"The hell d'you mean he's with the other captains? You've been feedin' me that crap for hours, mate."
A scowling Korrin stood before Percival, who guarded the mouth of the evacuation cave.
"Look! I am concerned as you are. My heart yearns to search, but I am bound here by duty. I must NOT let anyone leave until further notice."
"Then let us take our leave; for our deaths shall rest upon our own heads, and not upon thine."
"I refuse, as leaving would only see you die in vain. Remember this, you three are NOT Oswald." His gaze shifted between the three. "His words have already been proven by his actions, whereas yours have not. Henceforth, I will entertain no further communication from the three of you. You would do well to concern yourselves solely with praying for his safety."
Korrin muttered a curse under his breath as all three friends walked a few steps deeper, then sat, their backs resting on the rough wall of the cave.
He let out a silent whistle, grip tightening on his hilt.
Where are they? Seraphina has done commendable work in pacifying the evacuees; however, I remain uncertain of those three companions.
A few seconds later, a hubbub brewed among the evacuees. The three friends stared at the entrance with widened eyes and mouths agape—hope welling up in their eyes.
He turned around to see Garrick resting limply on Thorne's shoulder as they walked alongside the maid—her hand stained a magenta hue from the parasite's slimy residue.
The guards rushed past the captains, already cheering as they shared the news.
"The wyverns are fallen!"
"They are returning!"
"The sky is clearing!"
Their joy stood in stark contrast to the captains' grim expressions.
What is happening? The guards appear relieved, yet the captains are…
He walked up to the three. Garrick gazed upward at him.
"It is over and yet…"
"The candle is but missing. He was with us, disabling the parasites. Haaah. Last thing we have knowledge of is a sliced parasite, yet still attached to the wyvern. She removed the parasite, returning its control back."
Percival pinched his chin. "This… This is extremely worrying. You haven't spotted his…"
All three shook their heads, pained expressions on their faces.
"Understood. You three rest. Seraphina is deeper in the cave, she and I will form a search party for him."
After the captains nodded in agreement, they walked deeper into the cave.
Aelindor approached Percival. "I have not espied him amidst the guards and captains returning from battle. Is he…?"
"He is merely missing in action. Captain Seraphina and I will be forming a search party within the next few minutes. You will be among its members."
A search party of civilians was formed, dividing the kingdom in two—one half for Percival, the other for Seraphina. Oswald's friends were placed under Percival's group.
* * *
The people scattered, civilians alongside after-battle energetic guards searched by ground, while the spies hopped from roof to roof. Percival and two guards stood by Ms. Applegate's fruit stall near an alleyway's entrance—crates toppled and fruits scattered around. He turned around, hearing voices from the others in the distance, hearing negative news and requests to search an area.
No, luck there…
He turned to the deliberately divided group of guards.
"You, search that alleyway by the fruit stand and you… Search over there. I shall search further ahead. Now, GO!"
The guards and Percival split up. He jogged from the two alleyways and found a third.
This has gone for four hours. I hope we find him within a da—
"I FOUND HIM!"
DING-DING-DING!
One of the two guards yelled, followed by a bell's ringing—bells given to sound when he was discovered. Percival skidded as he turned, sprinting toward the bell-ringing alleyway. In the distance, he heard a crescendo of footsteps, all converging to the alleyway.
His eyes widened at the sight of the guard kneeling beside Oswald.
He lay on his chest, the ground beneath his head cracked. Blood had fallen from his head and pooled in the fissures, his obsidian sword a few inches away from him.
"This…" Percival's head slightly lowered, eyes squeezed shut. "This… isn't good at all."
The kneeling guard nodded. "Indeed, sir. The blood on the stone... it's already dried."
Percival, followed by the other guard, knelt beside him.
"His friends… They will not take the news well."
A shaky breath escaped. And so will I.
WHOOSH!
"Move aside…" A familiar woman's voice sounded behind them.
They all turned to see the maid standing at the alley's entrance. The front of her body dark as the sunlight shone behind her.
The three stood up, their backs against the wall. She walked to Oswald's form.
I… have never seen such darkness on her face.
His hand rested on his sword's hilt, his grip tightening.
How much have I missed? How many connections did he form while I was lost in delusion?
Passing him by, Percival glanced at the maid. "I bid you good luck," he said, his voice low, bordering a whisper.
She paused mid-step, then continued. Her one hand slid under his chest, the other—his knees. As she flipped him over, her breath caught at the sight—his face swollen and caked with blood and dust, his nose bent leftward, a trail of blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth.
She lifted him and his obsidian sword, the diamond-plated armor the only weight.
WHOOSH!
Dust spun where she had stood, leaving the alleyway empty.
One of the two guards looked at Percival. "What shall we do now?"
"Pray…"
* * *
ns216.73.216.216da2
and then Add to home screen.