Augmented Aspects: Chapter 215 SLWC (Patreon)

Chapter 215

SLWC

Poof!

Turn left at the odd city that clearly denotes the southern border of a war-torn country.

Poof!

Do a complete 180, I’m not lost, there are just no places that I can stop and ask for directions in a safe manner.

Poof!

There we go, finally found signs denoting that I am in Plativia. Halfway there. Now look for a group of displaced people.

Poof!

There we go, over a thousand people who all look miserable, at that I realize that I have finally made it to the correct spot.

“Now that I am here, I can begin operation Migrant Rescue Mission.” I state, then as if to confirm this as being a good deed, I even receive a quest message letting me know I actually spoke into existence my own quest line.

New Quest Found: Migrant Rescue Mission (Ongoing): You have found multiple disenfranchised groups of people. Rescue all the people you can from the war-torn environments they now find themselves in. Bonus Condition if you can find jobs for over 50% of the people that you provide shelter to. Bonus Condition if you rescue all the children. Current people rescued (0 / 2058). Percent of people taken in who have a job (0 / 100%). Children needing to be rescued (0 / 786). Rewards: Experience, Skill(s), (Guild) Title(s), Badge(s), variable.

And like that, the world goes and takes a simple rescue mission to rescue 21 people and makes it a whole humanitarian effort that is going to no doubt give me the vast network of displaced but loyal kids I will need to start up an information network of thieves, information brokers, and smugglers.

On the one hand bravo to the system for all but forcing me to appear as an overzealous saint to the people.

While on the other hand it almost makes me feel sort of guilty for why I originally undertook this mission. Still though, so long as I’m here, I might as well crush two yaks with one avalanche, or however the quote goes. Regardless of the case, I am here now, and I might be able to justify rescuing the kids plus twenty-one special people. Or twenty-one people who are special to me.

How did I get here?  Smack dab in the middle of yet another war torn country that is subject to Legrand’s seemingly endless advancement of war? Well simple, it all began by my reading a news article.

***

(28 Minutes Ago)

It is said that there is almost always at least one major ongoing conflict happening around the world at any given time. This figure is at least doubly truthful in the world of BiPrism, where conflict and carnage are often the two main ways for people to gain their levels.

That is why seeing newspaper articles about different conflicts happening around the world at any given time is almost a given.

The Legrand Empire to this point has not had a year or even a month of peace since I first joined this world almost eight years ago.

Thus, reading an article about the effects of war was nothing new. And something I almost would have dismissed entirely, had it not been for the way journalists have gotten more and more creative with adding a human element to their information pieces. No longer do most of the articles detail just who attacked whom, along with Live one through seven kill counts being the major statistic from both sides. Now the articles have seemingly expanded to present more human-interest angles to them.

Some articles mention the number of rare and unique quest locations that were either killed off, displaced, or changed hands entirely.

While still other news articles found a way to drill their way into even my thick skull.

Normally, I am just as content as anyone else to avoid the news of deaths of others.

However, while in Johnny’s room after inadvertently setting off a completely benign Glitter Bomb, which will dissipate within anywhere from an hour to a day from now, I found the first news interest piece involving the Legrand Empire’s relentless surge to conquer the world.

The article read something like this:

Thousands of Citizens Forced to Evacuate as Legrand Continues Relentless Advancement.

That was the title, and again nothing new. And normally I wouldn’t have even batted an eye at the article, not that batting eyes has anything to do with my reading method.

But that said, this time there was a breakdown of known groups of indigenous peoples to the land that would be forced to leave.

Breakdown of Groups forced to Leave:

Orphans from Maltese: 187

Orphans from Holistan: 72

Orphans from…

…

Registered Members of the SLWC: 21

Seeing that last line, something seemed to be rattling around in my brain. I had heard the acronym before, but was momentarily at a loss for who the special niche group was. Then it hit me.

Before I could say or do anything Johnny was already up, moving as a mana glitter covered Octavia as he used the clean side of the paper to try to wipe off the glitter.

Poor fool, never had daughters as he would know that glitter doesn’t end by covering it with another material, you only spread it like a virus.

“Gah!” He cried out, and then just as the acronym made sense to me, I cried out.

“Wait!”

There is a momentary pause, which I use that moment to grab the news article to make sure I read it correctly. There I read it, and then reread the article trying to find out where the displaced refugees were going.

Unfortunately for me, the effects of my Glitter Bomb are a bit too effective, as I can’t quite make out the exact location.

“Hey, this article.” I state, pointing to the article about how close to a thousand people have been displaced due to the ongoing war.

“Oh yeah, sad to hear that the Legrand Empire is still going. For a while I thought we would get swept up into that war machine.” Johnny states, via his Octavia avatar.

“Where exactly are the Wri… I mean refugees being held?” I ask, showing the article and asking him to read behind the lines.

Unfortunately, part of the newspaper is wet, making it exceptionally tough to read at this point. At least for me.

“It says that most of the refugees are going to Plativia, but they are being forced to stay at labor camps outside the border regions.” Johnny says, half quoting from memory, and have squinting to read the wording on the paper.

Then he pauses as he looks at me and asks, “can’t you just cast Cleanse to get rid of the mess?”

Sigh.

“No, we can’t always resort to magic to try to fix all of our problems,” I state as if trying to instill some profound wisdom on him.

Johnny, for his part, has taken to the role of Octavia quite well, as he just crosses his arms under his now ample chest and stares at me.

“Fine, it has nothing to do with a lesson. The real reason why you can’t use Cleanse to clean up my Glitter Bombs is because it would effectively be the same as using glitter to clean up more glitter. In this case, the mana is not doing anything other than saturating the area around us with more ambient energy. To try to use Cleanse a magic enriched spell to clean up the mana glitter would just throw more fuel on the fire and create even more and larger flecks of glitter.” I admit, begrudgingly.

With that Johnny nods as if his whole purpose in life was to get me to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but.

Then almost as if coming to a realization. “Is it just me, or is it becoming harder and harder for you to just answer the truth?”

“All I do is answer the truth. The only problem is that most people ask open ended questions that can be interpreted multiple ways.” I answer, though I do have to wonder if there might be something to this.

“Out of curiosity, where exactly is Plativia from here?” I ask, not trying to fully give away my master plans.

“East by southeast,” Johnny answers so not helpfully. I could have guessed that, as that is the general direction of almost everything from here.

“Okay, but what direction is east and what direction is south?” I ask, suddenly wondering if Johnny is being just as vague as I was a moment ago.

“Oh, why didn’t you say so.” Johnny replies then pulls out a small disc with a chain from his pockets. Again, love the fact that he is sticking with the steam punk theme, but the object he has is not conducive towards my vision at all. All I can see is the top part which seems to be mostly magic infused glass, if I had to guess the entire device is coated in a protective seal. This is honestly a good safety measure for the device itself, but shows that I have a huge blind spot in my Angel’s Sight, namely the fact that I can’t see through materials that are marked grade three or higher. At least not to read. Though maybe it is the fact that these aren’t necessarily words instead just letters and therefore don’t get picked up by my reading related skills? Oh, maybe I need to get a special Blind Navigation skill that will help me find directions?

Johnny for his part holds up the device and just looks from me to the device. “So you see it?”

At this, I do have to wonder if he is in fact messing with me. I even go so far as to ask, “are you messing with me?”

“Huh, we finally found your kryptonite.” Johnny stated with a smile.

“Wait, you have been trying to find devices that I can’t actually read?”

“Well, we were wondering if we in fact could hide things from you. Then if so, how could we do it. Thus, the new compasses made by our newest Mechanical expert.” Johnny states.

“Wait, we have a new mechanical expert?” I ask, suddenly wondering if they might have new skills that I could appropriate, you know for scientific reasons.

“We have multiple actually, but they are all rather busy right now, trying to get acclimated to the area.”

“Wait, why did no one ask me to be their guide? I’m in good standing with the Mechanic’s guild. At least I should be, now.” I state, I even have the blueprints and layout for the first ever QiMO powered airship.

“What, but you are so busy, besides aren’t you going in that way?” Johnny asks, before pointing off in a seemingly random direction.

“That’s east by southeast?” I ask, mentally locking on the direction that was just pointed. Mentally I note I go out past the new stadium, through the petting zoo for carnivorous animals, and apparently keep going in that line.

“Yes, so are you going to go and save them?” Johnny presses.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you are doing here. If it wasn’t for my big heart, I would be having an entirely different conversation with, about not sharing details of new mechanical engineers with me.”

“It isn’t about the children at all is it? Tell me, which group are you actually trying to save?” Johnny presses, apparently seeing something in my response that gives me away as caring about orphaned kids, but not enough for them to be my main reason for going.

“What’s that, I’ve got to go. Time is of the essence.” I say not wanting to get caught in the fact that while saving hundreds of displaced kids from all over is a big deal, my main concern for this venture are the 21 registered SLWC members. I can see that Johnny is about to catch me in a lie, or at least a partial truth. I must have a tell, but I can’t tell what it is, as such rather than getting caught misrepresenting the truth again, I decided to go out to Plativia, to save everyone from the orphaned children, all the way to those 21 poor SLWC members.

***

(Ten Minutes Ago)

Sadly, that whole exchange with Johnny, well as Octavia being operated by Johnny only took three minutes. Everything else was me getting slightly disoriented, doubling back then going in known east by southeast directions. Then moving around in circles, finding new major cities, reading signs directing to different places. Avoiding the ongoing battlefields, healing a few stray cats and dogs I found on the battlefield.

What? They were completely innocent in all of the conflicts that were going on. So I healed them, then I might have Resurrected a few soldiers and civilians alike that were still lingering in and around the battlefields.

I honestly don’t know how long it would take for a spirit to move on, but some had clearly been holding out for days, almost giving the different woods a whole haunted feel. Not that this was bad, just that I think many of the people were miffed that they died by a war that indiscriminately pulled them up in their wake.

“Thank you, is there anything I can do to repay your kindness?” A female that I used Perfect Resurrection on asked.

While I was listening to her, I began casting Resurrection on the next spirit while trying to find out where I was actually supposed to go.

“So, I’m looking for Plativia, have you heard of it?” I ask.

“Yeah, the border nation? Why would you want to go there?” The first Resurrected person asks.

“Well, I’m trying to find a group of refugees that might have gone there seeking shelter from the war.” I add. Of course, I had a quest to save over two thousand people, but I really wanted to save twenty-one of them. Or at the very least make sure those twenty-one were wrapped in bubble wrap, placed on a shelf, and left where I could watch them work.

“Friends of yours?” The second body that had apparently been listening in on my conversation while I Resurrected them asked.

At that I paused, finding the next ghost, then answered. “Well not yet, but I hope that we could be friends, eventually.”

“You are that crazy healer that everyone talks so highly about? The one that can Resurrect and learned how to cultivate?” The first person asks.

“Isn’t it obvious? I mean there she is wings and all. I mean you can even see the rumors about her quiet focus are true.” The second speaker states.

“What rumors?”

“The ones about you sticking out your tongue when you are in deep thought.” He begins, then chuckling he adds, “supposedly that is the only time when you are guaranteed not to talk back.”

With that I finish Resurrecting the third person and am about to call it a day.

“Oh come on, look what you did.” The first speaker said, scolding his peer.

“What did I do? All I did was say the truth.” The second speaker replied.

Hearing them banter, and realizing that I was already getting close to my Bloodline Legacy class that I now needed more than ever for my materials I would need for my two potions, I decided to end this and see if I could speed up this rescue mission.

“Look I’m sorry to bother you all, but could you tell me where Plativia is? I am kind of on a time crunch here. I have over two thousand people to save, and a little under two hours to do so.” I state.

“They gave you a time crunch for this rescue operation in Plativia? Is there a division charging through?” The first speaker asked a note of concern in their voice.

“No, I just need to get back with the refugees before my Guild Leader knows I am missing from my class I am teaching.” I state.

“Oh, you teach classes?” The third person I Resurrected asks, now adding herself to the conversation.

“Of course she does, that is Doctor Spiritlight. Can’t you tell by the wings and the third eye?” The first speaker states.

“Oh, I thought she was a fairy queen.”

Groan.

“Please if you all know where Plativia is then just point me in the direction, otherwise I really need to get going.” I state with a bit more irritation seeping through than I mean.

The third woman hearing my irritation and realizing I just Resurrected her, decides that anything else she needed to say was irrelevant, as she just points back in the opposite direction that I came from.

Seeing the direction, I realize I did go in too far and should have turned around a lot earlier. Though to my defense, most people were either cowering in fear whenever I showed up, or pretended not to speak any of the languages that I am fluent in.

“Thank you.”

“Wait, if you are going, we are as well.” The first person poses, but by now I have wasted a lot of time on healing random bystanders from the most recent battles.

While I don’t feel bad about any of it, I really am starting to feel the crunch of time. As such I reply briskly, “sorry, but I need to hurry.”

With that I Teleport out.

Poof.

The time crunch is only one of my concerns. The other major concern is that the group, that I am so desperately trying to save are members of the SLWC, the Seventh Life Writers Club. Writers who have banded together their resources now that they are all down to their last and final life.

Knowing how dangerous it is for them to be out here, I know I need to get to them as quickly as possible.

***

The trio watched as the four-winged angel disappeared as quickly as she appeared before them.

“Dang it, she is gone.” Mr. Raynes, the second spirit to be Resurrected stated.

“I know, it is either divine providence that she managed to save us while we are all on our last lives, or the devils fate that she left to where we were heading, before we were randomly killed by stray attacks.” Mr. Sanders, the first spirit to be Resurrected added.

“I really wish she had tried to rescue us as well. I mean we were going to the same exact spot.” Ms. Whittle, the third spirit noted, as she touched her face and felt that many of her wrinkles had been removed from the Resurrection.

“You were the one that told her where to go. We could have at least used that as a bargaining chip for ourselves.” Mr. Raynes stated coldly.

“Oh come on. You know someone like her is going to rescue all those children. To get in the way of that deed would be a sin of monumental proportions.” Mr. Sanders began, trying to cut into some of Mr. Raynes’s fire. Then turning to Ms. Whittle he continued, “Besides, what would she do with a bunch of old crusty writers like us?”