A Whole Different Life (Book I)

Chapter 9: Needed Regrets For No Regrets (Final Part) (Edited)

The dripping of water, the smell of sewage, the feeling of a throbbing pain in my leg and the other feelings of overall hurt. Lord was opening my eyes incredibly rough...but, at least it was actually nice to wake up instead of waking up in a snake's gut or something.

"Lord my head..." I groaned as I slowly opened my eyes to a dark room, the room lit only by a single candle while the rest of the room was shadowed by the darkness.

I didn't remember much before I blacked out but I was pretty damn sure that I was somewhere that wasn't in the sewers at the very least.

"God...my leg-"

Suddenly someone opened the door, a gasp following soon after.

"You're awake! Thank Guardians!" Gasped a young-sounding voice as a girl with shaggy brown hair and too big clothes came rushing up to me.

"If you had died...I don't think I'd be able to live with myself..."

Wait...died?

I widened my eyes before I quickly narrowed them. "You!" I snarled as I suddenly jumped to pick the girl up with the hem of her shirt, my body screaming in agony and protest at the sudden movement.

"You almost killed me you little-"

"I know! I know! I'm really sorry!" The girl cried, my eyes only narrowing even more.

"Sorry don't cut it when you almost die by a stupid little brat." I spat.

"Why did you knock me out by a frickin' snake? Why did you bring me here? Why did you even decide to help me out? Talk!" I asked, question firing after question as tears ran down the girl's face.

I didn't care, she should've tried almost dying in her head for a change!

"I-I was told by the boss's messenger that I would be paid good money if I killed you!" She cried out.

"I was going to do it...b-but after I figured out you were the champion of a Guardian then I just couldn't do it!" The girl continued.

I raised a brow, how in the heck did this kid know that I was a champion?

"How do you know I'm a champion?" I asked.

"Your collar! No matter how many times I tried to pull it off...it just wouldn't budge! Only champions have certain items that are like their own skin...I figured you had to be one!" The girl responded quickly.

So far so good but that still didn't answer why she brought me here or decided to not kill me.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

"Because! I need you!"

"Why?"

"B-Because...I have a disease." The girl admitted, my eyes widening in horror before I quickly dropped the girl with a thud.

How disgusting! Did this mean I was going to have some kind of weird, magical sickness now?!

"Why didn't you tell me before?!" I shouted as I fruitlessly wiped my hands on my skirt.

The girl coughed a little as she got up and huffed.

"Don't worry, it's not infectious because it's internal, a slow-killing virus that travels to my brain." She sighed.

Still though...some internal diseases can still be caught.

"Look! I need you because I want to be cured and I can't be cured if I don't go up to the surface!"

I rolled my eyes. "Tough luck, I have business to attend to down here," I said, crossing my arms stubbornly.

"T-Then...I'll help you complete your mission then!"

I rolled my eyes again. "You? Help me? Don't make me laugh kid, it's a simple get in and get out kind of thing. Besides...I don't trust people who originally tried to kill me for money." I said, starting to walk away before the girl suddenly tugged on my arm.

"Hey! What the-"

"Please!" The girl begged.

"If you don't help me then-then...I'll just tell everyone down here that there's a spy looking to reveal our location." She threatened.

My eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."

"I would, besides, they won't hesitate to believe me. Everyone down here is a bandit working for our boss in order to get some cash as well as a nice position. We don't want someone interfering."

Steam slowly started to rise from my feet.

"Not before I could fry you all to a crisp though." I snickered.

"Don't try me brat."

The girl sighed and shrugged. "Fine, I'll just tell the entire hideout then."

As she walked away though, each footstep getting farther and farther away. I had finally started to really think about the situation. Starting a fight down here was too great of a risk...not only would it alert the Queen, but it would also most likely cause the remaining thieves who didn't get killed to sudden retreat to the surface thus spreading more disease! I couldn't bear the thought of being the cause of something like that...I had to make a deal.

"Little brat!" I called out as I moved gingerly to follow her out the room, the girl quickly stopping where she was to look back at me.

"Hm? I thought you said you didn't want-"

"Forget that for a moment." I interrupted.

"Look, I'll help you if you help me," I said.

"You take me to the best place I can attach a stone then I'll gladly take you up to the surface personally." The girl let out a small hum, tapping her finger against her chin before she nodded, grabbed the Fire stone out of her pocket and tossed it to me.

"Deal! But first, we have to get introductions out the way." She suddenly held out her hand to me.

"My name is Picket, it's nice to meet you!" The girl or- 'Picket' said with a small smile before I lightly shook her hand.

"I'm Eos Theodoric, it's nice to meet ya too." I huffed, causing Picket to smirk playfully.

"Good! Now, let's get going! I want this to be over and done with you know?" I rolled my eyes but nonetheless followed after her.

Being in the sewers has really done a number on me...I honestly just wanted to be out of this place and back in my comfy town as soon as humanly possible.