[IRP] The Dead One Calls

[WyvernSlayer]

"We've been, uh, taking travelers for our own..."

Satsume whirled around upon hearing the bandit speak.

"And the townspeople just... let you?" asked Paige.  "And you've been doing this without anyone in the army getting involved?"

"Look around you, lass - ain't no army here!  They're busy fightin' Lycia."  Hux seemed incredulous at Paige's inquiry - or at least what passed for it on a man of his standing.  "Strongarmin' the town was easy as it's ever been."

"And the castle?" asked Satsume.  "Their guards?"

"Uh... not much 'ere.  Condemned a while back, that place was.  All we 'ad to do was put down a couple o' stragglers-"

"Put her down, metal head!" came a cry from the street.  Satsume and the group turned to find Shad, hobbling aggressively toward Goldhardt.  Taika moved to diffuse the situation.

"I think they planned on selling us, or maybe just the girls," said Shad.  Satsume glared back at Hux, who refused to look him in the eye.

"How many are in the castle?" he said, stepping away from Lita and standing an inch from the brigand's face.  He tried his best to put away the pain that was brewing in his side as he walked.

"Uh... we got maybe a dozen of em locked in there, and-"

"No, not the goods."  Satsume stole a glance back at Shad and winked.  "The gang."

Hux gulped, and didn't reply.  Satsume raised his shortened spear and held the tip underneath the bandit's neck.  His thumb settled under the button.

"If I press the button, you better hope to Elimine that I don't miss your brain, dog."

"Waaaahhhhh, all right!  All right!  A dozen- wait, no - fourteen or fifteen of us r' in there!  Please!  PLEASE!"  Hux whimpered and struggled to crane his neck away from Satsume's spear.  Satsume lowered his hand and turned back to Shad.

"That wasn't too hard."  He holstered his weapon and walked carefully back to Cecily's side.  He reached gingerly to the straps near his broken ribs and began to undo them.  A feeling of relief washed over him as his armor's weight shifted around.  He was able to breathe a little bit better, too.  Maybe just until I can get fixed up..., Satsume thought.  He exchanged glances with Cecily, then spoke again - loud enough for the group to hear.

"Given that the silent approach doesn't seem to have worked out," he said, peering over at Shad, "I think it's time we paid that castle a visit through the front gate."