Chapter 8

The return to Galene was a tense and hurried affair, the gravity of Corwin's injury weighing heavily on all of us. Felix and I supported Corwin between us, his face pale and clammy, while Jackie stumbled along beside us, her eyes wide and vacant. Darren trailed a few paces behind, his usual swagger absent as he stared at the ground, lost in his own turmoil.

As we broke through the tree line, the camp came into view, the sight of the familiar clearing bringing a brief flicker of relief. But that relief was quickly overshadowed by the reality of our situation—Corwin needed immediate help, and the camp was still in its early stages of organization.

"Help! We need a healer!” Felix's voice carried a strained urgency as we approached the main gathering area where a middle-aged woman with a curly natural fro, was acting as an impromptu coordinator for medical emergencies, was organizing supplies and directing people. He called out to her, "Josie, I've done what I can, but I'm out of mana. He’s stable for now, but he needs more help than I can give."

Josie nodded sharply, her eyes quickly assessing Corwin’s pallid face and the makeshift bandage wrapped tightly around the stump where his arm had been. “Bring him here,” she directed, clearing a space on one of the makeshift tables that had been set up outside her tent for medical emergencies. Volunteers rushed over with blankets and additional medical supplies, their faces etched with concern.

As we carefully laid Corwin down, Jackie stayed close, her hand gripping his remaining arm, her tears mingling with the dirt on her face. The camp around us had grown quiet, the usual chatter and activity subdued by the gravity of our return.

Darren, his face ashen and eyes hollow, finally looked up, meeting the gaze of those gathered. The murmurs began, whispers of what had happened spreading like ripples through the camp. His expression crumpled under the weight of their stares, the reality of his accidental swing that had so drastically altered not just Corwin’s life but the dynamic of our entire group.

John rushed over after hearing all of the commotion. He looked around amidst the chaos his gaze landing on me. “Maura, what happened?”

I took a deep breath before pulling John to the side. Some of the details of our misadventure should be revealed more delicately than others. In a hushed and urgent tone I relayed the information, “When we found Jackie she was cornered by another initiate.”

John’s eyebrows knit together. “Another person did this?”

I stuttered. “Yes and no, “ I waited half a beat gathering my thoughts before continuing. “The other initiate was an Orc. From the planet Axeyous.” Before John could get a word in I pressed forward with the story. “The Orc didn’t do this. Darren saw the orc cornering Jackie and was trying to fight him. Corwin jumped in between the orc and Jackie and Darren missed the orc.” I let the weight settle for a moment glancing over at Darren who was currently emptying the contents of his stomach behind the makeshift hospital.

John's expression turned grave as he processed the information. He rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture of deep thought and frustration. "An orc, another initiate," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. "This changes everything. We're not just dealing with the wilderness here, but other players who might not be friendly."

He looked over at Darren, noting his distressed state, then back to me. "And Darren... that was an accident under pressure, but it's a wake-up call for all of us about the stakes we're dealing with."

John squared his shoulders, the leader in him surfacing as he faced the reality of our situation. "Thank you for telling me, Maura. We need to be more cautious, train our people better. I'll speak with Darren later, once he’s had a moment to collect himself. Right now, let's focus on getting Corwin stabilized and secure. We'll also need to discuss our next steps in dealing with potential threats like this orc. We can’t let our guard down again.”

He gave a firm nod, a signal that he was stepping back into his role as the head of the camp, then turned to rally the healers and other volunteers. "Let's keep everyone calm and focused. We have a lot to consider, and I need all hands on deck."

“John, there’s one more thing we need to talk about with the Orc. He didn’t actually attack us. But in the heat of the moment I did fight him, and I took his life. I don’t even know if he was a danger to us. He was brought here the same as us! What if he had a family,” My voice caught in my throat before I added in almost an inaudible whisper. “Also, when you kill another initiate, you get all of their stuff. Points. Gold. Items. Everything.”

John paused mid-stride, turning back to face me with a look of concern. His eyes softened as he took in my distressed state. "Maura, I know this is hard. You did what you thought was necessary to protect Jackie and the others. It's a harsh reality we're facing here, where split-second decisions can have permanent consequences."

He took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "The rules of this... whatever this is, they're cruel. Taking everything from another initiate—it's barbaric. But we can't forget that we're here to survive, and sometimes that means making tough calls. We don't have to like the rules, but for now, we have to navigate them as best we can."

John placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You're a good person, Maura. Don't let this shake your core. We need to stick together and keep our humanity intact, even when the system tries to strip it from us. Let's use the resources you've gained to help everyone here. It won't make what happened right, but we can make it count for something."

He glanced back at the camp, now buzzing with a mixture of urgency and routine as people went about their tasks, some still unaware of the full gravity of the situation. "We'll need to set up some guidelines for encounters like this in the future. I'll gather a council and we'll discuss how we can handle these situations more carefully. We're all learning, Maura. Let's learn to be better."

With a final squeeze on my shoulder, John moved off to handle the immediate needs of the camp, leaving me to grapple with the heavy emotions of the day’s events. The weight of his words lingered in my mind as I turned back to the efforts of the healers with Corwin.

Some color had returned to his cheeks but he remained unconscious. Jackie stood near him having been moved out of the way so that healers could work and assess the situation. Silent tears streamed down her face.

Felix was attempting first aid in lieu of magic with bandages soaked in the healing potion we had found in the cache yesterday. His eyes were sunken and bloodshot. The physical drain on him apparent and I was afraid he may collapse.

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Once the bandage was secured in place Josie put a hand on his shoulder and spoke softly into his ear. He put up a small fight but exhaustion won out and he allowed her to lead him away. His level upon inspection had rose all the way to 7.

As Felix was led away to rest, my gaze wandered back to Jackie, who sat numbly by Corwin's side, her hands clenched tightly together. The tension in her posture spoke volumes of the fear and uncertainty she must be feeling. Her brother, who had always been her protector, now lay vulnerable and hurt because of a tragic misunderstanding.

I approached her slowly, my own heart heavy with sympathy. "Jackie, I'm so sorry this happened," I said softly, trying to offer some comfort amidst the chaos.

Jackie pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them tightly as she leaned against the fabric wall of the tent. The light from the sun cast shadows across her face, highlighting the streaks where tears had washed away the dirt. She glanced up at me, her eyes red and swollen, a deep exhaustion etched into her young features.

"He was just trying to protect me," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, laden with a weariness far too heavy for someone her age. Each word seemed to tremble with the effort of holding back more tears.

"He always tries to protect me," she continued, a small, sad smile flickering across her face as she spoke of Corwin. "After our grandma passed away, it was just us. She raised us, you know? Taught us everything... about being strong, about sticking together." Her gaze drifted off, lost in memories. "She was our world. But then she was gone, and they were going to split us up because nobody could find our mom."

Byte sensing her discomfort worked his way over into her lap and began emitting a mechanical purring noise. Jackie paused and began petting the smooth robot, swallowing hard. "We couldn't let that happen. Corwin said he heard rumors that our mom might be in Arcadia, maybe looking for us, too. So, we came here, hoping to find her, to stay together." Her voice was a mix of hope and desperation, a reflection of the gamble they had taken.

"We just wanted to be a family again," she added softly, her fingers nervously picking at a frayed edge of her sleeve. "Corwin... he told me none of it was true. We weren’t in Arcadia to find our mom. Our mom left when I was a baby. She never wanted us. Corwin just didn’t want to see me in the system and he got a job offer he thought he could keep us under the radar until he turned eighteen next month. I was so mad he lied. I never should have stormed off.” Her voice cracked under the weight of her emotions, and she hastily wiped away a tear that had escaped down her cheek.

I nodded, understanding the guilt she was feeling. "He did what he thought was right, Jackie. He's brave, just like you. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure he gets through this."

Jackie nodded, wiping away a tear. "Thank you, Maura. I just... I wish I could do something."

"You being here is enough for him," I reassured her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Just stay by his side. He'll need you when he wakes up."

We sat together in silence, watching the healers work tirelessly. The camp around us continued to buzz with activity, but in this small corner, time seemed to slow down, each second laden with the weight of waiting and hope.

After a few moments, I excused myself to give Jackie some space. She gave Byte a final hug before releasing him and we made our way through the bustling camp toward the makeshift shelter where Felix had been taken. As I approached, I saw Josie stepping out, her face a mixture of exhaustion and relief. She noticed me and offered a weary smile.

"I just cast a minor rejuvenation charm on him. He was completely out of mana, and physically drained. He is taking this all very personally, " she explained quietly. "He's sleeping now, should be much better when he wakes up."

"Thanks, Josie. I'll sit with him for a while," I said, appreciating her efforts. She nodded, patting my shoulder lightly before she headed back to continue her work with the other healers.

Stepping into the dimly lit shelter, I found Felix lying on a simple cot, his breathing even and steady, a peaceful expression on his face despite the day's chaos. I pulled up a chair beside him, settling in to watch over him as he rested.

The quiet of the shelter was a stark contrast to the noise outside. It gave me a moment to breathe and collect my thoughts. Reaching into my spacial storage my hand brushed against the pouch I had taken from the orc, the one filled with his belongings. Curiosity mingled with a twinge of guilt as I pulled the pouch closer, opening it to see what it contained.

Inside were several items: a small, intricately carved wooden totem, a handful of gold coins, and a folded piece of parchment. I unfolded the parchment carefully, revealing a map of regions I didn’t recognize, marked with symbols and notes in a script that was unfamiliar but oddly beautiful.

The totem was exquisitely detailed, depicting what looked like a family—two larger figures with a smaller one, all with orcish features. It was probably a personal item, maybe a keepsake or a charm meant to offer protection or luck. Holding it in my hand, I felt a connection to the orc, a reminder that he wasn’t just an enemy; he was someone who had his own story, his own reasons for being here.

The gold coins were stamped with an emblem I didn’t recognize, likely currency from his world. They clinked softly as I shifted them, their sound a harsh reminder of the notification I had received. All his possessions, now mine. The reality of it was sobering.

Sitting there, with Felix's soft breathing as the only sound, I contemplated the weight of our actions and the complexities of our situation. Each item in my hand was a reminder of the life taken, of the brutal rules set by this mysterious game we were unwilling participants in.

Desperately trying to shift my thoughts away from the life I took, I carefully laid out the components of my phone and the array of small technomagical materials I had gathered. The space was cramped but it provided the quiet I needed to focus. Felix's breathing steady and deep, providing a calming backdrop to my meticulous work.

I began by dismantling my phone, carefully unscrewing each part and laying them out on a cloth to keep everything organized. My fingers were steady, though my thoughts occasionally wandered to the day’s unsettling events, forcing me to take deep breaths to stay centered.

Integrating the Glowroot fibers into the phone’s circuitry was a delicate process. These fibers, known for their conductive properties, shimmered with a soft light as I wove them into the circuit board. The task required precision, and I used tweezers and a small magnifying glass, which I had found in one of the caches, to ensure each fiber was perfectly aligned.

Next, I attached a small crystal of Mystic Radiance Stone next to the phone’s antenna. My hope was that it would amplify the device's ability to send and receive signals over greater distances without the need of satellites. The soldering had to be exact, and I double-checked each connection to ensure they were secure.

The final modification was particularly innovative—a sliver of Techvine, integrated into the phone's power supply. This wasn't just to enhance the battery life but to allow the battery to be recharged by pushing mana directly into it. The Techvine’s circuit-like patterns pulsed gently as it was connected.

Once everything was in place, I concentrated on pushing my mana slowly into the Techvine laced battery. The screen flickered to life, the phone hummed softly—a sound that grew in intensity as the Mystic Radiance Stone worked to boost the signal. Holding my breath, I watched as the screen displayed a successful connection test.

A wave of relief washed over me. It worked. My modifications had allowed our phones to become useful again. Although without internet the capabilities were limited, communication was invaluable. It was a small victory, but a vital one, providing a glimmer of hope that we might be better coordinated and more connected as a group.

Exhausted but satisfied, I leaned back against my makeshift seat, the glow from the phone’s screen casting light in the otherwise dark tent. I allowed myself a moment to relax, watching over Felix as he slept, his presence a comforting constant in the chaos.

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Level 7 Technomancer!

Eventually, Felix stirred, his eyes blinking open slowly. He looked at me, a bit disoriented at first, then his gaze fell on the items spread out before me.

“What’s all this?” he asked, his voice raspy from sleep.

I took a deep breath, preparing to explain not just about the items, but also about the heavy truths and decisions that lay ahead of us.