Chapter 312: Finally Together

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~~~(POV: Cera Adamo)~~~

~~~(Location: Exiting the Slums)~~~

~~~( Time: 10:10 AM)~~~

Hailey walks next to me as Sally and Jasmine follow close behind. "I didn't think it'd be so easy to find you. In truth, I figured it would take a while to find you. Seems my hunch about the slums were right." She sounds genuinely happy that we're together again. I'll be the first to admit it's nice having family around again.

What I'm curious about is Jasmine. She is much different than Hailey. She's energetic and positive. Hailey is more like me, quiet and observant. "The little information you gave about Jasmine has me wondering why you didn't explain more to me. She's so different from us. I didn't expect you to have a friend like that." Hailey chuckles and points behind her, where Sally is.

That's a fair point. Sally is quite different from me. Normally different personalities clash, but not in my case with Sally. She's bashful and timid, yet it disappears at the perfect times. Someone I never thought I'd be with. "Jasmine is a ball of energy. I'm not denying that. But, below that bubbly exterior, she's a scared girl..." Now it makes sense... They're more similar than not.

Jasmine must not know about me yet, or she might not care. "Have you told her?" I make sure my question is low enough for only her to hear. Hailey stares at me for a second and lightly shakes her head. "Do you plan to?" Her silence tells me a lot. Must be a reason she hasn't told her. She sighs and turns her gaze away from me.

She stares at the streets as we're slowly leaving the slums and rejoining the more civilized part of society. "She's a devoted follower of the church and the Gods of Light. I was hoping that it would come up in a surprising way for her. In a private setting... Not out in the open..." No need to be so blunt with the hints. That's perfectly reasonable to me.

They're staying at an inn on the other side of town, but it'd be better if we were all together in one location. That way, the planning won't be so complicated. "We need a bigger place to stay while we plan to get past the border. I have ideas, but I need to talk with you and Jasmine first." Hailey understands perfectly, and I'm glad she does. Having her with me will make this easier.

She's a powerful legendary class wielder, after all. She's probably the second strongest player right behind me. "There aren't any places that have a room available for 4 people, so we're going to squat in a vacant home. Sally and I have done it before." Sort of done it before. I killed the owner. He was a horrible man and criminal. Hailey gives me a crooked look.

~~~(POV: Saliandra Orvello)~~~

~~~(Location: Walking the streets of the city)~~~

~~~(Time: 10:22 AM)~~

Jasmine and I are walking together. Cera and Hailey wanted some time to talk and catch up without the two of us looming over their shoulders. They're talking quietly, making sure we can't hear them. "Hailey told me that you're an ex-slave..." Out of nowhere, I'm asked a question many with my past would be offended by, but considering who's asking, I understand.

Hailey told Cera and me that Jasmine was a slave at a point in her early life too. "What you were told is true. I'm also an ex-slave." Ex-slaves understand one another, but it's hard to talk about with anyone. Even someone who's lived the same life you have. "I escaped around my 20th birthday, that was over 80 years ago..." I'm still an elf, and I was born long before them.

Slavery doesn't change with the times, it was outlawed back then, and it's outlawed now. That never stopped any of them from trying, though. "Wow... I escaped around my 14th birthday... It's been a hard 6 years for me..." My heart cracks with her words... I was born into slavery, my father being a nameless bandit who captured my mother.

She was either born into slavery herself or captured extremely young and grew up in it. "It's hard, isn't it..." My words come out without me thinking, like an instinct. She lows her head, and her face scrunches up. Trying to hold back the tears. "It's hard to let go of the past... But Cera... He makes me forget sometimes..." The words just come out, and Jasmine looks at me, shocked.

Sometimes I forget that I'm an ex-slave when I'm with Cera, the way he treats me causes a feeling in me. Washes away all my pain and makes me a different person. "You're lucky, then... Anytime I tell someone what I used to be... They look at me as if I'm riddled with diseases..." I would get looks like that too when I told people I thought would understand...

Jasmine dries the coming tears before they actually fall. I reach my arm over and wrap my arm around her. "You and I... We're both safe now, and we've met amazing people who don't judge us for the bad things that have happened to us... Everything is okay now..." She leans her head against me and wraps her arm around my back. I'm glad that I've met Jasmine.

~~~(POV: Fenrir, Beast of Ragnarok)~~~

~~~(Location: Leaving Overworld)~~~

~~~(Time: 11:00 AM)~~~

That took way longer than it ever should have, but now I'm free from the discussions about what to do when The Old Gods return. Michael and Gabriel are starting to move in their plans themselves. The Old Gods are coming, but we have enough time until they get here. The Almighty Father has tasked me with finding an object.

A weapon of great power and something that will be needed for this coming war. Cera. We don't need him yet, but soon a battle will be coming to Overworld. I'm tasked with bringing Cera here. I have to wait until Michael and Gabriel are done with their plans, but when they are. That's when I have to grab Cera. Hopefully, it won't be too inconvenient for him.

~~~(POV: Hailey Adamo)~~

~~~(Location: Squatting in a vacant apartment)~~~

~~~(Time: 11:20 AM)~~~

Never in my life did I think I'd be squatting like a homeless person. Buying a place to stay is too risky and expensive, and renting is impossible because no NPC will sell to a player right now. "Cera, I won't forget this. Making your own family break into a place and pretend it's ours." My mocking tone causes a chuckle from my brother.

He leans back on the raggedy couch and looks over to Sally. Sally and Jasmine are talking in the kitchen, looking for any food. They won't find any. The owner wouldn't leave anything worth something here. "Yeah, desperate times call for desperate measures. You're going to have to sleep on the floor, just so you know." Now that irks me. I'm not sleeping on the floor.

One thing this place is lacking is beds, and all four of us can't sleep on one raggedy-ass couch. "If anyone is sleeping on the ground, it's you. We ladies need something soft to sleep on, and we can all fit on that couch. But with you, there isn't enough room." Our banter goes back and forth, and I feel like this is just like old times. Back on earth... 

Before we can keep going, Jasmine comes out, and I know that face. She's hungry, but I can't lie. I'm hungry too. We skipped breakfast to start looking. "Don't worry. I'll go and get us some food. You all wait here. I'll be back in a minute." Cera gets up and heads for the door, and leaves. My smile grows as I look at Sally and Jasmine talking. As if they've known each other their entire lives.

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A/N: Below this line, I'll be keeping Cera's player information. That way, I won't have to place it into the story above anymore. It takes about 180 words up.

[Slayer (Zern) Lvl.193]

[Exp: 3/100%]

[Title: The Son of Arch-Angel Michael (Hidden)]

[Stats] [Strength - 7095][Endurance - 7045][Dexterity - 7215][Speed - 8240][Focus - 19,660]

[Mana aura control: 6/100%]

[Health: 76,560,000,000/76,560,000,000] [Mana: 216,600,000,000/216,600,000,000]

[Stat Points: 30] [Armor rating: 500]

[Inventory] [Dice of Wayland (Divine)] [Hardened Tree sap Armor (Very Rare)] [The Witness (Legendary Sword)] [Fenrir's Whistle (Divine)] [Sally's Dresses 5x] [Camping gear] [Food Rations 4x] [Dried meat 4x] [Fishing poles 2x] [Fish 8x] [Festival Garbs 2x]

[Passive Perks]

[Inheritor of the Sword] [Son of Heaven] [Slayer of Evil] [Holy Willow Trees Savior] [Finder of Legends] [The Divine who has Legend] [Destined for Greatness] [Dungeon Diver] [An Overachiever]

[Active Skills]

[Heavens light Lvl.59 325/5900] [Protected by Heaven Lvl.59 225/5900] [Slash Lvl.77 4600/130000] [Parry Lvl.53 80/5300] [Double Strike N/A] [Kingslayer N/A] [Raging Machine N/A] [Winged Glory] [Angelic Flight] [Divine Pressure Exertion] [Divinity Pulse] [Controled Fun]