The Beta Dominates Alphas

Chapter 101: Returning

Maestas, a long-haul bus driver in his late forties, had a thin, weathered face. He sat by his bus, a cigarette dangling from his lips, watching the busy crowd with a sad look.

This trip had been tough for him. He almost got stuck by the growing Polluted Zone of the Erdtree near the Vedanta outpost. On his way back, he ran into mutants running from the Polluted Zone, which led to one death and one of his alpha guards getting hurt.

Now, Maestas was at the outpost again, hoping to find a temporary guard.

People everywhere were talking fast about the surprising thing that happened nearby.

The really old Polluted Zone of the Erdtree had suddenly fallen apart the day before, showing a town from 400 years ago that hadn’t been touched. This town was like a hidden stash, full of old-time things from when there was more stuff for people: guns, power stones, medicines, healing machines, vehicles — all super important for people today. Before the big Empire army took over the town, it would remain like a gold mine.

People who got there first would get these treasures. Being a little late could mean you get nothing. So, lots of powerful alphas and regular folks rushed over there, without caring about how dangerous it was.

Almost no one noticed Maestas, the simple bus driver.

First, some eager alphas walked past him, holding a new healing pod. Then, a few alphas with blood on them guarded a small railgun, looking really serious.

Far away, red fire lit up the sky, and loud booming sounds followed. These noises made the glass on cars nearby shake. Alphas were battling crazily over the stuff, even using big powerful guns.

In the end, Maestas couldn’t find a guard. But two young people came up to him, wanting a ride back to Imperial Nexus. He knew the girl — she was a beta. A few days ago, she had ridden his bus from the big city to here.

It was unusual for betas to leave the Tower and even more unusual for one to go by herself to an outpost. So, even though she was quiet on the drive, Maestas remembered her.

Now, she had a friend with her: a tall, skinny guy wearing army boots and special pants. He had on an old-timey shirt, looked serious like a soldier, but didn’t wear any badge from any alpha group. He held a long, big box.

"You can’t put that big thing on the bus," Maestas said, not happy.

The box was strange, like a cage with holes covered in a cloth, hiding what was inside. It didn’t look like regular luggage but more like it had something alive in it. Maestas didn’t like passengers bringing weird stuff on his bus.

Kestrel looked up. "I can pay for three spots."

Maestas was about to say no — turning down a passenger with weird stuff was final, no matter how much they offered. He was always careful and set in his ways. But suddenly, something strange sneaked into his mind and messed with his stream of thoughts. Before he even realized it, he said, "Okay, hop in."

When he came to his senses, the two had already settled in, taking the best seats right behind him. There was just enough room there for their big box. freewebnovёl.ƈom

The bus slowly drove off, and everyone inside was chatting about the recent Polluted Zone collapse.

"Do you think we’ll be safe here now?"

"For a little while, yeah. The trip should be smooth."

"The nearby outposts might get new guns, and people could have more farmable land."

"It’d be amazing if this happened all over," someone said with excitement. "All the Polluted Zones could become normal again."

"That’d be something, right?"

"When I was a kid, the Polluted Zone took over my home. I hope to go back someday."

Everyone was in high spirits. They felt like celebrating, even though they didn’t directly gain anything from the Polluted Zone collapsing.

For a long time, people had lived with the Polluted Zones taking away their land. Now, one was gone, and it made everyone happy.

Maestas, though, wanted to ground them. "You’re being too hopeful. This was just luck," he said. "Plus, do you know how many alphas died in there?"

As they left the main gates, the empty land next to the road was filled with the bodies of alphas from the Polluted Zone, all covered with white sheets. They were laid out in straight lines, a haunting view just outside the city. The passengers went silent, looking out at the fallen.

Under those sheets, it was clear that many bodies weren’t whole. Some were twisted up, and others didn’t look human anymore. freewebnσvel.cøm

Everyone started to grasp the real loss — so many young lives cut short.

The outpost’s sad bell rang, filling the air. Fellow alphas stood next to their comrades’ bodies, some crying, and began to sing a slow, sad song.

It was a special way the border alphas said goodbye to their comrades, their brothers-in-arms who they’d been through so much with.

Kestrel looked out the window, watching the alphas saying their goodbyes.

Sadness was everywhere, both inside and outside the bus. Many passengers had tears in their eyes as the song went on. But Kestrel felt nothing, as if she was separate from all the sadness around him.

She felt strange, maybe because she’d almost died once. Waking up in the healing pod was like waking up from a deep sleep. She felt as if she’d been under cold water for a very long time, all chilly and numb.

Something had changed.

Kestrel thought about how sad she was when Vanessa vanished away. She touched the necklace she wore, trying to remember that sadness. It made her feel real, like a regular person who laughs and gets upset.

"Even if I can’t cry, maybe someone would cry for me if I was gone," Kestrel thought. That idea made her happy. She tried to guess who would be sad for her.

She looked at Ren sitting next to her. He was always ready, sitting up straight with his hand near his weapon, like he was waiting for a fight.

She remembered when he came out of the crimson egg, all messy and looking strong and sharp, like a weapon made to look like a person.

"But he cried for me back then. He was still really good-looking when he cried," Kestrel remembered. His smile made her feel warm, like sun on ice.

Kestrel almost felt his old tears on her face. It was a memory that was fading, but it still felt a little real.

Ren saw her looking and smiled back. He was good-looking and kind. To her, he was like a big black and white whale, swimming by cold ice, moving easily and making gentle noises.

As she started to feel sleepy, Kestrel rested against the car window, getting ready to sleep. She heard Ren ask, "Does it still hurt where you got hurt?"

She whispered, "A bit, but I’m good... Pain doesn’t really bug me."

Ren looked at her, his eyes full of sadness and unsure feelings. Kestrel could easily tell how he felt — he wanted to be close but also stay away.

She thought, "Why is he scared of me?"

Even though the bus was noisy, and there were far-off bell sounds, there was a quiet feeling between them.

Kestrel felt a light sweet smell in her sleepy daze. It was like the yummiest candy she had ever had. She drooled a bit in her sleep, wondering where that amazing smell was coming from.

Ren watched Kestrel quietly. Her face looked really pale, and even on this bumpy ride, she slept soundly.

She had been hurt pretty badly and even though she was treated in the healing pod, she was still weak and got tired quickly. She fell asleep not long after they got on the bus.

Ren quickly sent a message to Brandon on his opticomputer. He let him know they had left the Polluted Zone and were on their way back to Imperial Nexus. Ren knew Brandon might be upset because he had acted on his own. But right now, he didn’t want to think too much. He just wanted to be with Kestrel. He just wanted to sit with her on this bus and be there with her.

Outside the bus window, there was mostly empty land. The bells from the outpost were far behind now, and sunlight was shining on Kestrel’s face, making her look peaceful.

Ren felt like he was in a dream. Kestrel was here, alive, and sleeping next to him.

He felt kind of dreamy. He wished this bus ride would never end, so he could keep watching her sleep, without any worries.

Brandon was probably really busy right now. The Polluted Zone had just fallen apart, and he had to deal with all the alphas rushing in. He wanted to get everything valuable from the Polluted Zone for the Queen. That wasn’t easy. So, Ren thought maybe Brandon wouldn’t notice what he was doing for a while.

On the bus, Kestrel moved in her sleep. Her face bumped the window a couple of times because of the bumpy ride. Ren wanted to help, but he just sat there, looking straight ahead.

Then, a little tendril peeked out, stretching and gently moved Kestrel’s head to the side. She ended up resting her head on Ren’s shoulder. Her long black hair spread out, with a few hairs touching his wrist.

Ren felt really tense. The feel of her hair reminded him of something, and he couldn’t move for a moment. But after a while, he didn’t push her away. He even shifted a bit to make it more comfortable for her.

In her dream, Kestrel felt like she was enjoying a sweet candy.