When morning came for the group, they found Altaria hard at work in the main room about to exit the house with a few short swords in hand, her facial expression shifting into her energetic facade that only Ivan knows about because of his confrontation the night before.
"Good morning darlings. You sleep well?"
"Well enough. Thank you for the hospitality Altaria."
"Aw don't even mention it Lucy! It was the least I could do!"
"What are you doing with those swords?" Aria was quick to ask the question of why she was carrying the dulled swords in her hand.
"Oh yeah. I was going to try sharpening them and let y'all have them so you have something to defend yourself with until you can get something proper, but since you woke up so early...ah shoot, I was hoping to have an extra couple of hours to do it. Sorry. Adjusting the clothes took longer than I thought." Altaria set the swords down on the table and picked up a neatly folded pile of clothes "Here you go my lovelies. They may not be perfect fits, but I've done the best I can considering the circumstances. Now, I might have made some of them too big, but better big than small right?"
"There's a limit to that extent Altaria, but generally, I would say yes."
"I agree with Jotam on this one. Considering my body's...shape, I always need a specific size for my clothes." Irina was apprehensive talking about the latter, her eyes turned downward.
'Assholes. I spent hours readjusting these clothes! My hands were freaking bloodied from the needle pricking me so much! I had to use healing magic each time I finished a set!' "I'll lay out the clothes here for you. If you'll excuse me, I want to hurry and try getting some food for your trek to the city."
"Altaria, are those weapons usable in the state they're in?" Aria stopped Altaria before she was able to exit the building, asking the question on her mind.
"Erm...kinda? I wouldn't recommend these pieces of junk for any serious fighting but they're not unusable. If you wouldn't mind waiting...maybe six hours? I can get them ready for battle."
"No thank you. We can make due with this until we get something not thirty years old. Even if you sharpen the blade, its durability is most certainly shot after so much time. If anything, sharpening them would make them too dangerous for use."
"Well, okay then Jotam. I'll leave the swords here in this barrel. Go get changed and I'll try to put together some provisions for you all." Putting the weapons in a safe place, Altaria left the house, walking toward the forest, the distance from people allowing her to speak freely "WHY in all seven hells am I going this far to help people?! I should hate these humans with a passion bordering the abnormal! This world screwed me in ways that are just plain unforgivable, but…" Altaria outright screamed in base rage, her voice slowly losing volume, her thoughts going back to when she had first entered Grimgar, back when she hadn't lost faith in people, a sad frown on her face "I wasn't always this wicked. I genuinely cared about people at one point. If these humans met me back then, I would've been overwhelmingly kind to them. For real. I wouldn't be faking it like I am." Arriving at one of her gardens, Altaria began picking fruits from the bushes, putting them in a wicker basket, briefly stopping when she notices her own shadow begin to resonate, oh so slightly shaking as if it were sentient "Don't worry. I won't let anything stop my mission. I'm beyond salvation after all."
Finishing her preparations, she returned to her house, stopping as she sees the group outside testing the weapons' weight through various swings
"Heh, you all are some real eager beavers. Testing the weapons already? Impressive. What do you think?"
"It'll work; thanks Altaria. By the way, do you think we'd able to borrow some money to buy equipment?"
"Mmm, not a good idea darlings. There are bandits who operate in this area. If they see travelers with coin, they're not going to hesitate in trying to rob you. I could provide maybe...three to five silver for weapons when you reach the city, but the idea is still very risky."
"Okay, so an immediate request is out of the question. What about later down the road?"
"Mmm…I'm still not sure Lucy." Altaria frowned as she racked her mind, coming to a decision relatively quick "Tell you what. Try to earn official badges from the Crimson Moon and we can discuss long-term financial backing then. I just don't want to waste coin buying high-end equipment only to have the users die in the first fight. Even then, I'm going to be a little hesitant. Look, this world is unforgiving. Make yourselves strong enough to overcome the dark parts of this world."
Silently passing the wicker basket to Ivan, Altaria entered the house and approached a small hidden chest filled to the brim with silver and gold pieces, taking out five silver from her collection "Why am I wasting money I spent so much effort earning on such a fruitless endeavor? I mean...sooner or later, I'm going to need to find a way to the Kingdom of Ishmael, wherever that is. I've been buying maps for the better part of the last couple of years to find this kingdom for my-our mission. Please...crystalize my resolve so I do not waver. Crystalize my resolve and I assure you. You will be revived...Undying King."
After seeing her shadow twist and turn, its presence enveloping Altaria for a brief moment before realigning to fit Altaria's natural form, she took the money in hand, exiting the house
"Okay, here's a little bit of money. Get some good weapons and armor with it. It'll keep you alive. Best of luck."
"Thank you Altaria. Take care of yourself. Hope we meet again." Aria responded with a proud smile, the group turning heel to leave the area, leaving Altaria by her lonesome yet again.
As soon as she was sure she was alone, Altaria sighed and entered her home once again, glad to have privacy to no longer have to maintain her facade "FINALLY! I can finally quit being so FREAKING NICE! I was so freaking sick of having to do that! Especially to that brat. Gods, I hate kids. Now I can quit the samaritan act and focus on what's important."
Leaving the relative safety of Altaria's residence, the group of six take to walking across the fields in the direction of Alterna, though the advent of fifteen armed fighters did little to reassure them, especially when they began to surround the group, the six bunching together, backs to each other
'Looks like these are the bandits Altaria warned us about. Lucia, while we keep these guys distracted, you hurry to town and try summoning the town watch or something of the sort. Everyone, we should take this chance to 'acquire' their armaments and use them for ourselves. Let's avoid killing them if at all possible.'
'Aria, you want a sword? I'm more confident in hand-to-hand combat.'
'No Ivan. We're all staying armed. Besides, I don't share your enthusiasm with me being able to handle dual weapons. For all intent and purposes, I'm assuming we can die here in Grimgar. No careless risks, understood?'
'Got it Aria. These weapons are crap, but something's better than nothing.'
"Looks like we've got a band of travelers on our hands. Got some real beauties there. I imagine we'd get ten gold a head if we find the right client."
'Oh, I want to kill these fuckers so fucking badly right now! It'd be one thing if they wanted to rob us, but they're practically implying they want to sell you three into slavery!' Even though Jotam was always the one among them to lose their temper at the drop of a hat, he had every right to be outright furious at what he is hearing from the group, carefully whispering to the group, excluding Lucia; whom would've been their first introduction to what people are like in Grimgar if they hadn't met Altaria. A truly bad start to their perceptions.
'I'm pissed too Jotam, but remember to keep to the plan.'
'I know Cheol. I'm not stupid. Lucia, as soon as we jump these bastards, RUN. There's no way they'll anticipate us being proactive in retaliation.'
'O-Okay. But please stay alive everyone. I don't want any of you dying.'
'You insult us by merely saying that Lucia! Do you have so little faith in us?'
'N-No. That's not what I-'
'Enough. On three.' Ivan was quick to silence conversation as he and the others readied themselves while maintaining an illusion of fright.
After counting down from three, carefully passing their packs to Lucia, Ivan led the charge, meeting one of the bandits face first, driving his fist into the gut, giving him the chance to switch his dull sword with a better quality one, the others dashing in their respective directions and drew their dulled weapons in readiness to fight. To the right, Jotam took off into a run, twisting his body just enough to launch himself into a spin jump, knocking the three in his direction to their backs, just as quickly driving his elbows into their stomachs, making them drop their weapons; swiftly taking one for himself and keeping the remaining two for Cheol and Irina. Flanking left, Aria took into a somersault, landing on top of one of the thugs looking down smugly
"Can't touch me mud for brains!"
Unlike the other three, Cheol and Irina kept alert, carefully watching their opponents' moves to ensure they don't get into danger since they lack more specialized melee combat experience like their companions. Back in Elder Tale, their classes were Guardian, Cossack, Swashbuckler, Cleric, Exorcist, and Taoshi. Half were meant to be close-range fighters, Lucia built her exorcist class to fit a mid-range archer slash melee combatant and the others were typically strict support in a healer and support, though they had some degree of practice back during their conflicts against Plant Hwayden. And with a distraction made, Lucia made a run for it in the direction of Alterna; the five remaining members reunited, armed with fresh weapons they could actually use in battle
"Okay, now that Lucia's gone; don't be afraid to go all out guys. We need to set an example to these slavers. We're not going to allow such rampant evil to go undeterred." Just to emphasize how serious Jotam was being right now, no longer having to restrain himself since Lucia is not around, Jotam turned to face his companions with one more thing on his mind "I don't care if people call me a knight templar. If this world is as unforgiving as we've heard, we mustn't hesitate. Kill them all."
"I'm nervous going all the way Jotam, but in this foreign world, it's bigger fish eating smaller fish. Kill or be killed." Aria paused for only a moment, knowing what her response is before either her mind or heart came to a decision "I'm with you." Aria frowned at the idea of killing the bandits, but ultimately complied with the order from Jotam, knowing there is some cold logic to his decision. Survival of the fittest oft requires making choices that go against one's moral character in exchange for what allows the individual to survive. Hearing this made Aria realize just why Jotam had Lucia run toward Alterna while the others stayed and fight: He didn't want a child's hands stained with blood. Even when the group had only been formed a grand total of six months prior, composed of pairs scattered from three different servers, having no interaction beforehand, the fact Jotam wanted to protect Lucia's innocence as much as possible warmed Aria's heart, making her smile an invisible smile since she has to focus on maintaining awareness to the immediate grim reality.
Much like Aria, the others carried apprehension but nodded in acknowledgement as they gripped their swords in tight stances as they charged into battle, recognizing a formation to take from the signal Ivan gave, it being one of several they had formulated during their time in Yamato, their time fighting against Plant Hwayden in the Ninetails Dominion. In relatively short time, they were able to kill the bandits, each kill making their stomachs churn in utter horror at what their bodies are doing: killing people without the smallest hint of hesitation. When the battle ended, the bandits' bodies sprawn out around them, their own bodies having suffered some injury since they lack their weapons and armor, a thought emerged from Ivan
"Guys, we need to send someone to Altaria quickly. These bandits need to be cremated."
"What? Absolutely not! Let these bastards rot! They wanted to sell me, Aria, and Lucia into slavery!"
"Irina, there's a curse on this land. If these men are not cremated, they will rise as the undead in only a few short days. They are scum of the land yes, but do they truly deserve to be revived as mindless undead?"
"Ivan has a bit of a point. Being a mindless skeleton is not a way I'd want anyone to go."
"I'm surprised to hear this from you Jotam, especially since you were so gung-ho on killing them. I'll go see Altaria real quick and see if I can get her to teach me how to do the necessary cremation techniques. Go find Lucia and let her know we're all safe."
Seeing Irina double back to Altaria's house, the remaining members began walking toward the city in the distance
"Are you guys doing alright?"
"Kinda Jotam. I just...I feel wheezy over how I killed people. I mean...it's terrifying."
"Me too Cheol. Even though these jerks wanted to sell me, Irina, and Lucia into slavery and all, a part of me can't stand what I just did. Ivan, you okay?"
"Shaken, but yes. Killing people has been something of a moral barrier for me, but now that has been shattered. I am just relieved Lucia was spared."
"You and me both Ivan. I don't want Lucia's innocence to be destroyed like this. It should be a gradual change of mind as she eases into adulthood. She's young, naive, she doesn't know where to draw the line half the time. I always wanted to just keep her from harm to the best of my ability. There were a lot of jerks back in the Western European server so I inducted her into Dream Legion to give her some peace of mind. I did that a lot."
"Oh yeah, you mentioned this I think. You were a nurse back in...back in...it's on the tip of my tongue but I can't remember the name. I feel like I should know since you told us, but it's...not in my memory. Erm, sorry Aria." Jotam spoke up quick, his eyes closed in irritation as he tried to recall memories of their conversations in the Yamato server.
"No worries but...I-I can't remember either. It's blank. I mean; I don't think it really matters at this moment since we need to focus on our present and future, but when things slow down a bit...yeah, we need to talk about what came before the Apocalypse. To the best of our ability anyway. I mean, we talked about some place different during our conflict against Hwayden. It being our home; not Theldesia, so we weren't born in that world. It was...whatever was before Elder Tale."
"I wonder if we have family somewhere in that world we can't remember?"
Hearing Cheol ask this question immediately squashed any desire to continue talking since it was something that genuinely hit home for them all.
A/N: Regarding the fight scene between the party and the bandits: I originally planned on making the scene more descriptive but it got pretty gruesome, to the point where I was starting to get squeamish trying to read through it. Honestly, if I went any further, I was afraid I was going to give myself nightmares, so I canned it, hereby toning it down. Even if I rated this story as M, I don't want to write something on a scale you'd expect from a horror flick. Not my cup of tea.