Short Stories 2

Character Story #4

It has been 4 months since the Hero's Festival incident. Tonight, the boys were going out for dinner tonight. Atlas, Zen, Mars and Casper went to everyone's favorite place, the Blue Soul. Atlas has been helping Mars and the others look for Pollux. Whether it was during quests or listening in on others conversations, he tried to find his student but nothing came up.

Mars and his family have spent the last four months looking for him. Most of Mars' hair has turned gray, leaving only bits of blonde hair behind. Casper had turned 7 years old now. He was a tad taller now but the happy child that once happily taught Atlas how to clean the rabbits was gone. Casper was also helping his grandparents find Pollux but his grandparents didn't allow him to always be there so he played with Noel and Katherine when he wasn't helping.

Atlas got them a table and they all sat down. He bought drinks for Zen and Mars and got Casper fresh juice.

"Thanks for taking us out, Atlas!" Casper was excited. This was the first time he has gone out with Atlas. He never said it but everyone knew, Casper looked up to Atlas. He wished to be strong just like Atlas. Exactly how Pollux looked up to him.

"Let's go out more Casper. When I take Noel and Katherine out, I will pick you up too." Casper quickly agreed. He wanted to spend more time with Atlas to distract himself from Pollux missing.

After ordering food and more drinks, Mars finally let loose. He ranted to Atlas about his worries and even cried at some point. Atlas had to ask Zen to take Casper home early. Atlas helped Mars slowly walk home.

"Atlas… I'm so thankful that you rescued my family from that facility… we would have died without you."

"You're welcome, Mars, please be careful. Don't hurt yourself." This conversation has happened at least 10 times while they walked back home. After a bit of struggling, Mars was finally stable enough to walk again.

"I'm so old now Atlas. How am I suppose to protect my family? You gave Pollux hope to move forward but now he's gone. I couldn't even protect my own grandson. I just let him get taken away." Mars was holding onto Atlas while speaking. Atlas noticed his voice became shaky and he was sniffling. He chose not to look at him. Atlas knew how strong Mars has been. Smiling in front of his family and trying to act like he wasn't scared. At the end of the day though, he was human. A man who has held back for to long and just needed a way out.

Atlas made some water with his magic and gave it to Mars. He sat Mars down and sat next to him. Mars kept rambling on after a moment. How he was useless, how everything has gone down since his son and daughter in law died, how he just watched at the facility as his grandkids cried for him to help them but he couldn't even move himself, how Pollux bravely ran into battle while he hid in a carriage, how he should have died instead of his son and his daughter in law. Needless to say, many things that Mars held in were let out that night. Atlas just sat there and listened. He knew that Mars needed someone to listen to him and that's what he was doing.

"Are you feeling better now Mars?"

"Yeah… thank you again Atlas."

"Of course. Let's go home."

Atlas once again helped Mars up and began walking home again.

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Character Story #5

Noel, Katherine and Casper were hanging out in Lucy's room, the room Atlas and Noel also slept in. The three kids were on the floor talking and laughing together.

"Did you see what uncle did yesterday sis?! That was so cool!"

"I know Kat! I was the one fighting him! Gosh, brother always goes so hard against me."

"You're so lucky Noel! You get to train with Atlas. I wish I could but I promised him I would wait until I turned 10… but that's just to long!! I want to get strong now!!"

Noel smacked Casper behind his head. Casper groaned in pain.

"Sis… you're so strong. Please take it easy on me." Noel tried making Casper call her older sister as well. Casper was shy at the thought since they were only a year apart but Noel insisted. But that wasn't the reason why Noel hit him.

"You better listen to brother, Casper! It's because I'm half elf that I can keep up with him. Since you and Kat are humans, your body can't keep up as well." Noel tried her hardest to impersonate Atlas. How stern he was and how he always seemed dependable. She wanted to be like that for Casper and Kat.

"I know. I won't say it again."

When the two finished their bantering, Katherine asked Noel a question.

"Sis, do you think we have enough money?

Noel took out her pouch and dumped out the things inside. Out came 3 gold coins, 26 silver coins, 8 bronze coins and a few chicken bones.

Noel shyly tried to hide the bones but the other two saw it. Out of respect for their older sister, they didn't say anything.

"It's still not enough! Our goal was 10 gold coins before the last month of the year. We only made this much in six months! We now have six months left!"

The three kids looked at one another and understood what they must do.

"We will take on even more quests from here on out. We must bring one of the adults with us so we can go on the quests that pay more!" Noel declared to the other two. The other two also agreed with this. Casper had joined the commoner's guild after some convincing from Atlas to Mars and Kiah.

"Can we ask my mommy to go along with us now? If we tell her why then I'm sure she will help us. She's strong too ya know!" Katherine wanted to show off her mom as well. Noel always talked about Atlas and Casper always talked about Pollux so she also wanted to brag about someone.

"Right! Let's do that! I know your mom will understand if we tell her why we need the extra money!"

The three agreed to wake up early and go on a quest tomorrow.

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Character Story #6

Atlas was heading home after finishing a quest. It had been 6 months now since the Hero's Festival incident. No bandits have been seen in a month. Since both May and Ior knew how strong he was, they asked him to do a sweep of the entire kingdom, just to make sure that no bandits were hiding or any slaves were left behind to die.

It had been a long week but he finally finished and he was going home now. It wasn't long before he saw the gates to the city. He entered and went to the city jail cell. Many of the Red Shanks members who weren't executed were housed there. He wanted to meet with someone.

"You here to see him again today Mr. Atlas?"

"That's correct sir."

"Right this way."

The guards here knew Atlas. He has been visiting the jailhouse for the last six months now. So, they stopped checking his ID.

Atlas followed the guard to the back of the building. This place housed any Red Shanks high up that didn't get executed. Here was where Atlas' friend and brother, Freeman was being locked up.

"Freeman, you got a visitor!"

Inside the cell they stopped at, sat one man. Freeman had been serving time for his role as Darren's right-hand man. Freeman was only serving a two-year sentence while the others were serving life sentences as criminal slaves. He got a lighter sentence because he confessed to everything. All those he killed, all the things that Darren made him do over the past 10 years. Atlas also helped by asking the king to lower it.

"How are you, Atlas? I haven't seen you all week."

"I'm fine Freeman. You forgot? I had to go on that quest May asked me to do."

"That's right. I forgot."

There was a moment of silence. Freeman has been like this since he was locked up and Atlas visited him. He was ashamed. Freeman always talked about protecting everyone and doing what was right but now he was the one locked up.

"I'm telling you Freeman. You did what you had to do, there's no need to be ashamed now. If it still bothers you then think about how you will repay everyone once you leave in two years."

"I wish it was that easy Atlas. Time changed me. I'm truly ashamed of that and I don't know how to face them once I leave."

Atlas knew how hard it was. In his past life, all he did was sink into depression, drank constantly and did drugs. He never changed… but in this life, he truly thinks he has changed and he thinks Freeman can as well.

After that, Atlas and Freeman had their usual routine. Freeman talked about his week and how he was working to better himself. Atlas him about how the girls were. He also told him about the people like Olivia and Mars and how he was helping them. Of course he also talked about Noel.

As their time comes to an end, they say their goodbyes and return to their daily lives.

"Atlas… you haven't told the girls, right?"

"I haven't… just like you asked. Prepare yourself when you meet them, Freeman. They are all strong girls now, they could beat you, hhaha!"

Atlas tried joking with Freeman before leaving. He hasn't seen him smile much since being locked up so it was his goal to make him laugh at least once per visit.

The corner of Freeman's lips raises just a bit and he lets out a small chuckle.

"Thank you, Atlas. I'll see you next week."

Now it was time for Atlas to go home. But he didn't know that Noel was in the town center waiting for him.

"Here you are cutie. Take these eggs to Atlas. They use to sell their eggs to me ya know."

"Thank you, grandma! I'm sure these would be delicious. I will let Atlas know!"

The city folks loved Noel. She was outgoing and was always willing to help the elderly and even help the stall workers.

"Oi! Noel, lets go home!" I waved to her and the lady at the stall. Noel heard me and came running over.

"Look brother! So many eggs!"

"That look great, let me make you something when we go back."

"YAY! I can finally have your cooking again after a long week!"

Noel ran ahead while Atlas slowly followed behind.

'I'm truly glad to be back home. It wouldn't be the same without these people. I hope I can thank Kai for sending me here.'

Those were his final thoughts as he chased after Noel.