Chapter 71 - Leaving The Dungeon Behind 2/?

I was hoping to get a meeting with everyone in the camp but I grossly underestimated how sleep deprived Sondar was. It has been almost 16 hours since he went to sleep, I even had the healers check up on him just to be sure nothing was wrong. I was starting to get anxious as the others of the camp were being introduced to my children. 

I saw that Michael and Adalinda were able to mingle with little resistance but Grayson was still injured and healing so I had him placed in a spot next to me while we waited.

"Dad, why do we have to wait for this guy to wake up? Isn't this your old group that you said you lead? Aren't you in charge here?" He asked with impatience.

"Yea kinda buddy, but while I was away they had the time to grow and improve themselves. I can't just come back after all this time and expect them to see me as the leader again."

About that time the twins and Hannah came up to me. I was happy to get the chance to talk to them before all this started as I used to see them as daughters.... I just hoped that it could be that way again.

"Ah, Hanna and the twins. I've missed you guys." I said as I gave each of them a hug.

"I missed you to Vexsus, but I came over here to have a serious discussion with you." Hannah said as she put on a serious face.

"Uh oh, Sure Hannah whatever you want, Just let me know what's wrong."

"Well..... You were gone for so long and This whole time I was hanging on to the promise that you made to look after me. You even vowed to my parents, but then you come back and you have so many other kids and well.... I just wanted to know if you would still look after me like you promised." She asked with a slight teariness in her eyes.

I looked down at her for a moment before smiling and opening up my arms wide.

"Hannah, honey, I never forgot about my promise. I will always take care of you. Just like I promised your parents I will look after you and help you grow up to be the best you want to be."

She smiled wide as I said that and jumped into my arms. I was so relieved that she still wanted me to look after her. We let go of eachother after a couple of seconds and I wiped a couple tears that escaped and ran down her cheek.

"Now, I have to talk to everybody about some things so when I get finished I want to have a talk with you about how strong you've gotten ok honey? For now sit down somewhere and wait while I wake up uncle Sondar so we can get this ball rolling."

She nodded and then she and the twins turned around and walked away. It was a bit odd as it kinda seemed like the twins were acting more like maids to her than my minions, but hey not like I'd been around for the past year so maybe that's just the routine they fell into.

I turned toward the sleeping Sondar and started shaking him.

"Sondar, hey, wake up, got stuff to talk about with everyone and we're waiting on you."

I kept shaking him but he just kept snoring away just oblivious to the world.

This went on for a few more minutes until finally I got fed up with it and then a lightbulb went off in my head as a evil smirk appeared on my face.

"Hey Grayson watch this." I said before I held up one claw and electrified it. I then slowly inched it towards Sondars hand and lightly touched it before sending a bolt of lightning through his body.

"HOLY SHIIITTTT!" Was all that was said as Sondar jumped off the bed and almost touched the ceiling. 

"You motherfcker, why do that? You didn't think to just wake me up like a normal person you asshole." He said with fumes coming out of his ears. I was to busy laughing to feel guilty, plus I had already tried to be nice so I wasn't feeling to bad about it.

When I finally got myself together and wiped off the tears and caught my breath I spoke up.

"Yea, I did, I tried waking you up normally. I tried shaking you awake and calling your name but you just kept snoring, actually as I think about it you actually started snoring louder. So I just had a little bit of fun plus it wasn't even that much lightning, it could maybe kill a rabbit no need to act like that."

"Anyways now that your up I need to talk to everybody, we have been waiting for you to wake up so I can start."

He looked still pissed but after rubbing his hand where I shocked him he nodded and sat back down.

"Ok fine, so what is it that you want to talk about?"

"I'll get to that." I said before I looked out at the large group of dragonants with a sprinkling of the original group mixed in.

I breathed in deep before shouting so they could all hear me.

"LISTEN UP...." I said before everybody shouted in pain.

"You idiot we are in a cave. Sound bounces around in here, why the hell you shouting like that. Just talk normally, gods know your loud enough as it is." Sondar said after pulling his hands away from his ears.

"OH.... right. Sorry everyone, been awhile since I did this so bare with me. 'Ahem' As for my friends who I haven't seen in a year..... Hello, nice to be back, I have missed you all. Now as for my children.... I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you... I failed as your father. I failed as the father of your brother's and sister's who died to the hands of those horrible woman and that evil bastard Digger. If you can forgive me I promise to do better and to never leave you again. I feel the feralness is gone and my sanity is back for good. I will do my absolute best to raise you to be strong so please just forgive me and stay by my side."

"But anyways, everybody I plan on leaving this dungeon, and I want you all to come with me." 

As I said that I waited as the group started muttering amongst themselves. Even Sondar looked at me with confusion.

"I thought we were gonna stay to kill Digger? I thought you would want revenge for your dead kids?" He asked.

"Oh trust me I do. I want nothing more than to kill him slowly and painfully. But unfortunately even with the power I have now he is leagues beyond me. I would get massacred and then where would he turn his anger next hmm? Where would he get his next test subject? That is why I plan on leaving this dungeon and escaping to the outside where we can experience a better life, we can train and become way stronger than just living in this cave where we have all stagnated in our strengths. I can tell from the way your bodies look that food has started becoming scarce around here right? Well up above we could hunt for better game and even set up a farm if we find fertile enough soil. The world outside of here holds so much more potential for us than down here where the sunlight doesn't reach."

"Plus as you all know I was gifted with the Sin of gluttony. Well Gluttony came to me last night and has given me the task of fighting against the Shadow Eaters who are starting their invasion of these lands. It's up to me to fight them off but I can't see myself being strong enough to do that without the help of my friends and family. So what do ya say? Want to leave me with and see the world above and get stronger?" 

A few seconds go by as everyone looked at eachother before they started yelling in agreement and joy at the possibility of leaving here.

I waited for the noise to die down again. "Ok great so it's settled then. First before we leave we have to pack up all of the things you have found while I was away. We need to create a list and inventory it all and figure out what we can do with it. We then need to make our way back to where me and my friends first arrived in this cave, then hopefully with any luck we can dig our way out using a hole that was there before."

"I will split everybody up into 4 groups each will be led by either Sondar, Sylvania, Kitsoma, or me. We all will have different goals to achieve that will make this go by faster. First Sondars group will be in charge of guard duty/building. This group will be the best at defending and fortifying any location that we would need to camp at from this day forward."

"Next is Sylvania, This group will be in charge of nutrition/healing. This group will become the cooks and healers of the group. I give this task to this group because I have trust in Sylvania and trust in her abilities to make sure this group is taken care of. Then finally Kitsoma, Your group will be in charge of inventory and management. Anything financial or anything related with item usage will fall under your jurisdiction. I set this group system up because 1. Each of the leaders have or shown talent in, the overall theme of their group, and 2. Because if something were to happen again where I am not able to lead you all, there would be a system in place that can better handle the strain of taking care of so many people at once."

Sondar and the 2 ladies looked at me before he spoke. "Hey you never went over what your group would do?" 

"Oh shit that's right. My group will be tasked with doing the odd things that need to be done. Say the cooks need more of an item or the management group need something delivered. Well that's where my group comes in. We will be the ones to handle taking the risks of going out and retrieving the materials needed. But I will say this, for whoever is allowed to join my group will have to be able to handle themselves, we will not do things solo and will always be in teams of atleast 4 but it can still get dangerous. Now we need to start figuring out who goes to which group and it's up to you to decide but each leader will have a test that you have to show the base minimum to be accepted. If you want you can apply for all 4 and pick the best result it's ok, it's up to your discretion."

I finished speaking and lined up with the other 3 and then like a horde of monsters they all started crowding around me. Some like Shorunt, and a few of the Dragonants lined up with Sylvania and Kitsoma respectively, But for the most part a large group of the crowd was around me. As I expected since the majority was my children but even then I wanted them to have a mind of their own and think for themselves.

"Children, Children calm down. I am happy that you want to be in my group but I will not show favor and I will only pick the ones I think are best suited. I want you all to think about this, and I mean think deeply. Look inside yourselves, now ask yourselves, can I really go out into the wild unknown and face the dangers that lie within. If you answer yes than I'll gladly test you my children, but if you answer no, you can still apply but if you don't show 100% commitment than you won't get accepted.. I know you are all so strong but you each have your own personalities and traits that make you each individual from eachother. I want what's best for you so think before you commit ok?"