Chapter 55

Eleanor Leywin, her mother and father, as well as the Helsteas and Kaspian, passed through massive gates and eventually entered a large tunnel system that resembled an ant's nest. For the time being, it didn't matter why it was made or how it was built; what mattered was that it did its job — which was the most important element. After all, thousands of ants can live in such systems, so this could be a fantastic hideaway for a large number of people.

People would be able to adapt, knowing how high the survivability in the human race is, and it seems that people have already begun adapting. The earth mages were constructing the walls of the future buildings, while normal people helped with labor.

"Well, it's still in progress, but we expect to build a shelter for at least a hundred thousand people by this week." Kaspian explained. A hundred thousand wasn't a small number, but they were dead serious about it.

While the group walked down a constructed road and entered further into the cave system, they saw how not only buildings but also water and light systems were built. It was frightening how those people managed to work in such synchronization and forget about racial discrimination for a few weeks.

There were guards of all races. Elves, dwarves, and humans. Every one of them did their duty as supposed.

Anyhow, it worked in their favor. Eleanor had the same thought process. They would be able to defeat the enemies in one go! Those bad guys from the second continent shall face defeat.

On the way, Reynolds called out to the unexpected person, "Helen!" Everyone turned their attention in a certain direction.

"Helen!" Eleanor and Alice also called out for the dark-haired woman. In the same manner as Reynolds, they waved their hands at the woman, hoping for her to notice them quickly before she went away.

She was an archer. Naturally, the archer with the keen eye would spot the group of people immediately. Helen was one of the best they knew. She was also quite famous as the leader of Twin Horns. She took notice of a group a second after her name was even mentioned.

"Hey, guys!" She happily waved back at them, as Leywins dashed towards her, leaving Vincent and Tabitha standing there. They haven't seen each other for a long time, and they just missed each other.

"Helen, finally I can see you again!" the group exclaimed as they hugged the dark-haired woman. Alice especially tightened her hand around the woman, clicking her bones with a satisfying sound.

"Ellie, you have grown so much, and Rey, you look even more menacing now!" Helen, in her repertoire, began complimenting them all.

Reynolds nodded in approval. He had indeed become a lot stronger. "What are you doing here, by the way?" Reynolds asked. Helen just pointed at the newly arrived Kaspian, who was chasing after Leywins.

Kaspian hummed for a moment. "I remember now, former teammates, right? Well, I guess you will be guarding this hideout together now." He said.

Reynolds quirked his eyebrows, "The others are here too?"

Helen nodded at him, "They are resting now. We are patrolling a lot of areas as not many people have arrived here yet. Soon it will change, I hope so."

"Don't worry, we will reorganize the schedule." Kaspian reassured the woman, who had just given a relieved sigh.

Eleanor was surprised. She thought there were already a hundred thousand people, but there were still more to come. In comparison with Xyrus, it wasn't a big number, but still, this was an underground bunker.

Then it clicked in her mind. "Wait, so we will see each other more often!" Helen was Eleanor's mentor, and they could finally practice together. Unlike her two brothers, she can teach Eleanor the art of archery better.

No matter how you look at it, Eleanor is still a child. Overly hard training isn't for them.

Helen gave the brown-haired girl a smile. "Sure, we can finally train together." Unfortunately for her, a caring mother wasn't going to allow her that.

"Helen has a duty; you can't bother her much."

Eleanor soon recalled why Helen was her favorite in the Twin Horns. "Oh come on Alice, how can I be bothered by little cute Ellie?" She pulled the little rascal's cheeks who looked at her mother with begging eyes.

In between the conversation, Kaspian chimed in. "Alright. Maybe you can also train with other residents?"

"I don't think I have enough time to train others…" Kaspian shook his head at the dark-haired woman.

"It's not necessary to train them. Maybe just a little sparring? They progress too fast, and in every new session, we have to find new sparring partners every time," he said awkwardly and added, "and pay their medical bills. Haha."

That laugh… it was creepy.

Helen blinked and awkwardly agreed. "It must be… tough then." She then turned to Leywins and asked, "Maybe you will come with me for now? Let's meet up with the others." As expected, Alice, Eleanor, and Reynolds nodded happily.

Suddenly, Helen noticed something bizarre, "Also, I don't see Art and Ash with you. Are they still in Xyrus?" Her question turned the vibe gloomy. The faces of the group stiffened upon hearing it.

Reynolds clenched his fist and said, "They're fine for the time being, don't worry." He tightened his hold on Alice's hand.

Even Kaspian made a gesture to her; he was aware of what had happened and he knew what it meant to lose someone close. The dark-haired woman heeded his gesture and shut herself up. At least Reynold said that they were alright.

Anyway, the group silently followed Helen as they approached a freshly constructed place to rest. They went inside, picked up a key, and entered their designated room. After they settled down, Helen looked at Reynolds with a questionable look. Urging the man to clarify what had happened.

Reynolds heavily sighed and before explaining, he looked at his wife. "How do I explain this… Helen, Arthur was kidnapped," he looked down, ashamed. A horror realization dawned on Helen. She covered her mouth with her hand, unable to speak for a whole minute. Fortunately, she got hold of herself quickly.

"Why haven't you sent us a letter, Reynolds? Maybe there is something we ca-" Helen wasn't allowed to continue.

"No. Unfortunately, I'm afraid we won't be able to do anything." Usually, Helen was the most composed and calm person in the team… well, compared to others. However, this time she just couldn't hold back.

"Goddammit, Reynolds, your son is kidnapped!" She slammed her fists on the table. Small tears could be visible in her eyes as were in Alice's.

Surprisingly, Eleanor placed her hand on Helen's, "Hey, have a little faith in us. We never said that we weren't at least trying." Her outburst made her the center of attention.

"My big brother is rescuing my… little bigger brother," she puffed her chest to display her confidence in Ash.

"Ash?" said Helen, frowning. Eleanor's nod made the woman even more confused. She hadn't spent time with Ash, nor did she know the actual weight of his capabilities. For her, it was ridiculous.

"He made a promise alright and we trust him." voiced Reynolds with certainty in his voice. From the third perspective that might sound crazy, Ashborn, who is only a teenager. But they don't know anything about him, they don't know that he is insanely strong.

Helen then asked again, "Reynolds, are you for real?" She met with not only Eleanor's but her father's determined and fully confident eyes. She could only massage her temples, nobody would blame her for thinking of this as a prank.

*Bang*

With a loud noise, people banged into the room. "Alice, Ellie, Rey!" Familiar voices rang out in their ears. It was the blond-haired woman, Angela. Together with a giant Durden, cold-aloof Jasmine, and red-haired Adam.

The red-haired immediately after entering approached Reynolds and grabbed him by the collar. "Rey you bastard, didn't even send us a letter!" he shouted at him angrily.

"Hey, what do you want?!" Reynold's waved her hand innocently. He couldn't remember anything bad, those few years he hasn't done anything hazardous.

"I would have at least prepared something to drink you dumbass! Don't you want me to make a toast for your daughter's birthday even if it's late?" Rey understood it now, that was the reason all along!

Durden walked up to Adam and grabbed him by the shoulder, "Calm down little guy." He then dragged away the red-haired like a little kid. It's funny how compared to Durden, Adam is literally a little guy.

That's how the group spent the rest of our time. Adam used his manly magic and somehow obtained a few bottles of alcohol. It was embarrassing for a little kid to listen to their toasts, but they were happy and she bore with it. Eventually, women were forced to "voluntarily" join for a few drinks too. It was a relieving sight for Eleanor, her mother let go of her worries for a moment and just dipped it into alcohol.

Only when the room reeked of alcohol, only then Eleanor left the room. Her nose couldn't bear the smell of alcohol and her head was aching.

She quietly sneaked out of the room, walked down the corridor. She was sure that nobody noticed her, but the expectations weren't met. Jasmine noticed the little girl, well, she was an AA-Class adventurer. Eleanor knew they were strong, after all, they were a foothold for the Dicathenians after the Lances. Only her brother was stronger than the Lances.

"Ellie, you were going somewhere?" Jasmine asked a little girl hesitantly. She received a nod with an explanation from her, "My head hurts, I just have to get away from that smell," she grumbled holding her head with both hands.

She nodded in understanding. "Then I will come with you." Eleanor didn't refute her. Why would she? Jasmine was one of those whose company she enjoyed and she was very cool. She is the youngest, but the strongest in Twin Horns.

Together with Jasmine, Eleanor left the building. Time here flew differently, there was no sun, thus it made it hard to feel how time passed. Besides those roads felt like those in Xyrus, lightened by street lamps during nighttime. It's romantic in a way, but scary at the same time. There will always be night underground…

During their little walk to get fresher air, Jasmine decided to ask Eleanor, "Also, where is Arthur?" Eleanor flinched and her breathing became unsteady.

She knew they spent two years in the beast glades and she didn't want to sadden her. "Umm, you see… Art was kidnapped." Eleanor blurted out those words, hoping she wouldn't hear.

"And?!" she grabbed onto Eleanor's shoulder, shaking.

"Ash said he would get him back…" the little girl replied back. Ellie wasn't sure if that would calm down Jasmine. The crimson-eyed woman had a brother-sister relationship with her brother, just like her. After all, they spent 2 years together.

Jasmine seemed to calm down. "So Ashborn said that…" she muttered. Eleanor wasn't expecting this reaction, or maybe she exaggerated it in her mind. Anyway, Jasmine appeared to be very trusting of her brother.

Jasmine smiled, "If he said so, then it shall be so." What did Ellie just see now? the cold dark-haired woman was actually smiling!

She was surprised, and couldn't help but ask out of curiosity. "Erm, how do you know that?" Jasmine thought for a moment before replying.

"Hm, he saved us in the Beast Glades once," she then retold almost everything that happened during her adventuring period with Arthur. Eleanor got an even bigger boost of confidence in her big brother now. To be able to kill an S-Class mana beast with one swing of the sword, when he himself was an S-Class adventurer at that time. Doesn't that mean classifications are irreverent?

While Jasmine wasn't able to damage the Woodland Guardian, Ashborn finished off the job himself, saving Arthur and Jasmine in the process. There was also that awkward halt in her speech, she was trying to say someone's name. Lucas or something.

When they passed a certain building in the dark streets of another tunnel, they realized that this hideout was like a labyrinth. If not for signs and maps on every corner of a tunnel, Ellie and Jasmine would surely be lost.

"Haha! You had to see Feyfey's face when we scared him at night!" And next was laughter. A few people were laughing their asses off.

Eleanor recognized a certain giggle. She had heard it before. Without a doubt, Tessia Eralith, Arthur's girlfriend! Even though they haven't really confessed!

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Hello guys, once again. Didn't want to disappoint you, so wrote a chapter by bearing my suffering. When you are concentrated on something of your own, kinda secondary works become boring. Don't want to give some useless notices and waste your time.

So, I promise I will finish this fic no matter what so don't worry. I won't ever drop this, I will even do a massive rewrite after finishing this. My grammar was shit at the beginning so you can enjoy it again :)))))

By the recommendation of certain someone, I created my discord server, for my stories. Whoever has the desire to check them out you might find them here, or I will announce it here.

https://discord.gg/cUc9vqqY

Cya.