Phoenixes' Betrayal

As Shinon regained consciousness, he felt a sharp pain in his head and a throbbing ache in his entire body. He groaned, trying to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he fell back onto the bed. His vision was blurry, and he struggled to focus on his surroundings.

The last thing he remembered was using the immobile Bloater to destroy the zombie nest, but everything after that was a blur.

'Where even am I?' Shinon wanted to speak, but no words came out of his dried mouth.

He heard muffled voices and the beeping of medical equipment, and he realised he was in a makeshift hospital back in the settlement. He felt a surge of relief that he had survived the explosion and returned to safety.

'Phew, at least I'm alive, so there's that.'

He knew he had taken a massive risk by using the Bloater to blow up the zombie nest. And while he had succeeded in his mission, he had also put himself in harm's way and suffered the consequences.

Just then, Shinon heard someone else's groan. He was surrounded by other survivors who were also recovering from injuries.

He couldn't help but wonder how he got there. Did someone rescue him? Or did he make it back on his own, despite his injuries? As he sat there, lost in thought, a doctor approached him.

"You're awake," the Doctor said, looking relieved. "We weren't sure if you were going to make it."

As Shinon tried to say something, the Doctor stopped him, handing him a vial of green liquid, "Tincture of Basil. It'll help clear the blockage in your throat."

Shinon nodded, still feeling a bit dizzy, "What happened?"

The Doctor explained that Shinon had been found unconscious near the zombie nest, badly injured but still alive. Other survivors had risked their lives to drag Shinon back to the settlement, where he had been treated for his injuries.

"I won't lie. No one was pumped about risking their lives for a stranger, but Selena can be persuasive if she wants." The Doctor commented. "I'm Jacob, by the way."

As Shinon tried to piece together the events Jacob revealed, he heard the door creak open. He turned his head to see Selena walking towards him, and she looked worried and relieved simultaneously. Without a word, she hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.

Shinon felt a sense of comfort wash over him as Selena hugged him. He knew that he was lucky to be alive. He looked down at her and smiled weakly.

For a brief moment, he forgot about the pain and the chaos that had surrounded him, lost in the warmth and comfort of Selena's embrace. Sensing they were having a moment, Jacob ushered everyone away... including the injured souls.

"For fuck's sake! We risked our lives for him! What happened to my hug!?" The groaning man was suddenly full of energy.

"Nurse, the patient seems to be having an episode; call his wife-"

"I-I'm good, Jacob! You d-don't need to trouble her!" the man exclaimed as he was dragged away, but not before throwing dirty looks at Shinon.

"I heard what you did. Thank you." Shinon whispered, ignoring the man.

Selena looked up, her eyes red and puffy as if she had been crying. "You fucking imbecile! Using a Bloater to blow up a nest? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to take out the nest once and for all, and I didn't think about the consequences."

It was the truth. While Shinon needed to complete the quest, he didn't need to try and destroy the nest. That part was pure service to society-

'Who am I kidding? I just wanted to see what would happen if I blew up a Bloater. Despite the injuries, it was a fun experiment... hehe.'

Selena softened her tone and took his hand.

"I know you wanted to do what was best for the settlement, but you can't put yourself in danger like that. We need you alive and well. Promise me you won't do anything like that again."

Before Shinon could answer, they heard a commotion outside. The Phoenixes burst into the room, their faces grim.

Suddenly, Selena's demeanour changed, and she pushed Shinon away. It was almost as if she didn't want the Phoenixes to think they had something going on.

Confused and disoriented, Shinon sat in bed and watched as two Phoenixes strode into the room. One of the Phoenixes shot Selena a dirty look before turning to Shinon. The robe still covered his face.

"You failed in your mission," he said, his voice cold and unforgiving.

"What?" Shinon protested. "I did more than what you asked for! I destroyed the whole damn nest!"

"That was not your mission," the second Phoenix chimed in. "Our orders were explicit and absolute. You were only supposed to gather information about the nest, not destroy it."

"I had to destroy it," Shinon said, desperation creeping into his voice. "It was too dangerous to leave it there, and the zombies were swarming all over the place. If left unchecked, they'd become unstoppable-"

"That was not your call to make," the first Phoenix said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You have betrayed our trust, and you have forsaken your right to be a part of this settlement."

Selena remained silent, her arms folded across her chest. Shinon turned to her, hoping she would defend him, but she just looked away.

But the Phoenixes were already turning to leave. "You are no longer welcome here."

"Be glad we even bothered dragging you out of there before zombies began feasting on you. Consider it our gratitude for your service." the second Phoenix said over her shoulder. "You have until sunrise to leave this settlement."

"You're just going to throw me out like this?" Shinon asked, incredulous.

"You knew the consequences of your actions," the first Phoenix said. "We cannot have disobedience in our ranks."

Shinon couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had risked his life to take out the nest, and now he was being cast aside like he was nothing.

"And you, Selena," Shinon turned to her. "You're not even going to defend me?"

Selena looked away, guilt written all over her face. "I'm sorry, Shinon. I can't do anything about this."

The Phoenixes didn't care about their drama and left after delivering their judgement.

"I thought you were different," Shinon said bitterly. "I guess I was wrong. You don't have to tolerate my presence till morning. I'll leave this instant."

Shinon's body was weak from the blast, but his pride and anger drove him forward. He wobbled, trying to get to his feet. Selena rushed to help him, but he pushed her away.

"I don't need your help," he spat, feeling the anger and frustration boiling inside him. "I'll leave on my own."

"Shinon, please listen to me," Selena said, reaching out to grab his arm. "I know it's not fair, but you can't leave like this. You need medical attention and-"

"I don't need anything from you or the Phoenixes," Shinon interrupted, pulling his arm away from her grasp. "You didn't stand up for me when they judged me. Now, your words mean nothing to me."

Selena's eyes dropped to the ground, and Shinon could see the guilt in her expression. He felt a pang of hurt in his chest. Selena had been his friend, someone he thought he could trust. But now, he wasn't so sure.

"I couldn't," Selena said softly. "The Phoenixes are our leaders, and their judgment is final."

Shinon clenched his fists. "So, that's it? You just let them kick me out without a fight?"

Selena looked up at him, and Shinon could see the sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Shinon. I didn't know what to do."

He grabbed his bag and limped towards the door, ignoring the nurses' protests. Jacob rushed over to try and reason with Shinon, but he had none of it. The Young Master syndrome had clouded his reasoning.

Shinon made his way outside, gritting his teeth against the pain. The settlement was quiet now, but he didn't feel any sense of loss or regret. He was done with them.

As the settlement doors closed behind him, the reality of the situation donned upon him. He couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right choice.

Leaving the settlement meant he was on his own now, with no support or protection. But he couldn't stay there and face the Phoenixes, not after what had happened.

Shinon sighed and opened his eyes again. 'I need to find a place to crash for the night. Then focus on healing my injuries... I can barely lift my sword now- shit... those bastards took the damn blade!'

Just when all hope seemed lost, a notification appeared before his eyes.

[You have unclaimed rewards!]

'Right... I completely forgot about this!' Shinon smiled.

He didn't need to worry about his injuries anymore.

[Utility set (standard), Weapon chest, and two Level-up potions have been added to your Shadow Storage.]

Shinon grabbed one of the potions without wasting a heartbeat and gulped it down in one go.

[You have levelled up! All stats increased by 0.5 points.]

A surge of electricity jolted through his body, and his injuries healed instantly. He wasn't recovered but in a better state than before.

Next up was the weapons chest. As he opened it, Shinon's eyes widened with excitement. "Maybe this day isn't that bad after all."