Escaped and Treating Injuries

For the next fifteen minutes, the class searched through the town but couldn't find anyone that knew.

"Oh no, could everyone else already be dead?" Valentina rhetorically questioned while she shivered and her lips quivered.

"I hope that's not the case." Natasha stated while she sighed, and tears fell from her eyes. However, she held Hendrix gently but firmly and rubbed his back.

"We need to hurry and leave, or else that monstrosity will catch us!" Nadia replied while she trembled and sweated.

"Perhaps they will come to me if we leave the refugee camp. Your beads track where I am, right?" Hendrix asked while still struggling to get free.

"Yes, I guess that will work. Thanks for reminding us and giving us hope." Natasha replied while smiling and patting Hendrix's head.

"You're welcome. Now head to the edge, and we will leave the city and find the path." Hendrix answered, not thinking his words gave hope. He was stating facts.

'Guide, in what direction is the path to the Okrian portal?'

[It's to the east of you.]

Hendrix internally nodded and pointed to the east. And everyone left the area briskly and hurriedly jogged towards the east. After about ten minutes of walking, they reached the wall and spent fifteen more minutes running along the side before leaving through the east gate. Additionally, after the group left, they reached the path.

Consequently, after fifteen minutes, the other members of the class arrived.

"Natasha, Valentina, Hendrix! Are you okay!?" Allura asked while she hugged Valentina briefly before hugging Natasha and Hendrix together while making sure not to hurt Hendrix.

"Yes, we are. How about you?" Valentina replied while crying tears of joy and smiling.

"I'm sadly not alright. I saw a gigantic but metallic thing killing people left and right. We barely got away from it." Allura responded while sighing.

"We saw it too. However, I'm not sure why it followed us there." Natasha stated.

"We need to leave now before that thing finds us." Hendrix warned while pointing toward the path.

"Okay, we got some food for the road. So we won't starve." Nicole replied while walking by.

Everyone nodded and followed the path to the Okrian portal up a hill. However, the group looked back at the gigantic refugee camp, and the sight was harrowing.

More metallic monstrosities were walking through it, killing and harvesting the flesh piles of people hit by the rays. Two on the north side were trampling buildings to scare people and corral them to more open areas.

Meanwhile, from another path in the distance, a massive crowd ran down a hill, leaving carriages and horses behind them. Some fleeing people wore armor, expensive clothes, and some regular clothes. Subsequently, three gigantic silhouettes glided onto the horizon, one behind the crowd and one on each side. Additionally, each shot beams at the crowd corraling them towards the city and shooting any that strayed too far from the crowd. And the people's screams emanated throughout the premise.

Meanwhile, seven more monstrosities moved around and leaked the liquid onto everything nearby. Additionally, they chased people throughout the refugee camp and killed them without mercy.

'My goodness, we are but ants to those things.' Hendrix thought while weakly whimpering.

"A-Allura." Natasha stuttered while tears fell from her eyes, seeing the horrific sight while instinctively hugging Hendrix closer and shivering.

"Y-Yes, Natasha?" Allura asked while she clenched her fists and trembled violently. Additionally, her eyes widened, and she began sweating profusely.

"Why is the Crown World so cruel?" Natasha questioned while she backed away from the direction of the refugee camp.

"I-I don't know. Do you, Valentina?" Allura asked while her lips quivered.

"I do not." Valentina replied while gritting her teeth, wanting to save those people, but knowing it was suicidal to try.

"We should leave before those things find and kill us." Hendrix suggested.

"Alright, Hendrix, we will go." Natasha replied before she began walking away from the camp.

Everyone else agreed, and the group left the refugee camp behind and followed the path. During this time, everyone frowned and cried as the earlier situation played in their minds repeatedly.

After about an hour, they stopped to take a breather and rest. During this time, an injured girl walked to the group.

"Hello? Can you please help me?" The girl asked while tears fell from her eyes.

"I don't remember you from our class. So I don't think so." Hendrix stated while he narrowed his eyes, fearing she may lure them into a trap if they accepted.

"I'm Kiannah, and I seek refuge with you all. Will you accept my plea?" Kiannah begged while getting on her knees.

Kiannah had some lightweight metal armor alongside metal and leather leggings and boots while mud and blood stained her long violet-colored hair, and her violet eyes stared into Hendrix's. Additionally, she held a long chain with a blade on the end.

"I'm not sure. We are in danger ourselves, and it may be easier for you to survive alone. Besides, you have armor and are well-equipped." Hendrix replied as he furrowed his brows.

"I'm injured badly, and you all are my only hope to survive. Please help me and treat me." Kiannah pleaded while she cried some more.

"Can we see your wounds?" Valentina asked while she sighed and walked towards Kiannah.

Kiannah nodded and showed a ghastly cut on her torso and right leg.

"Oh dear, that's a horrific injury." Natasha stated while gasping.

"None of us have the medical tools or expertise to treat you. I'm sorry, but we can't help you." Allura stated while frowning.

"Okay, I'll just wander here and wait for my death." Kiannah replied while she drooped her shoulders and left the area.

After Kiannah's departure, the group decided to stay here for a bit. And Natasha put Hendrix down before she talked with Allura and Valentina. Meanwhile, Hendrix was talking with Ackalon.

[You have completed the Escape Emergency Common Quest.]

[You will live to experience another day]

'It seems Kiannah's fate is at an end.'

{You could save her if you stitch her up.}

'Well, here's the thing, I'm not Altruistic. My philosophy is I won't hurt you, but I also won't help you towards other people.' Hendrix thought while sighing.

{She can't do anything to harm you. I mean, did you see her? She's in horrible shape. Besides, showing your medical skills isn't dangerous since they aren't a secret.}

'Why do you want me to go out of my way to help? No one helped me when I was in Kendra's clutches! She tormented me for a century! Many people could have done something, but instead, they all watched! So I have no sympathy for any person.' Hendrix thought

{I understand, Hendrix. But please help her. She can't hurt you in her condition.}

'I'll help her, but afterward, I will do everything I can to avoid her. You know how terrified I am of her, right? She's armed, and I'm not.' Hendrix thought while shivering.

{You poor soul. Oh, you poor soul.}

Subsequently, Hendrix warned everyone he was leaving for a bit, and he followed Kiannah's footprints. After about ten minutes of walking, he stopped and used a rock to cut a fallen twig into a needle. Additionally, he harvested the grasses around and braided them into a string.

Once he made enough string and the needle satisfactorily, he continued to walk, and he stumbled upon Kiannah lying on a rock while crying as blood flowed from her ghastly wounds.

"Hey, Kiannah, I can treat your injuries." Hendrix whispered.

"Really? Are you sure?" Kiannah asked with hope in her eyes.

"Yes, however, the treatment is painful. Can you take a lot of pain?" Hendrix questioned.

"Why yes, I can." Kiannah stated in agreement.

Hendrix nodded and began to stitch up Kiannah's wounds carefully. During the operation, she grunted loudly and whimpered a little, but she powered through. After thirty minutes, he finished stitching up her wounds and stopping her bleeding.

"Now that I treated you, you can come back. However, please stay away from me." Hendrix stated before walking back with his cane, still afraid of Kiannah.

'Whoever you are, I promise to protect you from now on. I'll do everything I can to do so and spoil you.' Kiannah thought while seeing Hendrix slowly walk away from her before weakly following him, careful not to open up her injuries again.