Luke found a quaint spot in the forests around the Ruined Realm.
Swinging Xera around casually, he made short work of the Fool Marked Spiders. He used Polar South and searched with his senses as a safety precaution. Moving to hide behind a tree, Luke removed the black tal mask and returned to his regular appearance. Sooty cawed in happiness and flew around excitedly.
She did not appear to like the form the mask gave her. Luke couldn't bla her. Checking on the small brood of spiders he slaughtered, a scant few white orbs entered into his Inventory. Luke had previously attached the two spatial bags he had pillaged earlier. Both turned out to be eight-slot bags, now bound to his inventory slots.
"Is it weird to be dreading sorting out all this loot? Excited at the sa ti in a way." Luke said, speaking to both his artifacts.
"Is this where we stop being poor? You haven't pampered yet." Xera asked.
Luke tapped Xera as he strode toward the road out of the forest, "I pamper you plenty with all those fights you ask to do. Reminds , I need to take you to a trinket master, don't I, Wayfinder?"
Wayfinder opened his clasp and closed it in acknowledgnt.
"I'll track one down."
Sooty soared in the sky above the trees. Another bird flew next to her. Luke checked on her every so often, but Sooty showed no signs of distress. Curtly greeting hunter parties on the way out of the twisted tree forest, Luke exited to the more spacious grasslands.
There were vast tracks of cultivated land. And in the corner of his eye, close to Sylen, a lake as the basin of accumulated river water. Traders traveled up and down its waters, entering the constructed port. When Luke focused, he could make out various dock workers loading and unloading cargo. What caught his eye, however, were ard n and won coming in through the port and refugees leaving.
As Luke ca to the triway road point, a clogged line of people rushed down the central road—all fleeing to the safer interior. The sight dampened his mood. Part of him understood that these people were likely not a combat class and had to do what they could to survive.
But if so few would fight, how would this situation the four races found themselves in ever change? Industry, research, and infrastructure help, and Luke found solace in that viewpoint, but it was too lazy of a worldview. At the end of the day, soone had to kill the beasts, creatures, and godly servants coming here.
Luke found plenty of cutting-edge research and industry-required materials that could only be acquired through dungeons, towers, and wild, hostile creatures. He imagined that the further up in quality, the less progress could be made from your typical 'support' classes, as they had a shortage of adequate materials to source, create, or produce with.
Blinking rapidly, Luke took himself out of his reverie. These were problems he could not solve. Delving into madness over them would do no good. He cut through the grasslands once more, trying not to entangle himself with the people flooded roads. He ca to the gate with only a minority entering—the process was painlessly easy this ti.
He was sure his now-known identity as a Defier among the guards smoothed things over significantly. Sooty found herself annoyed by the new bird in the sky, who tried to mate with her. The crow swatted it with a talon, and it flew off, squawking. She dove down and sat on Luke's shoulder.
"Popular with people and the boys, I see," Luke said.
Sooty slapped Luke on the neck with a wing.
"Poorly received and in bad taste. Point taken." Switching subjects, Luke asked, "Are you still friends with Lulu, Sooty?"
The crow turned head away from Luke and refused to answer.
Better not force it. I do feel bad for Lulu, however, maybe Iona and I can do sothing about this.
"Hungry for anything?"
Sooty closed her eyes and lowly cawed, dismissing Luke.
"Alright, fine, I'll leave you alone. I didn't intentionally make you a shadowy eldritch horror, but sorry you feel that way about it."
As Luke navigated the busy streets, rchants hawked their wears out to him. Refugees begged on the street or tried to leave the city. The guard patrols were overwheld. In the confusion, Luke ca to the slums in the south quarter.
There, he found an unexpected building.
The structure was broad and expansive, but wear and tear dragged down its forr glory. It was created from a mix of wood and stone. An extraordinarily tall fence enclosed this dwelling. Children from the youngest ages to near adult-hood in this world, likely around age fifteen, played together in the stamped-down grounds. A solid wall connected to the street Luke was on separated the area from the rest of the slums. The only way to reach this place was by road. Or by rooftop.
A well-worn steel-like gate closed him out. In regular circumstances, Luke would not care. However, Sooty opened her eyes and rattled loudly, telling him to stop. An old but kind-looking elf guard manning the gate rubbed his eyes. Observing Luke, he said, "Are you here to adopt, sir? I presu you've gone through the proper channels and filed the paperwork?"
Luke swiveled his head around and, seeing no one else in the vicinity, spoke to the guard, "This is an orphanage? My companion here wants to visit the children." Luke tapped Sooty's nails, "Have you been here before Sooty? And, if so, when?"
Sooty said yes with a coo but kept mum on the other question.
Must be when Lulu and her went to play. Or when she flew off in the night back at the Jolly Cat Inn.
The guard opened a palm, "The children always love to play with the companions the hunters bring. They especially adore when Defier Iona brings her owl and bear around. Could you let see your sigil stone for record keeping, sir? We need to keep track of who visits the children for visits or adoption."
Having no issue with the simple request, Luke summoned the sigil stone from his Inventory and tossed it over to the guard. The old elf froze imdiately, bowing deeply. He said, "You're the Defier Luke we were sent a mo about this morning. These old eyes are starting to fail, sorry to not recognize you, Defier."
"I probably couldn't recognize all the Defiers myself. Never seen half of them, being this new. Is Sooty able to co in and visit?"
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Absolutely, Defier, allow a chance to open the gate."
The guard went over to his station and pulled a lever. The gate opened, and Luke slowly walked inside. Thinking the gear he wore might scare the children, he cursed internally.
Should've changed first before coming in.
Oblivious to Luke's worries, a small elf girl cheerily yelled, "Look, it's the birdie from yesterday! Did she bring her dad with her? Woah…." The little elf girl ran up but put an arm over her brows, shielding herself from the sun's rays, "Miss Birdy, did Lulu co this ti too?"
Sooty did co here with Lulu. Solves that mystery.
Luke spoke for his non-vocal companion, "Sooty-"
Other children started to swarm toward Luke, but the little elf girl interrupted Luke innocently, "Is Sooty Miss Birdy?"
The young man smirked at that, "Yes, Sooty is Miss Birdy's real na that I gave her. She's here to play with you all from the looks of it."
Sooty hopped off his shoulder and lightly pecked at the elf girl's hand. She giggled, "Sooty! Sooty!" she said, trying to say the na enough to rember. The other children surrounded Luke, and they tried to touch Sooty with their tiny hands. A worried orphanage worker ca by, a young human woman with brown hair and blue eyes. She asked, "And who are you, sir?" A light entered her expression at a thought, "Are you here to adopt?"
Luke lightly waved his hand, "No, my life is much too dangerous to try and take care of a child." Luke glanced at Sooty, "The bird your kids are trying to smother is my companion, Sooty. I'm Luke, her owner if you can call that. She's more my family."
The young woman blushed at the false guess, "I saw Lulu bring another bird yesterday and wondered who the owner could be. So it's you. I'm Alia, one of the workers here. I tend to watch over the children when they're outside playing." She smiled at him.
Luke offered a hand to her, which so of the taller children touched, and asked him, "Are you strong, mister? Do you fight the big bad monsters? How did you get a pet bird? I want a pet bird…do birds poop? What color is it?" The kids bombarded him with questions, and Luke couldn't keep up.
When he freed his hand, Alia lightly shook it. She asked, "We're always grateful to the hunters who bring their companions to play with the children. They love it. How long do you plan to stay?"
Luke rummaged through his plans. He had to et Veyri at the hunter's branch in the Defier's guild later today. With the sun high in the sky, it had to be right after noon at the worst. He said, "An hour or two. From the looks of it, that's all Sooty can handle anyway." The kids started to brush Sooty's talons and take turns pampering her.
The munchkins also wrapped around Luke's legs, asking him questions in such a disordered ss Luke could only tune it out. Alia ca to his rescue. Wagging her finger, she said, "Now children, Mr. Luke here needs his space. If you've got questions, you can ask in order or not ask at all."
Batting their eyes at Alia, so of the children started with a "But Ms.Alia…"
"No buts." She said. Alia gently took Luke out of the circle of kids. Luke checked in on his crow one more ti. Sooty looked right at ho. The children were surprisingly aware of her boundaries. Luke was seated in an old wooden rocking chair, one of several on the porch that comprised the front of the orphanage.
"Can I get you anything to drink?" Alia asked. A small group of children broke off from the circle around Sooty and ca over near Luke, forming a line.
"Water, if you could," Luke said.
Alia ca back holding a glass of water and found Luke patiently answering questions from two kids who demanded to sit on his knees, "Yes, the sword is real, no, you can't touch it. Why? Because you could hurt yourself."
Right that mont, Xera shouted out, "Boo!" And the kids scread in delight, rushing off to tell their friends.
Xera cackled, "I knew I'd get the chance. The patient sword always wins!"
Alia dropped the water glass by accident, overco with the shock. Annika was not the sort to visit these children, aning Xera was the first speaking weapon she laid her eyes on.
Luke tapped Xera on her hilt, "I'll admit, you tid it pretty well. You also scared the daylights out of Alia, though."
Xera spoke to Alia, "Sorry, Ms. Children Lady, but you're quite the looker. Are you interested in dating my master?"
Alia turned red as a tomato and started to spout incomprehensible words, "Ah, um, talking sword, dashing man, new bird." She put a hand over her forehead, "I think my head is spinning."
Luke looked down at Xera, "What weird stuff are you saying? Alia here, and I t about ten seconds ago." The Reaver blasted past the mont and looked at one of the children, waiting patiently and not running in circles gossiping about the talking sword. Luke greeted the teenage monic girl. He said, "Yes? Sorry for the wait."
The monic girl slowly shook her head and gestured for other girls to check on Alia, who was in a muddled state. The girl said, "You're not just trying to avoid fighting the monsters like the other cowards who co here, are you? I an, you're not Iona or one of the tower climbers, so what are you doing here?"
Alia roused from her state and scolded the girl imdiately, "Jania, that's an incredibly rude thing to say. These hunters put their lives on the line every day. So what if they take a break to bring the children joy like Luke?"
Jania argued, "If these hunters were as strong as they say, then why did I have to see my parents get eaten by monsters and beco an orphan!" Jania looked at Luke balefully, her anger at the world misplaced on the Reaver. "You must think you're important and powerful with that sword of yours. Hunters like Iona or Lesus would grind you to dust in a second. I hate all you self-important posers."
Rembering how Iona manhandled him multiple tis already, Luke thought, She's not wrong.
"Young lady, to your room this instant. The reason we have a place to live in peace at all is due to their sacrifice, you would do well to rember that."
Luke let another lazy thought enter his head; Alia sure does speak like a mother.
Disgruntled, Jania stord off inside the orphanage, and most of the other teenage girls followed after her. Alia ca up to Luke, "I'm very sorry for her outburst. Many of the children here are orphans from rampant cri or monster attacks."
Pensive, Luke said, "Is it common for them to think that way? That hunters aren't doing enough for society? I'm not offended. She only told the truth about Iona. I can't beat that elf powerhouse at all."
Alia gaped, "Do you happen to know Iona? She's the favorite of all the children here."
Luke crossed his arms, "I do. She's the one that put through the Defier's test. She's helped a ton since becoming a Defier."
"You- your!"
"Yes, yes, I'm that new Defier. So over that reaction now. Sooty wanted to play with the kids, and she happens to be my companion. Don't worry about anything else. Anyway, it's about ti I go. If Sooty wants to co back, I'm sure we'll et again."
The caretaker said, "Let see you to the gate, Defier Luke."
"I'd prefer just Luke."
"Luke, then."
Walking off the porch, the two walked together to the gate. The image made the children gossip about if 'Ms. Alia' had a new boyfriend. Leading the woman to blush harshly once more. Luke tactfully ignored the hints and called, "Sooty, ti to go. If you really want to stay, I won't force you to co with . But I've got to leave."
Sooty cawed at the children, and after letting each of them pat her goodbye, she flew up to Luke's shoulder and landed. Luke turned to Alia, "Good luck with the children. I'll be by again whenever Sooty feels like it."
Alia looked like she wanted to say sothing but couldn't bring herself to. She only twirled her hair with a finger and said, "We'd be happy to have you by anyti, Luke. Sooty, and you are welco."
Waving off the children and Alia, Luke left with Sooty on his shoulder. He gave the guard a handful of silver and a gold piece as he passed by, "I noticed so of those kids seem malnourished. Keep a silver for yourself and use the rest to buy the kids extra food. I'll be by."
The old elf guard looked surprised, "Why, you're practically the male version of Iona, only with one less companion. She does the sa thing every ti she visits. Without her and other generous hunters, this orphanage would've had to close down."
Moving away from the guard but looking forward, "I'll be sure it doesn't. Kids need a safe place to grow if their parents made the final sacrifice."
Images of the past haunted the forefront of Luke's mind. As he wandered the streets, mories of starving kids in sheds appeared at every corner. Every turn had such a sad situation when he visited his dad on leave during service. At the ti, he could do little.
He was different now.
As Luke traveled through the city, he lay eyes on the Defier Guild's entrance. A pervading whisper to all of Sylen ruined his jovial mood.
"Hear ye, foodstuffs of the third pantry, distastefully renad by you cattle as the 'Duchy of Elaria,' my god, Succoria, has blessed the Banner. In ten days, we shall descend on your food basket nad Sylen and claim our rightful tribute. The lesser gods have sent their envoys and diplomats, but it is I, Yuirel, that shall smite those of you who resist. Unto thee, a holy crusade is declared. Fatten yourselves well."
The terms confused Luke, but he got the aning after connecting the dots. He said, "The Tide."
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