ZAC

I groaned in pain; it was as if a heavy weight had been set on my arm on fire, coursing throughout my body.

It was clear that whatever had happened to me in the dungeons had done a number on me.

But I could not remember a single thing about what had happened there. . .

However, that feeling of pain and distress had been alleviated so quickly, almost as if it was never to begin with.

What was happening to me?

"Almost done."

A gentle voice reached my ears. . . Whose voice was that, and why was it called to me now?

"There we go, all done. You can open your eyes now."

I slowly opened my eyes, and there she was.

Her eyes shun like diamonds. . . No, it was better than that; it was exactly what I felt Purpura Solum to be like in the flesh.

I was in awe of her.

With her hair tied up in a bun, she was the only one who seemed professional, even elegant, in her manner.

The only thing I could think about was how I ended up with someone here. . .

"Where am I?" I asked, looking around the place.

It was obvious where I was, but I needed to talk to her.

You know, to not make things as awkward as it already is.

"Well, you're in the medic bay, " she answered, removing her clothes and washing her hands in the sink. It seems like the Plantea Beasts got the jump on you while you were out mining. Someone found you, and here you are now." She turned around and slowly began to tilt her head.

"Um, your jaws opened, by the way."

I shook my head and cleared my throat. "Oh! Sorry about that. . . Yeah, sorry about it." I muttered lowly.

She gave a light chuckle, looking at me. "You're all patched up now, so you should probably head back now."

"Yeah, right," I answered, standing up from the bed while my injuries were relieved; I could still feel a tinge of pain every once in a while.

Before I left the medbay, I knew I couldn't leave without having to ask something. . .

"If I could ask, what is your name?"

"My name?" she pointed at me, forming a soft smile. It's Abigail."

Abigail. . . That was a nice name that rolled out of my tongue.

"It was nice to meet you, " I said, and she nodded.

She waved her hand in dismissal, "Don't mention it. I'll check on you in a few days to see your progress."

"Thanks." I smiled as I left the medic bay, examining the outside world and the reality that had hit me.

This place was desolate and barren from any pristine area compared to the medical bay I once was in.

I wished to return to that medic bay, a haven of cleanliness and gentleness.

"How was the medic? Were the rumours true?" Louis asked excitedly. He was practically pulsating with energy.

I could see in his eyes that he desperately wanted an answer.

"Well. . ." I smiled slightly, "The medic bay is pretty clean and nice, as they say."

"Eh, no one cares about that part!" He shook my shoulder, grinning, "Is it true what they say, the medic goddess?"

His eyes beamed with pure joy, asking that question of his.

I was surprised at how excited he was for me to answer my question; I would give him the satisfaction.

"Yes, I can confirm that she was, as you call it, the medic goddess."

"Damn!" Louis exclaimed, "I wish I could've seen her for myself." He muttered lowly, looking away.

I couldn't help but smile, placing my hand on his shoulder, "Maybe one day you'll get to meet the medic goddess if you get injured yourself."

He chuckled, rolling his eyes, "When you mean by injuring myself, that means me getting myself killed." Louis answered, looking at the ground.

Louis was someone I met on the first day of this bandit camp.

While I got split with Lenin into different sections of this place, I wouldn't have been able to survive if it wasn't for the likes of Louis.

He was able to calm me down in a shitty hole like this.

I felt terrible for him, though. He was getting picked on by other people in this place, especially the Bandits, who treated him like he was nothing.

Someone who had been constantly disrespected.

I knew how that felt because Felix, too, sometimes disrespected me.

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

Lenin was the only one who had ever given me a sign of acknowledgment, let alone appreciation.

The people at the Village of Facia had always opposed my views. While they had been doing what I wanted, modernising the village to increase our power, it wasn't because Felix wanted to do it.

But we were moving in with things here because of Lenin.

He was why the Village of Facia was performing well, not Felix.

I was confused about how Felix took credit for everything Lenin genuinely achieved.

Which is why I saw Louis in me.

Maybe I could become a better person if I could help and guide him.

It was easy to see that these bandits were looking at Louis as if he were prey.

These bandits were desperate to get their hands on Louis and beat him to a pulp.

Louis shuns his gaze away from them, "They're looking at me, aren't they?"

I wrapped my hand around his shoulder, "You'll be fine. Besides, you're getting stronger, aren't you?" I punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"I am, but still. . . They won't respect me unless I've gone to the dungeons. . ."

I nodded understanding; who wouldn't fear entering a dungeon without knowing what would be in store for you?

Also, Louis would only end up being eaten alive if he entered as of now.

He simply wasn't ready to go into the dungeon just yet.

"Well." I patted him, "Don't worry about that now. You still have some time to train, and we should get some sleep. It's a big day ahead of you."

He smiled in amusement, "A big day?" He nudged me on the shoulder, "You mean a big day for you! You get to see the medic goddess again for your check-up."

"One day, my friend, you'll meet with her."

"Better be soon!" he raised his fist as we entered our cramped room, which was filled with other people.

It was looking at things like this that my energy sounded depleted.

Seeing their miserable faces was enough for me to want to do something.

But I knew now wasn't the best time for that.

I rested against the wall, taking a deep breath as I watched Louis relax. Then, there it was: I shifted, closing my eyes, welcoming myself to a pit of darkness.

As I entered into a slumber of sleep.

WHOOSH!

PHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

I rubbed my eyes open, groaning as I could've sworn some commotion was happening.

I scanned my surroundings to see the usual people sleeping, except for one.

Louis.

My eyes widened as I scanned the rook again, but he wasn't there.

I quickly made my way out of the room, and there, I saw it in its most detailed form, which was enough for me to imitate it.

"Get away from him!"

I pushed the bandits off of him.

"Oh! Looks like we fight here." The bandits chuckled, looking over at me.

I looked at the ground to see Louis's disbelieved face and bruises from all the punches that he must have taken.

"Can you stand?"

He slowly nodded, but I knew that even doing that hurt him.

That was enough to send daggers their way.

The bandits chuckled to one another as their chests were puffed in pride.

They just wanted me to tear their smirk faces down until their defensive walls were destroyed.

Then, it would simply be their shell of a hollow person.

I planted my feet on the ground, looking at the number of bandits with us.

3, 4. . . Maybe even 5.

I raised my fist, looking at all of them in the eye.

One of them raised an eyebrow in amusement, "Are you sure you want to take us all on? You did see what happened to your friend, right?"

"I don't give a shit." I gritted my teeth, "I'm fighting you all."

"If you wish!"

WHOOSH!

A quick punch I just barely dodged as I took them on one by one.

They threw countless punches and kicks to put me off balance, but I continued to dodge and weave, letting myself move with the air.

These punches that they were rolling soon became annoying as I pushed them off.

I could see on their faces that they were beginning to feel aggravated by the lack of punches they could land on me.

GUH!

As I blocked one of their punches with my forearms, I did not see the punch from the side connecting with my ribcage.

Despite the pain that was filling my body, I continued to push on.

But their attacks had begun overwhelming me, drowning me in the punches landing on me.

To the point that I was forced to take a knee as they began mercilessly kicking me down on the ground.

I did my best to cover any places on my body that were exposed, but that was pointless.

I could see Louis attempting to push them off me in the corner of my eyes, but they smacked him away like a rag doll.

Is this what we were to these people?

"How do you like that!"

GUH!

He kicked deep into my stomach as I clutched my chest, coughing out blood.

"That's what you get, you stupid prick." He learned closer to my face, "Look what happens next."

As I braced myself for another kick to the face. . .

"That's enough!"

A voice echoed from afar. The bandits looked to see who it was and immediately composed themselves.

"B-Boss." One of the bandits stammered as he approached them.

"What are you doing he-"

WHACK!

A searing red slap landed across his face, and the only thing that could be heard now was the silence that rained down upon us all.

He pointed his finger at him, "What did I tell you about hurting our slaves?"

"Bu-"

WHACK!

"Listen here, Olfen. Do you know the shortage of our people? We must go into the dungeons now because they never return." He pulled him by the shirt, "Don't make me go into the dungeons by yourself."

"No, sir!" Olfen immediately fell to the ground, begging for his forgiveness. " I promise I'll never do bad in your name again."

"That's enough from you for one time." His voice boomed with authority and command, "Take them to Abigail. She'll deal with them."

"Yes, sir." He nodded as he got us both up on our feet.

Everything surrounding me was nothing but pain.

I had never felt this much ever before and to be treated like we were insignificant creatures, even worse than Plantea Beasts. . .

I despised them for that, for them to call us enslaved people and treat us as if we were expendable.

These people had lived, and these people had families.

But these bandits, these monstrous beings, and their lack of remorse were all the more reason to stop them.

They needed to be dealt with; how many innocent people were going to get killed because of their actions?

Olfen pushed us into the medic bay, glaring at the two of us.

I glared right back at him, letting him know my intentions.

I would be damn if I let him treat us like that again, let alone even touch Louis like that again.

"You got lucky. . . The next time we meet, I'll be sure you won't get off so lucky." He declared, his gaze simply on me.

"Likewise," I responded. You don't want to be sent to the dungeon by your boss, do you?" I smirked.

In an instant, he froze to where he stood but remained composed, looking at me again. "You bastard. . . The next time I get my chance, I'll rip you apart until next time." He declared, leaving us be.

"Y-You have an enemy on you," Louis muttered lowly. "What do we know?"

"I'm not sure," I muttered, "But we'll have to think about something."

I know they wouldn't be doing anything too rash now, but they'll surely come back and attack us.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, "On the bright side. . ." I looked at the entrance of the medic room. "At least you'll get to see the medic goddess."

His eyes sparkled with joy. There it was again, that look; it was always one I loved to see.

It was the only thing that kept me sane in a hell hole like this.

We entered the medic bay, and I instantly felt Louis's nervousness surging.

I had heard him talk so much about the medic goddess, but now, when he had the chance to be treated by her, let alone speak to her, his voice seemed to disappear.

I couldn't help but smile at that revelation.

There she was, reading a book all to herself.

I never understood how someone could mind her business without caring about the world and still look like the earth revolved around her.

"Eh, she's alright."

I snapped out of my trance, giving him a blank stare.

"You're joking, right?" I chuckled nervously; I mean, come on. . . She was elegant and gracious to the eye.

He shrugged, "I mean, conventionally, she's the prettiest woman I've ever seen. . . But I don't care." Louis chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

What a colossal disappointment.

He had wanted to see this for ages, only for him to give me a shrug.

But despite all of that, I couldn't help but smile, ruffling his hair.