Sam wandered the bustling streets of Durinia, taking in the vibrant yet tense atmosphere. He could sense the unspoken divisions within the town—the powerful living comfortably and the weak scraping by, barely surviving. The shops he had visited earlier had given him a glimpse into the lives of the townspeople, but he knew there was more to discover. Today, his journey would lead him to an unexpected encounter that would test his resolve and ingenuity.
As he walked, Sam's thoughts turned once again to the nature of the Abyss. The realization that it stemmed from the negativity within the inhabitants of Maha Lok weighed heavily on him. "Humans have both positive and negative emotions," he mused. "Without fear of death, greed for a better future, and even lust for the continuation of our species, we wouldn't survive. Yet, these very emotions fuel the Abyss. It's a paradox we must navigate carefully."
Lost in thought, Sam's attention was suddenly drawn to a commotion up ahead. A crowd had gathered around a large house, their murmurs filled with a mix of curiosity and fear. He pushed through the throng to get a better view.
In front of the house, a young man dressed in fine clothes was dragging a middle-aged woman by her hair. His laughter was wild and cruel. The woman, despite her age, was strikingly beautiful. Following them was a young girl, about 10 or 12 years old, crying and begging the young master to spare her mother.
"Please, spare my mother!" the girl cried, her voice trembling with fear.
The young man, who Sam quickly identified as the notorious Young Master Roy, ignored her pleas. His followers, a group of equally cruel young men, laughed maliciously.
"If you want us to spare your mother," one of them sneered, "then you can spend the night with us. As long as you come, we will spare your mother."
"No, Lily! Don't listen to them!" the mother shouted, her voice filled with desperation. "Go back inside and wait for me. I'll be back soon, I promise."
The crowd watched in horror, too afraid to intervene. Sam's eyes narrowed in anger. He couldn't stand by and do nothing. As he moved closer, he overheard a conversation between two men standing a little apart from the crowd.
"Hey, it seems that Young Master Roy is at it again," said an old man with a white beard.
"Obviously," replied a younger man in his mid-20s. "Seeing how beautiful she is, who wouldn't be tempted? But earlier, they were all blocked by her husband."
"Right. Rajesh was extremely strong and held the position of the 'West Wall of Durinia.' With him standing guard, no one dared to eye her. But now that he's gone…"
"Exactly. The moment Rajesh died, this bastard Roy swooped in to trouble his widow."
"Shut up, are you mad? You dare call Young Master Roy a bastard? Do you want to die? Remember what happened to the last person who disrespected him."
"What can happen to me? Rajesh was kind to me. If not for him, I wouldn't be here. Now that this bastard is here to snatch his wife, how can I possibly sit quietly?"
The old man's eyes widened in shock as he saw the young man draw his sword. "Oi! Oi! Oi! You're not serious, are you? That's the son of the Lord of Durinia, and you're a mere 'East Wall of Durinia.'"
"Old man, I have no family of my own. I live to protect this town, but the one who gave me this reason is now dead, and he was killed by this bastard. There's no way I'm going to let this slide."
The old man's expression turned to one of horror. "Wait, what do you mean killed by 'this bastard'? Didn't Rajesh die in the beast tide?"
The young man's face was grim. "The beast tide wasn't natural. It was created."
"How sure are you?"
"100%."
The old man, whose name was Ramesh, the teacher of the young man Nitin, looked around nervously before making up his mind. "If it's really as you say, then I will join you in this madness."
Nitin nodded. "We need to save his wife and daughter. They don't deserve this."
Ramesh sighed. "By the way, have you thought about what you'll do after this? You should be well aware of the consequences of taking action against the young lord of Durinia."
Nitin put on a serious expression. "No."
Ramesh was speechless. "Well, it doesn't matter. We'll think about it later. Right now, the priority is saving the two girls."
At this point, they noticed Sam standing too close, listening to their conversation. They exchanged glances and shook their heads, ready to take action. Sam, who had been talking to Pushp simultaneously, decided it was time to intervene.
"Excuse me," Sam said, stepping forward. "I can help you."
The two men looked at him skeptically. "And who are you?" Nitin asked.
"My name is Sam Walker. I have a way to save the widow and her daughter without involving you directly, but you'll owe me a favor."
Ramesh and Nitin exchanged glances again. "Why should we owe you a favor for something we can achieve on our own?" Ramesh asked.
"Because if you allow me to take action instead, I can send the widow and her daughter to a safe place," Sam explained. "Somewhere they'll be protected from Young Master Roy."
Nitin's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by a safe place?"
"I can't reveal the details, but trust me, it's safer than anywhere else in Maha Lok," Sam replied.
Ramesh considered Sam's offer. "What's your plan?"
"You stun the two women from afar. I'll rush in, posing as a doctor's apprentice, and take them into the house. Once inside, I'll open a portal and send them to safety. It won't take more than ten seconds."
Nitin was still skeptical. "Why should we trust you?"
Sam met his gaze steadily. "If I fail, you can still take action. But if I succeed, you save their lives without risking your own."
Ramesh nodded slowly. "Alright. We'll owe you a favor if you can do what you say."
Sam felt a surge of relief. "Thank you. Now, let's move quickly."
Nitin and Ramesh positioned themselves discreetly. Nitin, being an excellent marksman, aimed a small blowpipe at the two women, loaded with a mild sedative. With a quick puff, the darts flew and struck their targets. The widow and her daughter slumped to the ground, unconscious but unharmed.
Sam dashed through the crowd, reaching the fallen women. "I'm a doctor's apprentice! Let me help them!" he shouted.
Young Master Roy, confident that no one would dare lie to him, allowed it with a smirk. "Fine, take them inside. But don't try anything funny."
Sam nodded and quickly carried the two women into the house. Once inside, he opened the portal to Pushp Lok, the hidden sanctuary he had discovered. Within moments, the women were safely transported.
He was just closing the portal when Roy and his followers burst into the house. "Where are they?" Roy demanded, his face red with rage.
"They disappeared," Sam said calmly. "I don't know how."
Roy's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You're lying. I'll kill you for this."
Before Roy could act, Nitin stepped forward. "If you kill him, you'll never find out where the women went."
Roy paused, considering this. "Fine. Take him to the prison. We'll interrogate him later."
Nitin nodded and grabbed Sam roughly, dragging him out of the house. As they walked towards the prison, Nitin whispered, "This wasn't exactly the plan, but it worked out better."
Sam smiled faintly. "Thanks for stepping in. We'll figure out the rest from here."
Inside the prison, Nitin ensured Sam was placed in a secure but relatively comfortable cell. "I'll come back for you soon. We need to plan our next move."
Sam nodded, grateful for Nitin's quick thinking. "Be careful. Roy will be watching closely."
As Nitin left, Sam leaned back against the cold stone wall, his mind racing with the events of the day. The women were safe in Pushp Lok, but the fight against the abyssal beasts and the corruption in Durinia was far from over.
He closed his eyes, taking a moment to rest. The journey ahead was still uncertain, but he knew he had allies he could trust. Together, they would find a way to combat the darkness and protect the innocent.
With renewed determination, Sam prepared for the next phase of his mission. The challenges were great, but so was his resolve. The light within him and his companions would shine brightly, pushing back against the encroaching shadows of the Abyss.