The tent's worn fabric door flapped behind Alex, its tattered edges fluttering in the breeze. As he stepped out into the open, he released a long exhale, his hand instinctively clutching at his chest as a sharp pain pierced his heart. It felt as if a blade had been driven deep within, causing him to bend forward, almost falling on his face.
The technique's drawback. Even when fighting the leader, Alex had not stopped using it, and with each passing second, the recoil would only get worse.
It felt as if his blood would stop and even reverse at times, causing bouts of pain to spark throughout his body.
'All thanks to you, Elder Pyrus.' Alex grumbled in his mind, recounting how "helpful" the elder was. Alex wanted to create his core long before he embarked on his journey, yet the Recen Elders stopped him from doing so.
If Alex would have had a core by now, this technique's recoil wouldn't have been able to even tickle him. Alas, he would have to bear with sore muscles and the occasional cramp.
'No matter.' Alex decided, straightening himself out. Turning his attention to what he could plunder, the young man got to work.
He shifted through the garbage these thugs considered a treasure, looking for something, anything that would imply the involvement of other parties. There was no way under the sun these bastards could've festered beneath Vizin's plump behind without those at the top knowing.
Hell, even a moderately powerful wizard could cast a scouting spell or release a familiar to look for hiding bandits, yet the Moonmares didn't do such a thing. Why?
That's what Alex wanted to find out.
The only thing he could think of was if these bandits traded some valuable minerals with the Moonmares in exchange for immunity, partial as it may be.
The Moonmares would get minerals and whatever valuable these bandits stumbled across this mineshaft, and, in return, the leading family would turn a blind eye when a woman or two was suddenly reported missing.
Yet, there was still something that bugged Alex's mind. Why even bother with these fuckers? Why wouldn't the Moonmares kick these men out and place their miners in here? Assuming metals and minerals could still be found here.
Alex shook his head and immersed himself in the task at hand, methodically sorting through the spoils, looking for the needle in the haystack.
Even after spending more than an hour looking through the camp, Alex came out empty-handed. In the end, he turned his attention back to the leader's tent.
'Those women must have recovered from their fright, no? They also might know what's going on here.'
Thinking about how he should approach the current situation, his steps led him to the tent's entrance. 'Here goes nothing. Please don't scream as soon as you see me.' Alex begged in his mind as he pushed one flap to the side.
The interior was the same as Alex had left it, but he was more focused on the women huddled in a far corner. He could see tear marks on their faces, and their hair was all disheveled, mostly due to the 'fun' the leader had with them.
The women didn't scream, all to Alex's relief, so he thought he'd ask them about the situation at hand. He realized these ladies wouldn't want him too close after all that happened to them, so Alex kept his distance while asking questions.
The women proved to be not as helpful as Alex would have wanted, but there was nothing he could do. He wouldn't blame them, either. If several men threw themselves at you, you wouldn't take notice of the conversation happening next door.
In the end, Alex could get no definitive answer to his suspicions. He had looked everywhere, starting from the leader's tent to the latrines in the back - well, he didn't actually go in there, but you get the idea. Even if important letters were to be held there, Alex still wouldn't have entered. Gods know-how many wanks those walls have seen, so Alex would rather just avoid finding out.
"Well, why you're sitting there? Let's go." Alex told the group of women before leading them out of the tent and, eventually, the camp.
Alex could see the women tremble and avert their eyes from all the dead bodies, but there was little he could do to alleviate their pains.
"I'm not sure where you all come from, so I will lead you to Night's Sky. The owner should then help you out." Alex said before continuing. "Oh, and don't worry. No one is going to force you to do anything."
"Um, do you work there, sir?" Asked a younger-looking woman after walking through the tunnels for a while.
Alex shook his head. "No, but I was hired by Lady Violet to take care of this band of fuckers. They were harassing her girls, and the owner decided to do something about it since the Moonmares weren't going to."
The women followed Alex closely, their eyes averted from the lifeless bodies that lay strewn across their path.
They clung to his guidance, trusting him to lead them anywhere but here.
Through winding tunnels and treacherous passages, Alex guided the women, navigating the labyrinthine paths a bit slower than he would've liked.
The flickering light of his torch cast eerie shadows on the walls, their dancing forms a macabre backdrop to their journey. Alex didn't need the light from the torch, but the same couldn't be said about the rest of the group. And since Alex didn't want them to break a leg, he lit a torch he plucked from a dead bandit's hand.
As they emerged from the depths of the mineshaft, the night air greeted them with a chilly embrace. The women let out relieved sighs as they looked up at the sky they feared would no longer see. They took a moment to process what had happened until now, and as soon as they were done, they continued following Alex.
They walked some time through the woods, being careful to avoid any sharp stones and unearthed roots they could trip over.
Although Alex was a bit unhappy about their slow speed, he understood the women probably didn't eat well while in the bandits' company.
"We're almost there," Alex reassured the women, his voice calm. "Night's Sky is in the Red Light district, but no one should bother you with me leading you. Lady Violet will ensure your safety and provide the support you need."
"Thank you." A woman said from behind, and Alex nodded in response. He didn't need the thanks but were appreciated nonetheless.
Entering Vizin's streets, the group walked in hushed silence, the rhythmic patter of their footsteps echoing through the empty alleyways. That is until the group rounded a corner and entered the Red Light district.
Alex could see the women huddle even closer together as they passed by men looking at them like wolfs, so he slowed down slightly to be closer to them. It was of little comfort, yet he tried making the trip as bearable as possible.
"Let's enter." Alex suddenly said as he held the door open for the women to enter. They have reached Night's Sky.