Path To Radiance; First Ascent

Chapter 5 - Southern Ascension: Part 4

He's the only one still alive. He's laying on his side, gurgling and clutching his throat.

"As for you, Goreton," I say coldly as I roll him over. "A real man doesn't rape. He earns his tail, like a gentleman."

His eyes squint as he studies me. Before he can do anything else, I let my rage at his cruelty out. I stomp my boot down on his face repeatedly. The cartilage in his nose then the bones of his face shatter. The noise of it almost makes me puke. I stop when his HP drops to zero.

After losing my stew all over the second guy's corpse, I make my way to the woman. She's cowering in fear, clutching her trousers. As I get closer to her, she screams again and passes out.

"Great!" I say aloud. "I was just going to help you up."

She still has her panties on thankfully. I try not to look at them as I put her trousers back on. I'm glad no one saw me doing this either. Three dead bodies and a dude is struggling with a girl's pants who appears unconscious. I know how I'd react. After she's fully dressed, I scoop her up.

She's light. She's only about four foot ten, maybe five feet even. Her hair is black and straight, just past her jaw in length. Her skin tone is dark like the silver-haired guy at the tavern. She has cat ears and a tail. The tail had been a bitch to get back through the hole in her pants. After I make sure I have a firm grip, I make my way back to the Tavern.

When I make it to the small courtyard of the South Tower Tavern, Brick is exiting. He takes one look at me and runs over. There's a pretty Elven girl with a DPS icon following him.

"Jut. What's going on? You've been gone for a lot longer than I thought you'd be. Your ale was getting warm so I came to find you." He has a look of concern as he inspects me and the Neko I'm carrying. "Oh my God, is that blood?"

"None of its mine. Can you help me get her to the Southern Comfort? They still had rooms left and I don't want to leave her unattended." I get out quickly.

The three of us make our way back up the street to the Southern Comfort Inn. Along the way, I explain what happened. The girl with Brick gasps when I get to the part about Goreton undressing the cat girl.

Once we make it inside the inn, we take the Neko to one of the rooms I had rented earlier. The other unoccupied rooms had been rented in just the short time I'd been gone. So, we didn't have a choice.

Both of the rooms have two beds in them. We turn into the closest one. Brick helps me get the keys out of my pack, giving him temporary access through a prompt that appears.

A player, Brick Almight, wishes to access your inventory. Allow him access?

Yes, permanently.
Yes, just once.
No.

I lay the girl down on the bed closest to the door.

Brick is speaking in low tones to the other girl by the door. I think he thinks I can't hear him, but I can.

"I'm sorry to cut what would have been a fabulous night short, but could you stay with her?" He asks. "Jut and I can share the other room."

The girl nods and her green hair bounces gently. "Yeah, my friend and I have a room at the tavern. Aeona won't mind one bit having it to herself." She glances over at me then looks back at Brick. "The four of us should go out later." She tilts her head and smiles gently. "I know she would love to meet a hero like him." She finishes, nodding in my direction.

"Thank you so much, Moss." With that, Brick kisses her hand and they both come over to the unconscious woman. I sat on the other bed to give the two privacy while they talked. Not that it matters when I overhear everything they say without trying.

Brick reaches a hand out to me. "Let's go, man. The girls need their rest." He winks at Moss, who blushes and looks at the Neko.

I nod and accept his help up. The two of us leave and go straight into the other room. It is identical to the first, just up and across the hall.

After we set our things down on the table, Brick sticks his hand out to me. I grab it hesitantly and we shake hands. 

"I knew I was going to like you, Jut. You did exactly what I would've done." He has a look in his eyes I haven't seen from anyone recently. Respect reflects at me.

I just shrug "I can't accept thanks for doing the right thing. But, thank you for the compliment anyway." I turn toward the bathroom.

"Anytime, man. Besides, you scored a lot of points with Moss. I get some of those points too just by knowing you." He calls after me with a chuckle. "Mind if I pick a bed first?"

I shout "no" and close the bathroom door behind me. It blows my mind that this place has running water. Again, modern met medieval in strange ways. I threw up again, this time in a toilet, then soak in a hot shower for a long time.

After getting out and drying off, I dress then make my way to the open bed, closing the door quietly behind me. When I reach the bed, I fall into it. Sleep is a long time off as the long day and longer night replays in my head.