Chapter 11 - 10/A tragic past

Thank you for all your support. And sorry for my poor English as I am French. I will do my best anyway. Thanks again for your support.
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Alfred looked at Aria before turning to Logan and replied with a smile, "Ah, she's a slave I bought. She'll carry our food and equipment." (Alfred)

"I see." Logan said, bothered.

"We're going to take a carriage that will take us to the village. We'll be there in about a day." (Alfred)

The group then set off, slowly making their way towards the city's exit, their goal being to reach their transport that awaited them for the next part of their journey. Logan, meanwhile, walked a bit behind, accompanied by the young girl. As they progressed, the other members of the group led the way, chatting among themselves, leaving Logan and the girl in a bubble of silence, marked only by the sound of their footsteps on the cobblestones. Until Logan finally broke the silence.

"Tell me, what's your name?" Logan asked.

"My name is Aria." she said, hesitating to say her own name.

"I'm Logan. You don't need permission to talk to me, and you don't have to be afraid." (Logan)

"Very well..." (Aria)

"Tell me, where are you from?" (Logan)

"I come from a very remote village, where we lived hidden and..." Aria began, her voice trailing off into silence.

She couldn't finish her sentence, her face suddenly tightening as if assaulted by painful memories. Her eyes, filled with sadness, seemed to hint at untold stories, forewarning terrible trials. Perceiving her distress, Logan didn't hesitate for a moment. He gently took her hand in his, offering a spontaneous gesture of comfort. His silent support seemed to say that he was there for her, ready to share the burden of her past, but he knew it wasn't the right moment yet.

"I understand, don't force yourself for now. During the mission, stay close to me, okay?" (Logan)

She nodded in agreement, then together, they headed towards the carriage that awaited them. It was not a luxurious vehicle, but rather a simple wooden cart, covered with a tarp and pulled by sturdy horses, ready to start the journey. Logan settled on one side of the carriage with Aria by his side, both enveloped in a contemplative silence. They seemed each lost in their thoughts, perhaps reflecting on the day's events or the trials to come. This silence, heavy and filled with unspoken emotions, was finally broken by one of Alfred's companions, who addressed the group with a remark that caught everyone's attention.

"Why are you sitting next to that stinking beast?" Lewis asked, disgruntled.

"If she stinks, I wonder what you smell like?" Logan replied without flinching.

"What did you just say?" (Lewis)

"Are you deaf too? I'm participating in this mission, but I don't have to get along with you. So shut up, I'm already tired of listening to your crap." (Logan)

"You think just because you've accomplished a few small things, you have the right to look down on me?" (Lewis)

"That's right, you seem to appreciate that inferior being quite a lot. You've been spending all your time with her since the start of the journey." added Reinard.

"Her company is indeed more pleasant than that of two idiots like you." (Logan)

"You bastard!" (Lewis)

In a fluid and controlled motion, Lewis drew his sword and pointed it at Logan as he stood calmly, the blade gleaming menacingly in the dim light of the carriage.

"I'm level 90, do you think you stand a chance?" (Lewis)

"Instead of talking, come at me!" (Logan)

"Clap-Clap! Now, let's not fight. Lewis, put your sword away. You can blow off steam later." Alfred said, clapping his hands.

"Tch!" Lewis swore as he sheathed his sword and sat back down.

From that point on, a heavy silence fell over the group for the rest of the journey. The only perceptible sound was the regular creaking of the carriage wheels rolling over the rocky path. This monotonous, almost hypnotic sound accompanied their thoughts as they each lost themselves in reflection, the tension from the earlier confrontation still floating between them like a ghost. After several hours of this silent journey, they finally arrived at the village. The sun, on the horizon, cast its last golden rays, bathing the landscape in a warm and welcoming light, a striking contrast to the cold that had settled among them.

"Well, let's find an inn." (Alfred)

They then searched for an inn, which was found without difficulty. The village, although very modest, had a small welcoming inn, whose wooden sign, slightly creaking in the wind, invited travelers to stop. As they crossed the threshold, the receptionist, a middle-aged man with a warm smile, greeted them. His friendly expression contrasted with the tense atmosphere that still lingered among them, and he greeted them in a soft voice, slightly dispelling the air of mistrust that had settled during the trip.

"Do you want separate rooms?" (Receptionist)

"No, a room with 4 beds." (Alfred)

"5 beds." (Logan)

"We don't give beds to inferior beings." the receptionist immediately replied.

"She'll sleep on the floor, like the slave she is!" Reinard added with disdain.

"But tell me, you seem to appreciate that inferior being quite a lot. Are you a rebel?" Lewis asked with a smile.

The rebels, as he mentioned, were known for their refusal to submit to racial discrimination and consequently rejected the cult of the goddess. These men and women, stigmatized by the church, nobility, and all the cult's followers, were often treated as pariahs. In this rigid society, those considered infidels or rebels were generally exterminated or ostracized, their existence marked by danger and exclusion.

"And if I am one?" (Logan)

"Then the church should be delighted to count a new infidel." (Lewis)

"Is that a threat?" (Logan)

"More like advice." (Lewis)

"I'll sleep outside with her then." (Logan)

"As you wish, but you must be here tomorrow at 8 o'clock sharp for the quest." (Reinard)

"No problem, I'll be on time." (Logan)

Alone against all, Logan made a bold decision. He left the inn with Aria, looking for a quiet and secluded spot at the edge of the village. Once an adequate place was found, under a starry sky that promised a clear night, he began to craft two hammocks and two blankets with the materials he had bought earlier.

As he worked, his movements skilled and assured, Aria sat beside him, watching in silence. The atmosphere was peaceful, disturbed only by the rustling of leaves and the soft chirping of nocturnal crickets. Logan, focused on his task, didn't notice Aria's attentive eyes following his every movement.

Finally, as the last knot was tightened and the hammocks were ready to welcome their occupants for the night, Aria broke the silence. Her voice, soft but firm, cut through the calm of the night, bringing with it words that might change the course of their relationship.

"Sir, why do you defend me? You are human, aren't you?" Aria asked, a glimmer of inquiry in her eyes.

"It's simple, I hate slavery and discrimination," Logan replied, his serious gaze reflecting a deep conviction.

"You don't worship the goddess?" Aria asked, seeming to seek a deeper understanding of his motivations.

"Why would I worship that... goddess? Besides, you must hate her too, right?" (Logan)

"I hate her! Because of her, I lost my family!" Aria revealed her own burden, her voice breaking slightly under the weight of her grief.

"Would you tell me your story?" Logan suggested, settling more comfortably in the hammock, indicating that he was ready to listen, to share the burden of her painful past. Aria nodded, taking a deep breath before diving into the memories that had so marked her life.

"I was born in a small village named Luna, a place where all beastmen like me have white fur, which is very rare. We lived secluded, far from humans, to avoid being sold as slaves. Our days were peaceful, marked by hunting and forest resources. We were taught the history of our world and the persecution humans inflicted on our race and others. All because the goddess Hamnesia hated us, she and her cult."

She paused, her face darkening with the painful memory.

"The day my village was attacked, I was in the forest with Téilo, my childhood friend. We had gone to pick fruits when we saw smoke rising in the direction of our village. They had found us and set our homes on fire. The men, including my father Rice, tried to defend our village, but the assailants were too many. Despite our fierce resistance, we were overwhelmed. They then gathered all the survivors in the center of the burning village."

Her eyes reflected the pain of her memories, as if she were reliving every moment.

"You've really pissed us off!" declared a man, his face in his thirties and covered in blood.

"Isn't it normal to resist the invasion of pigs like you?" (Rice)

"You've got quite a mouth for an inferior being!" he said, striking him violently, causing him to bleed.

The man then took my mother and threw her in front of my father. Several men held my mother and stripped her while my father was tied up. And they raped her in front of my father and me for hours. Once they were done, they threw her away like a worthless object." (Aria)

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" (Rice)

"I told you I knew how to tame men like you. I'm going to sell your wife as a common slave, and there's nothing you can do about it." the man replied with a smile.

"They then killed all the men while the women were sold. They slit my father's throat before my eyes, making sure he was the last to die, just to watch him suffer as he lost every member of his village one by one. Then they separated me from my mother and sold me as well. I'll never forget the name of that scum, Vengus! Once sold, I was raped; they did atrocious things to me, sometimes torturing me for their pleasure. Just to see my body bleed and the pain in my eyes. To make me beg for my life, just to live one more day." Aria said, clenching her fist with all her strength.

Hearing her story and feeling the depth of her pain, Logan gently took Aria's hands in his. It was a simple gesture, but full of sincerity and silent support. He sought to convey a bit of warmth and comfort to her in the cool, starry night, under the rustling leaves and distant murmurs of the forest. Logan couldn't find words capable of healing such pain, but his tender gesture spoke more than he could have expressed with words. He wanted her to understand that she was no longer alone, that he would be there for her, no matter the path they would now have to walk together.

"Aria, don't worry, this is going to change!" he exclaimed, his voice vibrating with unyielding resolve.

But Aria, overwhelmed by her emotions, burst out:

"How! How can it change? We've lost, I've lost everything! This world persecutes us and refuses to accept our existence."

Her words were interspersed with sobs, tears glistening on her cheeks, reflections of her despair.

Facing such pain, Logan gently took her into his arms, seeking to soothe her suffering.

"If the world persecutes you, you must persecute it in return. I promise you that I will change this world." he declared, each word imbued with profound commitment.

As he held her, his reassuring warmth penetrated her, and she observed him with intense attention, captivated by the strange and beautiful red light emanating from his eyes. This glow seemed to reflect the depths of her own hatred and sadness, as if the flames of her tormented soul were manifesting through his gaze.

In his eyes, one could read a silent promise, that of an implacable vengeance. He then vowed with a voice filled with cold determination to find and severely punish those responsible for her tragedy.

Together, in this quiet night, they began to forge a bond in the promise of a transformed future.
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If you want more, the two next chapters are already available here : https://bit.ly/3i1HaYm

Thanks to the contributors.

Thanks to Cadméa for her subscription level 3.

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Special thanks to Rebecca/Amari/Zezima/Bored dragon/ Sky_Shay for her power stones.
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