Chapter 213: The tide of fate

Chapter 213: The tide of fate

Pack the tools and get moving, its going to rain again! a disheveled middle-aged man yelled at the group of kids inside the cave, yanking on their chains which were hooked to his leather belt. His expression looked grim as he observed the clouds gathering in the sky.

Fucking storms, never stops, this kingdom is really going to shit he complained, waiting for the kids to get out of the hole. The entrance was too narrow for him to go catch them, so all he could do was to yell louder.

Ah Were going to have to drain the damn hole again tomorrow arent we? Well, thatll be the second groups problem, I just hope the dirt we just removed doesnt flow back in FASTER, YOU DIMWITS, DO YOU WANT TO DROWN DOWN THERE?!

As he kept yanking on the long chains, a boy carrying a shovel almost as tall as himself was first to come out of the small entrance of the underground tunnels. Before long, more children came out crawling one by one, all tied at the neck to their own chain like a pack of dogs. They were dirty and silent, wearing rags, their hair cut short, each carrying different mining tools like small picks and buckets filled with dirt.

So much trouble for these fucking dwarven ruins Come on, throw the tools in the lockbox, were climbing back up to camp, its going to be a big one today, well be fucking drenched if youre too slow.

The children obediently followed the orders, they had been there for weeks, they knew not to talk if they wanted to avoid getting hit. This man wasnt the worst of the slavers, but he wasnt the kindest either. The wooden stick in his right hand wasnt strictly to help him thread the sloped paths up the mountain.

After the man made sure the tools were all properly secure inside of the steel box, he locked it, and placed a few planks and bags full of sand in front of the ruins narrow entrance. The group started walking toward the mountain. It would take them a good hour to reach the mountain, and one more to climb all the way up to the slavers camp, but they were all walking forward no matter how exhausted. Their lives depended on it. Soon, the storm would get worse, and the entire valley would be underwater for a bit until the excess water drained out through the only ways down, the three narrow rivers.

As expected, it soon started raining, the slaver cursed as the rain hit his face, but he kept walking. Until something unexpected happened that stopped him dead in his tracks.

The wildlife of the mountains was thrown into a frenzy. All at once, the silent valley was filled with the cries of countless panicked animals. Thousands of birds flew up, leaving the safe haven of their nests in the trees.

What in Gods name

The mountains shook, violent tremors caused instantaneous landslides and destruction.

The children panicked and cried, some were yelling, some were trying to flee only to be cruelly reminded of the presence of a chain around their neck. The man yelled, ordering them to calm down, but the quakes didnt stop, and chaos overtook the small group of children.

Only one girl was still calm among them, hoping for an even bigger quake to come. When the time was right, she locked her feet against a protruding rock, grabbed her chain and threw herself back. She was the one to yank on her chain this time. It wasnt much, but the slaver had already been having a hard time standing through the event, he fell flat on his back, throwing more of his usual angry curses.

Before the man could stand up from the mud, the girl had jumped on him and stabbed his eye with a sharpened animal bone she took out of a fold in her clothes. Who knew where she had found that thing? The children screamed in panic, the man screamed in pain. While he was still trying to understand what had happened to him, the girl unhooked her chain from his belt.

Ouch! What was that for! Sofia cried out, rubbing her forehead.

I should be the one asking that! Look at what I get for healing you!

Mornn was on the side, leaning against a tree and heartedly laughing her ass off while Astelia was red like a ripe Apra, covering her eyes, but still looking through her fingers anyway.

Alith stood up from the ground, dusting herself off as she mumbled an explanation laced with more pouting complaints I didnt want to do that shit either alright? But you didnt wake up, and since my skill got more effects at level 200 I couldnt stand there and just not heal you, even Pareths heal didnt work so its not like

What the

What Where?

Im relieved you actually woke up though

Sofia was confusedly trying to piece her memory together as she couldnt stop herself from speed reading the system window Alith had just opened for her to see.

[Maidens kiss] : The love of a beautiful maiden is an universal cure, old as time itself. You can heal someone else by kissing them. Efficiency proportional to your attraction and affection towards them.

The maidens kiss is no small deal, a great pain calls for an appropriate treatment, now has double efficiency on poisoned or near death targets.

A true kiss is a proof of love, the true maidens kiss is capable of curing all ailments no matter how dire, only death may separate the lips of two beings linked by fate.

Mana cost proportional to the required healing.

(Next function unlocks at Skill Level 400)

Oh that does explai-

Holy shit; SARIA! Sofia yelled, drawing the attention of the few nearby passersby.