[Psychokinetic] Eyeball Pulling - Chapter 60 (Patreon)

Astrid spent the entire day running around the upper decks of HMS Rebirth. She would stop by any building that required assistance. She would help the bricklayers and construction workers with hoisting the materials up to where they needed it. Soon, the entire workforce of Rebirth came to appreciate the name of Astrid Sinwen. 

Astrid neared the edge of the town, where the farms were located. The buildings here were particularly bad, many had fallen completely. They were either burnt to cinders, or smashed to pieces. The families that belonged to the buildings sifted through the ash and rubble in an attempt to find any of their belongings. 

A little girl walked within the fallen debris. Her face held a vacant expression. Her eyes were red and puffy, clearly having been awake for the entire night and not given a chance to rest her weary eyes. Her eyebrows raised as she crouched down, she tried to do something, but a heavy wooden beam was in the way. Her arms were too short, yet she didn’t give up on trying to grab hold of whatever she was trying to get her little hands on. 

Astrid rushed over and lifted the wood with her mind. The little girl looked up in wonder. She looked side to side, then up, as if the goddess had something to do with it. Nodding to the sky, she snatched up a teddy bear ladened with dust. Gently shaking it, she clutched it against her chest and sniffled her cute button nose. She refused to cry.

“Is that your favourite teddy-bear?” Astrid asked while moving and lowering the wooden beam to the side.

“It is!” The little girl wiped her nose with her sleeve. “Are you the one lifting that?” she pointed to the wooden beam.

Astrid smiled and continued to lift more of the house's debris. Crushed furniture and the odd picture frame made their appearance from under a layer of dust. 

“My lady!” An older man and woman rushed from the side. They approached the girl and cuddled her within their arms. “Elizabeth, we told you not to come here!” 

“I wanted to find Mr Cuddles!” Elizabeth stomped her foot.

“Elizabeth… It's a good name, my mother is named Elizabeth.” Astrid chuckled, her hands patted the girl's hair.

“Ah yes, we named little Elizabeth after Lady Sinwen.” The mother said, before her eyes widened. “I–if that’s okay with the Sinwen family?”

“We don’t own that name, besides it’s an honour for you to do so.” Astrid said.

“I’m relieved to hear that my lady.” The lady said with a relieved sigh.

Astrid could understand where she was coming from. There were a few times in history where nobes got all antsy and irritated at other people sharing their names. Something about legacy and all that, although it went over Astrid’s head. It was just a name after all. 

“Hey is that Astrid?” Froderick said as his voice travelled through the streets.

“It is!” Mina waved. “Hey Astrid!”

Froderick, Mina, Nick, Josh, and Gloria were all together as they approached Astrid. Gloria had an expression as if she didn’t want to be there, yet here she was. Nick, Mina, and Josh’s heads turned side to side as they looked at the houses that were being repaired, then their eyes landed on the house behind Astrid. Their shoulders deflated as they saw the little girl with a dusty bear in her arms.

“What are you guys doing here?” Astrid asked as a happiness bubbled up within her.

“We could say the same thing about you.” Gloria crossed her arms. Just like when they went on their mission, she was wearing an all black tight uniform with deep purple accents that lined her outfit. 

“Yes, well I’m helping.”

“And we are doing the same, what gives you the right to hog all the glory?”

“I’m not doing it for such a lame reason.” Astrid scowled.

“Yeah sure you’re not.” Gloria sneered. “You’re doing it from the goodness of your heart.”

“Ah I see.” Astrid said with a thoughtful expression. “It’s that time of the month isn’t it?”

“What?” A red tint flashed on Gloria’s cheeks. “Don’t say that stuff out in public you dim witted fool.”

“What did you call me?” Astrid took a step forward. 

Froderick dashed in between them. “Now, now, we should be focused on helping these good people. What do you think?”

“Like I need her help.” Gloria spat. 

“You weren’t complaining when we were locking lips.” Astrid mocked. She glanced at Gloria as her previous red cheeks turned into a full blown scarlet hue. She imagined steam leaving her ears, but turned around and continued to help the family move away the debris. 

The sudden taunt from Astrid also made Froderick rooted to the spot, as if imagining something. Josh shook his shoulders as they all got to work. Astrid noticed the sheer difference in their capabilities. Not because she was stronger than they were… well she was, but it was the difference in class skills. With them all being physical classes, they could only rely on their body to move the objects one at a time. Whereas Astrid could clear out a house within minutes, hundreds of debris were hoisted out with nothing but her mind as she deposited them onto the streets to be collected. 

With them all working together to clean the buildings, the construction workers and bricklayers were able to focus on their real job which was remaking or fixing the peoples homes. With some of the houses that were in worse condition, they even asked the homeowners if they wanted anything changed, or upgraded. They weren’t allowed any extensions, as they were limited to their own plot of land, but they were given the choice for things to be redecorated or for rooms to be on other sides of the house. For some reason, it wiped away all of their sadness at having their home destroyed–to hopeful of having it all refurbished and improved upon.

I wonder. Is this what my ancestors were like when the Sinwen manor was destroyed? Were they also hopeful of what it would look like after it was crumbled? Astrid thought to herself as she finished helping the construction workers on the last building. She looked down the street as they were mostly finished up. It looked like they were quite high level as their rate of finishing, and the quality was impressive.

Level 54, Tegan - BrickLayer.

Impressive, that must have taken him a long time. But, he wasn’t the most impressive. As the day went on, a woman arrived in a pair of jean overalls. She had black tattoos that sprialled all the way up both her arms and her shortened pixie cut brought with it an aura of superiority over the other workers. It also helped that she was seemingly one of the sub-leaders of the Crafting Guild. 

She was called Maggie, and was apparently an up and coming big shot within the guild. Astrid had heard about her for a good number of years. It was hard not too, she was the first in a long time to receive three production classes. It had sent a shockwave around Rebirth, but it wasn’t the only reason she was given a position within the Guild. Her father was the current guild leader, but she had some nasty rumours that hurt her position within. The word around the city was that she was a bastard child, born from a woman from the Lower District. That, and that the Crafting Guild was mostly a noble dominated field and unlike in the military where any one that had the strength to march forward, could join. To get into the Guild, one needed family connections. The higher ups strictly controlled it, as it was the largest source of income for HMS Rebirth, and one could easily become rich if they were to join. 

“Thanks for all the help Astrid.” Maggie held her dirtied hand forward.

“It’s nothing much.” Astrid shook her hand, then squealed as she was pulled in for a mighty hug. The tall woman finally let her go with a laugh and patted her shoulder. 

“All the rumours about you were all bullshit it seems.”

“Be careful, not all of them.” Astrid grinned. 

“I’ve heard about all of your adventures so far,” Maggie continued, “you and your team also caused quite a stir within the guild about that Dungeon. It got all the Wayfarers in a hunting frenzy, especially all those alien minerals we’re currently investigating. Won’t be long now until we see new armour and weapons that have never been seen before.” Maggie’s hands were clenched and a fire blazed within her iris. 

“It wasn’t just us.” Astrid said. “Got to give the others credit as well.”

“Oh of course, but your name is always brought to the front for obvious reasons.” Maggie winked. 

Astrid shrugged, “life must be quite busy for a triple class user?”

“Especially nowadays, yeah.” Maggie crossed muscled arms together. “What, are you jealous?”

“A little. Although I would have no idea what I would pick.”

“Knowing you, something violent I would assume.” 

“It’s nice to see you think so highly of me.” Astrid smirked.

“Always, with this all finished, why don’t we head down into the Middle District for a drink or two?” Maggie said, “I’ve always wanted an excuse to chat with the young lady of Sinwen, maybe Goddess Iara is blessing me once more?”

“Perhaps?” Astrid said, “I’m up for it, what about you guys? Wanna go for a drink?”

“Of alcohol?” Froderick asked.

“Why are you surprised? Do you know how much wine we have to consume having to deal with being courted at all times within a ball?” Gloria spat. “It’s exhausting.”

“It’s rare I agree with you.” Astrid sighed in annoyance. 

For once, the two girls agreed on something. It was a momentous occasion, one that demanded a drink.

“I can’t say I've had that problem.” Froderick’s shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry for you girls.”

“That makes me feel worse.” Gloria nudged past him and walked in the direction of the elevator.

“Gloria Forscythe, her and the family are known for suicide stat distributions.” Maggie rested her chin within her hand in thought.

“Yeah and her personality shows it, annoying little witch that she is.” Astrid said.

“Aw, you love her really, don’t you?” Maggie joked.

“You’re just as bad!” Astrid shouted and waltzed forward. She made sure to maintain her distance from Gloria.