Chapter 43 : Homeward bound

Oz looked down at the creature in her arms, the beast was still awake and crying out in pain. Nahern whistled out, the same low sound from that night in the forest. Looking over, she saw him up on the towering walls, an arrow shot free of his bow to impale a striking guard right through the shin. Still it led her to where Nahern wanted her to go. 

Oz quickly turned down the alley, ducking to avoid an oncoming cart as she looked at the creature in her arms. The beast was in incredible pain, even her mere touch was enough to bring a tear to its eye. She looked around her for a place to hide, or anything of that sort. The sound of guards thundering about and the cries of the common folk thankfully overwhelmed the whimpers of the beast.

The alley was nearly deserted, most merchants had given up the day's trade by now save for a few. She picked the beast up again, cradling its head on her chest. It continued to cry out in agony, its cries piercing through her ears like knives through flesh.

"Shhh shhh, you have to hush." She whispered. "I know, I know it hurts." 

The beast gave her a hateful glare at that, almost huffing. She had to chuckle softly.

"Honestly I do, I was beaten and abused just like you. Well not to the point of bleeding but to the point of my body breaking." She sighed.

"Come on, can I heal? I'm a saint right? Divine power and all that? Source. Source, I need you." She hissed, eyes turned skyward in hopes of seeing the dialog box. This time, the box didn't appear. Instead she felt the warm light wash over her body for a second. It felt like her HP took a sudden hit. The air around her became much warmer and the beast in her arms began to purr, its eyes becoming much more dull as it drifted.

"You okay?" Oz whispered to the creature gently, placing her ear to its chest. The heartbeat was fluttering and far too fast, the poor thing's chest was beating like a war drum. Much to her surprise, the beast shuddered and melted. Golden, blood stained fur drifted into the air caught on the cold midday breeze. In her arms instead of a beast…was a naked and very beaten up man…beast…thing.

His eyes drifted back open and met hers, the same cornflower blue twinkling in the shadows. Rough and beaten hands came up, suddenly trapping her against the wall.

"Whoah, whoah," Oz said, hands up to try and stop him. Her hands met with corded muscles under his deeply tanned nearly golden skin. 

"Shit," She gasped. The beast man leaned in closer, blooded breath hitting her face. In a flash of anger she brought her fist up, knocking the wind out of him as she connected with his lower stomach. For all his abs and lean muscles, he crumbled like a paper tiger under her strength.

"I said whoa." Oz growled, the golden beastman holding his stomach as he coughed. His eyes flashed at her before he simply collapsed atop her. She wasn't sure where to touch with the now naked man on her lap. 

"Should I shoot him as well?" 

"Nahern help." Oz looked up to see Nahern's hateful glare from above the alleyway. The elf snorted in distaste. "The beast turned into…this."

"OH a beast man?" Selene looked down from beside her brother. After a moment, she scaled the wall downward. It was amazing to watch her find hidden footfalls better than any mountain-scaling goat or even a spider. Selene dropped down beside her, lowering deep into a crouch so as to put her ear to the beast-man's chest.

"He's breathing, and alive. Is this our party member?"

Oz grumbled, "Regretfully. They had him tied up in some sort of bondage chain set with some bimbo in leathers beating him." 

Selene frowned at that, "Sounds like Lanear. Damnit."

"La…near?" Oz repeated dully. She helped Selene get the golden beastman up and onto her shoulder. The elf's cape wasn't large enough to fully cover the muscled man, but enough to wrap around his waist for some sort of dignity. Oz got him over her shoulder, one arm wrapped around his waist to keep his body close. Selene climbed back up while Oz simply leapt to the awaiting rooftop, even with the extra weight she felt feather light. The world gave away as she floated for a moment before landing. Nahern grabbed her hand as she landed, frowning in distaste.

"Lanear is one of our uncle's …whores." Selene grumbled.

"Greaaat, the Stepmom." Oz deadpanned. In the distance she heard whistles rushing through the air and cursed. "...Should I warp us?"

Nahern and Selene both nodded. "Let us hurry back. Quickly."

Oz adjusted the beastman on her shoulder before looking skyward. The sparkling eye fully exposed to the sunlight as the dialog box appeared. 

By the time a guard made it to the rooftop, all that was left behind were drops of the beastman's blood and a few lingering glitter piles.