Release the Hounds

-Dalen Capital, Lower Quarter. Evening, 2 DSTR-

“You…” The priest croaked out, but the rest of the words were cut off by Kline's hand that now had an iron grip about his throat, crushing the life from the little man and causing his face to turn blue.

Kalena quickly caught the eye of Gularzob, and gestured to Kline and the priest. “Gular, would you? There's a good fellow.”

The only one present among them who rivalled Kline in physical strength, the powerful orc moved forward from the crowd, gently prying Kline's fingers off the priest's windpipe. “I think there is a human saying about killing the messenger that applies here,” Gularzob said softly, trying to reach Kline through his killing rage.

“Thank you, my... er...son,” the priest gasped out, rubbing a bruised throat with a shaking hand as he stumbled back from Kline. “Please, keep that mad man away from me!”

Kalena let out a slight laugh of amusement. “Save your strength for our mysterious foes, Kline. I should think we'll be making their acquaintance very soon. Very soon indeed.” She looked to the red-haired man behind the apoplectic Baron. “Will you be accompanying us on the hunt, Lafayette?”

After hearing Kalena mention saving their strength Lafayette turned to her. "What will we do once we catch them?" he asked her. "We will interrogate them correct? We won't just kill them, right? We do need answers after all." He said knowing they thought the same, though he wanted to be sure he could hold anyone who was rash accountable for mucking things up if the time came.

“What answers do we need?” Kline said and looked at Lafayette. “They will talk, trust me, and then they will die.” He said in a dark voice. “They will talk, they will.” He growled out the words. "And we will bring the heads of them to the Queen and their families to show to those in the Kingdom you do not do this sort of thing. I am sure the Queen will be grateful for removing such cancers on our land."

He looked at his men ha still had. “Get your tools and get ready.”

The night had come to full bloom, the sky was alight with all the stars and a sliver of a moon. No clouds, the air was still, and there was a slight chill to the air. Kline took it in as he waited for his men. Pausing a moment to listen to the sound of the world around him, the hounds pawing at the ground.

He already had a longsword on and his anger was burning. He focused, brought it under control. There would be a time to let the demon out, to let the monster in him rage, but now was not the time. He knew that, but still it lashed and thrashed at the leash. It would have its blood, in time.

His men came back, weapons strapped, and horses prepared for the hunt. The mounts were set up light, little on them but the saddles and bit and bridle. Kline pulled himself up into the horse he had acquired from the camp the night before.

The dogs were given the scent of the blood on Van’s blade and then they started baying. Barking and shouting followed as they were set free to run.

He kicked his heels and his horse started to follow, down into the warren of a city, into the other districts where the houses were like a maze, a labyrinth of streets and alleyways. He did not know any of it, he was walking into a battle ground where he did not know his footing, this could go sideways very fast, but they were talking about Van’s soul.

The hounds were leaving the upper district, heading for the Lower Quarter. The Lower Quarter was a place of warehouses and workhouses, a place for the poor. Kline had recruited for his mercenaries there, it was a place where death is an acceptable risk to them that are there. Where the life of a mercenary is better then living in the hopelessness of the Lower Quarter. It is a dangerous and sad place where those who are to be forgotten end up.

He saw the Bone Arch, an arch that was crafted long ago to enter the Lower Quarter by those there, made of animal bones and held together with nails and iron scaffolding. It marked the entrance to that part of town, a sort of primitive warning much like the Orcs when they marked their territory.

The hounds gave out a long call as they passed under it.

Kline paused, stopping his horse. He looked at those who joined them. “Are you both ready for this?” He said and drew his sword.