampling on the free will of an individual and reducing them to an object. She'd been lucky enough to have never experienced being a slave, but that didn't change the fact slavery needed to be stamped out. How one manages to bring a mermaid out into the desert, far from the nearest body of water was a question Shiloh planned to make the traffickers answer. Rounding them up and handing them over to the Arriese patrols were easy enough, but she wanted to glean as much info as she could out of them before they were either hanged or thrown into the Casimir. So naturally her course of action was to impersonate one of the lower ranks who were hired to assist with 'business'. Posing as a potential buyer would make the pseudonym unusable for a second try, and letting herself get hired as a mercenary ran the same risks. Finding out where the auctions would take place would take time–if it weren't for the fact she had the resources to plant eyes and ears in places all over the Harena. Sooner or later she'd get something, and once she caught wind of them she'd be there. Patience was key, as her past experience with foiling an underground auction in her courier days told her.

Two weeks passed before a piece of gossip of the incoming caravans made her suspect she had found a lead. With her skills she had performed unofficial 'inspections' of the wagons that had passed through the towns, uncovering just about anything from contraband to smuggled drugs. One time she found an entire cartload of poached animal skins and several live ones being held for use in folk remedies. The contents were replaced with bags of sand, and the pelts were burned somewhere out of sight. She couldn't tip the Arriese patrols now until her work was done. Once they came in, it would all be over. Her information trail led her to a small oasis within the sands, and she had a feeling that there was more than a fifty-percent chance this was it. It was now or never. 

Hiding within the shadow of a seedy looking man, she followed him until he went into a blind corner. There was muffled noises and then silence before the same man walked back out, as if nothing had happened. The blind corner happened to have a bunch of conveniently placed barrels which wouldn't be shipped out until tomorrow morning. The contents of one in the back row used to have distilled liquor–now it had a naked mugged victim. Shiloh had put him to sleep with a couple cups of the alcohol and a wet rag. "HASSAN! There you are! Stop fooling around and get back to your post–we've got a very important shipment coming in. Imir says one more slip up and it's your head that'll be rolling, so make sure the clients leave with their coin purses lighter than when they came in." A surly man in a turban snarled, smacking her in the back of the head before leaving to attend business elsewhere. Rubbing the spot, she turned to give a sidelong glance and took note of the man's attire and equipment. Saber hanging at his left, leather bracers visible beneath the sleeves. No telltale sounds of chainmail or metal plate, unless they were being muffled by padding. From his attitude and temperament, replacing him would be too difficult. Best stick with being 'Hassan' for now. With the real Hassan's saber, she took his place as lookout and waited for the rumored cargo to arrive.

… It was no use. She had no idea where to look, and asking around was an impossibility on two ends: her speaking an them answering. After all, even if it was good to have slaves in certain lands, the sales themselves were still considered "underground." As much as she would like to pretty much "break in," there was no way to without knowing where to start…

Was there?

The rattle on her neck made her look down at the collar. The life she grew up in. The torture she endured. The jeers of the crowd as she fought against opponent after opponent with her own body struggling to make by… It was a scarred life… but maybe also her way in. She'd have to make some changes first. After all, her outfit was certainly too "rich" for the role she had to replay, so she took the time to scrounge around for rags that could fit her body before swapping outfits and hiding what she had in the ceiling of a chicken coop. Next up, she was too clean, so she found mud and patted herself in it, grudging up her look, disheveling her hair, and most importantly, hiding the crest of Adraejen with mud and trying to mask the fact that it could have ever existed.

All that remained was to find a place to to be "caught." She struck her leg, gritting her teeth until standing on it was near-unbearable and limping before grudging though the alleys, knocking things over here and there, falling over to see if anyone would catch wind. It was a gamble and a half, but sure enough, it caught attention.

Two men came to the hall, staring down the "exhausted" beastkin before before talking with each other. "Check her out," one said to the other before the second came up for a look. She had to restrain her claws as the man placed his hands all over her body. "A hell of a collar and a few scars, but no actual brand marks. With a body like that, I am sure she can please any master with the right training." The other man nodded before heading over to where "Hassan" stood.

"Hey, can you give me 5? We got an easy payroll around the corner. If were lucky, we may not even need to crown her and sell her off tonight."

Things never went perfectly when it came to working undercover, as you had to be on your toes. Pretending to be someone you observed briefly had its limits, and you couldn't overstep them. Her years of experience were put to the test when a pair of faces she didn't know showed up to meet 'Hassan'. They had a girl dragged along with them, with a massive block of a collar around her neck. They apparently were familiar with Hassan, since they were attempting to get him to act as a middleman for a slave sale. It was time to play her cards, hopefully she'd play them right. With a sour expression, she scowled at the two before motioning them to stand off to the side. "Keep it down–I'm on thin ice here. Imir's already puffed like an adder, if he finds out I've been stealing business behind his back what'll happen to me–huh?!" Her expression eased up, eyes glancing around to see if anybody else had heard. "…I'm in. But–I can't set up the deal right away. We've got a big order coming in tonight; come find me after and I can give you a few names from his book. If they're interested in what's going to sell today they'll likely have no objections making another purchase." She convinced the two ruffians to leave the unclaimed beast woman with her, for safekeeping. After all it was easier to hide a slave where trading was being done. The higher-ups couldn't keep track of every single body in the lists. 

To make the men believe her, she quickly bound the woman's hands and feet to ensure escape was seen as impossible. A pair of shackles she had grabbed were clasped on, something she had found among the real Hassan's clothes. They weren't magical, which was why she took the risk of using them even if she didn't have the key. Shooing them away before somebody else caught sight of 'Hassan' slacking off, she scarcely had time to hide the woman before she heard lots of footsteps approaching. Shoving her behind some tables and crates, she returned to her post just in time to see a mean-looking man adorned in jewels and scars come through. "What are you doing standing around? Watch the wagons! Make sure that none of the cargo is damaged before the bidding takes place." The man waved a finger in her face before pushing past her. She did as she was told, but not before casting a spell to make the shackles she had clasped on the beastkin unlock. The knots she had used to bind her weren't as tight as they looked, and with enough effort they would come loose. Not right away–as the last thing she needed was a captured slave breaking free causing a commotion.

She stood guard with saber drawn as many men, women, and children of different races were dragged out in chains. This was the 'basic' shipment from how worn out and ragged these captives were. If this had more 'precious' cargo they'd never risk letting their buyers think they were getting damaged goods. She and several others roughly escorted the slaves into the place they would be held before the auction. The auction, she overheard, would take place at midnight. With the guards needed elsewhere, Shiloh managed to slip away onto the rooftops. Hiding in the shadows, she watched groups of people come and go, some faces familiar and others foreign. There was a group who came in wearing robes and masks obscuring their identities. From the way the scar-faced man spoke to them, it would seem they were the clients. One of the armed guards even helped a person down from a carriage, implying that there were women who were also participating in the auction. Silently she watched them go into a particular building, then waited until all was quiet.

It was time to move. While the auction began, she needed to locate where they were holding the rest of the slaves. She wasn't going to let them get away with this so easily, and there was no harm in making sure the Arriese patrols knew the full extent of their crimes. And for that, she had to ensure nobody who was involved left this place. On each building which she knew held people related to the slave trading, she placed a tasteless, odorless, colorless concoction on the surface of the doors. Anyone who touched it would get it on them, and that was how she'd identify who to turn in. As for the entire town, she had surrounded it with rune-traps. Anybody who tried to leave would be teleported back into town. Right now she only had a few buildings 'marked', so there was no time to lose. The messenger pseudowyvern she had sent to the nearest Arriese patrols should have delivered the the scroll telling them of the slave trading here. Her job was to make sure nobody escaped the long arm of the law until then.

Internally, she gritted her teeth as she was handed off to another, feeling her arms and legs getting bound by another, watching the other two take off. She had to fight the urge to stare up at her new "owner," though it honestly was not much as she was soon tossed aside behind some crates due to how "busy" he was. Still, the bindings were not too bad… The shackles were another story, but whoever she was entrusted to did not exactly do a good job in tying the knot… And soon, the shackles themselves simply broke open? She let the steel fall on her body before carefully letting them slide to the ground below, trying her best not to draw a commotion as she fought her way out of the knots.

The rattle of chain links echoed more as she freed herself loose, pushing her forward, keeping a grit on her teeth from the pain she self-inflicted, in tact, as she watched a line of men, women, and children, walk in line with a few others keeping track of any kind of motion. A simple trip was enough to trigger the snap of a whip before pushing them forth and berating their ears. Each one she saw through the slits of her eyes, she could only see her younger self, simply accepting this life as "fate."

The latch on her collar, while link, was still unbound, allowing her to loosen its steel grip enough to get a growl, rifting open a small gate through space before what seemed to me a mere rat wandered through. "Follow them," Eden commanded, though her lips not an inch as her fingers let the clasp rest. "Keep note where they are stored and let me know." a quick squeak was the rat's response before scurrying itself through the path, watching the feet of the massive entities around it and following them down to their cages.

Well, that could get her to the slaves, but not too sure about the merfolk. Would they even be stowed in the same area? Well, if so, the rat would certainly find out. As for Eden, the man who shined of gems and scars drew her attention, and she had easily caught his scent. As "Hassan" took to the roofs of the town, watching from above, Eden stuck to the shadows, eyes sharpening to the night light as she tracked down her prey. She could not easily let it go as, for now, he was the only one who smelled of salt water…

Time was ticking, and she was still looking for the mermaids. She had to act before they were taken out of their holding location, or else the buyers could use a portal to escape with their purchases. Even the best plans aren't perfect, and Shiloh had been aware of that one glaring flaw. Unfortunately she wasn't capable of stopping the use of magic temporarily, so she had to work twice as hard to make up for it. Eden was making better progress than her, as following the scarred man led her to several of the more hidden areas where the rarer finds were kept. Accessing them required a special magical icon which only the head of this trading operation held on his person. A wall disappeared revealing a door hidden by magic, and it was unlocked with the same symbol. The keyword was muttered in a murmur, the man's eyes darting about to see if he had been followed. The illusion returned after it was briefly dispelled, but it was no use if someone already knew it existed. 

The mermaids weren't as physically restrained as the other slaves. It made sense since any injuries would lower their sale value. Instead, they had metal circlets that kept them in a daze. Even if they were capable of using magic, they couldn't cast if they couldn't think clearly. Tanks of saltwater and freshwater kept them hydrated in this dusty corner of the Harena. There were wheels below to make their transport easier onto the auction stage. There had to be some sort of passage that connected the holding area with the area of the auction. As the risks of carting such valuable specimens in the open was out of the question, everything was a network of hidden tunnels and false walls. Airflow would give them away despite their camouflage, but how would one free the mermaids in this state? After they were freed, where would they go? 

Only a few minutes before the auction. The seats were filling up and the curtains were drawn. The masked master of ceremonies spoke to the gathered customers below: "Welcome, welcome friends. You have our eternal gratitude for attending our humble auction. Please excuse the paltry state of our current facilities, it is no easy feat to hold such an event away from the prying eyes of others. Now, without further ado–let the bidding begin! Flash your signs once when you see something catch your fancy, and one of our attendants will come and record the amount you wish to bid. They will relay those numbers to me, and I will announce them so you may make your decisions uninterrupted. I wish you all the best of luck and good fortune. For our opening bid, I present to you–a sylph from the infamous Feeorin Forest of Parvpora." It would appear the mermaids would be saved for last, like the closing act of a play. There was still time until they would arrive on stage, but until then the guards would be more vigilant.

Fingers and nails were entangled as Eden stepped quietly on the prowl. The hunt was on, and though her prey was within reach, it would have been just a minor prize over the larger catch. Her eyes were locked on his trail, nose to the ground with each corner the decorated man took until she caught him focusing his sight upon a wall The moment his head began to turn, her head ducked back, ears open. He spoke under his breath, but to what effect, she couldn't detail. Still, once his words were finished, a small click followed, followed by fading footsteps. Feeling confident, she turned back to the hall to watch his lf his body fade into the brick as it… solidified?

Stepping into the hallways, her eyes locked upon the wall where the man phased though, staring in some confusion until she swallowed her pride and pushed herself forward. However, instead of expecting her fingers to lay flat upon a solid surface, a hole was pushed through, sharing a vague shape of her hand inside before she proceeded to move her arm, tearing the illusion away as if a spider's web until a door rested before her, though no handle to grasp. Her cheeks puffed in frustration as she reached for the latch once more, letting the clasp loose once more for a growl to emanate before another tear opened in the sky, letting out a bright yellow dragon fly through the air, jsut about the size of her forearm. "Hello my dear," the dragon chuckled, "I am guessing you are not needing some medicine this time?""

Eden shook her head before pointing at the door before. "Need open."

"Oh? Something like this? I am sure you can break it down yourself."

"Too risky."

A shrug came from the dragon before she flew down over, covering over the metal plate that would normally signify the handle before analyzing it over. "Let's see… A sealing room, two layers Impressive work for the enchanter." With a swipe of her small talon, the door creaked open, "but too simple logic when you are familiar with it." Eden grinned, allowing the dragon to pat herself on the back before pushing though, hiding behind the crates as her ears caught talk.

"There we go: Last one. That should quiet up that knight of theirs. Can't have our customers complaining about gamey fish, now can we?" He handed off the newest circlet off to one of the men before stepping back to a further in room, where for the brief window of the door opening could ferocious splashing echoed from, all to die down once sealed again. "Uh, those fish can be so annoying," he groaned as he pinched his nose, taking quill in hand to write down his notes as the flames of the enchanting table died down. "Then again, the coin we get from cannot be complained with, and I am sure once I have my formulas ready to capture a Queen, we can rest comfy in whatever kingdom we wish." A sniveled laugh came from him before a slam from the wall stopped in, only getting glares from the jeweled man, as if to keep his thoughts in his skull.

Either way, it seems she has found her actual prey… but how to catch?

~~~~~~~

"Ugh, what do those think they can do with a sylph?" one of the guarded moaned as he picked up the stack of sheets, looking over the details. "They don't look like good labor and I doubt they can actually please anyone that size."

"Research development. What better way than with pure fae blood? 22974! 67382! 4876! Line up!" A snap of the whip caused the slaved to stir, three of the forcing themselves up, mentally exhausted. "NO SLOUCHING!" Another crack of the whip. "You are in no way presentable being folded in half! Now get your acts together and line up!"

Among the crowd decorated in chain was a lone rat, blending in with the dirt of the crowd. Well, it found where the slaves were, but now what? It couldn't escape with the door shut behind them and it certainly didn't have the power to take them down… Well, maybe not completely. After all, this rat had a habit of having some… fun.


As if conjured out of the blue, the man from before began screaming, hopping on one foot and kicking the other. "Gods-damn-vermin! Get out!" He began to slam his boot along the wall as if to try and shake it out. "This… is… why… I… HATE… these… Sand… PITS!"

The doors had been barred on the outside. The windows were as well. One by one, guards and the lower ranks were disappearing off the streets. As Eden found where the mermaids were, Shiloh had been busy working outside to ensure no one broke the ruse and noticed something was amiss. All that was left was to capture the attendees of the auction at the height of the event, when they were caught unprepared and unarmed. The Arriese patrols were arriving, and now was the time to induce a well-deserved panic. The guard who was being harassed by a rat ran out, having had enough. While he dealt with the annoying pest, some people came in to line up the mermaids for their debut. "Move the tanks with the warriors first! No not that one–the other tank! How many times do I have to tell you?! The crowns! CHECK THE COLOR before you start pulling the wheels!" The surly man groaned, frustrated with the hired help's incompetence. These blockheads were only good for their muscle, not for using their brains. But when you needed cheap labor, you had to make small sacrifices. The less money spent on keeping this operation running, the more they would rake in for profit. The overseer left to inform the auction announcer of their progress, leaving a small handful of hired hands to push and pull the tanks down the path that led to the auction platform. Following it would take you straight to where the attendees were, though at the risk of being in plain sight of everyone. 

"And now, the moment we all have been eagerly awaiting for–it is my pleasure to present the main event of this auction! Ladies and gentlemen, these are mermaid warriors caught off the coasts of the Highlands and Itjivut. Don't let their beauty fool you, their martial skills are excellent and perfect for those mock sea battles in the arena. They also serve as the perfect vanguard for your sailing vessels, or to sabotage the ships of your competitors. They require more specialized care and upkeep than the usual slave, but they are well worth the price." 

The guard who had left the chain of slaves temporarily unattended never returned, as he was pulled into a shadow by a pair of hands, muffling his cries as he disappeared into oblivion. Shiloh then emerged, unconscious guard in tow. Opening a small portal to one of the many places she had stashed the incapacitated guards, she had him bound and gagged before tossing him in. "And that's Number 36. Better get moving to the auction room before they wrap things up." Altering her appearance to match the man she had just thrown aside, she went in and started pushing one of the tanks down the tunnel. Once she was out of sight, she caused all the locks on the shackled slaves to open, and there was a heavy clattering of metal falling onto the floor. The next guards who entered through would get a nasty little surprise…

She could hear the announcer calling out the numbers as the bidding went higher and higher. In her time rounding up the guards outside, she had learned that the merfolk were being restrained with strange magical devices that exerted an influence over the minds of the wearers. A meticulous check with aura sight picked up a sort of pulsing resonance when it came to the circlets on their heads. They were magical, without a doubt. The tank she was pushing obscured most of her body, and she took the time to think of the best way to cause a massive disruption. Threatening the crowd directly would cause them to flee. But what if she tampered with these mind-numbing headpieces? Even if they were in a small tank of water, the mermaids could still find other ways to attack their captors. She decided to experiment by carefully removing one off of the mermaid in the tank she was pushing with her force gauntlets…

Swim…. Swim… Swim… Swim… The constant echo of a command flooded the minds of the merfolk confinded to their tanks, doing enough to keep their bodies moving as if to not freeze up and perish as if sharks. They eyes were all glazed, faces sparing no signs of emotion as they were drifted through the corridor, nearing the stage. However, it was a different tale for the lead tank. The water rippled as if the wheels struck a bump on the path, but instead was the force Shiloh applied, rippled through the water and striking the circlet loose.

Swim… Swim… Swim… Swim… kept echoing in her mind, but with the more her body moved, the looser the golden ring became until it glided off, giving a dull clang drowned by the grinding wheels. Swim… Swim… Swi— … What? The mermaid blinked, light returning to her eyes as the fog washed away. She felt.. .cramped… Her movements, limited. And… why was there suddenly a flood of land dwellers around her?!  Her movements snapped her around, looking back to see other tanks before her, brothers and sisters encased in clear boxes just as she was! What… What is going on?! were her final thoughts until she gritted her teeth, shark fangs snapped at the ready. Pristine scales of beauty and adornment faded away into a dull blue, hardening to more of an armor's sheen and hair swerving around like tendrils. Her eyes grew fierce before breaching the surface and exploding out a dire screech, one that shook the foundation itself, causing those withing earshot to topple over, trying to hold themselves steady as they cupped their ears.

And with the crowd stunned, she aimed for her first prey: the closest to the tank: Shiloh. The water moved with her arms to get a firm grasp of her before pulling her in and slamming her upon the bottom of the tank, using her control of the water to hold her down as she struck with sharpened scales, aiming to drown the land dweller. "YOU WILL PAY!" she screeched, clear in the water itself, but from the echoes upon land was a distorted echo. "UPON THE NAME OF OUR QUEEN, WE SHALL PURGE THESE LAND DWELLERS AND FREE OURSELVES!"

~~~~~

The rattling gave a shock to Eden and the enchanter, but in different ways. To the male, he was looking up, asking, "The hell is going on up ther–" as Eden, jut after unlatching her collar and letting it clang on the floor, pounced forward and slammed him into his notes. She ddin't stop there. No, as he tried to recover from being stunned, the beastkin, with arms overcome in fun and face now sporting more of a muzzle and pure fangs, took hold of the enchanting table and slammed it over him, shattering the tool used to make the items. One down, a bunch of fish to go… The question was how.

Leaving the body between tables, Eden moved over to the tanks and looked at them over. All of them were decorated with the same kind of item he just crafted and a variety of gems.  … Swimming was not her forte, so she bounded from where she was to the the splashing door, using her elbow to force it open, catching sight of more merfolk, though in a bigger tank and not with such decorations. Instead, they rested on a table where one was bound close to, struggling against the circlet as it slowly bore into her mind, her movements becoming more sluggish the more she tired herself out.

"Who are you?" called out one of the few hired hands, each one grasping her a weapon as Eden roared to life, pouncing forward towards the men.

She should have expected as much, as when the mermaid warrior came to–saying she was not happy was a sheer understatement. Unfortunately Shiloh was the closest person to the tank of the now lucid mermaid, and became her first target. The deafening shriek was excruciating due to the deity's acute sensitivity and proximity, forcing her to cover her ears and drop to the ground with gritted teeth. Everything was screaming as her hearing was overloaded, ears ringing while struggling to maintain her disguise. Then, suddenly a cold splash of water hit her and she felt herself dragged with it. She couldn't breathe! She couldn't breathe! Air! She needed air! With the pain now intensified by the suffocation, Shiloh could barely keep her senses straight. Distorted sounds traveled to her through the water but failed to form words as the rogue's fight or flight instinct took over. As the mermaid warrior aimed to deal a lethal blow, an unseen force retaliated, and an overwhelming pressure forced its way into her mind. 

STOP LET GO

The overlapping sound of multiple voices intruded into her psyche, sending the message that if unheeded…it would and could kill her. The telepathic message continued, gradually ebbing away back into Shiloh's own voice. 'Do not kill any of the land-dwellers. The Arriese Patrol is coming. Should you kill those who imprisoned you, you will destroy your one last chance to end it all. Keep them alive but do not let them escape. Only then will your people be free from being sold as objects. Attempt to kill me again, and I will make you wish you were a mindless puppet.'  Feeling the warrior's watery grip lose hold, Shiloh reached out to pull on the circlet of another of the captive merfolk in sight. The sooner they were all awake, the sooner the Rosenites would find them before the attendees and traders could get away. She was still fighting for air, and in her current state the last thing she wanted to was to die or fall unconscious. 

As Eden made short work of the men preparing more of the merfolk for the auction, the entire place had devolved into pandemonium. Nobody was able to get out from the doors as they had been barred, and those who would have unbarred them were mostly unconscious or bound. While Shiloh had told every one of the merfolk she had freed not to kill their oppressors, she conveniently left out non-fatal harming or terrorizing. The noise attracted the attention of a group of armored women bearing the signature stained-glass glaives of the desert nation. Leaders ordered their subordinates to fan out as the began to round up those who were outside and inspect the buildings. Those who were arrested by the Arriese patrols were taken for questioning, and soon they found the epicenter of the commotion. There was the sound of hacking from outside as the doors were unsealed. Those who had tried to escape using magic found themselves facing enraged merfolk and then the desert patrols they so feared. Once Shiloh had broken free from drowning, she had used stasis on any of the attendees or participants in the auction who tried to use magic–lest they use teleportation or gateway. As long as she sensed a spike in magic, their actions were forced into a lockdown for a brief period of time before someone else became the next target.