Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

The section was called Holding, similar to Reserach&Holding in The Burrow.

After what they heard from Jess and James, the rescue party had expected the worst. Hearing from Laura what this facility was supposed to be for, they imagined dark and moist sex dungeons.

But when they arrived, it had more of a subterranean luxury apartment complex! Although still cells they could not leave whenever they wanted, what the group could see through the door windows looked like suites of a high-class hotel.

Was this what they meant with "natural reproduction"? They simply treated them well, and gave them all the necessary incentives to do the deed?

Except for the high quality of life in this place, it was as they had hoped. Whatever made the people disappear, did not magically phase them out of existence. The cells were still inhabited by the former test subjects.

With a security ID that was thoughtlessly left on the guard desk at the entrance, they managed to open the "cells" without any problems.

They found many beastmen like Mina and Mike but of other races, like rabbits, dogs, cows. There were also others like the Thijaak, races more on the animalistic side. There was even an apartment with two bearded dwarves, one of them visibly expecting a child.

They came across a large variety of races and this was the case for many of them. It seemed that the "natural reproduction" had some help from additives in the food and water given to them.

What they all had in common was that they were dehydrated and starving. Some, those that had no rations left in the inventory, were so weakened that they could barely move. After ten days without supplies from outside, it was a wonder they were still alive. Especially those who were in circumstances.

Seth and Duhu already started worrying when they finally found the Tijaahk. They were also locked away in pairs, in the last cells they checked. Their joy of finding them was slightly dampened when they found that the old like Drosi and children like Lani wer missing.

Their heart sank when could not find them among the captives. But one of the weakened guards suddenly spoke to them.

"Duhu! It's you, right? You have to look for Drosi and the children. They were delivered here with us. They had sedated us, but I still remember that we arrived together and were split afterward. They should be here. You have to find them!"

"What are you talking about? They have the old and young just a few floors below." a relatively fit elf who overheard the conversation commented.

"Are you sure?"

"I have been here for several months..." he blushed a little when he remembered what it meant.

"A-and i saw them bring the elderly and children down there." he finished his thought.

While the other tended to the people, Seth and Duhu went further down. They found delivery rooms and nurseries. Fortunately, they were empty. Finally, they found several rooms with young and elderly people acting like a daycare. This seemed almost humane.

"Brother Seth? Uncle Duhu!" a little girl called out when they opened their third door.

Among the children voices calling out, was also Drosi, the only elderly among the Tijaahk Caravan. They had finally found them.

"Uncle!" Duhu charged at him, pulling him into a tight bear hug.

" Duhu! Seth!? How are you two together? No, what are you doing here?"

"We came to save you, of course!"

Although, it did not really seem like they needed help. Compared to the others they found; the cat people had fared quite well.

"Oh, I still had a lot of rations in my inventory. They were not interested in those." Drosi said happily.

They checked all the rooms for more captives, but only found a few. Not many groups traveled with children and the elderly across the pathworks. Upstairs they caused a few tearful reunions before the whole group got on their way out of the cradle.

~Weeee~

Suddenly a weird, high-pitched noise filled their ears upon arriving in the administration. It thoroughly rattled Seth's brain, but the more terrifying part was that the people around him started acting weird.

Their eyes opened wide, with expressionless faces they started staggering towards the elevator up. Even Duhu and the members of Team 3 were moving like expressionless zombies. This had to be the phenomenon that emptied the city.

What should he do? He already had a hard time resisting himself. He could have used Dragonmight, but with how weakened many of them were, he could have hurt them! The space was to small to summon Puffles and the Imugi didn't want to come out.

"Royal Domain!" he heard a squeaky voice call out and a golden membrane shielded everyone.

With the golden barrier up, the pressure was lifted and Seth could think clearly again. The people around him seemed confused and couldn't remember what happened.

"Who?"

"Finally! Fin's chance has come!" a joyful fly was dancing in front of his face.

No, it was no fly, it was the dreadful fairy brute.

"F-Fin, what are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"Fin followed Seth! You said we would spend time together, but you just ran off. Fin decided to come along."

"But how? Wait, were you on the bus? That's why I couldn't store it the first time!"

"tehe!"

"Don't tehe me! This is serious... seriously thank you." he was upset that she had simply followed, but in the end, he was just glad, she did.

"This skill?"

"It's part of the skills Fin got with her second class. It is a strengthened area heal, shield, and cure."

That's right! Fin was originally a healer class, sort of. Seth had totally forgotten about that since she normally acted like a hardcore vanguard. Looking at the wide shield that enveloped everyone present, Seth remembered a crucial detail.

"What about the guys outside!?" he exclaimed.

Although he had confidence in Jonah's mental resistance, after having a hard time himself he was not so sure anymore. Jonah had the bus. If the guys on the surface ran off, they would be stranded in this city.

"I will go up and look for them. Can I leave this place to you, Fin?"

"Count on Fin!"

Seth left the confused crowd and hurriedly entered the elevator to the surface.

"Fin is the boss," she said smugly.

The others like Duhu and Lydia looked at her awkwardly, while the rest of the people still tried to understand why the little fairy was suddenly in charge...

...

Once Seth left the area of Fin's Royal Domain, the brain-shattering whistle affected him again. At this moment he really regretted not having made some item with high mental resistance for switching to. He had trusted in high Willpower, which was boosted by several items, which betrayed him in the end.

However, he was able of resisting the terrible headache and could keep a clear head using the Golden Fleece to cast cure on himself.

Arriving on the surface found their meeting place inside the building deserted. Jonah and the members of the Oathguard had already left. Outside he immediately summoned Puffles who had kept urging him to get out.

The giant nightmare centipede immediately summoned a golden shield, not unlike the one Fin had used.

~ Don't compare the great me to Fin. I like Fin and would not like for her to feel inferior. ~

"Sure..." the blacksmith mumbled as he got on the Ivicer's back.

Enveloped in Puffles' golden bubble, they set to the sky and looked for the runaway people. They couldn't have gone too far, yet.

They flew circles for several minutes until they finally spotted the group of teetering and murmuring team members on the central highway, walking in the direction of the city center

The question was: Should they beat them down and drag them back or follow them and bat up whatever made that noise.

~Of course, we beat up whatever is giving off the annoying screech. ~ Puffle's said determined to make the sound stop forever.

~We should beat up all but one and bring them back to the group.~ the Imugi suddenly suggested callously.

~That's my little junior!~

"What the heck have you been teaching him, Puffles?"

Although he acted indignantly, Seth followed the chubby snake's plan. After pulling everyone into Puffles' shield, they regained their sanity. They then explained the situation to them.

The vampiric swordsman volunteered because he had the tenacity of a cockroach. There was technically no way for him to die, even if something went wrong.

After getting the bus from him, the others came aboard the centipede and they quickly flew back.

Puffles could not enter the building, but the moment they left the shield, they lost their senses again. To save time, they simply tied them up and left them in the lobby of The Cradle, before going back to following Jonah.

On the way back, Seth called Lydia to tell them to take the tied up Oathguards.