Three days had passed, and with every step Abel took, he drew closer to Katya Ports. The journey was not without its challenges, as he moved from forest to forest to avoid the watchful eyes of Whiteford. During the journey, Abel couldn't make sense of why Whiteford was so determined to see him dead; after all, he barely meant anything to Aina. Moreover, the events at Lagu Village had only worsened matters. After years of peace, it was disheartening that a criminal group had dared to disrupt the tranquil village.
A week later, Abel finally reached the outskirts of Katya City. He prayed he wasn't too late, knowing that with Whiteford becoming more aggressive, Aina and her faction might have already moved on. He snuck into Katya City, evading the prying eyes of the guards. While the Fonta Aria Knights were not his enemies, he couldn't risk being discovered by any authority.
In the city, he met a dealer who claimed he could transport him for a price. With 20k Verak, Abel paid for the passage and made his way through the metropolitan expanse of Katya City. However, he soon noticed strange people lurking in every corner of the city, and it appeared the dealer was communicating with one of them. In a split second, a whisper reached Abel's ears: "Run."
Realizing the dealer had betrayed him, Abel burst out of the cart and made a run for it. He zigzagged through the city, from dark alleys to building rooftops, inside stores, and even through a gas station, trying to lose his pursuers. Eventually, he reached a port-like area.
"This is Katya Port," he thought as he saw a Loyal Swords Paladin chapel perched on a cliff overlooking the port. He sneaked past a couple of paladins, knowing his pursuers couldn't enter paladin grounds, which allowed him a moment to catch his breath.
However, a paladin soon spotted him. "Hey, who are you?" the paladin called out.
Abel didn't have time to explain, so he made a risky decision and jumped from the cliff above. Fortunately, the water below was deep enough for him to survive the fall. He then swam to the surface, relieved but still in danger.
As Abel emerged from the water, he scanned his surroundings for a way to reach Aina and her faction or find a safe refuge. His heart pounded with the realization that every moment in Katya City was a risk, but he knew he needed to find allies quickly if he was to survive the relentless pursuit of Whiteford's agents.
Abel scanned the area and realized there was no sign of Aina or her people. It seemed that Aina had already left, likely due to the increased activity of Whiteford soldiers in Fonta Aria. His pursuers noticed his whereabouts and began chasing him towards the edge of the port, where tidal waves crashed below. Abel stood near the water's edge, feeling utterly helpless, realizing he had reached a dead end.
He tried to comfort himself, taking a deep breath, but tears unexpectedly began to stream down his face. He didn't understand why he was crying—was it a natural instinct realizing he had nowhere to go?
"Abel... Abel... I guess this is a dead end for you, huh?" he mumbled to himself.
Just then, a tall red-haired orc woman with skin as yellow as the sun approached him. "You're not going to cry, are you, cutie?" she asked.
"Haha, maybe. I don't know why I feel like this," Abel replied, trying to laugh off his despair.
"Aw... you're a cute little boy. It hurts me to see you crying," the woman said sympathetically.
"Yeah, I don't know what else I can do," Abel admitted.
The woman approached and hugged Abel, surprising him with her gentle and warm embrace. "Is it alright?" Abel asked.
"Go ahead, cry as loud as you want," she encouraged him.
Abel's tears began to fall uncontrollably as he screamed, letting out all of the fear and stress he had accumulated. Although it may have been just a fraction of what others had been through, for Abel, it was more than a 15-year-old could bear. He cried for four straight minutes, and the woman calmly held him.
As she noticed a couple of soldiers approaching, she asked, "So kid... Abel is your name, right?"
"Yeah, ma'am," Abel replied, wiping the tears from his face.
"You want to live, don't you?" the woman asked.
"Hahaha, of course I want to," Abel responded, regaining some of his composure.
Suddenly, the woman lifted Abel, surprising him, and threw him into the sea. Abel screamed as he hit the water. The woman, using nothing but her fists, beat every pursuer that followed them. "There she is!" one of the knights exclaimed before being suplexed by the woman.
The woman then jumped into the sea, following Abel. She dragged him underwater to a depth of about 20 meters, where a large submarine awaited. She pulled Abel into the submarine, tucking his head under her armpit. Inside, Abel was coughing violently and even puked a bit while trying to catch his breath, overwhelmed by the rapid turn of events.
The woman burst into maniacal laughter as they settled inside the submarine. Abel, still catching his breath and feeling irritated, snapped, "What's so funny?!"
"How's that for your recruitment? Intense, isn't it?" the woman joked, clearly amused by Abel's shocked state.
Abel struggled to his feet, trying to make sense of what had just happened. To his surprise, the submarine was filled with familiar faces—it was Aina's men. Arieta, Sheryl, Xyzer, and Ghani were all there, checking on Abel's condition.
The woman who had dragged Abel into the submarine stood up and called out, "Hey, File! I won; you have to raise my salary!"
File then appeared from the back of the submarine. "Alright, alright, Nia, I lost," he conceded with a resigned smile.
"So, Abel Stains, how's your second chance at living?" Nia asked, standing beside him with a grin.
Everyone else in the submarine stared at them with smiles. "That woman..." Ghani muttered under his breath.
"He comes. I told you, right?" Xyzer said to the others.
"I guess one more member won't hurt," Rifqie added with a nod.
"Everyone, you all were waiting for me?" Abel asked, overwhelmed by the support and familiar faces.
"Of course, we all were. Aina promised it to you, right?" File responded with a warm smile. He then approached Abel and offered him his hand.
Abel took his hand, the gesture marking a new beginning for his journey. Surrounded by allies and now officially part of a team that had gone through great lengths to save him, Abel felt a renewed sense of purpose. Despite the dangers that lay ahead, he knew he was no longer alone. With the support of Aina's faction and his new comrades, Abel was ready to face whatever challenges came next, embracing his role in the larger conflict with newfound determination and courage.