Chapter 645

After finishing up with the first group, Ben repeated with the second and third, getting the same results each time. With the next two groups, he mentioned the choice of some of the first and then many would follow suit, not wanting to deal with the death of another world. Either they’d be awoken once the planet was safe or they’d never wake up at all, it was an easier choice than suffering under months of fear as the demons that had made their way through during the second wave rained havoc and destruction upon the world.

It was once that was done that he waited for the priests with him to return to help deal with the far larger category. They’d finished up talking with those who had their people and their gods on the world, meaning it was time to move on to those who didn’t, with a few hundred of them feeling sane enough to pull out bit by bit to explain the same situation, taking hours to go through and with disastrous results.

Without even the small blessing that was the chance to see their own kind again after untold ages, eighty percent of them asked to be frozen in time once more after Ben explained that option to them, rather than living what little they could before watching that alien world die too. It left barely sixty choosing to join the world by the time they were done as the hours wore on, with him crouching down to bury his head in his hands.

He understood why they chose that and he didn’t hold it against them but it was exhausting. Each of them shared his lack of hope and it was obvious that even among those who chose to try and make their place in the world with what time they had, plenty had given up. It left him feeling tired and defeated, but there was still more to go.

Just need a two-second break to regain a bit of willpower first.

“Uh, Ben? Are you okay?” Valaria asked him, watching with concern at how tired he looked. “We can do the rest tomorrow if you’d prefer.”

“No, unfortunately, I’m officially an incredibly busy person so I need to get this all done today… But seeing who I’ve left for last for this group, I will take a twenty-minute break to go prepare something. I’ll be back.”

He ran off when he said it, going back into Pelenia’s home to take advantage of her kitchen to prepare a quick meal before pulling it out, giving plates to the priests there for the help they were providing, as well as leaving one empty as he went into the structure to get the last victim within his current group, only to find someone else there now too.

“Oh, hey Lux, wasn’t expecting you.”

He’d thought the great spirit had been out culling demons that had made it onto the world but it seemed she’d made it back while he’d been cooking a quick meal, much to his luck. He already had favours to ask her but it seemed she had started before he’d needed to.

“There were quite a few injured among all of these people, since I had some time I just thought I’d give what help I could.”

“That’s fantastic, thanks. In that case, do you mind if I point out a few for you to start with? It would make my own work easier.”

“Of course.”

He led her from there to a few he would have already spoken to if not for the extent of their wounds while she speedily treated each one, getting rid of one problem for him in the moment as he thanked her and asked if she’d be willing to give more help later before letting her handle the rest on her own. For the time being, he needed to go release the single person he’d wanted to that round, opening up a pod and finding Tenth inside.

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Unlike many of the others, he didn’t scream, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t disoriented. Immediately his head was whipping around, trying to make sense of things while Ben tried to calm him down.

“Woah, Tenth, it’s okay. You’re free, you’re… relatively safe but I’ll explain that a bit more in a bit. For now, just come with me.”

Ben offered his hand, waiting for the other to take it while Tenth still struggled with his disbelief.

“You really got us out? We’re really…”

“Yeah, you’re on a whole other world right now buddy, there’s obviously a lot I need to tell you about but we can do that under the open sky instead of in here, now come on.”

The galwaxian finally took his hand, letting himself be led outside to what Ben had waiting, a service he hadn’t prepared for the rest, instead putting that extra effort solely for his friend in the form of the fresh meal at the table.

“Okay, you eat but tell me if you feel ill at all. I used ingredients that I know the majority of races can handle but it’s always better to be safe than sorry and while we’re at this I’ll explain the situation of the world to you.”

It looked like Tenth barely heard him the second he realized there was genuine food in front of him. It may not have looked like anything he’d seen before but on an alien planet that didn’t matter. What did matter was that it smelled divine, to the point that he barely noticed anything Ben had said. His thoughts were locked on the meal before him as he took his first bite, feeling flavours explode across his mouth for the first time in centuries while Ben gave up trying to give him the details, instead waiting for his friend to finish before filling him in on the state of the world.

Once he did though he left nothing out, sharing everything he’d felt reluctant to bring up during their captivity together. The unique state of the world whose history had been built by the invaders, all of the races who made it up and what they were working towards, as well as sharing his own particular history, telling Tenth about the summoning that had taken place and his own involvement in it.

He could feel Valaria’s eyes on him when he got to that part with it being news to her as well but he didn’t care. Even if it had only been for a month, this was someone he’d bonded with. Ben wanted him to know it all.

By the time he was done, Tenth just sat, taking it all in but looking lost with all he’d heard until he finally spoke up.

“So then what should I do with myself now?”

“You have options. I won’t lie to you Tenth, a lot of people chose to go back to their pods. If we win in the end we’ll wake them up and if we don’t, well… Hopefully things will be quick and painless.”

“Not the most convincing offer.”

“Ha, I agree. So then otherwise, we can have you brought to the communal church where they’ll help take care of you as you adjust to the world. At least for a while, you’ll have a place to stay, food to eat, and you’ll be given a far better rundown for how to live in this world than what I could give you in a few minutes of talking.”

“And will I be able to see you again if I choose that?”

“Maybe not too often,” Ben admitted. “Now that I’m back, I’m going to be busy doing everything I can to play my part in helping this world win. I honestly don’t know if I’m going to have any free time until the next wave, but… Hmm, yeah, that could work.”

“What?”

“Pray to Myriad. I’m sorry if this is blunt but you don’t currently have a god. Give your faith to mine and he’ll let me know if you ever need anything, okay?”

“Okay.”

It had felt a little heartless to suggest but Tenth agreed easily enough. It wasn’t like he was betraying his original god, he’d been gone for so long that what did such a thing matter? Far more valuable for him was keeping the one connection he had to the world.

“Great, I’ll make sure I check up on you later but for now, I’ve gotta finish up with some of the rest here. I’m sorry I can’t do more for you right now, but-”

“Ben,” He cut off. “You’ve given me my freedom, there’s nothing more you could do. I’ll be fine but I still hope I’ll be able to see you again.”

“You will, Tenth. Even if it takes a while, you can be sure of that.”

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