Hey peps! I'm here with a new chapter for you guys to read and enjoy. The next one may take a bit longer to write since I have some stuff to do, but I will do my best to bring it as fast as I can. So with that said, have a great read everyone. Bye!
A Shattered Life
Chapter 2: Geo Casterwill
Small dust particles were dancing in the paths of light that were being filtered through the sheer curtains. It was some kind of a beautiful bright light that seemed so thick and tangible that a person could reach out and take it in their hands like a small puddle of warm. The entire room was illuminate with its tantalizing rays, but not even that could wake up the young girl who was sleeping like an angel on the couch. Her eyelids closed against the dim light of dawn and her breathing deep and relaxed, all the muscles on her face and body were completely at peace. Not a twitch or a spasm, barely any moment of her breasts rising and falling with each intake of air.
Unfortunately, the Scroll located at the table next to her started to make an annoying 'beep' sound that forced her to slowly open her silver eyes. "W-What?...Where am I?" Ruby was confused as she looked at her surroundings, she had no clue where she was or how she got there. "That Scroll isn't mine, is it? Because I don't remember removing it from my pocket." She rubbed her eyes before looking at the holographic screen. "I can't believe it's already eleven o'clock, I should get up and see if someone needs my help with anything."
When she lift herself, a sharp pain spread throughout her entire body. "Ow! Ow!" Waves of throbbing, nauseating pain pulsed within her figure, as every move she made hurt like hell. A burning sensation radiated from her chest. A fist clamped onto her skin, nails digging deep into the flesh in search of relief from the agony she was currently in. "M-My body hurts a-all over." She then looked at her arms and legs, she noticed they were wrapped with bandages. "The doctor must have treated my injuries, but I don't recall going to see her last night." She laid her back against the couch again.
A sudden knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Without waiting for any type of answer, the medical officer unlocked the door and entered. "I'm glad to see you are already awake my child, but you shouldn't move, at least not yet." She said. "I brought a special pill with me that will ease your pain and will allow you to walk without much agony." She handed the pill to Ruby.
The young girl hesitated as she didn't know this woman. "Who are you?" Ruby asked intrigued.
"How silly of me, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Sunny Locklear and I'm the medical officer of team Hacksaw." Sunny bowed her head. Her brown, flowing hair clumsily hangs over a fresh, lived-in face. Heavy hazel eyes, set elegantly within their sockets, looking directly at the red girl. "In case you don't remember what happened last night, you passed out due to your injuries while making your way through the village." She informed her. "Fortunately, master Geo brought you here so I could fix you. But since we have a limited number of medical supplies there wasn't much I could spare for the both of you, so he decided to not get treated and offered his share of bandages to you."
Ruby was surprised to hear that. "That...that was really kind on him." She swallowed the pill and took a sip from the water that Sunny gave her. "Just one more question if you don't mind. Why do you call him master?" Ruby asked. "Actually, if I remember correctly, Captain Solomon also called him the same thing yesterday."
"Well, master Geo is the son of Lord Aiden, the ruler of a town named Gwain." She replied. "Our settlement is the most powerful and advanced independent town in all of Remnant, none of the others can match our strength and weaponry." Sunny showed great pride in her homeland. "I would gladly give my life, if it meant saving young Geo. The boy may be young but is a natural born leader and cares deeply about his people."
Ruby bore witness to such determination that she had never seen before. This woman would sacrifice her own life in exchange for Geo's. "I don't know many people that would have said that. I admire the unwavering loyalty you have towards him." She finished drinking her water. "We may have just met, but I can tell you are a noble person."
"Thank you, I could say the same thing about you." Sunny smiled. "You showed everyone here how strong and fierce a young girl like you can be. You had numerous wounds scattered across your figure but you still grabbed your weapon and fought for this village. Not many would have done that."
"Hehe! I guess." Ruby was a little embarrassed. "I didn't do much really, your soldiers were the ones who defended this place and it's citizens from the Grimm. I'm just happy I was able to help."
"Nonsense, master Geo said that without you, we wouldn't be alive right now." She said. "So you have my gratitude for saving us and for protecting the young Lord." Sunny bowed her head again. "I wish I could have been there in the battlefield fighting alongside you all, but unfortunately, I was placed in the medical team by Geo's command."
Ruby was confused. "I thought you were a medic. Why would you want to be in a fight?"
"The Locklear's have always been the protectors of Gwain's rulers. When I was child I was sent far away to go through an extensive training that was meant to prepare me for the dangerous life I was going to have under the Lord's command." Sunny continued. "But, for some reason, Geo refused to have me has his bodyguard and told his father that I should be free to do whatever I wanted." A smile was formed on her lips.
"I can see now why you respect him a lot." Ruby said. "He freed you from a live of servitude."
"Indeed, and thanks to him I was able to marry a kind man and bring my daughter into this world. I will never be able to repay him for what he did for me. But the least I can do is fight for him when needs me, that's the reason I joined the military, and yet he refuses to let me fight."
"He probably wants to keep you out of trouble." She replied.
"Perhaps." Sunny sighed. "Anyway, the experimental pill I gave you should have already kicked in, try to get up if you can."
"W-What?!" Ruby couldn't believe it. "You used me as a test subject for an experimental pill? Are you crazy or what lady?!"
"Don't worry, that little thing won't kill you or anything, I design it myself so I know the chemical properties it contains." Sunny then looked the other way. "The worst case scenario I can imagine would be the total paralysis of your body functions or complete lost of bowel control, but nothing like that as ever happened to the previous subjects...I think." She pondered for a moment.
"You think?!" Ruby immediately rose from the couch with pure rage in her eyes.
"Pfffft! Hahaha!" Sunny laughed. "I was just kidding, relax girl."
"That wasn't funny at all Sunny." Replied Ruby as she calmed down. "Hey! I'm up and I don't feel any pain anymore." She moved her arms around with joy. "The pill you gave me actually worked."
"Of course it did, I may be a fighter but I am also a great medic." Sunny made her way to the door. "Please try to not force yourself too much, or the unbearable pain you once had will return." The woman opened the door. "You are free to leave if you want, I bet your parents must be worried sick about you."
Ruby didn't say a single word, she didn't cared about her monster of a father, and her mother had died long ago. The only family she still had was her older sister, Yang but how could she face her now after running away. "...My parents aren't worried, they know I can take care of myself."
"I see. Well, feel free to stick around then." With those words said, Sunny left.
The red hooded girl grabbed Crescent Rose and her backpack, she too left the room, closing the door behind her. The house where she was in was well equipped, there was a small kitchen and one average bathroom, it also has a large living room, two bedrooms, a large dining area, and a grand storage room. "For a house in a small village this place sure is fancy." Then her stomach growled. "I think I still have some food left in my backpack."
Ruby searched the insides but found nothing to eat. "No food, just great."
"Heads up, Red."
Ruby turned around and caught a piece of bread with her hands. "Thanks Geo."
"No problem, I'm glad to see you are doing better, you got me quite worried when you passed out last night." He said. "Did Sunny by any chance pull the pill on you?" The young girl was so concentrated in eating the bread slice that she only nodded her head up and down. "Hahaha! She did the same thing to me when I was younger, she scared the hell out of me with that silly pill joke."
The girl swallowed the last piece of breath and said. "I didn't found it that funny, actually it really scared me. I mean have you ever thought about losing your bowel control?"
"Haha!" Geo laughed. "I think it would have been a messy situation."
Ruby couldn't help but to giggle a little at the boy's joke. "It would have been disgusting too." She stared at him and noticed multiple cuts on his face. "Also, I must thank you for offering your share of bandages to me, I don't why you did it but I appreciate your kindness."
"No worries, you needed them more than I did." Geo replied.
Suddenly, the hard-wooden entrance door was slammed open and a couple of villagers stormed in. They approached Geo and kneeled before him with sorrow painting their eyes. "Please, Lord Geo, we beg of you to help us once again." The Elder of Perlshaw begged. "Some of our people have gone missing during the attack, we suspect they went to the old mansion not far away from here looking for shelter, but they haven't returned. Can you please go find them?"
"Don't kneel, I'm just a person like you, the title I carry makes me no different from you." Geo placed his hands on the old man's shoulders and helped him get up. "Now, have you talked to Captain Solomon about this issue? Because he could form a search party and go look for them."
"We have, but he keeps saying he doesn't have enough men to send out." He replied. "Isn't there anything you can do for our people? Perhaps you could order the Captain to spare some of his men to go look for them."
"Captain Solomon is the best officer I have, and if he said he doesn't have the man power to spare then I believe him." Said Geo, leaving the villagers with no hope of ever seeing they're friends and loved ones again. The old man looked at the young Lord with his eyes full with tears. "Don't cry, I'll go look for them myself."
"I'll go with you." Ruby volunteered.
"No, you should remain here, your not fully healed yet."
"I appreciate your concern but I can still fight, besides I'm one hell of a sniper and you will need my help."
Geo knew there was no point to continue with this conversation so he accepted her decision. The villagers were extremely happy to hear that. "May god bless you both." The elder smiled. "Promise me you will bring my daughter back safe and sound."
"I promise." Said Ruby with a confident expression, giving the old man hope to see his daughter again.
There are certain promises we shouldn't make because sometimes things don't go the way they should. Though Geo. "Can you give us a map of the area?"
"Certainly, I have one at my home that you can take."
Geo then turned to Ruby. "Have you enough Dust for your weapon? Because if you haven't go see Captain Solomon, he will give you the amount you need."
"I still have a few rounds left but I never say no to free Dust."
"Funny, so do I."