Mansion Near the Safe Zone
Granite City
Jut scratched the edges of the bandage around his left bicep absently as he looked out over the edge of the garden wall. A sharp slap to his right hand made him gasp in surprise.
"Ow. What'd you do that for?" Jut asked in a squeal as he shook his hand out, turning to look at Magatha.
Magatha had a disapproving look on her face. "You're worse than the children, young man. No scratching or it won't heal." She chided him again. "Now, what are we waiting for? Can we proceed to the safe zone now, or not?"
Jut looked away from the old woman, scowling, but thought about her question for a moment.
"I don't see any more monsters around here, but that doesn't mean it will be safe. Maybe we should just make the attempt. Never know when more monsters will appear." Jut said slowly, nodding. He was nervous to try and lead so many children to safety, but they weren't really that safe where they were either.
Magatha nodded slowly. "Okay. I will get them together."
The group met outside the mansion they had taken refuge in. It was over thirty hours after Jut had met Magatha before she was satisfied he could function again and another ten before she even considered letting them all leave. Jut's health bar was finally above eighty percent full and rising slowly. For the first time in days, he only had a few minor aches and pains.
Jut was looking at his status and quest again as he watched nearly a hundred children form up around him to begin walking toward the safe zone.
Quest More Survivors! Objective Search for and rescue more survivors from the area around the [Safe Zone] - 257/XX Rarity
Rare
Time Limit
4 days, 5 Hours, 21 minutes, 8 seconds. Difficulty
Hard
Description You have shown yourself to be a defender of men and women. Not everyone has the capability to make it to the [Safe Zone] safely. Find and help survivors make it to the [Safe Zone] Status
Survivor's remaining: XX/XX
Survivors rescued 257/XX Reward
Based on Success Rate
Jut smiled to himself. Seeing the number increase in a Quest was always satisfying. It was even more so now that the numbers had more significance than turning in pixelated items for experience on his game character. He was making a real difference. Granted, a majority of the people he had saved so far would likely have made it to the Safe Zone on their own. That didn't change the pride he felt in making sure they made it safely.
A slight, cold nudge to his hand made Jut look down. Gunther was sitting next to him and wanted to be petted. Jut obliged and stroked the dog behind his ears gently. Jut was glad to know his friend had been cared for by the children while he was unconscious. Lily, too, had been loved on. Although, she had remained hidden since he had awoken. The cat now lay out nearby, lazily soaking up the afternoon sunlight.
Without much fanfare, Jut signaled for everyone to begin walking toward the safe zone. Instantly, Lily opened her eyes and darted forward to begin scouting. Gunther stayed at the back of the group, watching the rear while Jut led the way. He was still amazed with how they could do that, act like humans and work with him with little to no communication. He chalked it up to another change made by the system.
About ten minutes into the trek, Lily appeared next to Jut and gently clawed his pants leg.
"What's up, Lil?" Jut asked, holding his hand up to get the group to stop.
With a few gestures that Jut wasn't sure he understood, the tabby led him away from the group. When some of the children began to follow, Lily turned and hissed until Jut made sure everyone stayed put.
Another few minutes of following the feline led Jut to a patch of bushes where he could peek out and see a street. He would have just walked right out into the open if Lily hadn't crouched real low and stopped at the foliage line.
The sight waiting for Jut had his breath catching and his heart pounding wildly. Just beyond his cover was a vast sea of monsters. Cat monsters, cow monsters, Minotaurs, and just about every other variant he had seen before filled the open street, spilled from buildings, and clogged the sky.
Unlike before, when monsters of different types would attack each other on sight, this plethora of beasts were milling about. Not one attacked another. They even seemed to be interacting peacefully. Jut felt his heart fall into his shoes when he saw a scorpion monster drag a human corpse to a dog monster and the two began eating off of it.
Both Lily and Jut slowly, and as quietly as possible, crept backward. Jut almost panicked and fled when something snapped under his foot. He was able to keep himself under control though and managed to make it back to his charges. Lily's fur was still standing on end as she sat at his feet.
"Well? What was it?" Magatha asked snarkily. "Have to deal with a monster or two? You better not have gotten hurt again." The woman crossed her arms and stared at him, expecting him to hold up another cut or bruise.
Jut shook his head and pulled Magatha aside, quietly explaining what he had seen ahead of them. She hid her trembling expertly.
"So, I think we should go around." Jut suggested softly.
Magatha only nodded and they carefully led the children down another street. It took them a half an hour to get around the herd and cross into the safe zone. Fortunately for them, there wasn't anything else they had to deal with along the way.
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Slatewell Casino Safe Zone
Granite City
Jut smiled and waved to Magatha as she led the children towards a vacant building the casino staff had already been arranging as an orphanage. Magatha had been thrilled when they said she could run the place. The staff, however, seemed rather miffed at Jut for bringing so many people into the safe zone.
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"Mr. Zoak. Do you plan on continuing this escapade?" A gruff male voice had Jut turning on his heel.
A gentleman wearing a black business suit stood there, staring at him. The man had his arms crossed and seemed to be seething. Although, Jut could only sense that by seeing the man's demeanor. His expression was oddly blank for such an angry tone.
"You'll forgive me if I ask what you mean by that? What escapade?" Jut asked, even if he had an idea what the man meant.
The man ran his hand through his brown hair, the white spots at his temples becoming more prominent as he did so.
"The more people you bring into the Safe Zone, the less supplies there will be to go around. We're in the middle of an apocalypse here. Can't you see that maybe it would be best if you helped bring in more supplies instead?" The gruff man said flatly.
"I just turned in a bunch of meat and other supplies I found while I was searching for survivors." Jut answered. "I don't see the issue."
"Maybe you did, but if you would focus on only gathering supplies instead of rescuing more mouths to feed, you could have brought in a lot more." The man explained angrily.
"And who are you to tell me what to do?" Jut asked calmly. He felt a surge of anger beginning to build within him, but he repressed it. He wasn't going to let some blowhard make him feel bad for saving people.
"I am Matthew Todd. I am an executive of the Slatewell Corporation and I assist Mr. Slatewell in running this place. You know, the place the gives you safety in this trying time?"
Jut covered his mouth and tried to look thoughtful. He nodded a few times then looked Mr. Todd right in the eyes.
"Yeah, no. If I find more people who need help, I am going to help them. The making sure there is enough supplies to go around sounds like your problem. I will drop off everything I can, but rescuing those in need takes priority." Jut said, as if the idea was something he had just come to.
Mr. Todd's face never changed and he was about to speak again, likely to try and convince Jut further, but the pressure of the peoples' gazes around them made him stop. He even looked around at the mass who were all eager to hear more of this conversation.
Finally, without another word, Mr. Todd stormed off. Just before he was too far away to be heard, he turned. "I will be reporting this to Mr. Slatewell."
"Please do. The leader of the Safe Zone should be glad to hear he is helping as many people as he can." Jut finished with a shit eating grin and a small wave at Mr. Todd, who didn't react and continued storming off.
The pressure of the crowd around him lightened as people began moving about once more. Many had stopped just to eavesdrop. The expressions that lingered had Jut confused. Some looked grateful, as he had expected to see. Yet, just as many people were scowling at him. What was going on here to make these people react this way?
Jut decided to make himself scarce before anything else could go wrong, or someone else wanted to yell at him.
Walking through the safe zone felt different now. Everywhere Jut looked, he saw crowds of people. Many looked hungry or sick. Some were sprawled out in the grass or on the walkway. Many people appeared to be injured, dirty, or hungry. It felt very oppressive.
The worst part was the atmosphere of the place. It felt gloomy, as if no happiness or hope was coming from any of these people. It began zapping any energy Jut had left in him.
Just as he was about to make it to his building and he felt he was about to be free of all the despair, a woman with brown hair was eagerly walking towards him, a scowl on her face. Jut tried to disappear around a corner to avoid her, but her voice made him freeze.
"Mr. Jaxon. You better not be avoiding me!"
Busted. Jut turned to see Elizabeth closing in on him quickly. He gave her an awkward smile and held both of his hands up.
"Who, me? Never." Jut smiled awkwardly. "It's good to see you Elizabeth."
Elizabeth snorted and grabbed his left arm, hauling his sleeve up and inspecting the bandage there. "It's Isabelle now, and I am glad to see you are taking care of your wounds a little better than before." She said in a huff as she let his arm go and began looking him over more thoroughly.
"Well, I did tell you I would, didn't I?" Jut said with a chuckle. "Besides, you did say you would let me die if I didn't, right?" He only hoped she wouldn't speak to Magatha and find out the shape he had been in.
"I-" Isabelle trailed off. Her cheeks went scarlet. "I didn't really mean that." She looked away from him. "I was just very stressed out from everything, you know? Can I make it up to you?" She looked back at him briefly before looking back at his arm once more, which she was still examining.
"There's nothing to make up for. You were right, after all. I need to take better care of myself if I want to survive."
"Please. Just come with me." Isabelle turned and grabbed his hand. It gave him a flash back to when they had fled from the monsters in the mall.
"Um...where are we going?" Jut mumbled at her as she dragged him along. "Really, it's not a big deal. I'm fine, as you can see. There is no need to do anything further for me right now."
Jut felt his face heat up. He couldn't help but let his imagination lead him to believe she was dragging him back to her room or something.
To his shock, relief, and disappointment, Isabelle dragged him into a large, white tent that had a big Red Cross emblem on it. Of course she wasn't "making it up to him" like that. He had watched one too many adult films and anime if he had let himself believe otherwise.
"Sit there and take your shirt off. I need to examine the rest of your wounds too. I know you had more than just the one." Isabelle said sternly.
Jut knew she would not take no for an answer so he sat.
"Yes, ma'am." Jut responded teasingly. "Tell me exactly what you want me to do, nurse Isabelle." He gave her a sly grin. He was quickly rubbing his right arm after she smacked him.
"Enough of that. Let me see."
Feeling his face heat up for a different reason, Jut lifted his shirt up and off. He was still not in the best shape. The running and fighting had slimmed him down a tad, but he still felt pudgy. At least, as pudgy as person could be who worked forty hours a week doing manual labor.
Her warm hands made him look away. Isabelle slowly removed all of his bandaging, inspecting his other wounds. Letting her work, Jut looked around the tent.
It was a large space with many cots lined up. Cloth, bandages and medical supplies were set about haphazardly. There were a few unconscious people in some of the cots and other people wearing doctor's coats were inspecting them. A man was sobbing in the corner as another person was applying more bandaging to what looked like a freshly amputated leg.
"It's getting worse out there?" Jut asked.
Isabelle didn't respond right away. Instead she kept examining his wounds. When she did speak, she sounded more tired than a person should.
"It is. People are dying faster than we can heal them. Not to mention, the casino can't house everyone. You saw them all, right?"
Jut nodded solemnly.
"I think I have enough mana left to close these properly. Thankfully, it appears someone knew what they were doing when they stitched you up." Isabelle said quietly. "That will make my magic have some effect, at least."
Isabelle's hands began to glow as she pressed them to Jut's arm. A cooling sensation flooded him. Jut watched as the stitching in his arm fell loose as the closing wound ejected the material that had been holding it closed. Soon, she'd let him go and his health bar was more full than it had even been.
Something she'd said caught his attention.
"Your magic can't heal everything then?" Jut tried to sound sympathetic, not judgmental. He looked at her, but Isabelle had looked away. Her shoulders were slumped.
"No. I can only heal basic wounds and abrasions. Anything too bad requires multiple rounds of healing and will come undone if I can't heal them all the way or if they aren't stitched closed. I just don't have enough Mana."
Jut had noticed that when she healed him the first time, many of the wounds had only scabbed over. Some had even began to bleed again shortly thereafter.
Jut set a reassuring hand on her shoulder. It made her tense up.
"Well, I think your healing is still amazing. Thank you for helping out as you have been. Not many would."
The smile she gave him didn't reach her eyes and tears were leaking down her cheeks.
"What are we going to do?" Isabelle's voice cracked and Jut felt his heart do the same.
The only response he had didn't help her calm down any. "I have no clue."