Chapter 4.5 - The Gole

Shurik led his people through the sewers. Although their cells were bright and clean and the sewers were dark, and reeked of decay, it was still the better option. If they survived their escape, some of them may die from exposure sickness. However Shurik was certain it was their last best option for a free life.

For years they had been the experiments of their dark masters. The evil things, slimy and covered in too many eyes, had experimented. It was called their 'education' but Shurik knew better. The stories say that the dark masters had plucked them from the hills and valleys under the sky. Shurik had never seen the sky. The dark masters referred to themselves as 'teachers' but the only thing Shurik knew was pain and misery.

But for years he had watched. Every two years, the oldest class was removed. It happened at the same time each year. Shurik had made a calendar several years ago to pass the time, and had watched as last time, the class just older than him was removed. This time, this year, Shurik knew that it was his entire class that would be removed. Shurik did not know why, but he knew that they would die. He knew not why they were kept in their classes of 10. He knew that every three days they would all sleep, and when they awoke they would remember information they had never learned. It always made him feel sick, and gave him a headache for hours. Shurik knew that this information was their 'teaching' but Shurik had been able to piece together much that the dark masters had not intended, such as the architecture of the complex and layout of the floors. The dark masters were efficient and rarely changed their design.

So, two nights before his class would be removed, Shurik made a plan with the others from his class. They all knew that it was death that awaited them if they stayed. So they would leave. They would not only escape, but they would also take every one of Shurik's people with them, a max exodus of all of those within Shurik's bloc. The escape was the easy part. Their cage was guarded not by metal doors but by the simple mazelike designs of the complex that would shift every ten days. Shurik had spent many times trying to escape, and he eventually found the exit. However when he tried the route again he had learned everything had moved.

So he had learned of the 12 patterns of the complex, when they shifted, and the new patterns that they formed. He had learned what signs to look for, and the subtle hints on what pattern was currently in place. He knew where every pipe came in and where it went. That is how he figured out that the sewer led to the outside.

But before long all 9 classes, ages 2 to 18, moved through the sewer. Even though it was physically strenuous, the older of Shurik's people took turns carrying the younger. And before long they reached the edge of the sewer. The youngest would not survive if they let them into the sewer water. It was then that a voice came into his head.

[You thought you were clever didn't you? You didn't think that we didn't notice you were leaving? Did you truly think this plan was yours?]

A shiver ran down Shurik's spine,

[What do you think? Who do you think put the layouts in your head? Who do you think gave you the fear of the future.]

Shurik felt pale as he reached the end of the sewer line.

[Your plan to run away? To jump into the unknown? This is what we plan for every group as they age out.]

A flood of additional memories hit Shurik all at once. It was of the dark master's plans. It caused Shurik to almost pass out.

The escape was a test. The dark masters were attempting to breed disobedience out of Shurik's people. Shurik's class was just a long line of failures.

[Your plan was expected, however your compassion to carry the younger subjects on your escape is a slight inconvenience. Return them to us, and we will let you leave this mortal coil in a painless dream.]

Shurik couldn't do it. He could not trust the voice. He knew only death awaited him and his group if he stayed. So he ignored the voice.

At the edge of the sewage pipe there was a dropoff. It was darkness outside, but Shurik could see the sky above. It was his first time seeing such beauty in the world. He looked back at his class. He knew this was his only chance to escape. No matter what future lay below, it was better than a certain death should he return.

Shurik looked at the rest of his group. They had heard the message too. All of them had a bit of blood running down their noses. But they did not falter. As one Shurik and his class held hands with their youngers, and as a large mass they ran off the end of the sewer pipe. Closed eyes and a smile on his face, Shurik resolutely jumped into the waiting abyss.

***

Serin barely had time to react. Once the gate opened, dozens of children, covered in sewage flew through. At the speed of their movement, Serin was afraid they may injure themselves. Serin began mass casting his [Slow Fall] spell.

Serin then realized another limitation of his magic. The [Slow fall] spell as he knew to cast it was for a small group of people, maybe 3 or 4. To continually cast it on the torrent of people coming through he had to cast and hold the constant effect over the area of the entire gate was quickly draining his mana.

'There has to be a better way to cast this', Serin thought. True magic mastery was about the finer points of casting and using mana as efficiently as possible. Serin was regretting not having formal instruction, as he was again leaning on his extremely large mana pool, instead of having mastered magic theory.

Thankfully, Serin's magic held, and the last of the children were caught in the hands of waiting townsfolk.

Serin shouted to the newcomers, "If anyone is injured or in need of medical treatment, please raise your hands and medical assistance will come to you right away." Serin cast a mass calming spell over the refugees. Even though the hysteria surrounding the exodus through a gate was negated by Serin's calm spell, it didn't help alleviate the current situation.

Most of the refugees had broken hands, arms, and legs from their impact with the ground. Even with a [Slow fall] spell to negate their downward movement, it did not negate their forward movement. As such most of the first ones through the gate tumbled pretty hard upon landing.

Rufala and Liza were going person to person and healing their broken bones, but a lot of them were coughing as if they were sick or diseased. Serin used [Observe] and determined that many of them had a status he had never heard of, [Exposure Sickness].

Serin cleansed the unknown sickness, but shortly after it came back. The boy he was looking at said "We are unclean. We must remove the sewage from our bodies, or the exposure sickness will come back."

Serin shook his head. Serin used his heightened [Observe] ability and [Greater Identify] to then force look at their stats. Serin was shocked. Their Intelligence, Willpower, and Charisma were all over 70. But their Physical stats, Strength, Agility, and Endurance, were all at 10. Serin's heightened [Observe] and [Study] skills were also how he learned that Rachel and Allister's son's name had indeed been recorded in his status. This had caused a bit of a commotion among the humans, but that wasn't something Serin could focus on, as he was focused on the problem at hand.

Serin shook his head. He addressed the other members of the reception team, "When the refugee you are caring for has healed, take them to the baths. We need to clean the filth from their bodies."

Serin picked up the boy he had just questioned. He looked almost the same age as Serin, albeit 30 centimeters shorter and maybe half Serin's size. "What is your name, friend?"

Between coughs, the refugee answered, "My name is Shurik."

That day was a long one. After bathing, every single refugee had to be cleansed for Exposure Sickness. After that, most of the refugees suffered from physical exhaustion. Serin had individual warm meals prepared and brought to their beds at the transient bunkhouse.

Unlike the other exodus groups that had come through the gate, this group was oddly organized. There were 90 of them overall. 45 males, and 45 females. Of this, none of them were plated. Serin noticed that there were about 9 groups of 10.

Serin realized that Luck was again on his side, as had they not made their changes to the school structure, they would have been in for a bit of an issue.

***