Keeble says "What? Really? How?!"

As I am studying the layout of the fortress I explain to Keeble about gate magic. While I am at it I explain about the ship and our destination as well as my relation to the elves. Once I am done studying the fortress I take out the cloth I bought and proceed to make myself a cloak.

Keeble says "Would it be possible for Neesha and I to go to the elven ship?"

"I don't see why not, but don't you want to return to your people?"

Keeble says "We can't, we are outcasts. The ability to take human form is extremely rare in our race. Those who can do it are considered unclean because humans are our greatest enemies."

"That's stupid! If it was me I would use you as spies!"

Keeble says "Our leaders prefer to try and avoid the humans."

"Like I said, stupid. The only way to make the humans back off is to make them fear you. Otherwise you will just keep retreating until you are trapped in a corner. By then it will be too late to fight."

Keeble says "You are probably right, but we can't go back to try and convince them. My sister and I have been living among the humans for a few years. I would rather go with you and live with the elves than go back to that."

"That's understandable. I don't think the elves will have a problem with the two of you living on the ship. Once we reach the peninsula you will have several options on where to live."

At his curious look I start telling him about the peninsula and the races that are living there. Luckily, I have had a lot of experience enchanting cloaks so talking while I make another isn't a problem. I am not doing anything special to the cloak, it is just another officer cloak.

Other than making the cloak I don't really have much to do to pass the time. When I get hungry and pull some lunch out of my pouch for the two of us Keeble freaks out. So, as I am eating I end up explaining the origin of my pouch to him.

That of course leads to a discussion about the goddesses and how I came to serve them. In return Keeble tells me about living among the humans with his sister. Most of his stories end up being about what he has to do to get his sister out of trouble.

From what he is telling me it seems that his sister is a real trouble maker. Although, considering that she is his older sister I should probably not judge her just yet. Once we have saved her I will see for myself if Keeble has been exaggerating.

Keeble and I end up talking all the way through dinner until the sky goes dark. Once it is fully dark I have Keeble climb onto my back again and I fly down to the fortress. At the highest point of the fortress there is a balcony with two bandits stationed as lookouts.

Currently the two lookouts are sound asleep, it looks like the discipline of the bandits is extremely lax. As I land on the balcony I lash out with a paw and make their sleep eternal. I wait until Keeble has climbed down and then I shapeshift into my human form.

Keeble says "What's the plan?"

"We are going to keep it quiet until your sister and the elves are safe. After that I will finish things on my own."

Keeble gives a nod and then shifts into his beast form since it is easier for him to be sneaky. I put on the new cloak, summon the dagger to my hand, and then enter the fortress. We will be saving Keeble's sister first because the bandit leader's room is at the top of the fortress.

Keeble doesn't make any noise as he follows me, even I can barely hear him. There are two guards outside the leader's room and they are even awake. Not that it does them any good, Keeble takes one and I kill the other, they never had a chance.

When I open the door to the leader's room I spot him lying on a big bed. Next to the bed is a girl swinging a fan, that should be Neesha from how Keeble described her. She is wearing a huge set of manacles and a collar, they look extremely heavy.

From those it is obvious that they know she is a beast, a human wouldn't be able to move in them. If looks could kill then the bandit leader would already be a pile of bloody chunks. She is giving him an absolute death stare as she continues fanning him.

She is so focused that she doesn't even notice as her brother and I enter the room. As I step up to the edge of the bed I realize that the leader isn't quite asleep. However, as his eyes pop open it is already too late, my dagger slides right into his throat.

Neesha jumps and even lets out a partial scream before she catches herself. Then she just stares at me and the dead leader as if she can't believe what she is seeing. Keeble comes up next to her and licks her arm, making her jump again.

Neesha says "Brother?!"

Keeble says "Hi sis! We are here to save you!"

Neesha says "Who's the elf? He's a hunk!!"

Keeble says "That's Ash. Be nice, he is the only reason I was able to come save you!"

Neesha says "Sure, I'll be nice! If that is what he likes!"

"Alright, let's go save the elves."

Neesha says "Um, I can't move quietly like this!"

When I turn to look at her I realize that she is referring to her restraints. I was busy trying to avoid their conversation and forgot about them for a minute. So I scan them, but they aren't magical, they just have a normal lock which I pick using my mana.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Lockpicking has progressed to level 6!

Lockpicking

Level 6

Agi +6

You can attempt to open a lock without a key.

Neesha says "Thanks, cutie!"

After answering her with a single nod I head out of the room, leaving them to follow. Neesha shifts to her beast form and then follows me along with her brother. The elves are being held much lower in the fortress, so I start heading down.

We kill any bandit we see, quietly, but we don't go looking for more of them. As we go I can hear Keeble whispering to his sister, he is telling her about the ship. I am guessing that he wants to convince her that going with the elves is the better plan.

He is being quiet enough that I doubt the bandits will hear him so I don't stop him. It is their choice to make, and I would prefer if they have already made it before I open the gate. The closer we get to where the elves are being held the more guards I come across.