Chapter 601: Zach |
Interference
They reached their destination fairly quickly, both Zach and Naha could move pretty fast, though they obviously had to control the amount of force they used when moving through a city like this.
They landed on a rooftop, overlooking the secluded, dark street where a small confirmation was taking place. A group of ten people was below on the street, four of them ravzor with dark brown fur, three were demasi with pale blue skin and long horns that curled to the side of their heads. Two were human, green skin and towering over most of the others.
The last person was a winged karura. He was small, almost looking malnourished, his feathers ragged in places.
The others were obviously ganging up on him.
“This is… Disappointing,” Naha muttered from next to Zach, her voice a low whisper. He couldn’t disagree. From their perch on the crumbling rooftop, they had a clear view of the drama unfolding in the alley below. The air was thick with a tension that had nothing to do with the usual oppressive atmosphere of the Under.
One of the green-skinned humans, the taller of the two, jabbed a thick finger towards the karura. His voice, rough and gravelly, carried clearly in the otherwise quiet street. “Look at you, dust-feather. You’re a drain, that’s what you are. A leech on this team.”
A demasi, her pale blue skin almost luminous in the dim light filtering from the pale gemlight streaming from above the massive cavern the city was nestled in, chimed in, her voice sharp and cutting. “We carry you, every single dive. The resources the Guild allocates for our team are meant for a team of ten. You barely count as one.”
Zach’s mind churned in the background, filling in the information he had heard, the things he had picked up before, the things he knew. It didn’t take long for him to put the pieces together. Their uniforms, the things the talked about. They were part of an Exploration Guild that delved into the Under. Similar to Gemheart’s Miners Guild.
“Readings?" One of the ravzor, a stocky male with matted dark fur, scoffed. “Any one of us could hold that array, you contribute nothing. The extra rations—they’d be better used by those who can actually pull their weight.”
“He’s right,” another ravzor added, baring sharp teeth. “We would clear twice the number of tunnels if we didn’t need to drag you along like a sorry feathered bag.”
The second human, slightly shorter but broader, crossed his massive arms. “It’s simple mathematics, bird-brain. Nine of us are doing the work of ten, while you consume the resources of one, more even. How many times did you get too tired to continue, forcing us to waste stamina potions on you. It’s not fair.”
The karura’s head drooped. “The Guild assigned those resources to me... I never used more than what was allotted to me for my specialized tasks...”
“Specialized tasks?” The first demasi sneered, her curled horns glinting. “Like slowing us down? Like needing rescue every other delve? Your “specialty” is being a liability.”
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
The third demasi, quieter until now, spoke with a deceptive softness. “It’s for the good of the team, you understand. If you willingly hand over your Guild allotment, we can ensure the team’s success. Your success, you understand.”
It was a thinly veiled threat, and everyone knew it. The circle had tightened around the karura, creating a suffocating atmosphere around him. He looked from one hostile face to another, his small frame trembling.
“But... What will I do?” He finally managed, his voice cracking. “Without those resources I can’t… I need that Essence to advance.”
The tall human leaned in, his shadow engulfing the karura. “You’re just barely in your first tier of power, you should be grateful. Advancing further won’t matter much, not with your Class. We can help you, carry you through the delves. It’s better this way, the Guild won’t keep supporting a dead weight forever. And neither will we, this way at least you’ll have some use to us.”
Naha tensed beside Zach. “This is about to turn violent,” she whispered, her eyes narrowed.
Zach nodded grimly. This wasn’t just an argument; it was a shakedown, plain and simple. The Infinite Realm was not a kind place. It was brutal, focused on the strong, on greed and exploitation, tonight it seemed the karura was on the receiving end of what Zach knew was the reality of this world. The strong ruled, and the weak were left to die. And everyone was willing to step over someone else if it meant they took even half a step forward toward their goals.
Zach let out a slow breath. Moments like these made him feel like changing the way the world worked was so far away, that it might as well be an unattainable goal.
He pushed himself off the roof and dropped, he landed lightly on the cobblestones below, the impact barely making a sound. His sudden appearance startled the group, he hadn’t really attempted to hide. Heads snapped towards him, expressions shifting from confidence to surprise and suspicion.
The tall human, who had seemingly been leading the group against the karura, straightened up, his eyes narrowing. “This ain’t your business, stranger. Move along.”
One of the ravzor growled, taking a step forward, the claws on his feet scraping against the stone. “Yeah, beat it. Exploration Guild matters,” he tapped the crest on his uniform.
Zach ignored them, his gaze sweeping over the group before settling on the karura, who looked up fearfully. There wasn’t enough room inside his head to even think of hope. Zach turned back to look at the others.
“You are a team, are you not? Do you truly believe that what you’re doing is right, that this is the way you will best make way through this life?”
Their looks darkened, turned angry. A couple of them took a step closer, a few weapons appearing out of their storages.
“Fuck off, or we’ll make you regret it,” the shorter of the two humans said.
“You could help him,” Zach gestured at the karura. “Nurture and aid his growth, all Classes have worth, you only need to take a moment and think about how best to utilize them. Train him, share your knowledge, your experience. You are stronger together.”
A demasi snorted. “Strength is strength. And he ain’t got it. We need those resources for members who can actually contribute to our survival in the Under, not some dust-feather who needs constant babysitting. The only thing of worth he possesses is that array, and the fool spent all of his Essence on buying it when he should’ve advanced.”
A ravzor stepped up and put a hand on the demasi’s shoulder. “Why are you wasting your breath on this fool, we don’t need to justify ourselves to a stranger.”
“Yeah,” the taller of the humans said as he stepped closer, his fists clenching. “We don’t need a philosopher busybody,” he glared at Zach. “Begone, or we’ll leave you here broken and bloody.”
Zach closed his eyes. The ignorance of people never ceased to amaze him. He didn’t wear the most expensive looking clothing, but anyone should at least notice its quality. That alone should’ve given them a clue that he was not just some random “busybody”. But then again, they were all so young and weak. Their concept of strength was so warped, they probably couldn’t even grasp someone like Zach.
The group fanned out slightly, their stances becoming more aggressive. The air crackled with imminent violence. Zach could see his words weren’t getting through. They were too set in their perception, too focused on what they saw as an easy gain.
“I’m not looking for a fight,” Zach said, his voice still calm, though a subtle shift in his posture hinted at a readiness he rarely had to display. “But I don’t condone ganging up on someone weaker, especially a teammate.”
The tall human let out a harsh laugh. “You hear that? He doesn’t condone it.” He cracked his knuckles. “Looks like we’ll have to teach you how things work down here, then.” He lunged, a meaty fist aimed at Zach’s jaw, the others surging forward behind him, a wave of aggression aimed at the lone figure who dared to interfere.