~~~(POV: Justin Xander)~~~
~~~(Location: Training Field, Red's Hold, Aeternitatem Genesis)~~~
~~~(Day, Date, Time: Sunday, April 14th, 3:52 PM PST)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 19 Years)~~~
It's been a few minutes, and Mack Reego's screams haven't stopped. I don't know what they're doing to him in there. No matter what it is, he deserves every bit of it. Since they'll be busy with him for some time, I should check out the quest.
The player interface is soon open, and I click on the quest tab. I only have one active quest at the moment. However, it's almost completed after everything I've done in the last two hours.
---[Quest: A Task To Tedious For Nobility]---
[Difficulty: Hard] [Grade: Rare]
[Recomended Player Level: 35 or higher]
[Player Level EXP Reward: 20,000]
[Rewards: A Rep boost with Eliza Fard Cira Zada and the Cira Zada family.] [30 Gold.] [Possible Armor Blueprints. (Depends on how you handle the quest.)]
[Step 1: Locate the Bandit Camp known as (Reds Hold.)] [Completed!]
[Step 2: Clear the Bandit Camp (Reds Hold.)] [Completed!]
[Step 3: Kill the Bandit Camps leader, Left-Eye Mack.]
[Step 4: Free the captured people. (Optional.)] [Completed!]
[Step 5: Return to Eliza Fard Cira Zada for your rewards.]
The only two steps I have left to clear are killing Left-Eye Mack and returning to Eliza. The only problem is that now I've got five other people to take care of. That's if they want my help, which I can't necessarily expect.
After all, they've spent months under the abuse and torture of a man. Getting help from one might be out of the cards. I don't know that kind of trauma.
"I shouldn't expect this to be easy. If they don't want my help, I suppose my quest here is done. On the off-hand, if they want my help. I'll have to take extra time making sure the five of them get somewhere safe."
Suddenly, I hear Mack Reego's screams come to an end, and 100 EXP is added to my player level. The third step in the quest on the screen in front of me gets a completed next to it. Meaning, everything is done here in Red's Hold.
Interesting, I get EXP for his death even though I'm not the one who directly ended his life. Maybe it's because I did enough damage to him to gain credit for it? But I have no way of telling right now.
A few minutes pass, and the door next to me slightly opens. The five women slowly funnel out of the place where their torturer died.
They have blankets and sheets wrapped around their bodies. Doing their best to hide. The pity I feel for them is real. The weak preying on the strong is a common occurrence in a world where such gaps in power exist.
One of the women who've been here the longest looks at me, and she doesn't scowl or get angry. She just looks sad. I stop leaning against the wall and fold my arms as I look at them. Now, all their attention is on me.
"I'll understand if you don't want my help from this point on. Given I'm a man, getting some distance from my gender is probably what you need. Although, I can help escort you all to Geonia if you wish."
It'll add a couple of extra days to my quest, and I won't be logging off tonight if this is the case. I watch them process and measure my words, taking their time to decide individually. There is a heavy silence as I wait for an answer.
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I won't be using (EoC) on them. They've been violated enough. Seeing everything about them after all of this is stepping over a line in my head. Something about this situation makes my stomach turn if I use (EoC) on them.
The second of the two women with the large bellies steps forward. Making sure the blanket she has is wrapped around her tight.
"I'm in no condition to travel on my own... If you're willing, I could use your help getting to Geonia... Before that, can you tell me who you are and why you're here..."
Her voice is tired and weak. That's one person who'll take my offer of help; however, the other four are still thinking about it from the looks on their faces. An introduction is what I should've done from the start, but it slipped my mind.
A small breath enters my lungs as I think about my answer. Eliza didn't say I couldn't tell anyone I rescued that I was sent here on her behalf. So there shouldn't be any harm.
"My name is Zaediel. I was sent to (Red's Hold) to clear out of the bandits and kill Left-Eye Mack. Eliza Fard Cira Zada is one of two Viscountess-level nobles in Geonia, and she's the one who gave me this quest."
At the mention of Eliza, two of the five seem to perk up a little. Seems they might know her by reputation or something. If they only knew she gave this quest to me because she believed it was beneath her.
The second of the two women with large bellies also steps forward. It makes sense the two who are farthest along would want help. They look ready to pop.
"I'll also take your offer of help, Zaediel. Thank you for saving my life. My family lives in Geonia, so I'll be grateful if you can take me there."
As she finishes speaking, the third woman, who has a growing belly one-half the size of the other two, steps forward. She doesn't say anything but conveys she wants help with a look. She seems too scared to talk to me.
My eyes shift toward the other two, the ones who haven't answered whether they want help. They've been here the shortest time, so I can't say if they want my help.
The two of them share a look, and one of them shakes her head. Looks like these two aren't accepting the offer of help.
"We thank you for our rescue, Zaediel. However, after everything we've been through. We're not ready to trust men yet. We'll be taking our chances on our own."
Before I can say anything else, the one who spoke slings her arm around the other's back and guides her away from the group. My attention turns back to the three women who took my offer to help.
I don't want to acknowledge the looks of shame and pain on their features. They were violated beyond belief, and now they're carrying evidence of that violation.
I have yet to discover many things about AG. Especially the way society works in different places. Who knows if what they've been through will stigmatize them? Now, there are only three of us. I could ask for their names, but I don't want them to think I'm up to something.
"I arrived here on a Griffin I have on loan from Geonia. I'll retrieve him and bring him here. There is enough room for all of us. It should only be a few hours before we return to Geonia."
The truth is, if all five of them were coming together, that would make six people. That's too much for Roughtail. But with only four of us, that's just enough for Roughtail to carry. He's a big Griffin, and these women are on the smaller side.
Even with their large and growing bellies.
"Thank you again for saving our lives. When we reach Geonia, I'll make sure my family pays you for your efforts."
There isn't a need for that. All their lives have become so much harder after everything they've been through. Taking any more from them is cruel. I wave my hands in a denying motion and smile at them.
"You don't need to do that. I'm already being rewarded for this by the Viscountess. All you three need to worry about is getting better."
All of them look down at the ground. They have slightly grateful looks, but that's not needed either.
"Okay, I'll return in about 10 minutes. After that, we'll head out for Geonia."
They nod their heads, and I leave to retrieve Roughtail. There is still plenty of daylight out, and once I return to Roughtail, I find him taking a nap. I walk up to him and gently shake him awake. His head darts up, and he looks at me.
"Time for you to do some of the heavy lifting. We've got three more coming back with us."
He stands up to his full height and length and nods his head. I hop on his back, and we return to (Red's Hold.) We land inside the training field, and the three women await me.
They slowly approach and look over Roughtail. He's not the biggest Griffin the stable owner had, but he's enough for the four of us.
I hop off Roughtail, and after a second, he lowers himself to the ground. Knowing they'll need all the help they can get.
"I'll understand if you don't want my help getting on, but I'm here if you need it."
I stand beside Roughtail with my hand open for theirs if they want it. Surprisingly, each of them accepts the offer of help, and one by one, they're loaded on the back of Roughtail. Once they're secure, I take the spot in front of them.
The one behind me wraps her arms around my waist for better security. It has to be hard for her to do this. Hopefully, it doesn't take more than six hours to reach Geonia.
Now that everyone is ready, I use Roughtails harness, and we're off into the sky.