Limitless: New Dawn

Chapter 275: Refuge

A sharp whistling sound tore through the sky as the shuttles approached the village; the sound grew louder, until even the villagers who had spent the last few minutes in stunned silence after surviving the demon attack instinctively looked upward. What they saw was something none of them had words for. A few dark metallic structures descended from the sky, their surfaces were smooth and reflecting the sunlight. They slowed mid-air, stabilizing itself before lowering gently toward the ground, displacing dust and ash as it landed.

Arthur was hovering above the village when the battle was occurring. The moment he realized the battle was nearing its end, he had already issued instructions to the Guardian AI to carry out extraction and evacuation units were dispatched without delay. 

Efficiency, speed, and timing these were things Avalon never compromised on. But the villagers who were witnessing the shuttles for the first time, it was something far beyond comprehension.

Adam, however, reacted very differently. His eyes widened, not in fear, but in recognition. His breathing slowed as his mind raced to process what he was seeing. Those shuttles… he couldn’t sense any mana from them, nor was it sustained by any magical formation. 

He never imagined he would get to see something like this in a magical world. The planet he was from was called Sol and their planet was much more advanced than Thyrandel, they were developed enough to explore their solar system. So, seeing a space shuttle in this world threw him off guard.

“This… they shouldn’t be present in this world…” he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible even to himself.

He forced himself to stay still, blending into the group of villagers who were now slowly gathering closer, their curiosity battling against their fear. Adam’s instincts screamed at him to not act recklessly and expose himself. Whoever had brought something like this into a magic-dominated world… was not someone he could approach carelessly.

The shuttle doors opened with a smooth motion, and several synthezoids stepped out in perfect formation. Their movements were precise, but they did not carry any visible weapons, yet there was something about them that made it clear they did not need to, then they began scanning the surroundings.

Arthur flew down from the sky, placing himself where everyone could see him clearly. His presence immediately drew everyone’s attention. He did not put any pressure on the villagers, yet the moment he began speaking, everyone fell silent.

“Greetings,” he said calmly, his voice carrying effortlessly across the gathered crowd. “My name is Arthur. I am the overseer of Avalon, an island nation near the Virelia Kingdom.”

He paused briefly, allowing them to absorb what little they could from those words before continuing. “If you are willing, I can provide you with refuge. I will also provide you with food, shelter, and work, and you will not need to worry about your survival once you arrive there.”

The villagers’ reaction was immediate, murmurs spread through the crowd as people exchanged uncertain glances. Some looked relieved, while others were suspicious of Arthur and his offer. A few clutched what little they had left more tightly, as if expecting the offer to vanish at any moment.

A man stepped forward hesitantly, his voice carrying the weight of both hope and doubt. “And… what would you take from us in return?”

Arthur met his gaze without hesitation. “You can contribute by farming or animal rearing, or if you have any other skill you can use them to help Avalon.”

There was no hidden pressure in his tone, no manipulation, or attempt to persuade them beyond what was stated. That simplicity was what made it difficult to doubt him entirely.

The villagers began discussing among themselves, their voices overlapping, some arguing, others trying to reason through the situation. For many, the choice was painfully obvious. Their homes were destroyed, their land was unusable, and the war would not spare them if they stayed. 

But for others, the idea of trusting a stranger, one who arrived in a flying metal structure from the sky was too much. They were a remote village and they hadn't heard about Avalon, so they found it difficult to accept that there was such a good deal.

One by one, decisions were made. A majority stepped forward, choosing to accept Arthur’s offer, driven by necessity if not trust. Others refused, deciding instead to head toward the nearest city, clinging to familiarity over uncertainty.

Arthur did not attempt to stop them. He simply nodded once, acknowledging their choice, as it was entirely their decision on what to do with their life.

The synthezoids began guiding the villagers who had accepted his offer to go to Avalon toward the shuttle, assisting them with boarding them. Arthur’s gaze shifted briefly and settled on Adam, who remained among those who had chosen to stay.

He noted it, but did nothing.

The shuttles sealed themselves shut once boarding was complete, and within moments, they lifted back into the sky, disappearing in the direction of Avalon. Arthur remained where he was for a brief second longer, then vanished without a trace, leaving behind nothing but unanswered questions for Adam.

…

Adam watched as the shuttles left with the villagers and was still amazed, “That wasn’t magic,” he said quietly, more certain now.

His mind began connecting pieces. A technologically advanced vessel, a place called Avalon that offered refuge without any condition. None of it aligned with what he had learned about this world so far.

“If they’re not from here…” he murmured, his gaze shifting toward the horizon, “then they might have a way to leave this planet.” He felt whoever built those shuttles was not from this world and they could be a key for him to return to his home. 

But Adam forced himself to pull back from it, he didn't want to risk it by exposing himself too soon as the person who arrived with the shuttle could be an enemy. 

Whoever that person was, he was not someone to approach blindly. Adam had survived this long by staying cautious, by hiding what he truly was. He would not throw that away for a possibility.

“I need information,” he concluded quietly and decided to stay back and gather information about this Avalon first.

…

Meanwhile, Arthur had flown high in the sky. From above, he observed the slow movement of the villagers who had chosen not to leave and go towards the nearest city, their figures were small against the vast, damaged landscape. Without drawing attention, he deployed a probe to follow them, ensuring their safety without interfering directly.

He then left the village and arrived near the city where the last known location of the otherworlders were mentioned, he flew down and saw a long line that stretched outward starting from the city gate, filled with refugees, merchants, and weary travelers waiting to be allowed inside. The guards maintained strict control, their vigilance heightened by the ongoing war.

Arthur joined the line without drawing attention, but it did not take long before a group of guards approached him directly. Before he could even ask what they wanted, one of them bowed slightly, and said in a respectful tone.

“Sir, we have a separate line for mages and martial artists. Please follow us.”

Arthur raised a brow faintly, understanding immediately that they might have seen him flying down. In a war-torn region. Right now there was a high demand for mages and martial artists, especially in this region due to the war. That might be the reason for them to treat mages and martial artists differently. 

He followed them into a nearby inspection tent, where a quick scan was conducted for traces of demonic energy. The process was efficient, and clearly done countless times before.

“You’re clear,” one of the guards said after a moment. “You may proceed, sir.”

Arthur stepped into the city, and the contrast was glaring at first glance. There was no life in the streets, no noise that one would expect from a city this big. Shops remained closed, and marketplaces were silent. 

The only places operating at full capacity were the blacksmiths and artifact shops, their forges burning constantly. Since it was war time their demand was all time high and he could hear the sound of hammer striking metal echoing through the otherwise quiet streets. 

War had stripped the city down to its essentials.

Arthur walked calmly, his awareness expanding outward until he located what he was searching for, the otherworlders. Their energy signatures stood out subtly, it was different from the natural flow of mana in the natives of this world.

He slipped into an alley and released several probes, each of them were etched with concealment runes that masked their presence completely. They moved silently toward their targets, feeding information back to him in real time.

With that done, Arthur found a nearby inn and secured a room. He sat down briefly, processing the incoming data.

He had barely settled when a knock sounded on the door.

Arthur’s gaze shifted toward it, his awareness extending beyond the door. He instantly recognized it was someone from the Church from their dress. He stood up slowly, walked to the door, and opened it.

He asked with an unreadable expression. “Can I help you?”

***

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