Chapter 67: Freedom? 

Sari: “Ai, Kou!”

Ai & Kou: “Mom!”

With tears on their face, Kou and Ai, jumped into their mother’s embrace. Koshige soon joined them, no words were spoken, after months of enslavement the family was reunited.

Other women emerged from the cave, shielding their eyes from the sunlight. A few dropped to their knees, after being held captive for so long, they had forgotten the warmth of the heavenly body. Nathan walked up to the women who emerged, surprised it was the Dark-skinned Lycanian, the bandits had been raving about.

Women: “Are you the one who set us free, our new master?”

Nathan: “Nope, none of that, you’re all free to go. I don’t really know where, but your free to decide.”

Gideon: “Hmmmph, hhhhmmmmmppppphhhhhh!!!!”

Gideon begin to flail again, seeing his trophies being set free and walking around, sent him over the edge. While they slept, Nathan tied him all down with vines, to prevent escape. The vines around him began to tighten, but he didn’t care. The women flinched from the sight, but Nathan quickly cracked him across the skull, knocking him out.

Nathan: “Fricking idiot; don’t go killing yourself before I get my reward.”

Iris: “Reward?”

Nathan: “Yup, remember that quest about Therian thieves? These are the real masterminds behind the attacks. With this and whatever I can find in that cave, I’m gonna be able to rank up.”

Iris: “Then should we retrieve the ones I left in the woods?”

Nathan: “You said you’d deposed of them?”

Iris: “They’re still alive, there just unable to move.”

Nathan: “Ah, then yes. The more I turn in, the less there will be that could retaliate.”

Iris: “What will happen to them?”

Nathan: “Well, after I turn these guys in, they’ll be free to go anywhere. I’m sure most will probably go looking for their families, but they most likely won’t get the reunion they were hoping for.”

Nathan watched all the women that looked around for any signs of their families, others just stared at him confused and scared. Nathan said they were free, but that was a hard thing to accept. Many of them had spent years with Gideon, their families they once had, possibly now just a distant memory. A lot of them were abandoned and if they showed up now, as cruel as it is, they could be seen as nuisances to their families who long since moved on.

While thinking about things, the fox family’s reunion had come to an end.

Iris: “What do we do about her; it’s a problem that she can see me.”

Nathan: “I’m not sure yet.”

As if on cue, Sari, strolled over to Nathan and Iris together the rest of her family in tow.”

Sari: “Excuse me.”

Nathan: “What is it?”

Sari: “We would like to thank you for what you’ve done.”

Koshige: “Yes, without your help we wouldn’t be able to be together.”

Nathan: “No need for that, I wasn’t really trying to help. It just so happened events turned out this way.”

Sari: “Still, thank you very much.”

Kou tugged at Ai’s clothes and pulled her in front of Nathan.

Nathan: “Hmm?”

Kou bowed his head.

Kou: “Even if you say otherwise, thank you for saving our parents.”

Ai looked away, but the prodding from her brother made, forced her forward.

Ai: “T-Thanks I guess.”

Still bowing, Kou threw a stern look at Ai, who quickly bowed as well.

Ai: “No, I apologize for the way I acted, my sincerest thanks for all you’ve done.”

Nathan gasped loudly at Ai, pretending to be shocked.

Nathan: “What? You can be sincere…? Who are you and what have you done with Ai!?”

Ai: “Y-You!?”

Ai flailed her arms, while Kou held her back, Nathan laughing at her reaction. While he fooled around, one of the women approached him and tap his shoulder.

Nathan: “Hmm?”

Women A: “Hey, are we really free to leave?”

Nathan: “Yeah sure, if your worried about him, he won’t be coming after you, I’m turning him over to Loegrey.”

Women B: “Then, have you seen anyone else, people being forced to steal?”

Nathan: “Besides those two, no-one, they’re probably out stealing. I’m sure besides around here tied up, everyone else is still unaware of the situation here.”

Woman A: “Aren’t you going to save them too?”

Nathan: “I’m not doing anything of the sort. I got what I came for. Like I said, I didn’t come here to save you, my prize is the people tied up here.”

Woman A: “Then what are we supposed to do?”

Nathan: “Whatever you do, it better be away from here. Sooner or later, more of those bandits are gonna show up and if they catch you again, no one’s coming to your rescue.”

Nathan words seem to hit home, they would surely be delivered back to hell, if more of the bandits showed up.

Sari: “Wait.”

Everyone turned to Sari, calling for them to stop, as they were about to disperse.

Sari: “Please, come with us. It not safe for you out there.”

Woman A: “It’s not safe anywhere for any Therian.”

Sari: “No, there is. Our home, a safe haven for all Therians, we can take you there.”

Koshige: “Sari?”

Koshige was surprised to hear Sari mention their home. Something like this, he’d never heard before.

Sari: “Everything’s fine my love, these women need our help.”

Woman C: “Thank you, but I need to find my family.”

Sari: “I don’t think that’s a good idea, she’s captured the leader, but there are more of them still out there.”

Woman A: “So, you expect us to just abandon our families?”

Sari: “That’s not what I meant, it’s just the current circumstances--”

Sari trailed off her sentence at the end, but Nathan pretty much knew what she was going to say. However, Nathan had said his peace, what they did now was of no concern to him.

Woman A: “Then what, if you have nothing else to say then, I have to go.”

Sari: “Please wait.”

Woman A: “Enough, I waited for seven years, not a minute more.”

Nathan: “Just go with her, you can’t do anything about your family anyway.”

Everyone turned their attention to Nathan, he felt the conversation was going to be unnecessarily long and he needed to hurry. Some of the women didn’t like Nathan’s remarks, it seemed heartless, but he didn’t care. They were acting like idiots.

Woman A: “Who the hell do you think you are.”

Nathan: “The one who just set you free.”

Woman A: “And thank you for that, but you said you will do nothing else, so I have to do it myself. I gonna find my family.”

Nathan: “And do what exactly? Get yourself captured again? Because that’s what’s going to happen if you go looking for them.”

The woman looked away, understanding that was a distinct possibility.

Nathan: “Once I turn him in, the news will spread about it to all the others in his gang. When that happens, your family will have a chance to get away.” When you’ve healed and got your minds together, go look for them then. Right now, you’ll just end up getting yourselves killed for nothing.”

The woman sucked through her teeth; she hated it, but Nathan was right. They couldn’t do anything for their families right now and getting caught again wouldn’t help anyone.

Nathan: “Well, then again you can do what you want, I won’t stop you. It’s getting late so I’m gonna get going.”

Sari: “Ah, before you go, may I have a word in private?”

Nathan: “That’s fine, I actually want to speak to you as well.”

Sari: “My love, could you help get them ready to leave?”

Ai: “We’ll help dad.”

Kou: “Yeah.”

Koshige understood and lead the children away, the three consoling different women, in an attempt to get them ready to leave. Sari and Nathan stepped away, just out of ear-shot.

Nathan: “You want to ask about Iris?”

Sari: “Yes, but I was more interested in you.”

Nathan: “Oh?”

Nathan stared at Sari, he couldn’t think any other reason she would want to speak with him. She could see both Iris and him in their invisible states, it wasn’t too far-fetched to assume she knew he was the Hero.

Nathan: “What could possibly want from me?”

Sari: “Well, I’m just a little confused about something. All the others I’ve met said the races of our world are nothing like their world. What reason what they have had to lie to me?”

Nathan: “They?...what are you talking about?”

Sari looked puzzle for a moment, but after she spoke, Nathan’s reaction said everything.

Sari: “I’m referring to you being a traveler, aren’t you from Earth?”