Chapter 28.2: Refugees Orientation - Rescue Efforts, Renna' and Petyr (1)
Year 0008, Month VIII-X: The Imperium
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DAY 50.1: A Team Discussion
Later that night, Team One members convened on the walls of Zone 1, away from the refugee housing and curious ears. The orientation had concluded and the Council had made its preliminary assessments, but August's mind was elsewhere, focused on the twenty-nine refugees who had chosen pride over survival ten days ago.
Erik arrived first, climbing the ladder to the wall section where August stood staring into the forest darkness. The young scout's expression was grim even before he spoke.
"They're dying, Gus." Erik's voice was flat, drained of his usual optimism. "Rexy's scouts report seven dead already, revised from the six critical we identified yesterday. Three died from infected wounds, three from fever complications, and one from a beast attack when they veered off the marked path."
August's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. The others arrived in sequence: Betty was fumbling with her magical support bag trying to get a jerky out of it, Bren was descending into a nearby perching platform as he and Kirpy had just finished an aerial patrol, Angeline was checking her medical kit for its remaining supplies, Adam and Isabel came together, and finally Milo, Hiraya, and Adarna bringing additional supplies they had gathered on instinct. They are all always fully geared when they come out of the house nowadays. Especially with the Beast Dominion Wars still on its full swing. They shouldn't be too careless or they will get caught lacking when they least expect it. Anyways their new prototype combat gear can now be stored in a magical pouch similar to August's own. But this one has a new feature, a significant improvement to previous design which could only store a lot of materials. Now it could be activated with their thoughts, akin to manifesting their will into it. Which would then fully encapsulate them with their combat gear in a matter of seconds.
"Status report," August said quietly, his voice as their team leader and the village Supreme Commander emerging despite the informal setting.
Erik pulled out a small journal where he had been documenting Rexy's observations. "There are still Twenty-two alive out of the twenty-nine who had left. Four in critical condition, eight seriously ill, ten declining but mobile. Medicine supplies are nearly depleted. They're stretching what little they have, but it's not enough. Wounds are reopening because they're not resting adequately. Malnutrition is setting in."
"And Elise?" Angeline asked, her healer's instincts immediately focusing on the pregnant woman she had briefly examined during the initial rescue.
Erik's expression darkened further. "Bleeding complications started two days ago. High fever as of yesterday. Her husband Tomlin is desperate and irrational. He's trying to force the group to stop so she can rest, but Deral Moss keeps overruling him, insisting they press forward."
"She's going to die," Angeline said flatly. It wasn't a question.
"Maybe within the next few days, not weeks if we don't do something about it," Erik confirmed. "The baby has no chance. Rexy's scouts estimate maybe eight to twelve will reach the forest edge with their current movement and without further complications. That would be around forty to fifty-five percent mortality rate, and that's optimistic."
Betty spoke up, her directness has been influenced by her fire element cutting through the heavy atmosphere. "The group's fracturing. Rexy observed arguments over food distribution, someone hoarding medicine who got beaten by the others, and several individuals considering desertion. Deral's leadership is being challenged, but there's no viable alternative, so they're just disintegrating."
Adam leaned against the wall's battlement, their vanguard's steady presence somehow making the conversation feel more grounded. "You ordered observation only. No intervention. That was the right call then. They made their choice, and respecting that choice meant not undermining their autonomy." He looked directly at August. "But now circumstances have changed. This isn't about pride anymore. It's about preventable deaths."
"Elise didn't choose this," Isabel added, her tactical flexibility as another all-rounder specialist like August, had mind working through the ethical calculations and complexities. "She's dying because her husband's pride wouldn't let him accept help, and because Deral Moss has been leading them into one disaster after another. That's different from respecting an informed decision."
August remained silent, his hands gripping the now upgraded stone battlement. The internal conflict was visible in his posture: the weight of the command he has given, the burden of having made the observation-only order before, and the knowledge that people were dying while he maintained a principle, it now all falls in his hands.
Bren, usually cheerful, spoke with unusual gravity. "I've been doing aerial reconnaissance in the area. From above, you can see how disorganized they've become. Erratic pace, poor campsite choices, trail markers indicating confusion about direction. They're not making informed decisions anymore. They're just wandering towards their death."
Milo, the berserker specialist who had learned hard lessons about consequences during his own redemption as one of the survivors from their village, surprised everyone with his insight. "There's a difference between facing consequences and being executed by circumstances. Consequences teach lessons to survivors. Execution just kills people who make mistakes."
Hiraya and Adarna, the support specialists who had both escaped slavery and understood desperation intimately, nodded agreement. Hiraya spoke first. "We know what it's like to need rescue even when pride says we should handle it ourselves. Sometimes accepting help isn't a weakness. It's wisdom."
"And sometimes," Adarna added, "the people who need help most are the least capable of asking for it."
Angeline moved to stand beside August, her presence a calming anchor. "You made the right call initially. Respecting their autonomy was important. It established that we don't force people to accept our help. But our continued observation has served its purpose and it has cost lives in the process. We've learned what we needed to learn: that pride kills, that refusing help has real consequences. And continuing to watch them die doesn't teach any additional lessons. It just addsbodies to the count."
August finally spoke, his voice rough with suppressed emotion. "I ordered observation only because respecting their choice meant respecting their right to fail. But you're right, all of you. Watching Elise slowly die carrying her unborn child because Tomlin's pride wouldn't let him accept help from a boy playing hero..." He turned to face his team. "There's a difference between respecting autonomy and standing by while people die for foolish reasons."
Erik nodded slowly. "So we intervene?"
"We rescue those who are actively dying," August confirmed, the decision crystallizing into command authority. "Not because they've earned it. Not because we're validating their choices. But because preserving life matters more than making a philosophical point about consequences."
He straightened, his role as their Team Leader and the village's Supreme Military Commander mode has now been fully engaged. "Erik, coordinate with Rexy. Have the Grimfang scouts identify everyone in critical or serious condition. Those who physically cannot continue without immediate intervention. Betty, prepare for some of your magical medical fire skills for emergency cauterization if needed. Angeline, prioritize Elise and anyone with active infections."
"Aerial insertion?" Bren asked, already anticipating the tactical approach.
"Yes. We use Kirpy and his siblings and their mates. All available Great Peregrine Eagles. Fast insertion, rapid extraction, minimal ground time. We're not negotiating with Deral Moss or explaining ourselves to people who'll refuse help out of spite. We identify the critical cases, extract them, and move."
Adam raised a practical concern. "What about those who refuse rescue? Some might see us and still choose to stay with the group."
"We respect that choice," August said firmly. "But we make it clear this is a one-time offer. We're not following them to the forest edge, and we're not coming back if they change their minds later. This is emergency medical intervention for people who are actively dying, not a shuttle service for people who regret their decisions."
Isabel was already working through logistics. "Ground team composition?"
August considered. "You, Adam, and Milo stay here. I need you to maintain village security for now. I have concerns about Petyr that require immediate response capability. Erik, Betty, Bren, Angeline, and I will conduct the extraction. Hiraya and Adarna, tell aunty Theressa of our plan and coordinate with her so that a medical staging will already be here for when we return with the most critical and wounded."
"Timing?" Erik asked.
"At the dead of Night. Now." August's tone brooked no argument. "Every hour we delay increases the mortality count. Elise might not survive until morning even with our intervention, but she definitely won't survive if we wait."
The team moved with practiced efficiency born of countless operations together. Betty checked her magical reserves and prepared fire-based medical applications. Angeline organized her medical kit with supplies specifically for pregnancy complications, infections, and fever management. Erik descended from the wall to coordinate with Rexy, his telepathic link with the Alpha Grimfang already transmitting updates.
Bren whistled a specific pattern, not audible to human ears at this distance but perfectly pitched for the Great Peregrine Eagle's hearing. Within minutes, Kirpy arrived with his two siblings and their mates, all six Great Peregrine Eagles capable of carrying human riders. The magnificent wind and lightning-elemental beasts landed silently on the wall section, their presence a testament to the bond between Maya Village and Aetherwing's extended family.
August approached Kirpy, the Great Peregrine Eagle's intelligence evident in eyes that seemed to understand the urgency. "We need speed and stealth. Critical rescue operation. Can you and your family manage five riders plus an extracted wounded?"
Kirpy's response wasn't verbal, but the understanding was clear: a mental impression of affirmation combined with tactical assessment of weight distribution and flight capabilities.
"Five active combat members plus wounded," Bren translated, his bond with Kirpy providing clearer communication. "He said, they can manage eight to ten extraction targets if we distribute weight properly. More than that, and we'll need multiple trips."
"Then we prioritize the worst cases first," August decided. "Elise and the four others in critical condition. If we have capacity, we take the seriously ill. Anyone merely declining but mobile stays for the second batch of rescue unless they're actively dying."
Erik rejoined them, slightly out of breath from his sprint to Rexy's position just outside the second perimeter wall of the village, which has a den for some of the rotating Grimfang beast who needed to rest at the village and he ran back to the walls. You could hear the Grimfang wolves howling at a distance as they communicated new information from a very great distance, with sentries positioned every 50 kilometers or so to relay the communication. "Rexy has the camp under close observation. She has identified five critical: Elise, Deral Moss with the infected leg wound, and three others with combinations of fever and reopened injuries. Eight seriously ill who might survive a few more days but are deteriorating rapidly."
"Deral Moss," August said, his voice carrying an edge of bitter irony. "The man who led them away from safety because his pride couldn't accept help from teenagers. Now dying from an infected wound that Angeline could have healed in minutes."
"Do we take him?" Betty asked bluntly. "He caused this situation. He's the reason Elise is dying. No, their whole group as a whole."
August was silent for a moment, wrestling with the question. The tactical commander in him wanted to leave Deral to face the consequences of his actions. The human being in him couldn't quite stomach the idea of selective rescue based on moral judgment.
"We take him," Angeline said quietly, answering before August could. "Not because he deserves it. But because we're better than the logic that says some lives matter less than others. If we start deciding who merits rescue based on their prior decisions, we become executioners, not healers."
August nodded slowly. "Angeline's right. We are to extract critical cases regardless of how they got there. But if Deral Moss survives, he faces a very direct conversation about his actions and its consequences. The kind of conversation that doesn't spare feelings."
"Mounting up," Bren announced, already positioning himself on Kirpy. "Flight formation: Zephy takes August and Angeline as primary medical team and security. Gale carries Erik for Grimfang coordination. Tempest will carry Betty for magical support and emergency fire applications."
The team secured themselves on the Great Peregrine Eagles with practiced efficiency. These weren't the first aerial insertions they had conducted, though previous operations had been combat focused rather than medical rescue. The eagles' wind-elemental nature made them nearly silent in flight, their passage through the night air more whisper than sound.
"Rexy reports the group made camp three hours ago," Erik called across the formation as they lifted off. "Poor defensive positioning. They're exhausted and disorganized. Sentries are posted but barely conscious. We should have a clear approach."
(A/N: Kirpy has two siblings Zephy is a Lightning Elemental and Gale is Wind Elemental same as Kirpy, Zephy is the only female Great Peregrine Eagle from the three of them. Tempest is Zephy's mate, Zaphira is Kirpy's mate and Gale's is Symphony.)
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DAY 50.2: Site Arrival, Offer and Extraction
The flight through darkness was surreal. Below, the Lonelywoods Forest stretched endlessly, illuminated only by the three moons light filtering through the thick forest canopy. August's Personal System has provided him enhanced night vision, allowing him to track their progress against mental maps. The distance that had taken struggling refugees days to cover passed in under an hour of aerial travel.
"Visual on campfires ahead," Bren reported, his aerial reconnaissance training making him the natural flight leader. "Two fires, poorly maintained. I count twenty-two individuals scattered around the camp. No organized sleeping arrangements. People just collapsed where they stopped."
"Grimfang scouts confirm," Erik added. "Rexy has five wolves positioned at observation distance. Critical cases are in the tent structure on the west side. Elise is there. Deral Moss refused shelter, lying near the main fire. Three others with critical conditions scattered throughout camp."
"Landing strategy," August commanded. "Touch down at the perimeter, move in on foot for the last fifty meters. Quiet extraction. We're not here to wake everyone and trigger a panic or even a confrontation. Get the critical cases stabilized enough for transport, load them on the eagles, and extract."
The Great Peregrine Eagles began to descend with remarkable stealth, their wind-elemental nature allowing them to manipulate air currents for nearly silent landing. The team dismounted in a small clearing approximately a hundred meters from the refugee camp.
August took point, his Team Leader instincts automatically assessing the tactical situation. The camp was exactly as described: disorganized, poorly defended, people scattered in exhausted sleep rather than organized rest. Two fires burned low, more ember than flame. A makeshift tent structure on the west side, probably constructed for Elise's privacy, sagged with poor engineering.
Angeline moved toward the tent immediately, her healer's priority overriding tactical caution. August and Erik followed as close protection while Betty and Bren positioned themselves for overwatch and emergency intervention.
Inside the tent, the scene was worse than the reports had suggested. Elise lay on rough blankets, her skin pale and fever-flushed, breath coming in shallow gasps. Tomlin sat beside her, holding her hand, his face a mask of despair and denial. He looked up as they entered, and for a moment, August saw the exact instant Tomlin recognized them.
"You," Tomlin whispered, the word carrying equal parts relief and humiliation. "The boy playing the hero."
"No, I'm the healer who tried to help your wife ten days ago," Angeline corrected him, her tone clinical rather than accusatory. She was already kneeling beside Elise, hands glowing with soft light magic as she performed rapid assessment. "August, she's septic. Infection in the uterine lining, probably from stress-induced early labor that stopped halfway. The baby..." She paused, her expression revealing the answer before words could. "The baby's gone. At least a day, maybe two."
Tomlin's face crumpled. "No. No, she said she felt movement yesterday, she said "
"She was feeling her own muscle spasms," Angeline said gently but firmly. "The infection is killing her. Without immediate intervention, advanced light healing, antibiotics from Aunt Theresa's stores, surgical extraction of necrotic tissue, she'll be dead by morning. With intervention, she might survive, but there will be permanent damage."
"Then...please…Save her," Tomlin begged, pride finally shattering completely. "Please. I don't care about anything else. Just save her."
Angeline was already working, her light magic flowing into Elise's body with focused precision. "August, I need Aunt Theresa's advanced medicines. The concentrated antibiotics, the fever reducers, the surgical extraction kit. This is beyond field healing. This is emergency surgery."
"We extract her to the village," August decided immediately. "First stabilize her enough for transport, then we take her to Aunt Theresa. Erik, continue coordinating with Rexy. Have the Grimfang scouts identify where the other three critical cases are and mark their positions. We're taking everyone who's actively dying."
Over the next twenty minutes, the operation unfolded with military precision. Angeline stabilized Elise with enough elemental light healing magic although it is still in its basic form it was already potent enough to prevent immediate death but not enough to fully address the septic infection. That required Theresa's expertise and the village's medical facilities. Tomlin insisted on coming with his wife, and August didn't argue. Separating a man from his dying wife would be pointlessly cruel.
Deral Moss was found near the main fire, his infected leg wound exactly as bad as reported. The former merchant who had led this doomed expedition was barely conscious, fever-delirious and muttering about "showing them all" and "reaching civilization." Betty applied emergency fire cauterization to the worst of the infection while Angeline provided minimal light healing: enough to survive transport, not enough to fully heal someone who had caused this disaster through prideful stupidity.
Three others in critical condition were located: an elderly man with pneumonia-level respiratory infection, a young woman with severely infected wounds from the initial beast attack that had started this whole crisis to spiral into what it currently was, and a middle-aged man who had apparently contracted some form of blood poisoning from contaminated water.
"Eight individuals," Erik reported. "Five critical, three seriously ill who might not survive another day without help. The eagles can manage the weight distribution if we're careful."
The extraction itself was remarkably smooth given the circumstances. The refugees were too exhausted and disorganized to mount meaningful resistance or even wake fully as Team One moved through camp collecting dying people. A few stirred, saw figures moving in darkness, and simply rolled over, assuming it was their own people checking conditions.
One refugee did wake fully: a middle-aged woman who recognized August despite the darkness. "You came back," she whispered, her voice carrying wonder rather than accusation. "We left. We chose to leave. Why did you come back?"
"Because watching people die to prove a point isn't who we are," August replied simply. "Do you need medical attention?"
She shook her head. "I'm just exhausted and hungry. Not dying. But thank you. For her. She didn't deserve this."
"No one deserves this," August said. "But some people make choices that lead here anyway."
This woman was Merilyn Monrow, who had held some significant position in her previous life. Initial interactions had suggested that she too must have been someone important. She looked more amicable now, even after her previous attitude. She had come with this group because she thought that those who came with August before were probably going to die. She was also one of those actively trying to question Deral Moss's continuous failed leadership, which had very much caused their lives to be lost. Some did, in fact, seven of them, while the rest were dying.
"If you need us to take you to the village, just say the word," August said. He made sure to imply that this was a one-time offer and they weren't returning for anyone else. "If you still won't accept, then don't expect us to return here after everything we've done for you people."
Merilyn was yet another prideful woman, which was why she was here with this group. But she wasn't naive enough to not accept help. She agreed without hesitation. "Then we will wait here until you return."
August nodded, and they and the rest of the team moved in hurried steps.
They began loading the eight critically ill individuals onto the backs of the Great Peregrine Eagles, two per eagle with another checking on their status. Kirpy was free and only carried Bren, who would lead their flight home. His sister Zephy carried Elise and her husband Tomlin while Angeline stabilized her situation. Gale carried Deral Moss and one other, with Erik monitoring the bastard. Tempest carried two others. Betty was the one monitoring them. August was on Gale's mate's back with two other critical cases. The other mate wasn't carrying anyone and was providing rear guard support for the convoy, with Kirpy being the vanguard.
"Flight plan," Bren announced. "Straight vector back to Maya Village, maximum safe speed. Flight time approximately fifty minutes given the additional weight. Betty, keep monitoring everyone's stabilization. If anyone starts crashing, signal and we adjust formation for emergency landing."
The return flight was tense. Elise's condition deteriorated twice, requiring Angeline to maintain continuous light healing throughout the journey. Deral Moss regained consciousness briefly, saw August, and actually laughed: a bitter, self-aware sound that acknowledged the cruel irony of being rescued by the boy he had dismissed.
"Guess pride doesn't keep you alive in the forest," Deral muttered before fever pulled him back under.
They touched down in Maya Village's Zone 1 just as the first hints of dawn touched the eastern horizon. Theresa was waiting, having been alerted by Hiraya and Adarna. She took one look at Elise and immediately commandeered the medical facility.
"Septic infection, necrotic fetal tissue, uterine damage," Angeline reported with clinical precision. "I've stabilized her cardiovascular system and prevented immediate death, but she needs surgical intervention and concentrated antibiotics."
"Understood," Theresa said, already organizing her workspace. "The husband?"
"He stays with her," August said firmly. "He's not in our way, and separating them serves no purpose."
"Also, prepare for more," August added. "Merilyn has had a change of heart. She may be able to convince the others to come here as well."
Theresa nodded and disappeared into the medical facility with Elise, Tomlin following like a ghost, his earlier pride completely shattered by the reality of his wife's mortality.
The other seven critical cases were distributed among available medical personnel. Deral Moss ended up under Theresa's care after Elise was stabilized. His infected leg wound required the same level of expertise. The others received treatment from Hiraya, Adarna, and the village's support medical specialists under Angeline's supervision.
By full dawn, the immediate crisis had passed. Five of the eight would survive with treatment. Two remained uncertain, and one the elderly man with pneumonia died an hour after arrival despite Angeline's best efforts. His lungs had simply given out, the infection too advanced and his age working against recovery.
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DAY 50.3: Second Wave of Rescue
August allowed only brief rest for both team and eagles. By midmorning, the birds were ready for another flight. Their wind-elemental nature provided faster recovery than conventional animals.
"Second wave," August announced. "Erik, Betty, Bren, Angeline, and myself. Milo, you insisted on coming?"
The berserker nodded. "Those people need all the help they can get."
"Fine. Six riders returning."
The eagles launched into the early morning sky. The flight back took less time. The team knew the route intimately now, and the eagles pushed harder without critically injured passengers.
As they approached the camp, Bren spotted immediate changes. "Ground configuration is different. They've moved positions. Tighter clustering, looks more organized."
"Grimfang scouts report Merilyn has been conducting informal leadership," Erik relayed, receiving Rexy's telepathic updates. "She convinced them rescue was possible, organized their resources, and positioned them for maximum visibility from above. She's prepared them for this."
They descended to the same landing zone. This time the refugees were waiting. The difference was immediately evident. Where they had been scattered in hopeless exhaustion before, now they clustered together. Some stood despite visible injuries. Others leaned on companions.
Merilyn stood at the front, her expression resolute. Behind her were thirteen other refugees: all that remained of the original twenty-two. Three more had died between the first and second rescue operations.
"How many will come?" August asked bluntly.
"All of us," Merilyn replied without hesitation, her voice carrying the authority she had established. "Please. Save us."
There was no pride in the words, no ego, no bargaining. Only desperate hope and recognition that their choices had consequences they could no longer sustain.
"All right," August confirmed. "But listen carefully. I don't care what you do afterwards when you're healed. Let me be crystal clear: if any of you bring harm to the village after this, your heads will roll in the ground. Make no mistake about that."
It wasn't a threat meant to frighten. It was a promise about consequences, delivered with the clarity of someone who had already made the decision to save them.
The refugees nodded mutely, their acceptance absolute.
Angeline and Betty worked quickly to assess and stabilize the most critical. While none faced immediate mortal danger like Elise had, several showed severe infection, malnutrition, and dehydration requiring intervention before flight. Angeline provided targeted light healing while Betty administered Theresa's potions with careful dosing, improving mobility enough for the refugees to mount the eagles.
"Fear of flight versus fear of death," Bren observed as he helped refugees prepare. "Easy choice when you frame it that way."
The refugees, most who had never flown, trembled as they secured themselves on the massive eagles' backs. Merilyn sat with surprising composure on Kirpy's saddle, though even she gripped the harness with white-knuckled tension.
The six Great Peregrine Eagles took flight carrying three to four refugees each, with Team One distributed for stability and emergency medical support. As altitude increased and ground fell away, several refugees panicked slightly: hands gripping feathers, eyes squeezed shut. But no one tried to jump.
From the air, the refugees' former path became obvious. The disorganized trail showed erratic patterns, doubling back in confusion. Several times the route skirted dangerously close to known beast territories. By any reasonable assessment, they would have lasted perhaps three more days before exhaustion, infection, or malnutrition claimed them all.
The flight was slower than the first. Increased weight combined with riders who tensed from fear created aerodynamic drag. But within an hour, Maya Village appeared below.
As they descended to Zone 1, the gathered villagers saw the massive eagles landing with their cargo of desperate refugees. Theresa was waiting. Hiraya, Adarna and Donna were beside her, along with other medical personnel who had anticipated the second operation.
The refugees dismounted on shaking legs. Several actually collapsed to their knees in relief. Tears flowed freely: not from pain, but from overwhelming emotional release.
Merilyn stood longer than the others, watching her companions fall apart in relief. For a moment, August saw something in her expression beyond trauma: the weight of informal leadership, the understanding that she had held fragile hope together when the group might have otherwise broken completely.
"You did well," August told her quietly. "The organizing, the encouragement, preparing them for rescue. You gave them something to believe in when everything else was failing."
Merilyn looked at him, and for the first time, her expression softened slightly. "I kept thinking about what you'd said. About choices. About how the choices you make matter. I thought if I could convince them that rescue was still possible, that they hadn't used up their last chance, maybe they could survive long enough. I was right."
"You were," August confirmed. "Come. Get medical attention, get food and rest. We'll discuss everything else once you've recovered."
The fourteen new refugees were distributed among the medical facility, the Open House Complex, and temporary housing being hastily prepared. Unlike the first eight, most of these refugees were mobile enough to manage basic self-care, though all showed signs of significant malnutrition and dehydration requiring careful rehydration and feeding schedules.
By evening, as the village settled, August updated his assessment:
Total Rescued from Forest: 21 individuals
- First wave: 8 (1 died en route equals 7 survivors)
- Second wave: 14 (all survivors)
- Combined survivor rate: 21 out of 29 (72%)
Of the original twenty-nine, seven had perished in the forest during their attempt to reach civilization, and the old man died during the emergency transport to reach the village. Creating a final mortality rate of approximately 28%.
It wasn't the outcome August would have chosen. But it was the outcome of respecting a person's autonomy while they had only intervened at the threshold of preventable death. The refugees who had accepted a second rescue had new chances. Those who had refused faced the real consequences of their choices.