Tyler arrived to a new village. Clinging to Ray's leg as there are bright new faces. The village consists of a few thousand people. Roads are paved with cement. Building made either with brick or wood. Carefully constructed. Technology is creeping in to this small town that is learning to build bigger and stronger than before. Ray heads to a large building in the center of town. Inside there are people wearing suits and nice clothes.
"Ray, was the mission successful? Were you able to save the people?" The new man said.
Tyler looked at this man and thought to himself, "this man is scary." A stern look in his demeanor, yet on a youthful face. The sharpest dressed man in the room. Sleek glasses, tan colored suit to make him stand out, with a sapphire ring on his left index finger. Tall, slim and fit.
"Sorry Marcus, this was the sole savior. We were lucky to even save him. He was trapped under rubble. He was likely put there for safety, but it looked like things collapsed. If he was any bigger, he likely wouldn't have made it." Ray reported back.
"Is he...?" Marcus asked back. Suggesting there was a mutual understanding of a prior conversation.
"No, I checked, he's clear. He's safe." Ray responded.
"Good, that's a relief. Someone so young shouldn't have to experience anything that traumatic. I can contact a nearby city that have adoptions and see about getting him accepted there." Marcus explained while looking at Tyler.
"I want to stay here. I don't wanna go." Tyler started crying.
"We don't have to take you anywhere little man, you can stay here. I'm sure we can find a family that with brothers and sisters for you to play with." Ray said kneeling down to Tyler.
"Can I go with you?" Tyler said teary eyed.
"Sorry Tyler, I'm constantly running around saving people like you. You need a family here, but I promise to keep checking on you though. Will that work?" Ray put his hand out for Tyler to shake. Tyler looked confused. "If that is ok with you, you shake my hand with your hand. Like this." Ray demonstrated a hand shake and then put his back out for Tyler to shake. Tyler shook it and it was agreed.
"I'm guessing you already have a family in mind? Seems out of character of you to do things differently than by the book." Marcus said sternly.
"It's a kid and he's been growing on me. I have a cousin in mind that should be open to it. I'll give her some money every month to make it easier on her." Ray said.
"A big man like you is a bleeding heart. This has been an interesting development." Marcus replied back.
"You'll learn a lot with us. We have rules, but we also have hearts. Plus, I have a good feeling about the little guy. We have a first name of Tyler, but he doesn't know his last name. Would you be able to pull through public records and find out what you can? I'll get him in a home and see if I can collect some clothes from neighbors as well." Ray asked.
"Reasonable request. Also, when you get a chance, I'll need an update on the specific conditions that the town was in when you found it. Which monsters or beasts attacked, the type of death marks left. We need to make sure this isn't anything new. I'll get to talking to the chair people as well to let them know about Tyler's situation. He'll likely have to take your cousin's family name if I'm unable to find it." Marcus said while walking to a desk.
"Thanks Marcus, behind that cold glare, you may have a heart too." Ray smiled as Marcus glared back without saying anything. "Let's go Tyler. We have some errands to run." Tyler face lit up. He was going to stay with his hero.
Ray took Tyler around the village, meeting different families. Ray bought a suitcase and a bookbag and the families would put old toys or clothes for the young boy. Everyone got to know him and he got to see dozens of people at a time. Finally, they made it to Ray's cousin house. There were kids outside playing. When they saw Ray, they all ran to him.
"Uncle Ray, Uncle Ray!" They all shouted as they ran to him. "Who is this little boy?"
"He's your age, his name is Tyler. Why don't you guys introduce yourselves to each other while I talk to your mom? Be nice, he's new here. Kate, don't push him around." Ray said as he walked to the door. Kate let out a big sigh. She was the oldest of the kids at eight years old.
"Cherri! It's Ray." He shouted as he entered the house.
"Hey Ray, I'm in the living room. Come on in," a voice shouted back. Ray entered in the living room to see Cherri lying down. "Wasn't expecting you back so soon. And coming straight here, likely means, you need something."
"Read me like a book. I just came back from trying to save Rhyme Village, but we were there too late. There was one survivor, a kid probably around six years old, maybe five. Marcus is looking into any public records on him, but that's all we have. He wanted to stay near me, but as you know, I can't raise a kid." Ray explained.
"And that's where I come in. You know I have my hands full, it would be..." Ray cut her off.
"I'm going to give you a monthly allowance to help raise the kid." Ray said.
"Oh, sure, he's welcomed. I see you have a suitcase and bag. Either that's money or clothes." Cherri said sitting up.
"It is clothes for the boy. I'll give you money to help out with expenses for him. This should be enough for the first month right?" Ray handed Cherri several large bills of money.
"Absolutely, what's his name? I can go see him. He's going to share a room with Devon for now. But that might be for the best, since he lost both of his parents. Wouldn't want him alone. He has been with you for like two weeks now?"
"Yea, he hasn't been alone since then, so he's probably not in the best place to be alone. I also have to keep an eye on him. I have to see if he develops any differently from that event. If he does anything strange, acts way too aggressively, let me know IMMEDIATELY." Ray said sharply.
"I'm not some weakling, I can handle a toddler. But you are always paranoid with these survivors. I'll let you know if anything happens. Now, let's go see the boy." The two of them walk outside. To be met with laughter as they were playing dodge ball and were the last two remaining. Dodging each other and giggling each time their big throw was comically dodged by the other.
"Hey kids, who is our new friend?" Cherri asked cheerfully.
"This is Tyler, he said he wanted a brother, so I'm his big brother now." Devon said loudly.
"Oh, you're his big brother? You are seven, Devon, can you handle that?" Ray asked.
"Yes, I'm already bigger than him, see?" Devon stood next to Tyler and stood up to show he was a few inches taller.
"Well good, since you are brothers now, you guys will share a room." Cherri said, both boys started cheering.
"Yay, we are brothers now! I always wanted a brother." Tyler said.
"Great, I'm going to let you take over from here Cherri. Alright Tyler, I'll be back to keep checking up on you. I have to do some running around."
"Why?" Tyler asked
"I'm a Dragoon. We help people like you from all around. I'm B rank, I'm needed in a lot of places because of that. I have to try and save people from all over." Ray explained to Tyler, who was thinking heavily on the name Dragoon.
"You can quit anytime Ray. We don't need to lose anyone else important to us." Cherri said to him.
"That's why I can't quit. It's my responsibility." Ray said as he turned to leave. "I'll see you guys in about a month's time again. Tyler, be good for them." Everyone waved goodbye to Ray. Cherri rounded everyone up to go inside.
Ray went back to the town center to meet with Marcus again. "Marcus, found anything?"
"You were only gone for a few hours, that wasn't nearly enough time to find a lot. I did get word that everyone else from your unit has made it to their destinations to update their towns as well. It looked like an isolated attack, did you happen to see anything that would suggest something different?" Marcus asked Ray. Ray explained everything he saw from before arriving to leaving with Tyler. The destruction, the lingering aura left from the monsters, the rotten smells specifically from the monsters. All unique, but nothing completely unheard of from their understanding of the world. "It is weird that there has been an increase in aggressive attacks. We've been having a hard time getting enough Dragoons to handle the increase. You are already stretched thin and I've been in multiple towns working on logistics of defense." Marcus said while drinking a cup of water.
"Higher rank Dragoons are rare, but we could train up some young people to help us out. Mostly clean up and recon until they hit C rank and have been proven. With enough C ranks and competent B ranks, we should be able to handle whatever is going on. Could you pass that along to other towns as you continue traveling?" Ray asked.
"I will, but only if you really think it'll work. I will workout the minor details and get leaders from each town and village to recruit whoever is willing. The bigger issue is cost. We may have to reach out to the capital and secure funding." Marcus explained.
"Let them know it is me asking, they'll approve it 100%." Ray said.
"I'll update you along the way. I have to head north anyway. I leave in the morning." Marcus said packing up a laptop.
"You can't use that magical device to send the message?" Ray asked.
"These laptops, that's the name though I don't know why, only work with enough magical source. I've drained mine for the day and need to get to another source. It is fairly new technology. It allows for people without strong magic to communicate long distance and share information. You should get one. They are very handy." Marcus explained.
"That sounds too rich for me, and I'm highly paid for my B rank status. I'm more old school anyway. I'll let you kids have that." Ray said while walking out.
"Let me know, if anything changes with Tyler. Just in case, he turns out to be special. Did you let the master know?" Marcus asked.
"On the way to him after this. He'll probably say that's a job for us anyway, but I'll let him know so he doesn't do anything reckless if he sees the kid. Safe travels comrade. I hope for good news when we speak again." Ray extends his hand for a shake, that Marcus accepts.
"Good news is certain with me involved." They part ways and head to their next locations.