The Ancients World

Chapter 271: Splitting up again II

{I want to let everyone know that I have a p-a-t-r-e-o-n with two new exclusive stories on it. One is The Aeternus Universe, and the other is a new story with a basketball system. I hope you guys will give it a chance. The link is https://www.p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/easyread. Remove the dashes. Web censors the word.}

The inn that we agreed to rent for the night is up ahead. They're already there and waiting for me. I'm betting Hailey had to pay way more than she was comfortable with. I'm glad she isn't traveling alone, and I'm also glad that she has a magical beast to keep her company. Emerald, the green striped tiger cub in her backpack, will mature into a powerful beast. One that'll be Hailey's best friend. I see the inn up ahead, and I slowly make my way towards it. There are fewer and fewer players in The City of James as time goes on.

All of us players are being forcefully removed or driven out. Tonight is our last night here. So it won't come to that for us. It's good that Hailey has money cause I'm all out of gold. The next time I'm in a city, I'll need to stop by the bank to pick up my shares from the shop. They should've accumulated into large sums by now. I walk up to the inn's door, and I open them. Once inside, I'm greeted by many scowls and frowning faces. "You're not welcome here." Almost immediately, and drunk man at the bar begins talking to me.

He is looking rough. His hair is all disheveled, and his face is covered by rough stubble. His eyes are red and puffy from crying. I ignore him and keep my hood up. I walk up to the counter of the bar, and the bartender is looking right at me. He, too, isn't pleased I'm here. "There were two women who came in here earlier. Their my friends and I'm here to meet them. Can you tell me where they are?" The bartender looks at me and has a sense of disgust about him. I'm a few inches taller than most people here, but that isn't intimidating the really disgruntled people.

Before the bartender can tell me anything, the drunk middle-aged man next to me stands up and tries to shove me. To his and everyone's surprise, I don't budge, and he goes flying to the ground from the force bouncing back on him. I look at him, and I can't help but pity the man. He probably lost loved ones, a wife, a child. Maybe both. He gets up in a furry and pulls a dagger out. Nobody is going to stop him cause they, on some level, agree with his actions. "RRAAHHH!!" He lunges at me and tries to stab me in the heart.

The blade immediately shatters as it can't break through my defense and skin. He drops the handle and looks at me in rage. He's intent on hurting me. The most desperate act is next. He sees my blade in its sheath and grabs the handle. As soon as she does, he has a look of doom on his face, and he faces to his knees. The Witness has a strange effect on people who are weak or not me. I watch the man wet his pants, and a horrid smell comes through the bar. He shit himself too. The Witness didn't take too kindly to being touched.

I look down at the man, and he starts weeping, and I can tell it's not because of The Witness. He's crying about something else. "ALMIGHTY FATHER CURSE ALL YOU NEW PEOPLE!!! YOU'RE THE REASONS MY FAMILY IS DEAD NOW!!!" I suspected right. As he screams out at the top of his lunges. Many look down and cringe, and others begin having tears fall themselves. The reality of us being in their world is beginning to show. We are growing strong and at a fast rate. Eventually, no native of Gaia will be able to compete. Not an ordinary one.

There are still very strong natives out there. The top adventurers in the adventurers guild and other reclusive NPC's exist. Ones that can't be killed easily. I know I'm the strongest player, and I can kill any mortal NPC. However, multiple legendary class wielders ganging up on me can mean my first death. Be them players or NPC's. "Listen, what has happened here today is our fault." Everyone looks towards me as I say that. "However, there are bigger problems than us new people. Your people are constantly warring and are in the middle of a great war." Everyone is silent as I speak.

I'm not trying to make excuses, and I'm not trying to downplay the damage that our presence has done. "We are capable of things for your wars that you're not. We can fight and be killed. Then come back and continue fighting. Us being here is saving your people even more death. Think about the other side too. Not just the problems we bring, but also the ones we solve." Many don't know if they should talk or stay quiet. Many want to retort, but they can't find the right words. Knowing that my words are true makes it hard.

The drunk man stands up with pants full of piss and shit and walks out of the inn defeated. Not physically, but emotionally and mentally. To him, he's lost all his reasons to live. I turn back to the bartender, and he tosses me a key. "Their upstairs, second room on the left." I nod my head and make my way towards the stairs. I slowly climb them, and as I do, I hear people begin to whisper to themselves. I make it to the door, and I use the key. Not bothering to knock, and as I open the door and walk-in. Sally and Hailey are sitting at a table and talking.

Sally gets up and comes over, she immediately hugs me, and this is a moment when men know that they have someone that truly loves them. "I take it everything went well?" As Sally continues to squeeze me. Hailey is curious about what I found. I give her a serious look and nod for her to head out of the room to give us some privacy. She takes the hint and leaves. I need to tell Sally all the information I've come across. Well, more like show her. Sally pulls away from me as Hailey exits the room, and she looks up at me with a confused look.

I grab her shoulder, and I create some distance between us. "There is something I learned from the information. Something related to you and your mother. I want you to know that it's going to make you hurt and be angry." She looks at me in slight fear. She has no idea what the information I found entails. I pull out the crystal ball from my inventory, and I hand it to her. "Take as much time reading it as you need, and it's going to be okay with whatever reaction you have." She looks at the crystal ball in hesitation, but I make my way over to the table.

I take a seat, and I walk. Sally activates the crystal ball and begins reading. It's going to take her a bit to get to the section about her mother and her family and the elven kingdom. I lean my head in my hand as I prop my elbow on the table. She's going to be in a state of severe sadness, then incredible rage as she reads that. It's not something that should be hidden, and with all three quests tied to her knowing the information, it's the obvious choice to make. Even if that means we have to put Fighting the Disease on the backburner.

After a couple of minutes, I watch her eyes widen and move her head closer to the crystal ball. She starts shaking, and I watch tears begin to fall. Her chin starts quivering, and little soft whimpers of pain escape. She stops reading and lets the crystal ball drop on the ground. Luckily, it didn't break. She falls to one and has a hard time catching her breath. I stand up from my chair, and I make my way to her side. I place my right hand on her shoulder, picking up the crystal ball with my left. I place it back in my inventory. I have new notifications, but those can wait.

Before I can even say anything, she jumps into my arms and hugs me. I hear her cry out in pain in my ear, and I hug her and rock her side to side. "They sold her... They sold my mom..." The pain in her words makes my heartache and my own hate and rage burn. Sally doesn't deserve this. No one does. I slowly rub the back of her head, and she continues crying. "How could they... To their own family... To their own child..." She speaks between gasps of pained breathing and crying. I just let her cry and hug me. That's what she needs right now.