ARGH!
A grunt of pain was heard as a man awoke with his hands covering his neck, breathing heavily with sweat covering his whole body.
"Wh.. what the fuck!" Connor muttered, looking around him. He saw the familiar Bungalow with Lisa running out of the room.
"What happened? You ok?" She said with a fearful expression.
"Y.. yeah!" Connor said. He got up, grabbed the Metal Pipe and walked towards the window peeking outside. "We're ok.. Go back to sleep"
After Lisa made sure he was ok, she reluctantly went back to her room. Connor sat on the sofa, his thoughts going wild. "I... I DIED?" He muttered. "CLAY!" His rage soared, remembering the man. "I swear if I go back I'll make you disappear!"
Connor laid back. It took him a while to calm down before his consciousness started to drift. It was still night in the real world, although Connor spent nearly a whole night in Gaya.
His eyelids became heavy as he slowly slid back to sleep.
***
Connor opened his eyes, looking around the room. He was back in that damned abandoned house.
"So if I die all my progress is annulled? Then what does that mean? Is Gaya not real?" Connor muttered, confused with a load of questions. He grabbed his old Machete with everything he took the last time and walked out.
The next events were practically the same. The only difference was that Connor had all the information and knowledge of his last run. He killed the Moths, explored the Ruin, spoke with Kam, then Doug and so on. He repeated everything with more finesse, all the good and bad. The only thing he did differently was he had more Plants when he reached the Camp with his old Machete still with him alongside the Sword Kam offered. What he hated more was the fact that he lost all the Skills he had, even forgetting the knowledge of whatever he learned.
After doing everything all over again, he stood in front of a man sleeping near a campfire. He looked at him as he clenched his teeth in anger.
He moved forward and woke him up, repeating the same conversation until the last part.
"Shouldn't you be standing guard by the Swamp farm?" Connor asked.
"Piss off!"
"The fire might keep you warm, but some Gold Coins will keep you warmer!" Connor had fire inside his chest. He wanted to jump on this man and stab him countless times, but he held it in. He grabbed 50 GC from his 159 GC and handed it to him.
"Hmm.. although it isn't much, it should be enough for some Beer!" Clay said with a smile, pocketing the Gold. "Alright, I'll go take over Phil… For now" A grin appeared on his face.
Connor watched him as he left, his hand firmly grasping his Sword. "Just you wait!" He muttered.
With one Task done, Connor moved on. He wasn't about to report to Brog just yet. He wanted to take care of all the things that needed to be done in the Camp before he left. He walked towards a man he knew was the head of the Workers, Hawkings. "Hey, you don't look like the rest of the Don's men" Connor started the conversation.
"Me? I'm the one the rest of them treat like dirt" Hawkings said. "Day in and day out me and my Workers try our best, and they need us" He continued. "But do they realize that? I wish they'd come and see what it's like. See if they like being eaten by Swamp Creatures!"
"Sorry to hear that" Connor said. "You must be the one in charge of the Workers here then?"
"Yeah! I'm supposed to oversee the Workers at the excavations, but morale is so low that the men don't care anymore"
"So the excavations have stopped?" Connor asked.
"They won't be happy when they find out. The Don's supposed to be a fair man.. But Brog isn't and he should be protecting us" Hawkings continued. "If any of my men were good at fighting they'd have gone long ago. They'd be living it up at the bars and brothels of Harbor Town"
"Why is it this bad here?"
"We keep losing men to the Creatures. And there are even worse fates too.. I'd rather be anywhere else, but we have to collect anything made of Gold and take it to Beppo. We didn't expect to have to fight the Monsters here, we're not trained for it, and that bastard Brog should be protecting us, but do his fighters ever come and help? Too drunk most of them"
"I can talk to Brog for you"
"Don't! It'll only cause trouble. We've tried everything. Brog's not going to listen to you"
"Then.. Maybe I can do something to help? How many excavation sites are out there?" Connor asked.
"Three. Two right in the middle of the Swamp and one east of the Temple" Hawkings continued. "Look for the shovels and carts, they mean you're in the right place"
"Alright!" Connor nodded and quickly left. He went to where Beppo was supposed to be and spoke with him. This was the man taking care of the Gold and Artifacts for the Don.
"Hey!" Connor greeted.
"Hey what? You'd better be from Hawkings, I need those crates moving!" Beppo quickly said.
"What crates?" Connor asked.
"The ones full of artifacts, what else are we moving? Damn Hawkings, his Workers should have moved them by now! I knew it was too much responsibility for the old coot!"
"So you're in charge of moving boxes right?" Connor asked.
"They're not just any old boxes! They're full of artifacts from the excavation sites. They get dug up, they come to me and then go to the Don!"
"Let's talk sensibly then" Connor said. "I can help you get the crates, for a decent sum of Gold"
"Think you can? Alright, well get going and get'em moving!"
"So the crates are in the excavation sites? Alright!" Connor started to move. But he felt exhaustion fall over him. 'It's time to get some rest' He thought, looking at the now dark sky.
He walked to the Workers lodging and picked an empty bed without a crate in front of it and fell asleep. Of course he didn't forget to hide his Crystal and equipment.
***
"Morning!" Lisa smiled brightly. Her long hair shone, reflecting the light from the window curtains.
Connor stood up, feeling his body similar to when he was inside Gaya. He walked into the bathroom and took his shirt off. His muscular upper body reflecting in the mirror, leaving him in awe. He had a six pack with dense muscles here and there. "I knew it!" He said, browsing the knowledge about sneaking and gutting that were still stuck in his head.
"I'm going to survive no matter what!" Connor smiled, his confidence getting a massive boost.