Banished Pt. 19

The man scoffed.

"I'm as good as dead anyway," he said, as he spat, and as I activated sensory perception, I felt something, as if I knew his heart had just exploded.

I focused on him, however, trying my best to commit his skillset to memory before his energy network condensed into its physical core state.

"I didn't do that, did I?" Bianca asked, and I shook my head.

"Suicide," I said.

We stripped him and I extracted his core, before turning and heading back to the others, but the sight I returned to was not what I'd expected.

"What the fuck happened?"

Lucia was shaking, blood soaked through the front of her cotton robes and splattered on her arms.

Francesca's expression was shell-shocked, and as my eyes narrowed on Blair, I realized that even she seemed a bit unsettled by the sea of corpses before them.

I turned to Francesca, and she shook off her stupor.

"I'm sorry, Nate; they just attacked. One of them used a skill, freed himself and everyone else... something that cut through the ropes."

"It looked like air currents," Blair said, and Francesca nodded in agreement.

"Did anyone get a look at them with sensory perception?"

Lucia nodded slowly, but I quickly realized she wasn't in the right state of mind to talk yet.

I gestured to her, and picked her up, taking out one of the cloaks I kept in my satchel, and using it to wipe away the blood from her face.

She wrapped her arms around me, then went quiet.

"I don't think we needed a scan to tell. They got stronger. By at least a tier..." Blair said, and I bit my lip.

Getting stronger was one thing, but to suddenly manifest abilities?

I was, however starting to get a clearer picture into the game that was being played, so my first instinct was to return to Casey, but... maybe we should actually do some hunting first?

I ran the suggestion by Francesca, who nodded in agreement.

Although the expression on her face still seemed pretty shaken.

Taking care of the bodies this time seemed almost impossible, partially because of what a mess it was, and also because of how many.

Besides, the primary reason for doing it was to keep our actions under wraps anyways... although, I did have plans to return eventually and make sure that everyone was respectfully laid to rest.

Instead, we harvested the cores and looted the armor and weapons, then set off on the hunt.

"South? We're heading south?"

The question came from Blair.

"Yeah?" I answered, and she frowned.

"The likelihood of running into anyone in this direction has to be like much lower. What're you playing at?"

"If anyone is hunting our main team, they'd probably pass this way," Francesca suggested, and I shot her a quick nod.

Blair, however, seemed irritated by that.

"They can handle themselves. I thought we were out here trying to actually hunt down some baddies."

I pulled the group to a stop.

"Yeah, but the hunters who might be going after the main group are likely to be the higher tier armored guys," I explained. "I kinda want some of those to interrogate."

Blair shook her head, as I turned to Iduma.

"Can you tell if anyone has been through here recently?" I asked, and the man nodded.

He crouched down to the ground, taking a look around, before moving to a bit of brush and pointing to a broken branch.

"The milsap is dried. There was a passage, but perhaps two, maybe three cycles past."

Blair clicked her tongue in annoyance, and I nodded, directing the group west for a bit, and then finally, north west, but even so, as we travelled for about thirty minutes without encountering anyone, I brought us to a stop again.

"Think they retreated to the fort?" Francesca asked, and I bit my lip, nodding.

"It's possible. Darkness is only, what? Two hours away?"

"Do we press on?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"No, I wanna get us settled in for the night too."

We turned around, and using my tracking ability to keep an eye on the other group, I led our party in their direction, and after a little over an hour, we came to our old campground.

"Holy shit..." Francesca breathed, and I nodded.

"The trees sure have grown," I said.

We'd approached the camp from the northern side, taking us past the area where we'd lain the fallen Kobalt to rest from our first big battle against the aufhöcker/geisterung onslaught, and the trees we'd planted were already standing some ten or twelve feet tall.

They stood out against the forest, however, with barks that were a curious yellow color, and long, oblong shaped leaves that hung low from the upward reaching branches.

Casey walked over as soon as she saw us, but she stopped as soon as she saw where Lucia was headed.

I gestured to Francesca to go over and give her a quick briefing of what'd happened, as I turned and headed over to where the child was now kneeling.

There was a lone, solitary tree standing some fifteen feet away from where the rest of the trees stood, with that same distinctive bark color that differentiated it from the rest of the forest.

Lucia's hands were clasped together, and when I got close, I saw the tears streaming down her face.

She was sobbing quietly, but as I moved to her side, she didn't run to me the way she usually did, and as I got down onto my knees beside her, she didn't unclasp her hands to take mine.

I rested a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze as I knelt there beside her, and we remained there for what felt like about half an hour, before she finally moved.

"Nathan. I don't wanna lose Cammy."

I tilted my head at her.

'I' huh?

Was that the first time she'd referred to herself as I?

"I don't wanna lose her either... or you."

Lucia looked up at me, wiping at her eyes a little, before getting off of her knees, and moving slowly into my arms.

I held her, as she turned back to the tree.

"Nathan... I miss him."

"I know you do..."

She shook her head.

"I hate Hans... I hate him for taking away my seed-giver. But Nathan... I don't hate belonging to you."

I let out a little laugh.

Jeez, I'd probably cry right now if I had feelings, wouldn't I?

I ruffled Lucia's hair and she pouted a little.

"Nathan does that to Byaka," Lucia said, putting a hand on her hip, and I chuckled.

"You don't want me to do it anymore?"

She shook her head.

"Then what do you want me to do?"

Lucia thought about it for a second, then taking my hand, she kissed the back, then brought it to her forehead, nuzzling my hand as she did, and I smiled at her.

"I can do that," I said.

I picked Lucia up, and we made the short trek to the little stream that ran beside the campground, and I washed her thoroughly of all the blood and grime.

"Are you sure you like this life?" I asked. "All the fighting, and killing... you don't have to do this, you know."

Lucia frowned, a worried expression on her face, and I rested a hand against her cheek.

"I wouldn't send you away. You could still be my daughter. I'd still let you sleep with me, and I'll take care of you. But you don't have to fight..."

Lucia shook her head.

"First, Lucia wanted revenge for her life-bringer; then she wanted to save Cammy. But Lucia... I- I want to protect Nathan."

I laughed, studying the child with a renewed sense of appreciation for her resolve, and after washing her up, I scooped her up and led her back to the campground.

But I'd hardly made the walk there when I could sense Lucia slipping off to sleep in my arms.

"Is there a sleeping area?" I asked Casey, and she nodded.

I headed straight there, setting Lucia down as I did, and as she curled up, her hands wrapped around my own hand, I pulled her onto my lap and stroked her back soothingly.

"She did one hell of a job today for a kid," I said.

"She did," Casey confirmed. "I'm guessing you all ran into trouble?"

I nodded.

"Our captives here... did anything happen to them?"

"Happen?" she asked. "Like what?"

"Like, suddenly manifesting abilities. Or their physical abilities going up by a tier."

Casey shook her head.

"No, but I'll have Molly check on them just in case."

As she called the girl over to pass on the instructions, I laid back, adjusting Lucia's position beside me so we could rest more comfortably, and Casey eyed me.

"Going to bed already?"

"In a little bit. I won't be able to deplete safely, but I'll need the rest to make it through our night mission," I explained. "Have Francesca, Blair and Bianca sleep too. What's the status on Jordan?"

"He should be on his way back here by now."

Casey took a seat beside me, glancing at Lucia as she did.

"You actually love Lucia; don't you..." she finally said, and I looked up at her.

"Of course, I do. What do you mean by that?"

She shook her head.

"I really wasn't sure you could, but I think I felt something from you today. It was strange."

I eyed her questioningly.

"Strange, how?"

She shrugged.

"I dunno. I guess I'd read about it, and heard about it. And when I felt it, I knew what it was. But I'm pretty sure I've never felt an outpouring of love like that for anyone... or anything, before."

"Not even for me?" I teased, and she sighed.

"That's a different kind of love, I think."

I reached for her hand with my free hand, and gave it a squeeze.

"To think; a day would come when you could openly talk about loving me without having an existential crisis," I teased.

"I'm still having them. I'm just getting a little better at hiding it," she replied, smiling a little.

"What's your full name?" I asked, and Casey raised an eyebrow.

"My full name? What do you need that for?"

"I want to know this woman who is so helplessly and thoroughly in love with me," I said, and she scoffed.

"Her name is Cameron Davidson, and we're trying to rescue her," Casey replied.

"Davidson, huh?"

"You didn't know that? You were having a baby together and playing husband and wife and you didn't know her last name?" Casey asked incredulously, and I shrugged.

"It just never came up," I replied. "Now what's yours?"

"Weyland. Casey Weyland."

I smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Casey Weyland."

Casey scoffed.

"Funny to say when we've been... uh-"

Her words trailed off as her eyes flicked to Lucia curled up beside me, and I snickered at her.

"Cameron would have chewed you out," I said. "Bianca already taught her one word she isn't supposed to know about just yet."

"Bitch?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"She shouldn't be saying that either, but this one was more of a... thing that adults do," I said, and she shook her head.

"What? Taxes?"

I chuckled at her.

"Did you ever have to do taxes?" I teased, and Casey shook her head. "Didn't think so."

"Yet you think I'm supposed to be able to manage your kingdom, for some reason."

I shrugged.

"You have the ability, though," I said, and she let out a sigh.

"I'm not sure how many of the others agree with that."

"No-one doubts your ability, Case. They were just worried about your ability to... be objective. When it comes to me, at least."

"Well. I am working on it. Aren't I?" she asked, and I nodded, giving her hand another squeeze.

As we spoke, Molly came over, and took a seat beside Casey.

"What's the verdict?" I asked, and Molly sighed.

"Their abilities are unchanged. Hell, Nate. I'm not sure they're much higher tiered than brand new arrivals," she said, and I nodded.

"I suspect that Ethan took them right out of starter halls," I replied, and Molly sighed again.

"So, we're killing complete innocents here, then?"

"If we think of it like that, we're not gonna make it far in this world," Casey interjected. "Innocent or not, they're not on our side right now, and we can't go getting ourselves killed by being indecisive."

As I looked up at Casey, however, something occurred to me.

"Maybe that's exactly what Ethan wants," I said, and Casey frowned.

"What makes you think that?"

"Killing was the safest, most logical route to proceed, right?" I asked, and Casey nodded. "Well, there are two groups out there from what I can tell. Newbies, and newbie hunters. Which group were we likely to plow our way through first?"

"Newbies," Molly said, and I clicked my tongue, aiming my finger at her.

"Exactly."

Molly frowned, however, as she thought about it.

"Something's bothering me though. Why go through all of this trouble just to play games with us? Couldn't he just make some super soldier hunters of his own and set them on us?" Molly asked, and Casey sighed.

"It means either he's stalling for time for some reason, or he's just really hell-bent on torturing Nate as much as possible," she explained, but as she looked at me, I somehow sensed that she was reading what was on my mind.

If Ethan was going to these lengths to delay us, then he really did need the seven days...

But why?

There's no way that it would that long for Cameron's wound to heal, but... that roughly aligned with the day my son would have been born, didn't it?

What if...

What if my child was still alive?

"Nate..."

"I know," I replied, cutting Casey off before the thought could properly register, and Molly shot a quick glance between us, but as Lucia's hand tightened around my fingers, I took a deep breath in and nodded.

"We need to find a way to strike at the hunters while staying clear of the T-ones," I said, and Casey nodded.

"If Ethan really is biding his time, then they won't attack tonight, huh?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"Kind of seemed as if they all retreated to that fort of theirs for the night," I said, and she nodded.

"Get some sleep," she replied. "I'll try to see what I can come up with."

Molly shot me a look, before nodding, and following Casey as she headed off.

As I tried to lay back and nod off, however, I quickly found it to be a bit more difficult than usual.

Was our child really still alive?

The thought made me feel the urge to take up my weapon and make a beeline for that fort, but I knew full well that there was no logic to that approach.

"Psst. Psst, Nate? Are you up?"

I turned around to spot Bianca crouched low near some bushes a few feet south of where I was lying.

"Yeah; what're you-?"

"Shh. Casey said I was supposed to sleep and leave you alone. I can't sleep though."

I shook my head, but given my own struggle with sleeplessness, I patted the bedding beside me, and she crawled timidly towards me.

"You don't have to hide. I'm sure Casey would have-"

My words trailed off as I noted that Bianca seemed to be shifting uncomfortably.

She and Casey really didn't get along, huh?

I wiggled around a little bit as she crawled over, and Lucia groaned a little at the adjustment.

"You really sleep with the brat all the time?" Bianca asked, and I chuckled nervously.

"Not all the time, but with Cameron gone, she's... having a tough time."

Bianca turned on her side, looking over at Lucia.

"Her dad died here, huh?"

I nodded.

"We planted a tree over there. Where he was buried," I said, nodding with my head, and Bianca frowned.

"When my dad died, I didn't even go to the funeral," Bianca said, and I bit my lip.

"Husband wouldn't let you?"

"Nope, he went. They were 'business partners', or whatever. I just didn't really care."

"Hmm. Troubled childhood, huh?" I asked, and she scoffed.

"Troubled? I got to do whatever I want, and I got everything I wanted. Most people say they would have killed for a childhood like that," she said, but contrary to her words, I saw a lingering kind of sadness in her eyes; especially as she looked over at Lucia curled up beside me.

"Got to do whatever you wanted, huh? Then you must hate it here. Being told what to do. Barely getting anything," I teased, and she looked up at me.

"S' not so bad," she muttered, settling into the nook of my arm. "Never thought I'd actually kill someone, though."

I pulled her closer as she settled in beside me.

"Do you regret it?" I asked, but she shook her head.

I'd kill anyone who tries to take this away from me.

I studied her for a moment, until it dawned on me that she didn't realize that she'd sent me that thought, and I gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"I wouldn't let anyone take you away from me either," I said.

She looked up at me with a slightly confused expression, before nodding, a kind of spacey look on her face.

With Bianca by my side, however, I felt much more relaxed and at ease, but as I drifted off to sleep, the feeling seemed to be cut short as I felt myself being shaken awake after what seemed like just mere moments later.

"Ugh. How long did I sleep?"

"Four hours," Casey said.

Bianca was up and sitting off to the side, Lucia at her side, and to my surprise, her arm around the younger girl.

I let out a disgruntled groan as I sat up and stretched.

"Sometimes I really feel my age in here," I said, and Casey shook her head.

"That's not age, just maybe... overexertion catching up to you. You're running like a hundred miles a day in armor and carrying a ton of weight while fighting and using abilities," she reminded me, and I nodded.

"What'd I miss?" I asked, as she pulled me onto my feet.

"Raul is here, but uh... well, you should see for yourself."

I raised an eyebrow at her, and she shrugged, gesturing for me to walk on ahead.

I took a quick look around, trying to get my bearings, when I noted a contingent of Kobalt over to the left, and Casey nodded as I eyed her.

As we made our way over, however, I caught sight of Alva, but beside her was... a knight?

I shook my head a bit, as the figure was wearing what looked like white, ceremonial armor, and as I got closer, I noted that there even seemed to be a kind of aura of brilliance radiating from it.

"Holy fucking hell, man. Did you raid Palancar's armory or what?"

Raul turned at the sound of my voice, biting his lips nervously.

"Nate; this is my old set," he said, and I shook my head, laughing a little.

"Shit, are you serious? What happened to it?"

Alva stepped forward.

"Nathan," she bowed slightly. "Your subject has made his oath, fulfilling the requirements of his position."

I laughed.

"An oath, huh? What was it?"

Alva nudged Raul, and he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"I, uh... I decided on something, to atone for my actions... back when I was hunting newbies."

"Oath of redemption, then? What's the condition?"

"To never kill another sentient being ever again," he said, and I raised an eyebrow.

"I see. And the fancy armor?"

"It doesn't shear off, no matter what. I don't even expend energy to use its protective qualities anymore," he explained, and I let out a whistle.

"Fucking hell. That's amazing."

"His oath grants him more than mere armor, Nathan," Alva interjected. "Show him your token."

Raul withdrew the little stone piece, handing it to Alva.

"Look into the core," Alva said, and I nodded. "To utilize the full power granted by his pledge, Herr Raul must be suitably armed, and there are pieces we lack."

As I studied the core, I noted that gauntlets, shoulder guards and shin guards were also required, but there was one more piece that I didn't expect to see.

"Fuck. A shield?"

I turned to Casey.

"I keep forgetting to ask, but why the fuck are there no shields in the catalog?"

"Because, back when shields were in there, the survival rate of otherworlders was well over forty percent. That didn't benefit the company," she explained.

"So, no shields in this world?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"The catalog isn't the be all and end all of what an adventurer has access to. It just means that all shields are either custom made, or legacy items."

I turned to Raul's token again, and as I studied it, two skills seemed to be manifesting inside of it.