Augmented Aspects: Chapter 216 When You Can't Turn A Blind Eye, Even Though All Your Eyes Are Blind (Patreon)

Chapter 216

When You Can’t Turn A Blind Eye, Even Though All Your Eyes Are Blind

The first thing to hit me when I got to the refugee camps was the smell. It was so hard to describe, it smelled like fear, mixed with sweat, teenage angst, and a bunch of bad decisions all rolled into one smell put themselves together and then proceeded to be fused together in a giant convection oven.

That smell alone was enough for me to almost pull out my Thieves Guild mask and use the air filtration function of said mask to hide my nose.

Sadly, with my other ongoing quests related to either becoming the Thieves Guild leader for the Midnight Hunter’s Guild charter city, I couldn’t even give a hint that I belonged to the illustrious thieves guild. Thus I had to just go and smell the stench and rot.

At least that was what I thought at first, until I realized this is exactly what spells were for.

Cleansing Rain.

“Ah great, can this get any worse, now we are being rained upon while forced to reside outside the closest place of refuge.” A teenage boy spoke out, but as he did, I realized a few things.

First, I realized that apparently soaking a bunch of kids and displaced refugee kids who had lost their homes and literally carried all their prized possessions with water, might not have been the best of ideas.

That said, they didn’t stink, which meant I could interact with everyone, without heaving on them.

We had to compromise at some point here.

“You there, boy, come here.” I say gesturing to the boy who spoke out.

“What no, he didn’t mean anything by it.” An older female said coming from the huddled masses. It was clear that she had at least taken some form of partial ownership of the kids. At least a few of them, as there seemed to be clear divides between them.

Most likely the kids from each region were being segregated, either by self-imposed separations, or due to familiarity. In any case, it was clear that while they all moved as one, when they stopped moving they intended to be separated.

“You there, old lady, come here.” I said, pointing out the elder female that many of the kids seemed to be looking up to.

“Why, I never. I am just twenty-nine.” The woman stated.

For a moment I was this close to saying that was twice my age. Only to realize that really I was nearly two and a half times her age, but stuck in this child like body.

“Sorry, you just looked like you were in charge. At least for this group.” I stated.

“I am,” The woman said a bit hesitant, but ultimately just waiting to apparently follow my lead.

Seeing her, I nod.

“I was going to ask where you all were from, but in the end I don’t think it matters. I have a quest to rescue you all and provide you all with employment. You can all either join me to a new land of opportunity, or take your chances here.” I state.

“How do we know we can trust you?” The boy I called out earlier asks, though I get the feeling he speaks for most everyone here. At least for the kids from his faction.

“I pledge my word, that no calamity will befall you if you intend to come with the intention of learning skills, being productive, and ultimately trying to give back to the community that would take you in.” I state, using a bit of Illusion Magic to let my voice echo out far and wide for many to hear.

“You don’t speak for Plativia,” one of the gate guards shouts down from his walls.

“No I don’t, that is correct. Where I am offering to take you is a distant land of magic and wonder.” I state, then finding my other Simulacrum that has gone to an open field that’s where I connect to my Simulacrum and cast the Ethereal Simulacrums Master Trait of Positional Teleportation.

Woom.

A nice resonant sound echoes as the portal I opened appears, complete with an exact copy of me on the other side.

Clamor.

“Is it true? The queen of Fairy is inviting us to her home?” A cute little girl shouts out excitedly.

“Oh you know we have to trust her, Fairies can’t lie.” Another girl exclaimed.

Groan.

I guess I deserve this as I do have my wings and I still have traces of my own Glitter Bomb still on my clothes.

Scamper.

A few of the smaller and faster kids, mostly girls break free and rush through the portal.

“Fairy, fairy, fairy.” One girl cries out excitedly, as she enters.

My Simulacrum on the other side quickly takes off from the ground and begins moving about, I can feel a faint trickle of mana being used, as my Simulacrum is apparently casting magic, but she still has the presence of mind to keep her end of the portal between our two locations opened.

At this a few of the older people go through, no doubt looking for their kids. Then a few seconds later they poke their heads through.

“It looks safe. Lots of vegetation and then desert. They have found a true oasis out here.” One male states.

With that, a girl that looks to be almost exactly like a smaller female version of the old man pops her head out and speaks to her friends. “They have cute Pomeranian puppies here too. Come on, let’s catch them.”

With that a surge of little girls charge through the portal.

“Shi…oot.. Shoot…” I catch myself, not wanting to curse in front of so many kids. “Zero, wake up and make sure your girlfriend doesn’t get too crazy.”

“On it.” Zero states, his little snout appearing and talking from the tattoo on my arm. Then he proceeds to elongate from my arm as he charges through the portal.

Seeing my expression the female asks, “wait, is there something we need to be worried about?”

“Hopefully not, don’t worry a fully licensed healer is on staff to fix any problems.” I state reassuringly.

“One healer? That’s it? You realize there are thousands of us here?” The female that has seemingly become the voice for all the refugee groups continues to speak.

Fortunately, by now our conversation has caused a few other people to come closer and see what exactly is happening.

“Ghost? Is that you?” A voice that sounds vaguely familiar asks.

At that, I see him come forward and walk in front of me. Then finally dawning recognition fills my face as I remember where I saw him from.

“Mickey Eight-toes?” I ask.

“Haha, girl it is you. Man, you have…” He trailed off moving closer to take me in, then he continues, “not grown at all. Aren’t they feeding you out there?”

“Haha! I’m just taking my time to grow, thank you very much.” I say, hands on my hips in what has been our long ongoing joke. This was Mickey from the Maltese Thieves Guild. While he wasn’t part of my handlers, I did recognize him as one who would often find fetch quests for me to perform.

“Nah, I’m jealous, staying that small makes you a lot harder to hit.” He said, then wobbled his prosthetic leg.

“What happened?” I ask, floating down and instantly casting Healing, and Limb Regeneration magic on him.

“Well remember how I had eight toes?”

“Yeah.”

“Now I’m down to three. Wait, why does it tingle.”

“Stop squirming,” I say grabbing him with Telekinesis, while I force a new leg to with Omni-Healing magic.

“WHOA!”

The crowd of onlookers gasps out in astonishment, as the man quickly kicks out his prosthetic leg, before a new leg begins to quickly grow down and then stabilize in perfect balance with the other leg.

The only difference being that the right leg has a shoe, while the left leg looks slightly off kilter due to him now standing with a barefoot on the ground.

“Oh my Gods, you’re a miracle worker.” He says, charging forward and embracing me in a hug.

At this point I feel his embrace and realize that either I have gotten a lot stronger, or he has gotten weaker as his hug doesn’t feel anywhere near as powerful as it used to.

“You forgetting arm day there?” I question.

“Haha, I was about to ask what they are feeding you, rocks? You don’t grow, but you are built like a boulder. No wonder you can’t grow up, all that weight keeping you down” Mickey states, pinching my arms slightly.

Laughing.

I can’t help but laugh at the old man, who always made sure I had a clean bed roll and a dry place to sleep as a kid.

“You better watch out, I actually know Kung fu.” I state, as a way to explain my muscles.

“Oh good, that means I won’t have to fight so hard to keep the suitors away from you.” He states jokingly, but at that I have a slight flashback about the misery that will soon await me. Misery in the form of Rob that will come within the next ten days.

Seeing Mickey here, I feel a bit better about this whole thing.

“All right, since you are here, everyone that you vouch for can go in.” I state.

“Wait, we can’t all go like you said earlier?” Another voice calls out from the crowd.

“That was then, this is now.” I state, “now that I have my quality control checker here.”

With that Mickey goes by the gate and starts gesturing for whole swaths of kids to go through. Seeing him work, I exhale slightly as Mickey fortunately has not changed at all, still thinks about the kids first.

I am about to leave, when Mickey calls out, “what are the criteria to get into Fairy?”

“Its not, you know what, never mind,” I begin as I am about to correct him that it is just a place in the middle of the cursed desert that can literally inflict you with the Blight if you go too far, but quickly cut that thought off, as I don’t want a bunch of kids crying while going to the realm of nightmares. “All kids, and their immediate caretakers can go. Then everyone else that you think is worthy.”

“Got it.”

I’m pretty sure Mickey was, or rather is, a non-regressor, but that doesn't matter, I prefer to deal with people like this, be they world generated, or outsourced. Especially, as I likely closed myself off from great people like Mickey because they were generated to help kids like me. Or at least when I first met him I needed all the help I could get.

There is a lot of tension that comes over, as about half of the people are now moving forward, while half still seem to be lingering here. That’s when I realize something, “show me your sick and wounded.”

I ask, well mostly demand that the first woman that came forward show me where the sick are. That said, after showing that I can regrow an entire limb, my reason for seeing the sick and injured is not even questioned.

With only a few quick paces I am taken to the group of people that are clearly the injured. If I thought Mickey was bad, I would have been mistaken. Mickey at least had the bonus of not having festering wounds in addition to the amputation.

“This is going to be a bit,” I state, as I begin casting Healing Rain.

“More rain?” She asks.

“Look, if you know an easier way to heal so many people all at once, I will be glad to…” I begin, but am quickly cut off by the loud shout of someone who strikes fear into my very soul.

“WHERE IS SHE!”

Badump, badump, badump.

Just hearing the voice at that pitch and cadence lets me know that I might have been wrong with getting Johnny to pass along the fact that I was looking for refugees.

“Hide me.” I say, trying to leave.

“Never mind, I found her!” She cries out and then there is a blur.

On reflex I try to fly upwards, to escape, all except I feel a slight grab around my ankle and then next thing I know gravity takes full force over me as my body is quickly pulled to the ground.

“Get down here.” Mallory hisses, though she isn’t yelling her tone and expression is enough to cause the kids that I am trying to heal to cower in fear.

“Mallory, you’re scaring the kids.” I pose.

“And just why are there so many kids?”

“Look I didn’t start the war. In fact, I didn’t even know what to do. Then I got this quest and well…”

“You mean the Migrant Rescue Mission quest to rescue all the refugees?” Mallory asks.

“Yeah, how did you know?” I ask, suddenly confused as it only popped up for me when I got here close to ten minutes ago.

“Because we all got, everyone in the guild got the Guild Quest to begin making space and provide food and lodging for the people seeking aide.” Mallory begins.

“Oh good, so I don’t need to explain it to you? That is a relief.” I say, trying to wiggle my foot slightly, but Mallory isn’t letting go, though she is letting me continue to float at slightly above eye level.

Mallory for her part just breathes in, and then I can see her mentally counting to herself to calm down.

“Hah!” Mallory states, then seems to come to a conclusion, “it is a good thing that we needed close to two thousand more people to meet the next upgrade marker for our city and province, otherwise this would be an entirely different conversation.”

Hearing that, I turn to the kids that are now mostly being healed from their wounds from my Healing Rain spell that I have kept going all this time.

“You hear that kids, we can keep you all!” I shout.

“YEAH!” A cute little girl that had been bedridden and close to death a moment ago jumps up and then runs over to Mallory.

“I want to hug the fairy princess too.” She cries out and then seems to half climb up Mallory, while also reaching for my foot that is held firmly in Mallory’s clutches.

Seeing the girl, I Telekinetically reach down and pluck her off the ground, only to cradle her in my arms.

“What do you say Mal, can we keep her?” I ask, a giant smile on my face.

“What are we even going to do with them? There has be close to fifteen hundred kids here?” Mallory asks.

“I’ve got plans.” I reply, trying to sound reassuring.

“Do I even want to know?”

“Is this from a Liability standpoint, or a culpability standpoint?” I ask, trying to clarify.

“You know what, never mind,” Mallory states as she lets go of my foot.

Phew.

I don’t make any sudden movements, as that would only cause her to reach out again. Instead, I just stay still and wait for what is going to happen next.

“I was going to ask why you came, but I’ve decided that it is a moot point. This hits us at a fortuitous time in our development and honestly kids are likely to be less brainwashed than adults at this point. So, I can’t really say I dislike this from an opportunity perspective.” Mallory says reassuringly.

Then she pauses before adding, “I was going to ask why you did this, but then after seeing the looks on all the kids, I understood exactly why.”

“Yep, I couldn’t refuse all these kids once I saw their desperate situation that they were in.”

Hearing that Mallory just nodded in understanding.

“Honestly, I was going to say that what you did was pretty reckless and dangerous, but after seeing the state that these people were forced to live in, I can’t help but agree with your actions.” Mallory states.

“Ahh, you do have a heart.” I say, going over and hugging Mallory with the little girl still in my arms.

“This is auntie Mallory, she might seem mean and foreboding, but that is only because deep down inside she cares about each and every person who is placed under her care.” I tell the girl, and all of the other kids that are nearby.

With that, Mallory looks like she is about to leave.

Before she goes, I stop her. “I take it there are people on the other end already processing the new additions to our little slice of heaven?”

“Yes, and know that with this, so long as everything stays the course we will be on the verge of being a city by this weekend.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but gulp slightly at the implications of that. “You mean right during the ceremony?”

At that Mallory just grimaced as she too realized that this was all a set up by the system.

“You know, before I met you, I didn’t put much stock into this whole the world is out to get you mentality.” Mallory began, “I still don’t. Well I don’t think it is out to get me, but I definitely think it tries to make your life as hard as you make it for everyone else around you.”

With that, I pause and then pivot with the girl still in my arms. “Did you hear that?”

The little girl just nodded her head as her whole face seemed to get confused by the comment.

“Don’t cry, that is just Auntie Mallory’s way of saying she loves me.” I reply.

“It is?”

“Yes, Auntie Mallory believes in tough love.”

“She does?”

“Yep…”

“I do not!” Mallory states, but I continue talking over her.

“But don’t worry, I’m here to make sure she remembers to smile her dazzling smile, and to relax.”

“Relax? With you? Seriously?”

“Look the minute I can relax, is the same minute you can relax.” I respond.

“You are literally the reason why neither of us can relax right now, you know that don’t you?”

“So?” I say, then gently pat and comb my qi covered fingers through the girl’s hair.

“So? So? You know what, I’m done.” Mallory states, though it is clear she is mostly putting on a bit of a show and not actually angry or frustrated, especially as a smile fills her lips while she reaches forward to pat the head of the little girl.

Then reaching out to take said, girl, I hand her over to Mallory. “So tell me, where exactly are your parents?”

With that the girl just shrugged.

“You don’t know?” Mallory asked.

“No, they said to go with Ms. Elsie, and that they would come in a bit.” The girl asked.

Hearing that, I wanted to make sure we cut this line of questioning off immediately, the last thing we needed was one little kid crying here.

“Don’t worry, Dr. Spiritlight over there will look for them and unite you as soon as she finds them.” Mallory states.

“You will?” The girl asks a note of excitement filling her voice. She looks so excited that I can’t help but make a promise that I know I can’t fulfill.

“Yeah, of course I will.” I state, and then as if the world chose this time to both inspire hope and personally curse me, I got a quest prompt.

New Quest Found: Missing Parents (Ongoing): You have found a little girl in a refugee camp who has lost her parents, try to find clues about where they are and what has happened to them. Then rescue them, and reunite them with their beloved daughter. Current Parents found and rescued (0 / 2). Rewards: Experience, Variable.

“Oh, and look at that, because the little fairy promised and can’t break her word, it is now the truth. Meaning Dr. Spiritlight will not stop looking until she finds your parents and brings them back to you.” Mallory states.

“What? You got that too?” I ask, wondering how she knew about my quest.

“Of course, as your guild leader I get to see all quests you get assigned to you. Then when they are important like the Migrant Rescue Mission, I can share them out with others to help distribute the load.” Mallory begins.

“Phew, so I’m not going to be doing this one alone?” I ask.

“I never said that, as it is our resources are stretched thin. Nope, I think you are on this one on your own.” Mallory states.

“That, that is cruel.”

“That is Karma. Also, it is a good deed, and just maybe you might learn a lesson about throwing random quests onto people.” Mallory states, then still carrying the girl she proceeds to walk away.

“Gah, wait, at least let me question her about her parents.” I ask.