Mutation Abyss

Chapter 36 - A Sense of Purpose

"What the hell?!" Theo blurted, blinking in disbelief.

In the front yard, Calix wasn't just training with Aries. There were more kids, seven in total, including Aries, doing warm-ups and basic exercises under the supervision of Uncle Andres.

Calix noticed Theo's expression and grinned sheepishly. "Oh... surprise!"

Theo folded his arms, brows furrowed. "What is this, a morning boot camp?"

Calix's expression turned serious. "It's been chaos outside while you were recovering. I was going to talk to you about it, but I figured I'd wait until you were fully back on your feet."

He nodded toward the group of kids. "When Aunt Andres rescued Liam's sister, these kids were with them. Turns out, those thugs you ran into weren't just common criminals. They were involved in illegal child trafficking," Aries interrupted.

Theo's eyes narrowed as he looked at the children more closely. Some were barely teenagers.

"Some of them were forced to beg or do hard labor," Calix said quietly. "A few were even used in petty theft schemes, just like what happened to you. Most of them aren't even from the city. They were kidnapped from remote provinces and brought here."

Theo clenched his fists, rage tightening his chest. "Sick bastards."

"We're keeping the kids safe for now until we can help them find their families," Aries added gently.

"For the time being, I thought it'd be good to train them," Calix said. "To help them get fit, stay alert, and prepare for the chaos out there."

"Can we let them stay here, just until we figure things out?" Aries asked softly, almost pleading.

Before Theo could respond, the boy he had saved stepped forward and suddenly pulled his younger sister down with him. Both dropped to their knees.

"Mister, I haven't thanked you yet for saving my life," the boy said, voice shaking with emotion. "Thank you so much. I'll never forget it. My sister and I... we have nowhere else to go now. Please, let us stay here. We'll help with anything, chores, or work. We learn fast. Just give us a chance. Please..."

Theo swallowed hard, his throat tight. Before he could speak, the other kids joined in, voices trembling with fear and desperation.

"Please let us stay... We don't want to go back out there..."

"We don't know where else to go!"

Theo looked at each of them, thin arms and scared eyes. They were just kids. Some were probably barely older than ten. His heart clenched. The world outside was brutal, and for these kids, going back meant being hunted, exploited, or worse.

He exhaled slowly, then crouched in front of the boy and his sister. "You can stay," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "All of you can stay here as long as you need."

A wave of relief swept through the kids. A few of them broke down in tears. The boy who had spoken first grabbed Theo's hand and nodded rapidly, eyes glistening.

"Thank you, Mister! Thank you!"

Theo stood and looked at Aries and Calix. "But we'll need to set some rules. Training, safety, proper meals, sleeping arrangements... We'll need to make sure they're protected and not overwhelmed."

"I'll handle the schedules," Calix said quickly. "Father and I will take shifts with physical training. Light stuff only. Just enough to keep them strong."

"I'll help with food, clothes, and making sure they feel safe," Aries added with a determined nod.

Theo nodded. "Good. Let's give them a reason to believe they're safe now. That their lives aren't over just because they've seen hell."

He turned back to the kids and gave a small smile. "You're not alone anymore. We'll take care of you and one day, when you're strong enough, you can help others too."

Cheers broke out. Some of the kids ran to hug Aries. Others followed Calix as he started guiding them through a light warm-up. The boy and his sister stayed close to Theo, still holding his hand.

"So, tell me, what are your names?" Theo asked the two kids in front of him.

"I'm Liam, and she's Lian. We're both eight years old," the boy answered eagerly.

Theo blinked. He had guessed Liam was only six before based on his small frame. The other kids were probably older, but most looked younger than their age, clearly due to malnutrition.

"Hmm, are you two close with the other kids?" he asked, nodding toward the group now doing light exercises with Aries and Calix.

"Yes! We're all close. Most of them help us a lot since Liam and I are the youngest," Lian replied brightly.

Theo smiled and nodded. "Alright, then go ahead and join them for exercise. Staying healthy is important."

The two quickly ran off, happy to be included. As Uncle Andres stepped in to oversee the training, Theo took a seat nearby. Aries and Calix approached him.

"Did you two get all the details on the kids?" Theo asked.

"Yes, don't worry," Calix replied. "I've already started organizing everything."

Theo nodded approvingly. "Good. Keep at it and keep me updated. If any of their families are still out there, we'll do our best to reunite them. But if they've got no one... then this can be their home now."

He stood, ready to start his daily routine, but paused, turning back to the two with a pointed look at Calix.

"I better not catch you giving Aries special treatment during sparring. Don't even think about taking advantage of her," he said, frowning.

Aries rolled her eyes. "You're so dramatic," she muttered, though her face was clearly flushed, and so was Calix's.

"I'm serious," Theo said in a low tone.

Aries scowled and crossed her arms. "I'm already twenty, Theo. I can tell if someone's crossing the line, and I can handle it myself!"

Theo chuckled and shook his head. "Fine. But I'm still watching you two."

He shot Calix one last warning look. Calix just scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish grin.

Theo shook his head and turned away, heading off to do his own daily exercises as guided by the system within him.

Every now and then, he glanced over at the kids doing light exercises nearby. A soft smile would tug at his lips without him realizing there was a quiet sense of fulfilment in knowing he'd helped save lives. For the first time since waking up fully healed, Theo felt something more than just recovery. He felt a sense of purpose.

But even with that warmth in his chest, a dull ache remained in his heart. No matter what he did, he couldn't change the fact that he had failed to save his own mother.