The plan

After a tortuous night that you spend thinking about your doubts and fears with only some scarce moments of sleep, the morning finally comes and the sun begins rising outside of your home cave.

You silently eat breakfast. No one has too much to say today. After she finishes cooking, Mathilda quickly walks to you and curls up by your side, wrapping her arms around your torso and burying her head on your chest. She has been so clingy lately, she absolutely doesn't want you to go, despite respecting your decision...

"It's time. We are doing it today." You say, unlocking Gina's cell and stepping inside. The orc stands up from her straw bedding, she seems to be having some trouble maintaining eye contact, the green skin around her cheeks a bit reddened as she looks down at her feet. What's up with her? "...Hey, are you okay?" You ask, placing your hand on her shoulder.

The orc whimpers a bit as she feels your touch, looking up at you with a weird expression. "Y-yeah, yeah. It's nothing..." She clears her throat, her usual bratty expression returning to her pretty, exotic face. The crimson color still decorates her cheeks, though. "...D-don't touch me, dumb human! Gross..." She exclaims, pulling her shoulder away and stepping back. You sigh and roll your eyes, that's the bitch you remember.

"Come on. Let's get this over with."

"...W-wait. I wanted to... say something to you." She talks, her expression softening again, rubbing her fingers together. You just listen. "Last time we talked you said many dumb things... but you also made some good points too. Dad... dad hasn't been the same since mom died. He used to smile before, you know? Now he just looks... angry, all the time... Maybe some things that he did weren't right, but he isn't a bad man, I swear... he is just... confused. I'll try to talk some sense into him after this plan of yours fails, maybe I can convince him to let you all live and we can just return back to our home..."

You softly smile. "...I think the plan is going to work. But thanks, Gina. I really appreciate it."

"Y-yeah, well... I just don't want him to waste his time killing you. It's not like I care about what happens to you or anything..." She crosses her arms and looks away.

"Of course." You say, a big grin forming on your face. Walking behind the orc and starting to direct her towards the exit. "Let's go, princess Gina."

You stand near the cave's exit tunnel with Gina, Agis, Rhea, and Kara. The elf stays behind Gina, a hand resting over one of her shoulders and the other holding a dagger and pointing it towards the orc's back. "...Maggie, you coming?" Agis loudly yells towards the store-room, where the catgirl is still locked up.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm almost done! Just a few more minutes." A squeaky voice yells, echoing through the tunnel leading towards the room. Agis sighs.

Mathilda runs towards you and firmly hugs you again as you all wait for the little cat sorceress. She tells you to be careful almost a dozen times before letting go. Lola follows soon after, jumping into your arms with a whimper and planting quick kisses all over your face. Her eyes teary as she firmly embraces you. The rest of the girls have to actually pull her off your body after the hug prolongs too much.

More than a few more minutes passes and it doesn't seem like Maggie was going to finish soon. "...Let's just go..." Agis softly says, the rest of you simply nod your heads. "Move." She commands Gina, carelessly pushing her forwards, forcing her to start walking towards the exit.

You and your group quietly walk through the forest. Rhea muffles her cowbell and holds her huge hammer over her shoulder, Kara readies an arrow on her bow, and you keep your hand resting over the handle of your sword. Gina doesn't say a thing, she just keeps moving forward.

You finally reach the outskirts of your little ravaged town... or ex-town. It doesn't look at all like you remembered, and you don't think it ever will. You cross the town's entrance, Rhea and Kara detour towards the sides as you and Agis continue through the main dirt road. The two girls hide behind the remains of some burnt houses... is that... your home? ...or, was. Anyhow, it's gone, along with all the stuff that was inside.

You walk towards where the Adventurer's Guild was with the elf and the teen orc. Avoiding the rotting corpses laying on the ground, vultures flying off as you move next to them. It's probably people you knew, but the bodies are so battered that you can't recognize them anymore.

The elf stops in front of the tavern-looking building and you stop right next to her ...Here we are... Two orcs sit on the porch of the guild, talking to each other, not really noticing what's going on. "Hey!" Agis yells, the two orcs doesn't seem to hear her, laughing as they keep talking, a jar of beer on the hand of one of them. "HEY!" She loudly repeats, they jump on their seats, looking towards the three of you with confused expressions.

"IS THAT...?" One of them ask the other, squinting his eyes as he looks at Gina. They both gasp loudly as they realize what's happening, the glass of beer falling to the ground and easily breaking apart as they stand up and stumble inside the guild.

"Don't try anything funny..." Agis whispers in Gina's ear, poking the orc's back with her knife.

After a pair of seconds, Forius slowly comes out of the door, having to slightly kneel to not hit his head with the door frame. You almost forgot how threatening he looked. Dark green skin, bald head, deep scars on his jaw and forehead, and black war-paint under his bright red eyes. Tall and muscular, wearing a worn, iron heavy-armor, stained with dirt and dried blood. He stops at a distance, a couple of lesser orcs standing behind him. "Daddy!" Gina cries out, tears falling across her cheeks as she looks at her father. Forius doesn't look at her, his angry gaze stays fixed on Agis and you.

"Give up! Throw your weapon and tell your men to retire. Do it, or she dies." Agis commands, moving the knife towards the girl's neck, making her yelp. Forius grunts like an angry animal, clutching his fists and gritting his teeth as he takes a step forth. "Hey! Stop right there!" The elf shouts, grabbing one of Gina's forearms and now placing the sharp dagger over her fingers. "Take another step and she loses a finger. I'm not kidding."

"Just give up, you idiot..." You talk under your breath, looking around, Kara and Rhea watch from the distance with their weapons ready.

"D-dad?" Gina whimpers, tears flowing out of her eyes. Forius takes another step.

"DO IT. I DARE YOU, ELF WHORE."

"What?" You exclaim with a gasp. Agis huffs angrily. "As you wish, you fucking monster. Maybe you change your opinion when you hear her scream." She says, pressing the dagger into the girl's finger, drawing a bit of blood off it.

"DAD!" The girl yells in pain. Forius expression doesn't change, he doesn't even look at her.

"...That's enough. Stop." You say to the elf but she doesn't pay attention to you, she keeps sinking the dagger into Gina's finger. "Stop. This has gone too far!" You exclaim, grabbing Agis' arm and forcing her to stop. She gives you an annoyed look and tries to free herself from your grip.

"What the fuck are you doing, Theo?!"

"Y-you can't do that!"

"We talked about this already. Let go of me!"

"She didn't do anything! You can't-"

'Watch out!' you hear Kara scream at the distance, before you can even react an orc hits you in the back of the head with a wooden club. You immediately fall to the ground, your vision blurry as you hear the muffled sounds of battle around you before passing out.