11 Chapter 11: Lengths and Bounds (1/2)
As they approached the towering palisade that was the joint Guild Hall, the Gemini Twins went in first as Kevin held the door open for Luca and Dominic. Luca hesitated just outside of the building. His attention caught by a pair of children who cautiously begged from the bottom of the steps leading into the Guild Hall, asking for assistance in the dungeon, a chance to leach a bit of experience, and borrow some Sol for gear. ”Leave it alone Luca, nothing good can come of it.” Commented Dominic from behind him, trying to coax him indoors.
”Can't we help them somehow? Are most people like that?” Asked Luca, horrified at the sight of it. It was hard for him to see the relative squalor the rest of the humans were living in, hard to see people brought so low. Every single human he had seen as they walked, these children included looked hungry and partially emaciated. If not for the magic of the World Dungeon, they would be starving.
Luca looked at Dominic, whose horned head shook in a no. ”Things are complicated here, and I know you mean well, I do, but you have to see it from our perspective, we can't waste the resources on anyone that can't pull their weight on a dive. A dungeon is a ruthless place. You'll need to learn to be equally ruthless if you want to survive. I'm not a monster, though. If you want to give these people the shirt off your back, feel free to do so. Just understand no one will extend you the same compassion, and if you die, so does these people only real shot at surviving. You want to help. Get stronger.”
Shifting his feet uncomforting, Luca had nothing to say. He couldn't find the words to fit the emotions he was experiencing. Maybe he's right, but why does the thought of not doing anything right now to help these people make me feel so guilty. Luca looked around, seeing that few of the humans had anything that could pass as armor and fewer than that had weapons. The guild heads he had traveled with seemed to be the exception.
”I know that look, Luca, I've had the same one many times. Though not as much recently. That sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, like being covered in dirt and you just need a shower. I know that feeling it comes with being a leader. None of us get to be heroes. We get stuck, making the hard decisions no one else wants to make. It's our job to weigh the needs of the many, verse the needs of the few. One day when you're in my shoes, you'll understand.” Comforted Dominic with a world-weary but empathic expression on his face.
”How can any of them survive living like this?” Asked Luca, both concerned and disgust lacing his voice. ”How can they hope to survive? I've seen first hand what some of those monsters can do. This can't be right.”Dominic ignored the question, walking into the building with his head low. Either unwilling to answer or not knowing how to.
It was Kevin who begrudgingly responded, still holding the door open, ”They've seen the monsters up close too, I'm sure. I'm sure of it. We all have. No one here gets a pass to sit. You've got to be tough and get tough in this world. Things aren't fair. Not everyone starts with the same level of power or abilities and gear. For those who have nothing, they can either lay in the streets like these guys have been or go out and to cling whatever chance at the power they can get close to. That's what you have to do if you want to advance. All of us are just poor bastards trying to survive with the hand we've been dealt.”
”But,” said Kevin as he let go of the door and walked down the stairs, staring directly at the children who had been begging. ”Not everything is as it seems either. Sometimes you need to look for the truth and not blindly accept what you see.” Without saying anything more, Kevin jumped up into the air and slammed his fist downwards into the ground, sending shocks of seismic waves outwards. Luca tried to interfere but was stopped by both of the twins who had come back out to investigate what was taking so long.
”Just watch.” Commanded Keira, though her voice was more sympathetic than Luca expected, and though he wanted to rip himself free from her, he knew it was a mistake he couldn't afford to make.
The air around the children seemed to ripple as they begged Luca to save them, and as if they were made of glass, cracks began to appear. With a shrill shattering sound, the image of beggar children was dispelled. Underneath the illusion, a panicked middle-aged man appeared. Sloppy looking but well-nourished, this man briefly tried to explain himself before running away as fast as his legs could take him. No one bothered to chase after him.
”Is that why you told me not to bother?” Asked Luca bashfully, seeing that the group had come back for him. ”Because it was a trick? A con?”
”Honestly, no.” Admitted Layla. ”Kevin just assumes everyone begging is a con man. But it wouldn't be the first time that attitude has failed him and got somebody hurt. Like Dominic said, it's complicated. Just try not to be so naïve.”
The Gemini twins and Dominic gave each other knowing glances. They had all been similar to him once, idealistic in the absence of harsh realism. This was something Luca would need to learn. No matter how powerful he might grow to be, if he died before he reached his peak, it wouldn't matter. Even if Kevin was right, or at least right some of the time, his speech didn't sit well with Luca, and Luca bristled uncomfortably, irritated by it. He could recognize a lecture when he heard one, and he hated being lectured.
Some things needed to be experienced personally. The dungeon, in that sense, was a great equalizer. Those who dared did. All who resided within the dungeon had learned first hand what Luca still had yet to learn. Chase strength or die, no one within the World Dungeon could thrive by being weak. No one gets ahead by being content with where they are.
That Luca didn't respond wasn't lost on Kevin, who followed up on what he had been saying. ””I'm not trying to be harsh, but you need to prepare yourself for how things are. We've been here since the beginning, and I've already seen hundreds of people die. I've seen just as many people I thought were solid burn out say fuck it. Imagine seeing that, the light just sort of die in a friend's eye and have to watch them quit to lay down and die in the street like these guys. We've been grinding for months doing what we can just to keep each other and our guildmates alive. Once you start going with us on dungeon dives, you'll see what I mean. The dungeon doesn't care who you are, who you were, or how shitty your life might be. The weak die, that's it.”
”Alright, I get it, Kevin, thanks,” Luca responded rudely, trying to cut off the conversation. That's not the kind of person he was. That's not how he was raised. Luca thought of his father and how the man had died saving him. The last thing he thought of was that his father was weak. His father had been one of the strongest people he had ever known.
Layla spoke up. ”That's enough, Kevin. No need to give away all the details before he joins. We don't want to scare him away now, do we? He can find out, as you like to say, just how shitty things are once he joins us.
Kevin rolled his eyes. ”No, I guess we don't. I wasn't trying to scare him. Just, well, you know how things are”.” He looked at Luca with a harshness that said what words didn't, ”You and me are done.” Whether Luca realized it or not, it was a look that implied he had gained an enemy.