11 Chapter 11: This world sucks

Perseus POV

"...Hey...Hey...Hey kid! Wake up." Harold called

"Huh? What happened?!"

"Oh thank goodness, I thought you were dead." he breathed a sigh of relief

"Shouldn't you just check if I was breathing?"

"I did, but I heard you were whipped and thought you were only slowly dying of bloodless, but..."

Ah...my wounds must have been healed. I looked at the sun and could see it set already.

"Is it dinner time yet?" Well, don't worry, I bribed them for seconds, which...here." he then handed me this vegetable sandwich, "I'm not gonna lie, a kid like you don't come around often, so treasure yourself more, we're going to need kids like you if we're going to survive on the outside."

*****

"Where would we even go after we leave? We'll just be criminals on the run, and even if one of us is spotted, we'll be dead before we can even utter a word."

"I don't know." Harold shook his head, "I have heard of a place known called the "Town of the Forgotten." It's a place where those who have been abandoned by society gather, a haven for those who have nowhere else to turn."

"Zenis told you that I knew?"

"Um hmm." he nodded and patted my head, "You're smart, just cursed that you're born into our situation...In the Town of the Forgotten, no one cares who you are or where you come from. It's a place where you can disappear into the crowd and live unnoticed for a time.

"Of course, it's not a perfect solution. Life in the Town of the Forgotten is not easy, and the people who inhabit it have their own struggles to contend with. But it offers us a chance to regroup, to lay low until we can find a more permanent solution.

"And remember we are not alone in this. We have each other, and together, we can overcome any obstacle that stands in our way. We may be criminals in the eyes of the law, but we are not without allies. We will find a way to survive, to thrive, even in the face of adversity."

"What's the catch?"

"That there are no guarantees," Harold answered "No promises of safety or security. It is a refuge for those who have fallen through the cracks of society, a melting pot of outcasts and misfits from all walks of life.

"You will find criminals, fugitives, and others who have chosen to live outside the bounds of the law. But you will also find people who have been cast aside by society, victims of circumstance and injustice.

"It is a place of both darkness and light, where the line between right and wrong is blurred, and where survival is the only law that matters. The catch?" he chuckled, "It's that life in the Town of the Forgotten is not easy. It is a harsh and unforgiving place, where danger lurks around every corner and trust is a rare commodity."

"So why there and not somewhere else?"

"It's better than here...anything is better than here...You must be prepared to fend for yourself everyday here and it's no different there, except...well...we can at least find proper food, a decent shelter, and proper bedding."

"Sounds a bit too good to be true...besides...why are you telling me all this? I know that I've asked, but I'm still a kid."

"A kid who's probably too smart for his own good." she then ruffled my hair, "Eat and rest afterward, I think our monthly quota is almost down, you kids can relax."

*****

Town of the Forgotten...this world sounds like hell...Assistant hero? Why assign me that stupid role if you're going to make me go through this much?

What a joke. Why burden me with such a responsibility if this is the treatment I'm going to endure?

I can't help but feel a bitter resentment simmering within me. Why should I care about saving the world when the world has shown me nothing but cruelty and indifference? It's not like I asked for this role, or even wanted it. But here I am, forced to bear the weight of a destiny I never asked for.

I'm grateful for the food that Harold gave me, that's why I hid it, but there were bugs a large bug in there somewhere...the crunch and its taste...it's not something pleasant.

Assigned the role of a hero, yet treated like nothing more than a disposable pawn in someone else's game. It's enough to make anyone question the fairness of it all.

Heck, I'm a second option, so even if I do get the limelight someday due to the hero dying or something...

The realization that even if I do manage to save the world, what then? Will I be hailed as a hero, showered with gratitude and praise? Or will I simply be cast aside, no longer needed now that the immediate threat has passed?

So even if there are those who approach me with offers of assistance or friendship, I can't help but wonder what they truly want from me. Are they genuinely interested in helping me navigate this treacherous world, or are they simply seeking to exploit my abilities for their own gain?

But what choice do I have? I'm stuck in this world, bound by fate to fulfill a role that I never wanted in the first place. And as much as I may resent it, I can't simply walk away. The consequences of doing so would be too great, not just for me, but for everyone else caught in the crossfire.

The world should count itself lucky that my anger hasn't erupted into full-blown spite and hatred. After all, with the way I've been treated, it would be all too easy to succumb to bitterness and resentment.

Why is it that I'm expected to sacrifice everything, to endure hardship and suffering, all for the sake of saving a world that couldn't care less about me?

"Man, this world really sucks."