Chapter 03: Departure

As usual for the daytime, the main road of the port district is filled with carriages and people, transporting goods from the city and to the city. West coast city and East coast city are the two main transportation hubs that connect the eastern part and the western part of the land through the sea.

If someone wants to avoid these cities of the Crimson Empire, they had to cross the high pass mountain range and that is something even powerful magicians wouldn’t even think of doing. It says that no one has ever come out from there.

Another thing is if the people in the southern continent need to access the western part of the continent they have to land on this port city.

This makes the port of west coast one of the most prospers and busiest ports in the continent.

Amy felt worried, she has never been out of the house in the daytime, especially out of their alley. In the morning he and brother Adam will go to the Central district old school gate for some food and then Adam always brought her back to their home before going to work.

After the day her father never came back brother Adam has keeping her safe, maybe even safer than her father. She can’t remember him much anymore.

Amy is worried about all the people looking at them, she held Adam’s hand tighter, she wanted to ask him to take her up but Amy knew he was hurt from last night. Although she is sad, she can’t cry or her brother will be sad too.

Adam on the other hand, left with very few options, even without the death threat from the thing called system he and Amy will not live through next few nights in the port district, especially since he wounded one of the butcher’s man.

There is no way he can escape to another area of the city, Central district is where palace and old school located, there most of the citizens are officials of the empire, and for refugees like them, it is a forbidden place to live. And even though no law is limiting them from going there, without a good reason going in will be a free trip to dungeons.

The market district is not restricted but people are not allowed to stay on the streets there at night and that is for a good reason, as refugees can’t keep their hands of the free goods at night.

Magicians tower and the surrounding area is the magicians' district, and similar to the central district it is also populated by magicians and nobles.

The next place is the reserved area for military officials with high security, and no refugee is allowed there too.

Finally, the old church and its buildings, this place is very mysterious and no one lives there, even though it is close to the palace and also larger than the palace. It is guarded by knights of the empire and no one is allowed to go in. It says it was done by a previous emperor, centuries ago and even today that place is forbidden to humans.

If Adam wants to escape, his only option is out of the city at least until things calm down. But he can’t take Amy and protect her. His only option is to ask help from the only people who didn’t betray him for the past five years. Mr. and Mrs. Han. Couple that owns the bakery in the port district.

Ignoring the hostile and cautious gazes of the people he slowly guided Amy to the front of the store.

“Let’s wait here okay” he found a corner on the stone pavement and waited patiently, he is not a beggar and if he was in any better condition, he would never sit here like that.

“Okay” even though Amy is worried, she still chose to sit beside him, and Adam shielded her from the scorching sun using his body.

…………………

Time slowly passed and still, there are many people entering and exiting the shop, Adam didn’t think in midday this place will be this crowded, he can hear Amy’s stomach rumbling. Even though she didn’t say a word Adam felt really bad for the little girl.

At her age, Adam had enough food for him with his mother’s care.

“Kid what are you doing here?” a familiar yet disappointed voice suddenly broke him from his trance and he felt Amy clinging on to him tightly.

……………………

Josh Han came back from his duty in the morning to have lunch in his shop, and he first saw two beggars sitting near their bakery. He had nothing against the poor and he was thinking about giving some food to them, then he identified the youth, Adam. What disappointed him was that knowing Adam is the beggar because he knew this kid since he came to this city, and never once he saw him begging.

Then he noticed the bloodstain on his cape ‘not good’ he thought

“What happened?” this time his voice was much more concerned.

“Mr. Han” Adam gave a painful smile “You’re not on duty?” Adam looked carefully at the other guards with Han

The other party realized he might not want to discuss it here, but he has never seen Adam with someone else. “I came for Lunch, who is this?” he looked at the little body hidden in the cape and he felt that the clothes of this child are much better than what Adam wearing.

“She is my sister” Adam answered in low voice alarming all the guards including Josh because he knew how hard it is to live among refugees.

“Come” Josh immediately helped Adam to get up but the little girl hid behind him timidly. “Don’t be afraid I am your brother’s friend” he tried to smile at the girl but latter covered herself more. ‘Do I look scary?’ he thought.

“Come” Josh guided them through the narrow path on the side of the shop, which lead to their garden and house, “Come in” he invited them to his home.

“We will wait here Mr. Han” Adam knew better than to enter with his condition. One of the guards nodded in approval “we will also wait here” he sat in a corner of the garden.

Josh looked at his friends that are following them and shook his head, “wait here’ he entered the bakery through back door to inform his wife and bring them some food.

“What happened?” one of the guards looked at Adam’s bloodstained clothes. He had nothing to hide

“Last night Butcher’s men came” he knew how city guards react to this name. As he expected every guard’s face turned ugly as they heard the name of the leach prying on refugee’s blood and sweat.

“Good work kid” one of the guards tapped his shoulder in approval, but they all knew it will be not easy for this young man to live in this part of the city anymore. Mainly because no one complains again Butcher and for the city guards now the amount of workload is too much to handle. Especially since the number of people disappearing in the city. If citizens start to disappear along the way they might need to call in the military from the borders as support.

They all got silenced after that each person had their own thoughts Adam is worried about of his and Amy’s future, Amy is curious about all the people and few city guards are ashamed of themselves to talk, because they are unable to help this kid.

A few minutes later the owner couple of the place arrived with few plates of food. Adam immediately felt that he must be interrupting their businesses. He got up to greet her, “Mrs. Han”

“Adam” she nodded with a smile, “so this is your sister” she smiled at Amy who is hiding behind Adam and gave a plate to her. Amy had an obvious impulse to take it but still, she looked at Adam for help. Latter gave a nod. He knew he can’t reject their goodwill right now.

Amy happily took the plate and looked at Lilly Han in timid eyes, “thank you” muttered under her breath bringing a smile to everyone. As she took off her hood everyone’s eyes widen in amazement. She looked much better compared to her brother and had a beautiful complexion

‘She looked well-fed’ Lilly felt bad for Adam, he is young and obviously had a weak body, so he barely made enough money to feed himself but by the look of it he must have been feeding the little girl with all his money.

“What happened Adam?” once everyone got their food Josh finally broke the silence

“Butcher” one of the guards answered the question before Adam speak

“Fuck” Josh couldn’t help but to curse

“Josh, there is a child here” Lilly immediately made her husband shut his mouth, Amy, however, is oblivious to these as she is fully focused on her food.

“What are you planning to do Adam” Josh wanted to help him but the Butcher is too deeply hidden to be concerned as a threat to deal with. because no one knows the exact number of people under Butcher and who are they.

Josh is also suspecting that someone is supporting him underneath.

“I have to go out of the city for a while Mr. Han” Adam brought the topic he wants into the discussion.

“Are you mad Adam how can you take your sister out of the city it is very dangerous” Lilly got mad at thee stubborn decision of the boy.

“There is not much different for us living on the street Mrs. Han, that’s why I came looking for you"

Lilly lost her words to this argument, recently a number of refugees have gone missing and people like Butcher are adding fuel to the fire that burns these innocents.

Jose was more rational to his choice “What can we do for you Adam?” he respected the courage of this young boy.

Adam took out all money he had and the silver amulet of his mother and offered it to Lilly “Mrs. Han please take care of Amy until I come back” he lowered her head and asked. He never lowered his head to anyone until today, but now he had to beg for the safety of Amy.

“Brother” Amy immediately notice the words of Adam. He put one arm around her and dragged her to his embrace.

“Kid where did you get this?” Josh was more interested in the weird-looking silver amulet

“It’s my mother’s Mr. Han” Adam had nothing to hide

“Take good care of it” Josh nodded as he remembered this boy has no one in this world.

“But Mr. Han, Please” Adam felt his last option slipping out of his hand, how can he take care of Amy without strength.

“We will take her in, pay us back after you come back to the city” Josh refused his money but his words brought great relief to Adam.

“Amy” he slowly patted her head gently “stay with Mrs. Han until brother comeback okay”

“No, I don’t want to” Amy started to cry “Father is gone now brother is going too, I am going with you” she remembered the day her father didn’t return

“Amy, please listen to me I promise to come back” Adam had to persuade the girl and he is going to come back as soon as possible.

Still, he didn’t manage to persuade the little girl. This time Lilly final intervened.

“Amy, you love your brother, right?” She asked kneeling down near the crying girl.

“Uh-huh” Amy answered through tears

“Your brother needs to go if he wants to be okay” Lilly tried to explain the situation best as possible to the little girl, and after few minutes she finally stopped crying and looked up at Adam.

“You promise to come back?” she asked in teary eyes.

“I promise to be back before your birthday” Adam smiled at her.

“Kid, when are you going to leave?” Josh asked him after Amy started eating again this time Lilly sat by her.

“Today, Mr. Han I can’t stay until nightfall” he answered while gobbling down the food on his plate thinking to leave as soon as he is done.

“Wait here” he went into the house for few minutes and came back with few pieces of clothes in a leaf bag “Here take them with you, and don’t argue you are going to need them” he persistently pushed it to Adam’s hand who finally finished his meal.

Adam didn’t refuse his kindness as he knew he is up for a difficult task. And to his luck, they didn’t ask where he is going.

……………

After a long goodbye finally Adam left the Han family home, looking at his disappearing back one of the city guards came with Josh looked at Amy who is still in tears.

“Did you made the right choice Josh?” he is wondering about the decision to take Amy into their home.

“I Knew the kind since he came to West Coast city and never once, he robbed or begged I believe in him,” he said with emotions “And we don’t have any children too” he looked at Amy and Lilly with a smile.