"Yes, Five," The one called Fourteen said before I heard them fumbling with the locks again.
The door opened, and we all filed into what looked like an abandoned warehouse. The inside was very dark since there were no windows, but a few oil lamps lit the place up just enough to see. There were other dolls in here as well that all scattered when they saw me enter, making me sigh as I followed Five further into the room. We stopped in front of a large crate which Five sat down on top of while patting the spot for me to sit. I did after transforming into my human form.
"Now then," I began. "I think it's time you explain what is going on here."
Five explained that they were all living dolls that had escaped from their previous owners, the Golems, who used them for either personal gain or ill intent, such as using them in experiments. They had found this place and made it their home, but now Rexa, a Seeker Automaton, had been appearing more frequently in search of escaped dolls like themselves. This resulted in many dolls disappearing without a trace if caught by Rexa.
They needed my help because I was strong and had helped people before. They hoped since I was able to take down an entire Riftwalker by myself, according to rumors spreading throughout the city. The heroic deeds, which have only grown more unbelievable with each telling, turned me into some sort of myth or legend amongst those who didn't know me well.
"Can you help us? Can you get our family back?" Five asked, and her small words pulled at something inside me, and anger started to well up.
I thought about Tallia, how I had lost her long ago, and the pain that I still felt even after getting her back now. I also thought about the new family that I had found here in this city and how they needed me just as much as I needed them. Could I really turn my back on Five and the others?
"I will see what I can do, but no promises," I said, standing up from my seat. "In the meantime, don't go out looking for Rexa yourselves because you will only get caught."
"But Galio—" Five started to say, but I held up a hand to stop her.
"No buts," I said firmly before turning around and walking towards the door. "I will find Rexa and stop her from taking any more of your friends."
"Thank you!" All the voices cried, and I gritted my teeth with my back still to them. No wonder Capricorn was so disappointed in all of them, but this was not her fault.
That lie with The Creator, and that would be a bone that I would be picking in the future. For now, they would not be touching another doll.
"I will be back after I talk with Rexa," I said, and then left.
I didn't bother to change my form, making my way back out to the street with whisps of Positive Energy rolling off me like visible whisps winds. I was not angry, I was disappointed, but I would stay optimistic about this and get the dolls back.
The darkness could be used, but it was not the time. As much as I didn't like this, it was something that had probably been programmed into Rexa from the time she was birthed from the golden egg. This was also a city full of people that I had protected, but Tallia protected them from me. I couldn't lose control again until I understood how to control that part of me.
Everyone watched me as I walked, and I slowly started to draw a crowd that was following me, but they all stayed back a reasonable distance as I headed over to the Care House. Once I was there, I knocked and the door and waited until Rexa came to answer it, but I immediately noticed that there were Living Dolls floating behind her.
"There was talk of a Living Doll following you, so I knew that it was only a matter of time. I restored all the functions and any restrictions that I put in place, so they are fine to go. I do not wish to start a fight with someone like you, but I know The Creator is going to be quite angry with me for this, but I was already breaking island law. I will be leaving if Tallia will let me or face whatever punishment that is given for what I have done," Rexa explained before I could say anything.
"Can we talk inside now?" I asked, not really sure what else to say, but I didn't need half the city eavesdropping.
Rexa nodded before leading me inside and shutting the door behind us, but I could still feel all the eyes boring into my back as we walked away.
"So, I didn't come to fight, but I did come for the girls. While you doing this is a good thing, it also complicates things. If you were only meaner and less honest, this would all be easy, but this is clearly not the case, and you understand what you did was wrong. No, what I think we are going to do is talk to your goddess," I explained while pulling at my trim beard that was forming.
"I do not think she will come if I call her, nor do I think that Tallia will let her come even if I could," Rexa explained, and I turned to the Living Dolls.
"Do you know how to get back to Five?" I asked the ten little floating girls, and they nodded. "Good, go get them, and then go to the Countess's Manor and wait for me."
They all nodded, and some of them cheered as they opened the door, and all flew away. The flying part surprised me, but now it made sense how Five hit me with the brick.
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