Miss Fortune's Two Pistols

"..."

Illaoi, the Kraken Priestess, had led some of the temple's elite warriors out in a hurry in the middle of the night, then returned just as hurriedly before dawn. Now, she had gone a whole night without sleep...

Her tall, powerful frame stood motionless beside a window in the temple's great hall. She looked down at the Slaughter Docks in the weather-beaten harbor beneath Butcher's Bridge, watching the Abyssal Titan's long shadow stretch across the docks in the dawn sunlight. Gradually, her eyes lost focus. No one could tell what she was thinking.

Bang!!

At the sound of hurried footsteps behind her, Illaoi, chosen and priestess of the true god Nagakabouros, turned around. She saw her Preacher and Serpent Caller roughly slam the captain they had captured earlier onto the temple's cold stone floor. His filthy face made intimate contact with the ancient, cracked stones.

"..."

"How is Gangplank?"

Illaoi paid no mind to the sinful captain on the floor. He was clearly badly beaten by the two women and was groaning as he tried to struggle back to his feet. Instead, she looked at the Preacher and Serpent Caller, who were glaring bitterly at the man with resentment on their faces.

Matters had to be handled one at a time. Before dealing with the matter at hand, she didn't want anything to happen to Gangplank at this critical moment. After all, he had passed the trial of the true god Nagakabouros, and he would be of great use to her plans in the future.

"Chosen One!"

"We've informed Ocko and the other captains. They've all received your message telling them to stand by Gangplank!"

"Still, I don't think it'll do any good! The city's in chaos, and he's seriously injured... If that old Blow hadn't suddenly been killed