ZAC

  Today, I felt it had to be the worst day possible.

  I was exhausted, and it was only in the morning.

  I didn't want to do anything today, but with Louis around, it didn't seem I had a choice to sit here and do nothing.

  "Why aren't you going?" Louis practically shook my shoulder as I looked at him with a sheepish shrug.

  "Lazy."

  "Lazy!" Louis groaned. "You can't be lazy, besides." He looked at my shoulder. "You need something patched up."

  I glanced over my shoulder to see a deep injury that needed a patch more than ever.

  I stood up, stretching my arms out, knowing that Louis was right with what he was telling me to do.

  After that, I left, walking to the medic room, which seemed quieter than usual.

  Even the bandits were a lot more for some reason.

  Things have felt unwanted and even more lonely than ever before.

  When I entered the medic bay, Abigail was doing the usual things.

  I cleared my throat.

  Abigail looked over her shoulder, and an instant smile washed over her face.

  It was a look that I could get used to; that smile of hers was pretty damn nice to see.

  "You look worse for wear." She joked, examining my shoulder, as a slight etch of concern was now on her face as I began to sit on the medic bed.

  "Why didn't you come earlier?"

  I chuckled lightly as I could feel the pain that was still seeping into my body; she did have a point.

  "Sorry." I smiled as she went to check my shoulder, doing her magic as she began to patch my injury slowly. "But hey, I arrived here like you told me so."

  A slight smile washed over his face, and he nodded in confirmation, "That you did."

  Despite this comforting silence between us, I couldn't help but think about the silence outside the medic bay.

  "I've been meaning to ask you something. Has it been quiet lately?"

  Abigail stopped for a slight moment, thinking about my question.

  I didn't need her to answer; I just wanted to know that she thought the same thing.

  "It has. . . There seem to be fewer people than there usually are." She paused for a moment, "What's on your mind?"

  "Huh?" I chuckled lightly, "What makes you think I'm thinking about something?"

  Abigail's smile never seemed to waver as she shrugged, "Just a hunch, mind telling me?"

  I had no choice but to tell her now.

  "It's that Olfen guy. . . He's getting on my nerves."

  She chuckled lightly, "Well, aren't you grumpy?"

  I rolled my eyes, "Even if I am grumpy, am I wrong to think that?" I looked down at the ground, thinking about the past few days, "Olfen has been nothing but a pain in the ass, especially to Louis." I muttered lowly.

  Even I was worried about him still.

  Who knows what was happening while I was away?

  "You care about him, huh?"

  I nodded, "He's a good guy, the only reason why I'm not losing my mind in a shit off like this. . . No offence."

  "None taken." She patted my shoulder. "Enough with that, we should de-"

  But before she could say anything more, a cough interrupted our conversation.

  We shifted our heads in that direction, and there, a bandit I had yet to see before had arrived, standing patiently for us.

  "What is it, Aron?"

  "Theilo would like to see him immediately."

  She tilted her head in confusion.

  I looked over to her. I could see her trying to get the words out of her mouth, but it was useless.

  Nothing came out of it, no matter how hard she tried.

  "Theilo is very interested in him; he wants to talk to him."

  Aron had answered his question for her, but all Abigail could do was look down at the ground in silence.

  I didn't know what to do in this situation and didn't understand why she was suddenly acting this way.

  I touched her shoulder, saying, "Hey, I'll be fine. I'll be back in no time; count on it." I gave her an excellent old thumbs-up.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  She chuckled lightly, trying to regain her composure. "Have fun."

  I nodded, leaving with this Aron guy.

  I walked behind him most of the time, but I couldn't help but be curious about what he was all about.

  He didn't seem to be the Olfen type, where he would belittle you, but more of a severe and quiet guy who preferred getting the work done instead of just relaxing.

  "We're here." He opened the door as I followed suit.

  Okay. . . This was not exactly what I expected when they told me I would be coming to meet someone, especially in a place like this.

  Similar to the medic bay, it was familiar, peaceful, collective, and calming to the eyes.

  Everything was organised to the most precise detail, and nothing here screamed out the words "Bandits."

  However, the person here was quite the opposite of pure.

  He looked a bit worse for wear.

  As I examined him closer, I saw that he was the same person I had met when I got into a scrap with Olfen.

  This man was the person who had authority or at least commanded it.

  But he wasn't in the best shape and looked almost frail.

  "I look weak, don't I?" A grin was worn on his face, almost as if he were reading my mind.

  I shrugged sheepishly, "I wasn't going to say it, but since you said it. . . Yeah."

  He nodded as he gestured for me to sit in front of him.

  I obliged, sitting down as I waited for his following words.

  "In the next couple of hours. . . I will be dead." He declared casually.

  I gave him a blank stare as I was lost for words.

  What kind of person says that so casually?

  "Why are you telling me this?"

  A smirk appeared on his face as he moved in closer to me, "Because you're my son-in-law."

  If I had water in my mouth, I would spit it at him. I would spit out a whole bucket of water if I could.

  "Woah, Woah, wait a second." I raised my hands in the air, "Son-in-law? What are you talking about?"

  He chuckled, "She hasn't mentioned me, has she?"

  "Who?"

  "Abigail. She's my daughter." He declared.

  "Okay, wait, I have so many questions."

  "Ask as much as you please."

  I cleared my throat, "Firstly, she's your daughter."

  "That she is." He nodded in confirmation.

  There was no resemblance at all. How did Abigail come from him?

  Her mother must have been a true beauty, a miracle of a person, to do something like this.

  "Secondly, you're a bandit; you torture people. Why would I ever want to talk to you."

  He nodded, thinking momentarily, "I won't deny it. I have some terrible things, but you can stop immediately."

  I raised my eyebrow, "What do you mean by that."

  "Pursue my daughter and this whole operation will be disbanded."

  Now that was something else. . . I had never heard someone's dad tell another person to go and do something.

  "I'm sorry, but it sounds like a stupid idea. Besides, why do you think I have any chance with your daughter."

  "Because you're the only person she ever asks to return to the medic bay."

  I looked at him and knew the truth in his eyes when he said that.

  He continued, "So what do you say?"

  I could only pause and think about his words, "What if I say no?"

  "I will still pull out from my operation, but we both gain nothing. At least if you agree, we'll both get something."

  "Oh yeah?" I folded my arms. What did you get from it?"

  "The satisfaction of being a proud father." He declared.

  That was a pretty good answer, if I say so myself, but what he was asking of me still seemed crazy to me.

  I mean, seriously? Who in their right mind asks someone they barely know to pursue their daughter?

  "Look." I declared, "Even if I did accept your offer, it still doesn't explain why you're so adamant about dying."

  He chuckled lightly as he answered my question, "You see, there will be few of my men that will be furious about my decision to drop this operation."

  "People like Olfen, you mean?"

  "Smart man, people like Olfen. He'll be the first to come and claim my title. I've also lost significant support from my men after our dungeon exploration was dried up."

  From what he told me, things weren't generally looking good.

  "You want to keep your daughter safe, is that right?"

  He nodded once more, "Correct. Keeping her safe from some of my men will be worth more than anything."

  "I see. . . So this is some inheritance for me as a gift from a father?" I joked.

  "You could say that." He answered, "Which is why any of my men still loyal to me will be loyal to you."

  It was surprising how much he was willing to give to someone he had barely spoken to.

  This was the first time we had a conversation, and he had already given me so much.

  "Sir." Aron declared, stepping into the room. He saluted him but then gave me a subtle nod.

  "What is it?"

  "Olfen has gathered anyone willing to fight to overthrow you."

  "Is my daughter safe?"

  Aron nodded, "Yes, I've taken her to a safe place; no one will find her."

  He sighed, but a gentle smile formed as he stood up. "It's time I met my fate."

  But by the time he had stood up, I had already realised something.

  "Louis," I muttered.

  I sprang out from my seat, running to where they all were.

  Before they could say another word, I was already gone.

  I could hear the chant from afar grow louder and louder; until then, I found them.

  Not just Louis, but Abagail too, tied up and sat on the ground muffled.

  "Oh! Look who came." Olfen chuckled as he pointed his sword at me from afar.

  I attempted to take a step forward, but he immediately placed his sword on Louis's throat.

  "Make another move, and your friend here gets it." He chuckled loudly as everyone watched the two of us.

  I gritted my teeth, powerless to do anything.

  I knew that if I were to do something here, that would be the end of the two of them.

  Aron and Theilo had arrived, and they knew our exact predicament.

  "Lovely!" Olfen said, "We're all here ready for the final event." He clapped his hands together as he moved to Abigal, grabbing her by the hair.

  "If it isn't the medic goddess, huh? I've always despised you." Olfen grinned as he tugged on her hair even more.

  "You bas-"

  "Take one more step, and you'll never see her again." Olfen threatened him.

  I looked over at Theilo, slowly nodding as I knew it wouldn't be worth taking a stupid risk like that.

  "Take my life. I'll let you kill me if you free the two of them." He declared, "That's why you're here, are you not?"

  Olfen chuckled lightly, "So be it!" He gestured for Theilo to come over while the bandits let Louis and Abigail go, and she rushed up to her father.

  "Father! Don't do this; it's not worth it!"

  Tears were streaming down her eyes, but all Theilo could do was comfort his daughter the best he could.

  But that didn't stop him from moving to Olfen. Abigail instinctively attempted to run over to him, but I instantly pulled her back, and all she could do now was kick her legs.

  "Let me go!" she shouted. "I said, let me go!"

  The strength that she was emitting was something that I had never seen her do before.

  Even Louis had to help me restrain her from doing anything reckless and rash.

  Besides me, I could see Aron ready to jump into the fight, but there was no point in that.

  "Aron." Theilo looked over his shoulder, "From now on, you serve under Zac."

  Aron was ready to dispute, but he, too, was lost for words as he subtly nodded instead.

  Everyone here was Olfen's man, watching all of us like prey.

  We would be dead in seconds if we were to fight them.

  It would be a massacre.

  Theilo knelt on the ground and looked at his daughter with the softest smile.

  "It's alright, Abigail, you're in safe hands; I trust you in Z-"

  WHOOSH!

  But before he could say his final words, it would cut off.

  So was his head.