Motte and I found a place away from the wreckage to rest. We sat with our backs against a fallen tree and watched the sunrise. It was the only moment of peace I felt since waking up in this new world despite the chaotic view. There was smoke rising from the ashes of the encampment. Flickering fires too small to grow, and broken machines letting out strained whirling sounds.

I checked on both Motte’s stats and mine and nothing had changed from the night before except for Motte regaining a single HP. He must have gained it back while we rested. Despite behind exhausted to the point where I could hardly move, I didn’t fall asleep. Instead, I kept my eyes open hoping to see Lucy. I didn’t know where she ran off to after we got separated.

The sun had peaked over the distant tree line its morning rays casting long shadows across the scorched earth. At the moment the sun escaped the horizon I saw movement on the far end of the clearing. Several large vehicles drove out from the shade of the trees. They were boxy trucks with large backs that reminded me of armored vehicles in bank heist movies.

The trucks came to a halt and the back doors opened up. Several people piled out of the trucks wearing different colored jackets and long coats. They had logo-printed hats, and heavy boots, and carried satchels at their sides. They dispersed among the wreckage Surveying with their ARC Bands. A few had called their Essemon to aid them. Most of the Essemon they used looked like dogs but with each had unique features that made it obvious they weren’t regular animals.

“Sir? Sir, are you alright?” A young girl with a green cap and fire-red hair came to kneel next to me. “Are you hurt? What happened here?”

The girl talked fast and I didn’t understand half of what she was asking me so all I could think of saying to her was that I was fine. She said something in her ARC Band as if it was a walkie-talkie then swiped in the air and an item materialized in the air in front of her. It looked like a spray bottle filled with swirling red liquid. She turned to Motte and gave him a few sprays. In an instant, Motte’s body healed and he leaped to his feet.

“Wow! Thank you very much.” Motte exclaimed.

“She doesn’t understand you. Remember?” I said back to him. The girl looked at me with raised eyebrows. “He says thank you.”

She gave me a smile and then pulled out a medical kit from her satchel. “Unfortunately, we don’t have healing items for people. Rest, plenty of water, and a few bandages are all we can give you right now.” She retrieved a roll of gauze and medical tape and started wrapping my hands and forehead. It hurt for a second but then the pain began to subside.

What was it about having a bandage that made things hurt less? I couldn’t help but think of my mom putting a small bandage on my knee when I had fallen off my bike and scraped it bad. I remembered that the bandage had little cartoon cars that were smiling and it made me smile in return.

After a few minutes, another person came running up to us and handed me a bottle of water. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was until that moment. Breathing in smoke and running through fire will dehydrate you. Once I finished my second bottle of water I finally asked her who they were.

“We are The Rangers League.” She said as if that explained everything. “Did you see what happened here?”

“Uh… yeah. We were camping nearby when we heard an explosion. When we came over we saw a bunch of people capturing Essemons and destroying the forest. We helped as many Essemon as we could but then there was this giant Essemon and this dude in a suit. It was a lot to take in. Do you know who was behind all of this?”

“Some very bad people.” She said looking off into the distance.

When I realized she wasn’t going to elaborate I asked her what the Rangers League was. She didn’t answer me right away instead she pulled up her ARC Band and Surveyed me which was something I never thought of doing before. Could come in handy in the future. She scrunched her eyebrows as she read her display then stood up and talked into the ARC Band. I couldn’t hear what she was saying but from the look on her face, it wasn’t good.

“Excuse me,” I spoke up. “Can you explain what’s going on? What is The Rangers League and what are you people doing?”

“My supervisors can answer your questions. Can you walk?” She asked without looking at me.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

I nodded and stood with a groan. My body was sore all over, I had a pounding headache and my chest felt tight from anxiety. Where was Lucy? The redhead motioned for me to follow her and headed straight for the armored vehicles. I reluctantly fell in line with her step and Motte bounded in next to me.

“Where are we going?” Motte asked me.

“I don’t know and I don’t have a good feeling about this,” I said as quietly as possible.

I heard Motte let out a muffled laugh and asked him what was so funny.

“Do you think everyone else who comes to Asherik has the same experience as we’ve had in the last twenty-four hours?”

“I doubt it.”

We both let out an exasperated sigh as we turned the corner of the first truck and came face to face with Zaria Weathers. A tall woman with silver straight hair, that hung to her waist, vibrant red lipstick, and a heavy duster. She was talking to a young man who was showing her something on his ARC Band. The woman who had escorted us came to a short stop and waited for Zaria to acknowledge her.

“See that the records are collected and any injured Essemon receives healing tonics,” Zaria commanded.

“Right away Lady Zaria.” He turned on his heel and walked away.

“Ah, Aurora. Is this the young Bonder you reported in?” Zaria asked.

“Yes, Lady Aurora. He has no registration and we have no records of his arrival.” Aurora answered.

“What’s your name?” Zaria turned and asked me.

“Ben Hunting. Who are you people?” I asked.

“Which starting city did you arrive at Ben Hunting?”

“I didn’t. I arrived in the middle of Eversprout Forest. Face first in the grass with a little mushroom guy staring at me. Look I don’t know what’s going on but I have had a rough day and night and I would like someone to be straight with me.” I couldn’t believe how forward I was. Maybe I had finally reached my breaking point. Facing off against a giant snake, a flaming hedgehog and a butterfly the size of an airplane really toughens a guy.

Zaria focused her eyes on me and studied me with a questioning glare. “Well, Ben Hunting my name is Zaria Weathers. I am the Lady Captain of the Rangers League and it seems you somehow bypassed the registration that all new Bonders to Asherik must undertake. I don’t know how you ended up in Eversprout, but what I do know is that you need to get to a starting city soon. Azure City is the closest one to us. A few days west of here. Seeing as you are not registered I am going to assume you have no currency or transportation.”

“I was already planning on going to Azure City,” I said.

“Do you know the way?” Zaria asked.

“Well… no, but I did meet a girl who said she could take me there. ”

“What’s this girl’s name?”

“Lucy. She was being attacked when I got here and Motte and I helped her out so she was going to take us to Azure City as a thanks.”

“Hmmm,” Zaria folded her arms. “Come with me. Aurora you as well.”

We were led to another one of the armored vehicles to which Zaria opened the back and bade us look inside. Lucy was sitting inside the vehicle with her hands bound behind her back.

“Lucy?” I said in disbelief.

“Oh… Hey Ben. Umm… This isn’t what it looks like.” Lucy said.

“What it is — Is someone illegally selling Cores.” Zaria chimed in.

“It’s only illegal because you Rangers demand a cut of our profits.” Lucy spat back.

“Is she under arrest?” I asked.

“For now. She’s been selling Cores in underground markets. Unmarked and unregistered. Ben, Asherik is a dangerous place and if it wasn’t for the Rangers League there would be nothing but lawlessness and death. Look around. This is what happens when people do whatever they want,” Zaria motioned at all the destruction that surrounded us. The other Rangers were working on cleaning up the debris and helping out Essemons. “People like Lucy.”

“Lucy was helping free the Essemon. If it wasn’t for her things could have been worse.” I gave Zaria my best stern look. I’m sure I looked ridiculous doing so but I didn’t know what else to do.

“What would you have me do Ben?” Zaria asked folding her arms with a smirk.

“I need a guide. I want to go home and it seems my only answer is in one of the so-called starting cities. Lucy was willing to take me. I can vouch for her and you can take my word that she won’t do anything illegal while she is with me.” I said.

“Your word means nothing to me. We just met yet I’m in a forgiving mood today. Seeing as the two of you risked your lives to help these Essemon I’ll let her go with a warning—as long as she discloses where her inventory of Cores is. According to her ARC Band, it’s practically empty which means she has them stored somewhere else. Give me the inventory and I’ll let her go.” Zaria spoke with a condescension that I couldn’t stand.

I gave Lucy a look and could tell she didn’t want me to give away where the camp was but I needed to get home.

“Our camp is a couple hundred feet in that direction.” I pointed beyond the clearing. “Now let her go.”

“Of course. You have my word but Ben I hope that you will understand that in Asherik our word may not seem like much but sometimes it’s all we have to give. Let her go.”

Aurora reached into the armored vehicle and released Lucy from her handcuffs. Lucy jumped down and came by my side. She was rubbing her wrists and giving me a dirty look.

“Thank you, Zaria. C’mon, Lucy let’s get out of here.” I nodded to Motte to follow me.

“Hold on Ben. I want to make sure our words are kept. Aurora.”

“Yes, Lady Zaria?” Aurora asked.

“I would like you to accompany these two to Azure City and see that Ben makes it to registration. Wouldn’t want them to get lost.” Zaria gave us a thin smile and then walked away.

Lucy and I made our way through the rubble of the encampment and back into the woods. Aurora was walking about ten feet behind keeping quiet but watchful.

“Way to go Ben. I’m broke, you’re lost and now we have a Ranger keeping tabs on us.” Lucy grunted. “I should have let the Pondfang get me.”