"A mission?" ask Kiran and Easton simultaneously.

"Well, more so a job. But mission sounds cooler right?" says Israr. "I have to deliver this letter to a guild in a nearby village." He holds up an envelope.

Kiran stares at the envelope. "Shouldn't we go back to Consus?" Kiran's mind goes to his other guild leader. "I also don't want to make her mad."

"I think your guild leader will come look for you when he's finished with Captain Teua…" Israr pulls at his collar. "Captain Teua likes his food… and I don't want to bother a director of Sharmeija…"

"I'm not sure. What do you think Easton? "

Easton turns away. "I don't care."

"Don't worry Kiran! We will be quick. And besides," Israr puts his arm over Kiran's shoulder, "This will help Easton. I promise you."

Kiran grips his hands into fists. "All right! Then let's go!"

"That's the spirit!"

The 3 red ranks head outside of the Sharmeija main buildings.

Easton looks around. "This isn't the dispatch area?"

"Right, Easton. The village we are going to has no tracks. We also don't have any other form of transportation. We are going to run." Israr smiles. "That's what I always do!"

Easton slouches. "Ugh… again with running."

"Being active will help Easton. Trust me."

Easton rolls his eyes.

Kiran struggles to keep still. "I'm ready to run! If my gift is movement-based, running must help!"

"I like your attitude, Kiran! Let's get going, team. It's a 45km run!"

The group runs towards their destination. The 2 newborns follow Israr, who keeps motivating them.

"One, two! One, two! Let's go! Don't give up on me Kiran!"

"Yes! I won't!" Kiran wipes away the sweat from his forehead.

"Great job Easton!"

"…" Easton doesn't respond.

They reach the village in 1 hour.

"WOO! Take a breather you two!" Israr stretches.

"How are you not sweating Israr? I'm so exhausted." Kiran rests on his knees.

"Lots of effort. Like I told you, I keep my physical energy in the best shape. I must keep up with someone close to me, so I can't slouch."

"That's amazing!"

Easton glares at Kiran. "How can someone so weak have a gift and I don't."

"I see you also have amazing physical energy, Easton. You don't look tired," compliments Israr.

"Yeah… I guess." Easton stares at his hand. "It doesn't matter anyway."

Kiran observes the village. The buildings are small and the road's a bit damaged. A scent enters his nose. "This smells very close to Harmony." Kiran asks Israr, "Where are we?"

"The village of Frits." Israr smiles and takes a deep breath. "It's a combination of many small low-ranked guilds. I think the highest-ranked guild here is yellow-rank. Come on! Let's get going."

"Are we going to deliver the letter?"

"Not yet. First, we have to make a few stops."

Israr walks up to a nearby shop. "This is a guild. Even though it's only one building."

"Oh! This looks like the noodle shop we ate at."

"This is a restaurant. Good eye, Kiran."

Easton analyses the shop up and down. "Are we going to eat here?"

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Nope. Just helping others."

"What do you mean?"

Just when Easton asks that a man comes out of the shop. "Israr? What perfect timing. Would you mind helping me out with some large boxes?"

"Not a problem!"

"Thank you. It is a lot though."

"Don't worry, I have helpers with me today." Israr gestures to Kiran and Easton.

"That's kind of you two. I appreciate the help. Come on in." The man walks back inside.

"Are we getting paid?" asks Easton.

"Nope." Israr smiles. He looks at Kiran. "You said you wanted to help people Kiran. Well, there's no better way than small acts of kindness! And it will do you good too, Easton."

"Okay! Let's go help with the boxes then!"

Easton sighs. "I guess this is my future as a red-rank. Might as well get used to it."

They organise and carry a lot of large boxes.

"Why are these so heavy?!" Easton carefully places the boxes down. "They're heavier than the potatoes!"

Israr pats Easton on the back. "Dang Easton, you are strong! I think you're carrying more than me even."

"Yeah, yeah." Easton goes back to work.

"Don't hurt your back, Kiran! Use your legs!" shouts the man who let them in.

"Right, sir!" Kiran does as he says.

"Thank you all so much. You were a great help."

"See you again!" Israr turns around and walks away. "Come on you two!"

Easton and Kiran follow. Easton stretches. "Are we delivering the letter now?"

"Not yet. Just a few more stops."

Shop after shop, Israr, Kiran and Easton help the people there with mundane tasks. They take out someone's garbage. Then move something for someone else. They mostly do manual labour. The group does this for about an hour, travelling throughout the village. All the shops they visit are run down, damaged, and unappealing.

While they're at another shop, Easton thinks, "This whole village is terrible! I swear, Harmony has better housing than this."

"Thank you so much honey," says an old lady as Israr exits her shop.

"You are most welcome! Remember to be safe please!"

"Aw, honey. Aren't you sweet?" The old lady goes back in.

Israr joins Kiran and Easton. "So what do you think you two?"

"About what?" scowls Easton. "This stinking village?"

"Hahaha!" Israr laughs. "At least your attitude is back Easton. It seems like you feel better." Israr turns to Kiran. "What did you think?"

"These people here are so nice! They all seem very happy that we helped them."

"These people know what it means to struggle. They're always grateful. That's why I like them so much! Now, let's deliver that letter and finish the mission."

"Yes!" Kiran jumps up and sprints ahead of Israr.

"Wrong way Kiran!"

"Right!"

The final stop is a white building. It's much more modern and well-kept.

"This is the yellow-rank guild I know of." Israr takes out the letter. "You two wait here. I'll be out in just a second." He enters the building.

Kiran checks the run-down buildings around him. "Hey, Easton?"

"What's it, red-rank?" Easton leans against a wall with his arms folded.

"Don't you think things would be better around here if all these guilds joined into one guild? Then they can all help each other."

"They probably have their reasons for wanting to stay independent. Are you some kind of economist now?"

"I was just thinking about it. Also, can you stop calling me red-rank?"

"I see someone's gotten some confidence. Happy that you have a gift?"

"Yes! I am. But I don't want to be called red-rank. It doesn't seem nice."

"What about trash-rank then?"

"That's worse."

Israr exits the building and jumps next to Kiran and Easton. "Hey, all! I'm done. So we can head back."

"Finally. I can get out of this smelly place." Easton is the first to walk.

"It's the animals a few kilometres away. The wind might be blowing the smell. Let's stay away from there." Israr takes the group back to the main road they used to travel.

"No! I didn't mean to!" A loud female voice cries.

Israr snaps in the direction of the sound. "I want to go check that out." A lot of shouting and cries come from the direction.

The noise gets louder and louder as the group traverses to the middle of the village. Kiran recognises the people shouting are those they helped throughout the day. "What's going on?"

Israr walks up to the man from the restaurant. "Hey, is everything okay?"

The man yells, "No! This girl here caused the Kamino Weapon of Frits to be stolen!" He points towards a girl.

She sits on the floor, tears in her eyes, as everyone around her screams.

"I didn't mean to! I… I…" She brings her hands up to her eyes and bawls.

"We don't care!" The crowd riots. "You need to leave! You've cost us everything!"

Israr takes a moment and looks around at everyone. "I didn't know about a Kamino Weapon." He brings his hands close to his mouth and shouts, "Don't worry everyone! Sharmeija is here to handle the situation."

The crowd grumbles and walks away. They all murmur something towards the girl. Israr approaches her with Kiran and Easton behind him.

Israr leans down to her. "Everything's okay. The crowd is gone. What happened?"

The girl wipes away her tears and stammers, "I…I w-was supposed to protect… it was my turn…"

"Turn to protect what? A Kamino Weapon?"

"Y-Y-Yes… F-Frits earns commission through it… and now that it's gone… they want to kick m-me o-out." She starts crying again. "But it wasn't my fault! 5 people came and attacked me! No one cared… I was alone!"

Israr stares at the girl. He thinks, "So she will be kicked out? So that's how this place makes money…" He stands up and reaches down to the girl. "Don't worry. I'll handle it."

The girl shakes her head. "No! I don't have anything to offer you. I can't… I…" she bawls her eyes out.

Israr smiles. "It's okay. I don't want anything. Just tell me which direction to go."

"R-Really?" She gazes up at Israr.

"On my honour as a member of the Sharmeija Guild, I will retrieve the Kamino Weapon."

She cries again. "Thank you! Thank you thank you!"

"Don't thank me just yet, hahaha! I still have to get it back. Which way?"

"T-They went north… But I don't know where."

"No problem. Now get back to your home and let things settle down."

"O-Okay."

Israr helps the girl up. She then goes to her guild shop. Israr goes to the newborns.

"You two. I need you to go back. There should be some transport here. They can take you. Especially since you two helped today."

"No," states Kiran.

"What? What do you mean 'no'?"

"I want to help. She said there are 5, and you are alone. And red-rank. It will be dangerous for you. I know the type of people out there."

Easton steps forward. "Something interesting is happening on this mission, and you want us to go back? Hell no."

Israr grabs his head. "Dammit! This will be too dangerous for them. And even if I force them… they'll still follow me! I know it. Because I would do it."

He rustles his hair. "Fine. But you stay behind me and listen to me. Understand?"

"Yes!" shouts both newborns.

"I guess our mission has been updated. They couldn't have gone too far! Come on!"