The Forgotten Time (Arifureta Zero x Oc/Male Readers)

(Creation) Chapter 9 Just a Synergist

No one's POV

Oscar: Come on, Ruth. I'm here to rescue you.

Oscar really had come to save them. When he'd reached the 65th floor, Oscar had found the kids' clothes, along with their coins stored in a safe. They'd been stripped of all their possessions when they'd been kidnapped. This had effectively nullified Oscar's tracking. He'd decided to search the rest of the floor before doing anything else, and had found multiple templar knights on patrol. He'd been growing more suspicious by the minute when he'd sensed someone using transmutation magic. One of the knights had noticed too, and had gone to investigate. Oscar had stealthily followed after him. Had it not been for Ruth, Oscar would still be searching aimlessly through this maze of a floor.

Oscar: I don't see Dylan and the others anywhere. Do you know where they are?

Ruth wiped away the tears that had finally fallen and shook his head.

Ruth: No. They brought all of us to this big building in the mines. There were these guys in white, and they made us all stand on this magic circle.

There weren't many buildings inside the Greenway. And if they were all wearing white, it's obvious they're part of the same organization. Something very suspicious was going on, especially considering the templar knights had gotten involved. Oscar narrowed his eyes.

Ruth: I don't know what they were doing, but they said I wasn't compatible. They took Dylan and the others further inside the building, but they brought me here...

Oscar: I see... I get it now. Thanks, Ruth. I'm glad you're safe. I guess I should get you guys out of here first. Come on, everyone. It's time to go home.

Oscar looked behind Ruth at the other children. They were staring at him in awe. His gentle tone helped ease their nervousness and they began shuffling out.

Children 1: We're going home?

Children 2: I can see Mommy and Daddy again?

The children looked hopefully up at him.

Oscar: Yeah, don't worry. You'll get to go home and see your parents again. Just be quiet so the scary knights don't find you.

Ruth looked over at the knight Oscar had knocked out. Though he'd gotten the knight with a surprise attack, he'd still downed him in a single blow. Templar knights were known to be strong enough to take on five regular soldiers at once. No normal craftsman should have been able to take one out so easily.

Ruth:......

Oscar didn't look anything like the loser Ruth was accustomed to seeing, either. He'd transmuted the bars with such ease, and there was a sharpness to him that he didn't recognize.

Oscar: What's wrong, Ruth? We don't have much time. We need to hurry.

Ruth: I-I know that!

Ruth snapped back, irked at being interrupted in the middle of thinking, but Oscar didn't respond at all. Instead, he just smiled. That was how he always was. Whenever he was faced with something unpleasant, he just laughed it off. And yet, the smile Oscar gave Ruth this time somehow felt different.

Questions whirled around in Ruth's head. Oscar led the children through the cavern. Ruth trailed at the end of the line, carefully scrutinizing his brother's back. He was torn between believing in Oscar again and the voice in his mind that told him he'd only be disappointed once more if he hoped.

Oscar felt Ruth's burning gaze, but he didn't address it. He focused on avoiding the patrols of knights and led the children to where he'd initially come down from.