Chapter 15: Helping is a Hero's Job

I'll be honest, I can imagine many thinking I wasn't enjoying my time in a new world free from the constraints of everyday regular life. I didn't have to go to work, didn't have bills to pay and I can enjoy a new existence far removed from my old one. Seemed like something I should take advantage of shouldn't I? The sad reality, this isekai existence I've been thrust into is far from the easiest to enjoy. Day one had me being dubbed a hero, day 2 I was given a seemingly impossible task and now day...I don't even know I'm going to yet another "city" but this time seeing that Slain's world was far from a great place.

It only took us half the day to reach the city of Elysium but despite the grandiose name, this city was two steps from becoming a literal land of the dead. What I first noticed when we arrived was the guards leaning against the outer decaying walls. They were wearing light armor and holding spears...but more so it looked as if the spears were holding them up. They didn't ask us for anything but just stared blankly as we went through the front entrance. I could swear one of the guards tried to speak and beg for food but I wasn't entirely sure...

"What is wrong with them?" I asked as we passed the two "guards".

"Elysium as I remember was a dying city when I went into the forest...now it looks almost completely dead." Thalia said as we continued looking around. This was the first time I was really seeing people but like the guards, they had an almost living dead aesthetic. Some of the people were similar to Alna, half human and half beast. I saw for the first time some that looked like dragon people, they had small wings and scaly bodies but beyond that their form was humanoid. Alna would tell me later in life, Dragonkin as they were called were rare. They existed but only a handful of them were ever able to survive long. If they went to most major cities, they would be killed being seen as possible threats.

I passed by normal looking humans here and there but they too looked sickly. Most were outside their homes taking in the sunlight but their bodies were skin and bones. Some even had missing patches of hair on their scalps or large bruises splashed on their half naked bodies...they were without a doubt dying.

"This is...horrible." I said as we kept walking. Our goal was just to find a place we could contact Mr. Voice without being disturbed, maybe an inn. But for the first time I wanted to go somewhere else. 

"I only came here once before when I was looking for food outside the mountains. Here there is little to no food and people wouldn't even care if you stole supplies from them...they are clearly sick and reaching death quicker than they should be." Mateo pointed out a particular couple laying outside. However, these two made me stop in my tracks. My party looked at me. 

"Mizuki what's the matter? Alna said but I ignored her and the other's looks. I instead walked closer to the couple. 

"Hello...are you two okay?" I knew they weren't but compared to the rest, they looked truly exhausted and forlorn. 

"Our son..."the male spoke up and looked at me having to squint in the bright sun's rays. His eyes and features were less horrible than the rest but that wasn't saying much. 

"Your son?" 

"He went...missing a few days ago." The woman now spoke and tried to point towards an unknown object in the distance.

"He went to find food or treasures...we tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen...kept saying he wanted to save us..." the father's eyes began to fill with tears as he spoke. 

"We failed him as parents...we failed our son...he's possibly dead now..." the woman buried her face in her shrill hands. I saw the man try to hold his wife but his body was in shambles...how long these two had was unknown but at the rate they were going...

"I'll find your son..." I blurted out without even thinking about it.

"What?" 

"I'll find your son and bring him back...safe and sound." I looked at both of them. Despite their weak depositions, they smiled briefly.

"We can't pay you anything...we have no money or food..." the man said.

"I'm doing this for free...I don't want anything. Where did your son go?" I asked.

"Our son most likely went to the Tower of Memory...it is said that it has treasures and fame for those who can reach the top..." the woman said once more pointing. I couldn't see anything in the distance but Alna and the others, who had walked over just in time to hear the name of the place, knew where it was.

"The Tower of Memory is about a day's walk. It's a dangerous place though Mizuki." Thalia looked up at me with concern.

"Yeah she's not wrong...The Tower of Memory is said to confuse those who enter until they either lose themselves in their past memories or kill themselves in despair. I was warned by father to never enter..."

"We're going." I grabbed both of the parent's hands and said a small prayer. I also once more promised I'd find and return their child.

"This isn't the mission..." I looked over at Mateo and shook my head.

"Doesn't matter. What matters is we do something for them...maybe there are others here who need our help but these two I feel pulled towards...I want to save their child." I looked at my party as if to say I was pulling hero rank here...this was our new mission.

"I suggest then we stay here till morning then head out. If we leave at first light, we probably could reach the tower before the day's end." I nodded with Alna's thoughts. 

Despite having almost no money left after buying the armor and katana from Yonderdale, I still had a little left. When we went to the...very questionable inn, the innkeeper was more than thrilled to finally have business and let us have two rooms for what little I had left. Now I was officially penniless but Alna said not to worry she had a few silver pieces in case of emergency. 

The rooms were...probably comparable to the cheap motels I've heard about in America. They had okay beds and some commodities  but there was a musty smell in the rooms and plenty of dust caked on almost every piece of furniture. This place would still give us a good rest though, especially considering we had slept outdoors a greater majority of the time . Thalia and Alna had their own room while Mateo and me shared another. We took turns showering in very, very cold water but with some helpful magic, Mateo was able to give our rooms two heating devices and devices to clean our clothes while we rested. Mateo though went to bed almost immediately after pulling off this magical feat. I'm guessing it had to do with what Thalia mentioned about his power being taxing.

I too fell asleep quicker than I though but my sleep wasn't without a nightmare...

In my nightmare, I was standing in front of a large black castle. I had no armor, no sword and was only dressed in my business attire I came to this world wearing. I couldn't reach the castle from where I stood but I could make out its imposing design and almost majestic form. I stood there for what felt like ages until I was suddenly inside the castle, alone and with only a bloodied katana. I looked up and saw a dark figure, I couldn't make out any features but it was high above me hovering midair. I held my sword out, trying to be brave but the threat rushed me and just as it slammed into me.

"Mizuki...MIZUKI! Wake up...you're having a nightmare." Mateo shook me and I jumped almost out of bed. I looked all around me, the moonlight still breaking through the windows in our room.

"You okay?" Mateo looked at me with a genuine and surprising level of concern. It took me a minute to recompose myself and stop my rapid heartbeat. I finally calmed down and nodded.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to wake you." I bowed apologetically. Mateo just waved his arm.

"Don't need to apologize hero. I was awake. I was trying to test my powers when you suddenly started shaking and screaming in bed. What was the nightmare about?" Mateo said as he summoned a small flame to light up the room. I told him the nightmare and what I could remember. He sat there expressionless at first but then finally broke the silence. 

"That's the castle Slain exists in. I heard about it from some locals long ago...it's a jet black castle that is on the top of a mountain cliff. Getting to it without magic is I heard impossible but now that I have abilities I bet we can get there...though I'm in no rush to do so just yet." 

"Mateo...why did you run away from being a hero?" That question had stuck with me for quite a while but now that we were talking I felt it best to bring it up. 

"Hmmm...I'll tell you eventually. Right now, I do want to sleep so I can deal with whatever hell awaits us in that damn tower." Mateo laid down on his bed and turned over to his side. I could tell he really just didn't want to talk about his past...

"Goodnight Mateo." 

"Goodnight...Mizuki" and that was the end of our talk. I didn't fall asleep right away but when I did, this time it was undisturbed by nightmares or dreams alike. 

After a brief breakfast of stale bread and a few almost overly ripe apples, curtsey of the inn, we set off towards the tower. I ran into the family once more and asked me to describe their son. 

"He's about 10 years old now...has curly brown hair and a small mole under his right eye. He's also quite short for his age...probably due to malnutrition." His mom said looking somber and at the ground. I didn't blame her...she probably felt like the father, that they were failing as parents but I spoke to both of them when I said this.

"Your son went off to save you both...he probably has nothing but love for you." this caused them both to tear up and nod praying I was right. 

"You're a good man Mizuki." Thalia said patting my back as we walked.

"I'm just living up to that title of hero..." I smiled weakly.

"Still...a hero doesn't need to always be tough or wise or strong. In my years, some of the best heroes mirrored what you have." 

"What's that?"

"Heart..." Thalia smiled as we continued walking towards the Tower of Memory.