Chapter 62: Fox Family Affair
Nathan: “So, you and your family were traveling through the area, when you were ambushed by a group of bandits. They held your parents and forced you siblings to lure travelers into the woods, where they could rob them.”
Kou nodded, unable to form coherent sentences because of his crying. Nathan handed him a piece of cloth, to wipe his face. After hearing Kou’s story Nathan had come to a conclusion.
Nathan: “So they wanted to sell me off as a slave, looks like I have no choice but to deal with them.”
Kou: “*sniff* No, they didn’t want you as a slave, they were searching for your treasury.”
Nathan: “What, I don’t have any treasury.”
Kou: “You don’t have a stock pile of weaponry?”
Nathan: “………….Where did you hear this?”
Kou: “There’s a man in town selling high grade weaponry, but when they tried to find where he was keeping them, all they found was you.”
Nathan: “(Wait, is he talking about Ramol?)”
Nathan smacked himself in the head, he stupidly left Ramol without any protection.
Nathan: “Iris.”
Iris: “Yes, Master.”
Iris floated down from the trees, bringing the older sibling along.
Kou: “Ai”
Ai Spoke, but no sound came from her mouth.
Nathan: “Did you do that?”
Iris: “She kept screaming profanity at you, it seemed the only way to keep here quiet.”
Kou: “(Where’s that voice coming from?)”
Nathan: “Undo that, then go back to town and tell Anais to find Ramol and watch over him.”
Iris: “Is there something wrong?”
Nathan: “These two were being forced to lure me here, because someone saw Ramol selling my weapons. Tell her to stop anyone from looking to deep, anyone asking any unnecessary questions, send them away.”
Iris: “Will you be alright?”
Nathan: “I’ll be fine, just make sure they are alright and stay near them in case something happens, at least until they get home.”
Iris: “Understood, I will return as soon as I’m able.”
Iris took off disappearing into the trees. Leaving Nathan alone with the two siblings.
Kou: “Ai, your safe.”
Ai: “Kou, what did you do?”
Kou: “Huh?”
Ai: “Why did you tell him, don’t you understand, you’ve killed our parents.”
Kou: “N-no sis, he’ going to help us rescue them.”
Ai: “And you believed him, naive. He just saying what you want to here, once he found out what he wants he’ll just turn us over to the authorities and if that happens, our parents are as good as dead.”
Nathan: “Your parents are as good as dead anyway.”
Ai: “Bastard, shut your mouth.”
Nathan: “Your parents lives depend on you, as long as your useful they live, they said something like that right?”
Ai: “What!?”
Nathan: “Ha, I was right. I bet they said that once you do enough, they let you and your parents go.”
Nathan had their attention now, he was saying almost exactly what the bandits said to them.
Nathan: “Well, think about it, why would they let your parents go or you go for that matter? They got the best deal, you lure people into the woods, you knock them out, then they take their belongings and kill them. And on the off chance that someone escapes, the only people who will catch any punishments are the two who the witnesses can point out, you two.”
The siblings turned Paled, the more Nathan spoke, the grimmer their expression grew. The way it they looked made Nathan a little hesitant to say the rest, but they needed to hear it.
Nathan: “More importantly, in all this time you been working for them, have either of you checked to see if your parents were still alive?”
Kou: “Wh-What are you saying?”
Nathan: “I’m saying, that did either of you constantly asked for proof of your parent’s life. Their bandits, they live a life of scavenging, do you think they going to want to waste the little resources they have, taking care of someone else?”
Ai: “N-No way, they wouldn’t.”
Nathan: “Why wouldn’t they, all those people you lured to them were killed, do think they would think twice about doing it? I can hear them now, laughing at the both of you, carrying out their dirty work, for a reward your never get.”
Ai: “SHUT UP!”
Ai gritted her teeth as tears poured down her face. What she had just heard was too much and she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
Ai: “What are we supposed to do, they have our parents, the guards in the city won’t help some rogues and we don’t have any money to make a request at the guild?”
Kou had begun cry too, Nathan let the few snyare holding here in place sink back into the ground. Kou ran to his sister’s embrace, tears flowing to the ground around them. Realization after realization, they were coming to understand how cruel the world was to them. Nathan scratch his head, he understood, that the both of them had jumped to conclusion.
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Nathan: “Hey, get your upset, but could you lead me to the bandit’s hideout.”
Kou: “Why, their no reason to go anymore.”
Nathan: “What, don’t you want to save your parents?”
Ai: “STOP FUCKING WITH US, YOU JUST SAID THEY WERE DEAD!”
Nathan: “When did I say that?”
Ai: “CUT THE SHIT!”
Nathan: “You have a foul mouth for a little girl.”
Ai: “SHUT UP, YOU JUST TOLD US THAT THEY WEREN’T ALIVE.”
Nathan: “No, I said, there a chance they’re dead. But, there is also good chance their still alive as well.”
Kou: “Huh?”
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??????: “Hahahahahahaha, you wanna what?”
??????: “M-My children, I want know there okay, I just want to see them.”
The man laughed down at the Therian, as if he had said the best joke he had ever heard. The other men around were laughing down at the therian as well, he ignored and kept his bowed. He wanted desperately to see his son and daughter, ever since his family were capture by the group of bandits, he and his wife were forced to steal for them.
???????: “That wasn’t the deal Kashiro, you get your children back, when you finish what we asked you.”
Kashiro: “But we’ve been stealing for you for months, how much more must we steal? Please just let me them see me, so they know I’m still here.
??????: “……….You know what, I’m touched, hey bring they’re children here.”
Kashiro couldn’t believe what he was hearing, were they really letting them go.
???????: “But, only an eye, the rest of them stays there.”
Kashiro: “NO PLEASE, DONT.”
???????: “Huuh, but didn’t you wanted let them know everything will be alright, don’t worry a hand isn’t that important.”
Kashiro: “Please, I’m sorry, I want ask again, just, just don’t. Please Gideon.”
Gideon, the leader of the BloodFang bandits. Despite the rumors, Gideon wasn’t the bit intimidating at first glance. With his relatively small build and charming features, no one would guess that he was the leader of bandits or any criminal activities. Though behind his appearance was a cruel sadistic man, who drew pleasure form others submitting to him.
Gideon petted the head of the Therian woman sitting next to his chair, dress in extravagant clothing, they were like dolls. He rubbed their heads lovingly, but every touch sending shivers through their bodies, though neither dare not move, for pulling away, was met with swift discipline.
Gideon: “I just don’t get you mutt, I give you a way to finally see your children and you basically refusing my kindness. It’s Like your spitting in my face. It hurts, you know.”
Gideon’s men pretended to console his fake emotional state. Soon they all burst into laughter, both at the spectacle and Kashiro. The laughter soon died down and Gideon turned back to Kashiro.
Gideon: “So, how are you gonna earn my forgiveness, rejecting my kindness comes at a cost.”
Kashiro: “…………….”
Gideon: “Come on, nothing? oh, I know, your quota for this month has just been doubled.”
Kashiro: “What, but we can barely find anyone as is, to double it would be impossible.”
Gideon: “Of course it is, lucky for you, the tournament will be starting soon. You will have plenty of victims.”
Kashiro: “But they will all be high leveled warriors, I won’t be able to do anything against, even with my wife’s help.”
Gideon: “I’m sure you find a way. Or we can always go with the offer I gave you when first met. I would enjoy that immensely.”
Kashiro gritted his teeth, it took all his will power not to lunge at Gideon. Gideon noticed the sudden change and Kashiro posture and smiled. He hoped the Kashiro would try to attack him, but his hope’s were dash, as Kashiro held his composure.
Gideon: “*sigh* If you get it then hurry up and go. The next time you waste my time, I ‘ll give your children back. Piece by piece.
“Kashiro’s face went pale, upon hearing that. Gideon would definitely do it and make him watch as he carved his children up.
Gideon: “You only have until the end of the week. If you understand, I suggest you get up and get it done.”
Gideon waved him away, prompting two of his men to pick up Kashiro and lead him out. The toss Kashiro to the ground, laughing as they walked back inside. Gideon stretched out in his chair, he always enjoyed the mutts that asked him for favors. They’re reactions were funny, each time becoming much more hilarious. He felt it, it wasn’t long Kashiro surrender to him, then he would add another trophy to his collection. He estimated, within the next four days, Kashiro will willing offer his wife for his brats.
He laughed to himself, everything was going smoothly.
*Door open*
?????: “Gideon!?”
Gideon: “Jonathan, what is it?”
Jonathan caught his breath and fixed his glasses back on his face, before looking up to Gideon.
Jonathan: “There’s been an accident.”
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Kashiro: “Dammit!”
Koshiro bang his fist against a tree, his hand going numb from the impact. He ignored the pain, compare to the situation, the ache was nothing. He continued his trudged through the woods, heading back to the meeting place he set for his wife. Upon the thought, he remembered is wife, what would he say to her, how could he tell her that he failed again. He had refuse to take her with him, she was Gideon’s current object of desire. Even if she was there he doubt the outcome would have change, it might have actually been worse. These thoughts ran through his mind, his body was on auto pilot. Before he knew it, he had made it to the meeting area.
????????: “Kashiro?”
Kashiro was pulled from the depths of his mind, with the soft voice penetrated his ear. Looking up he sight was blesses with the sight of his wife. Her fox tail and ears a snowy white, like scene out of myth, she sat atop a large root, only moving wants she had notice her husband.
Kashiro: “Sari.”
Kashiro didn’t want to look up into his wife eye and tell her, yet again he failed to see their children. Sari was ecstatic to see her husband again, this time he returned to her relatively unharmed. He had a few scratches and his face was dirty, but he was okay. Though when she moved closer, Kashiro turned away.
Sari: “Kashiro?”
Kashiro: “I’m sorry, I……………I couldn’t see them.”
Sari was saddened by the news, but she was not surprise. Many times, they have attempted to see their children and each time they were denied. Sari didn’t say anything else, she wanted to see her children, probably more than her husband, but she knew anything she said right now, would hurt him further.
Kashiro: “He doubled the amount we have to gather.”
Sari: “What, by the end of the week, we couldn’t possibly do that.”
Kashiro: “He knows that.”
It was impossible, they could barely finish their original quota on time. To double the amount was, Gideon purposely setting them up for failure. Putting them in a corner, leading to the inevitable conclusion.
Sari: “……………I’ll do it.”
Kashiro: “What, no, Sari, we will find a way.”
Sari: “Kashiro, there is no other way, you know as well as I, that he has no intention of letting us leave as a family. If we are to see the kids again, we have to do this. Please understand.”
Kashiro pulled Sari in to his embrace, hugging her tightly.
Kashiro: “Don’t you understand what he will do to you, I won’t in good conscious ever try to understand. This is exactly what he wants, you.”
Sari: “My love, if we go on like this much longer, we we’ll lose everything, if we are to save our children, we must be willing to sacrifice.”
Kashiro: “Then let it be me who is sacrificed, please Sari, I’ll give him whatever he wants.”
Kashiro held her, refusing to let her leave, the moment he did he would lose her. Sari was tempted not to break his hold, the warmth she felt, would disappear. But, her mind was set, removing herself from his embrace, Sari turned and walked back the direction of Gideon’s hideout.
Sari: “Kashiro, there is only one thing he wants you to do.”
Watching her back as she made her way, Kashiro reached out his hand grabbing at her form, but she was already beyond his reach. She had made up her mind to save their children and nothing he could say would change that. He wished for a way to stop her, some way for them all to get away alive, but, no help what come to them. This world stop caring about their kind, long ago.