Kanae and the others departed the next morning. They spared some time in Shivarn just on the off chance that the garrison of harpies would send another group of collectors. Several of the village elders carted the dead cockatrices, including the sole live one, there in the hopes of appeasing them. Upon their return, judging by the fact that no one was injured, it worked.

The group were showered with thanks, but little in the way of gifts. Not that the villagers of Shivarn had much to give to begin with. Nona and Guel, as well as their grateful parents, returned with a couple bundles of hay. At least the ronoas were going to be happy.

"Thank you for bringing my parents back!" Guel waved as the carriages started departing.

Although they were in different carriages, Kanae knew Petyr must be happy with how things turned out.

Next stop, Elusis. They descended from Shamsir ridge, taking a different route to avoid the outpost. Weather around these parts was milder than the rest of Savir. It was still hot, no one was going to keel over being directly under the sun. Clouds were more plentiful, but the shade they provided was little comfort.

Unlike the vast dunes it took to reach Avanesse, the way to Elusis was extremely rocky and uneven. They hated every second of travel. One among them didn't seem to mind the bumpy ride one bit. Renya whistled a sea shanty from the coach seat of Kanae's carriage. Suddenly, the whistling stopped.

"What does my spyglass see in the distance? Some ruins in need of looting!" Renya exclaimed.

The carriage turned hard, jostling Kanae and Edina inside. They fell out of their seats and smacked the ground face first.

"Ugh… You didn't have to bring her." Edina rubbed her head.

"I didn't. Renya invited herself, remember?" Kanae reminded the squirreling.

They pulled open the sunroof and poked their heads out. Renya was guiding them east now, towards a deserted settlement. As they got closer, it became clear by the large unnatural and deep cuts into the earth that this was a quarry. Abandoned wagons collected dust instead of sandstone blocks. Homes where laborers and miners used to live were empty of life. Tools and belongings laid half-buried in the ground, and desert grass carpeted the roads.

"Why have we come here?" Delayn emerged from the carriage, groaning. "We should be going south!"

"Cool your tits, four-eyes. This…" Renya trailed off, her gaze fixed on something afar.

The dark elf leaped from the carriage and sprinted into the quarry village. Delayn threw her hands in the air in exasperation. Kara, Camilla, and Archbishop Patrice came out a second later, just as confused as the Saint Priest.

"What happened?" Patrice asked, shooting Kanae a look.

"Beats me. Renya just ran off. I'm going after her." Kanae spread her wings and took flight.

It was easier to track and find Renya from the sky. She had skidded to a stop in front of what appeared to be a two-story communal lodge. Broken windows were boarded up with planks. The creaking down slammed open and closed at the whim of the winds. However, Renya wasn't interested in the building, but a vehicle that was parked beside it.

"Found something?" Kanae asked as she landed.

"Not just something." Renya brushed a hand across the dusty crest on the side of the wagon, revealing the symbol of minotaur horns— Rown Company's trademark emblem. "This is one of our older model heavy hauler wagons, made especially to handle the difficult terrain. I can tell because the wheels use a one inch layer of dryad rubber to pad the wheels. Suspensions are completely rusted through though."

"But what's a Rown vehicle doing so far down here in Savir?"

"Isn't it obvious? The Harpy King and my father had dealings in the past, we know that much. How it came to an end and led to them trying to kidnap me, that's what I aim to find out," she muttered to herself.

When the others caught up, Renya had everyone pitch in to take the wheels off the heavy haulers. There were more of them closer to the quarry to strip down. They spent a few hours in the settlement, helping her retrofit the wheels onto their carriages.

The Mamba's vehicles were two-feet taller than before after the change, but Renya promised they would provide a much smoother ride from now on.

"Hnng! Hup!" Archbishop Patrice was doing her best trying to climb into the carriage.

"Do you need help…?" Kanae offered.

"No, I can get up on my own!" she exclaimed.

"We're wasting time, Archbishop. Upsy-daisy!" Camilla lifted her up pouting to the door.

On their way out of the quarry village, they ran into other vehicles on the way in. A caravan of wagons and haulers rolled to a stop. Kanae noticed Renya slipping a hand into her coat, likely reaching for one of the pistols.

However, those from the other group came out of their vehicles unarmed. Many were dressed in simple dirty tunics, faces smudged with dirt, and demeanors showing no harm. One of the centaurs, who was harnessed and among the beasts of burden pulling the front wagon, waved both hands in the air.

"Are you scavengers? We mean no ill-will. We just seek the haulers from within the quarry!" he shouted.

"Merchants. East Saviran Trading Association," Renya said. "But you're a little late. We stripped the wheels for ourselves. There should be more wagons inside that are untouched though."

"Association merchants? Wait! You must have adventurers guarding your caravan then. Will you please help us? Our quarry has been attacked repeatedly. They destroyed some of our haulers, which is why we came here hoping to replace them. Of course, we'll pay you for the troubles!" another centaur pleaded.

"What's your call?" She leaned down, speaking into an open slat.

"I already know you want to learn more about Solasta's connection with the Harpy King. If these guys are from another quarry, they might be able to tell you a thing or two. I say help them." Kanae nodded.

The laborers were overjoyed when Renya told them. They sent half their team into the quarry to bring back two Rown heavy haulers. Neither of them could be put to real use until their suspensions were replaced though.

They arrived at another quarry only about five kilometers away from the first. This one wasn't abandoned. A whole bustling town was built around the excavation site. Workers used magic to cut into the earth, slicing out large blocks of sandstone. Another spellcaster telekinetically lifted them onto a heavy hauler to be transported out of the site.

Both groups stopped at the foreman's post, a big tent area with equipment, carts, and injured workers. The centaur who had sought their help asked them to wait for a moment, then galloped inside to call for the one in charge. He came back with a stern harpy man, whose brown wings had bald patches and showing signs of his age. Piercing blue eyes assessed them like a line of laborers.

"Hrm. Name's Fez, the head foreman here. Welcome to New Karsick. My men said they found you in Old Karsick. Merchants with a fight in 'em, eh? I don't know how capable you are, but think you can take on a horde of sand trolls?" Fez asked.

"I sure can!" Kanae wiped the drool from her lips.

Delayn stomped on Kanae's foot.

"Uh huh… They normally attack in the evening twilight hours," Fez continued. "We don't have guards stationed, and any attempts to ask the Harpy King to send his soldiers have been met with silence. The stupid bastard. Repel them, kill them… anything to keep the sand trolls from coming back. I have a fat sack of gold waiting for you that I'll just write in as operating expenses."

Fez left them to devise a plan of defense on their own. Kanae gathered everyone together at a tavern to come up with one. The alehouse was full of drunk laborers on break, and one copped a feel of her ass on the way in.

"This place reeks," Petyr muttered.

"It's almost dark anyway. We won't be here long." Kanae shooed away the waiter coming by to offer them drinks. "I think the best way to tackle the sand trolls is to split up in groups. New Karsick doesn't have walls, so that opens them up to being attacked from every direction. Petyr will handle the east on her own. Camilla and Kara, south. Delayn and Patrice, west. Finally, Edina and I will take care of the north end behind the quarry."

"Oh, oh!" Patrice raised her hand, more excited about this than the others.

"What is it?"

"Amethyst, swap places with me. I would like to fight alongside Edina, the necromancer. Necromancers are an extremely rare crowned class. An opportunity to watch one fight will be quite the treat," she explained.

Kanae turned to Delayn and Camilla since a Saint Priest was always by a Radevic leader's side. They shrugged.

"We've broken protocol so many times already. Why in three hells not." Delayn groaned.

Everyone split up into their assigned groups and headed to their designated side of New Karsick. As the sun began to set and usher in the twilight hours of the day, a purplish orange blanket pulled across the sky. 

Other than rocky hills and small animals, there wasn't much to see in the western edge of town. For the past hour, Kanae and Delayn stood in awkward silence together. She wasn't blind to the fact that the Saint Priest thought little of her ever since they met. That was years by now, since before the founding of the Commonwealth of Sin.

"So…" Kanae broke the quiet first. "How were things back in Radevic?"

"Fine," Delayn answered curtly.

Damn it. Why so cold?

"Anything interesting happen while I was away?" Kanae asked.

"No," Delayn replied.

"Still, uh… Still flogging yourself?" She pressed the priest.

This almost tripped Delayn up. She shut her eyes and squeezed the staff in her right hand.

"Amethyst… I admire your strength as a Knight of Color, but do not think for one second we are friends. You are a succubus. You embody temptation and sin, which I find repulsive! Just thinking that you debauch yourself… with creatures makes me… I'm sick just imagining it! Sick, I tell you!" Delayn cried.

"Wow, thanks. Oh! What if I told you a succubus I know has taken an interest in you? It's not a secret that you flog yourself a lot. She wants to dish out some pain to you, too~" Kanae teased.

"Disgusting. Disgusting. Disgusting! W-Who is this succubus so I know to avoid her for the rest of my—"

A guttural roar echoed through the night. Behind Kanae and Delayn, the townsfolk clamoured to arm themselves or hide inside buildings. The sand trolls were coming. Delayn whispered an incantation, willing a blade of light to take form at the tip of her staff. She performed a somatic gesture with her free hand, and spiritual swords wreathed her from behind.

"Fancy magic," Kanae said.

"Nothing compared to high elven counterparts. But I am first and foremost a crowned Priest. It isn't a combative class. So, I'll leave the main fighting to you and provide support from here, Amethyst." Delayn casted one more spell and draped Kanae in a holy barrier.

At least when things got serious, Kanae could rely on Delayn when it mattered. Especially now as sand trolls emerged from the canyons and tall desert grass. Night hadn't fully engulfed Savir yet. The setting sunlight illuminated the lumbering creatures. Their large tusks were adorned with bone ornaments from slain beasts. They wielded large primitive clubs, and one of them held the femur of what must have been a giant dire beast. Pale gray skin with black splotches pulled taut against thick muscles. Lanky limbs gave them a wide reach, which made it difficult to try and get in close.

Kanae shot a look at Delayn, who wasn't at all fazed by them. She stood her ground, as expected of a Saint Priest.

The trolls paused to size them up. They beat the ground with their fists and weapons, probably not expecting to find resistance. One of them took a running charge. Kanae remembered that trolls had powerful regenerative abilities. Fighting them conventionally wouldn't have worked… but thanks to Edina, she had just the skill.

Kanae clenched her fist, infused Necrotizing Touch, and uppercutted him with Titanic Blow. The troll stumbled back a few steps. He collapsed backwards, jaw broken and loose.

"Amethyst, to your right flank!" Delayn warned.

A second troll had snuck up during the fight, his club raised high. It came down hard on the holy barrier. Yellowish fissures and cracks formed all over the bubble. Delayn fired off the spiritual swords flying around her. They plunged into the troll's chest, and Kanae jumped to press Necrotizing Touch on him. Unable to regenerate, he succumbed to the fatal blow.

The remaining two didn't wait around. Realizing that Kanae and Delayn were a threat, they barreled for the backline together.

"Stay right where you are! Conjured Caltrops!" Kanae covered the ground in spikes.

Only one of them stopped running. The other gritted through the pain. Delayn braced herself and jumped back as a heavy club crashed down at her feet. Kanae flew in to help— only to fly into a dead arm. The barrier shattered, and she hit the ground hard.

When Kanae opened her eyes, a troll loomed over with his club ready to crush her head.

"Amethyst! Supreme One, guide my hand!" Delayn hurled her staff, and the side with the blade of light took a chunk off the troll's left arm.

Kanae seized the opening to inflict him with Necrotizing Touch. He let loose a painful howl and escaped into the night. Meanwhile, Delayn was on the run. The remaining troll didn't give her a chance to cast another spell.

"If you're done with that one, I could use some help over here!" Delayn yelled.

"Yeah, yeah." Kanae picked up Delayn's staff and stabbed the last troll in the back. He dropped to his knees, and the Saint Priest snatched her weapon back to decapitate him.

With the battle over, Kanae could only hope that the others finished from their side of New Karsick. She winced. That blow from the troll surprisingly hurt. Despite reaching such a high level, it was easy to forget they were creatures of raw strength.

To Kanae's surprise, Delayn pressed a hand to Kanae's bruised cheek. Her palm emitted a warm glow, and the pain quickly subsided.

"Awww. You can be nice to me when you want to. Are you finally coming around?" Kanae grinned, only to have it wiped away when the staff blade threatened her neck.

"What was that?" Delayn asked, temple vein bulging.

"Nothing!" She gulped.

Two dead trolls, one escaped, and another unconscious. This was a job well done in Kanae's book. She took one look at the knocked out troll and realized her mistake. His dick was hanging out of its loincloth.

"Hey, hold this for one second." Kanae pulled out Cockcalibur and tossed it to Delayn.

"Huh— EW!" Delayn let it drop to the ground. "What are you doing?!"

Kanae casted Turn Horny on the unconscious troll. He might not be awake, but his body still responded. Especially his cock. The large meaty member rose to full mast. Kanae climbed on top and, using gripping the tusks for leverage, lowered herself until they were connected at the hips.

"AMETHYST, YOU DISGUSTING SOW!" Delayn covered her eyes.

"This is necessary, I— nnh… swear!" Kanae exclaimed, slowly picking up speed.

The thick cock repeatedly pierced her womb, it was so big. Kanae bounced faster, taking pleasure in the size that split her pussy wide open.

Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap! Plap!

Even the troll stirred in his unconsciousness. Spurred by base instincts, he began to thrust on his own. Two large hands grabbed Kanae by the waist and pumped harder.

"Yes, there you go. Fuck me with that troll cock! I bet you've never felt anything like a succubus pussy before! Mmmh!" Kanae threw her head back and climaxed.

[Skill Drain has temporarily acquired the skill Sand Troll Regeneration.

Sand Troll Regeneration: The most powerful of all troll regeneration, regenerating even lost limbs and body parts as long as you aren't dealt a fatal blow. While active, healing spells do not affect you.]

Hot cum filled her insides. She orgasmed hard, and the troll came by the bucket load. By the time they were done, Necrotizing Touch had worn off. The troll regeneration healed his broken jaw. Before he could react, Kanae placed him under her charm.

"Return to your tribe and tell the rest of the trolls never to attack here again," Kanae ordered.

The sand troll nodded.

Kanae got off and sent him away, hopefully to never be seen by the locals ever again. She picked it up and slipped it into her bag. Someone, however, seemed to be taking what just happened a lot harder than Kanae's dicking though.

"I am a child of the cloth. A revered Saint Priest, who upholds purity and…" Delayn muttered while flogging herself with a leather belt.

"Come on, Delayn. Degeneracy over. Let's meet back up with the others," Kanae coaxed.

"Ugh…" She begrudgingly got to her feet.

The rest had already returned to the foreman's post. Kanae and Delayn were the last to come back. Foreman Fez was all smiles, which meant everyone had done their part. As thanks, he gave them a large sack worth two-thousand gold. Pretty much pittance, but priceless coming from a grateful town.

Since the miners ended work at night, everyone took their celebrations to the tavern. Edina and Renya drank themselves to a stupor. Petyr retired early for the night. The other stayed to join the party.

"Kuh… I'm never partying up with Amethyst ever again!" Delayn complained after downing a full stein of ale.

"There, there." Camilla patted her colleague on the head. "I'll take your place next time. Amethyst and I make great teammates!"

"We sure do." Kanae rolled her eyes, then nudged Renya in the arm. "Hey, everyone's drunk. This is your chance to talk to Foreman Fez."

"Oh, shit. You're right. I ain't got time to be drinking. Hey, Edina. Finish this for me." Renya shoved a tall glass of beer into the squirreling's hands.

"I'm gonna fucking barf…" Edina burped.

Kanae and Renya butted into the miners' table. Since it was mostly a sausage fest, they didn't mind two extra women.

"How's another round on me?" Renya asked.

The entire table lifted their glasses, and the waitress came back to fill everyone up. Kanae made herself comfortable on the lap of a minotaur man, who welcomed her flirtatious advances.

"You all are really something to take on all those sand trolls. Here's to you!" Fez toasted.

"Aw, shucks. We're happy to help. Say, I'm kinda curious. Couldn't help but notice y'all are driving around Rown Company vehicles. I didn't know they operated all the way down here," Renya said.

"It's 'cos they don't. Well, not anymore. Last time Rown Company was here was… Three hells, 30 years ago? Shit. I was a fledgling miner then. Used to see fleets of their wagons. Now, we're lucky to repair a couple to get them working," he explained.

"What were they doing here back then?" Kanae asked.

The foreman scratched his beard and shrugged.

"Mining, transporting, building." Fez smacked his lips on another gulp of beer. "One day, they just up and left. Musta had a falling out with the Harpy King. Huh. Now that I think about it, lotta the stone went to Buhar. Massive temple far south. Off-limits to us commonfolk, but shamans from there came out to towns like Old Karsick all the time, preaching about worshipping the elements and what nonsense."

Kanae and Renya exchanged knowing glances. The elements. It must have something to do with the Harpy King and his agents' being infused with elemental powers.