The Search
Aeo walked downstairs to rally everyone after getting instructions from the branch guild head. She knew of how important the situation was and that she needed to concentrate on the work at hand.
"Listen up, everyone. This is not a drill. Our guild branch master has ordered us to assemble search parties and be prepared for any possible battle. We have no information of what we may encounter out there, but we have to be ready for anything. Our top priority is finding Joseph, and we cannot afford to fail. I cannot disclose any more details, but trust me, this is of utmost importance as stressed by our guild branch master."
One of the guild members questioned, "What caused the sudden shift in the atmosphere?"
The members were left in utter shock as they were aware that Joseph had only ventured out on a routine foraging mission in the mountains. The gravity of the situation was further heightened when Aeo, a founding member of the guild, instructed them to arm themselves for battle. This raised further questions among the members whether there was a looming threat that needed to be confronted.
"I understand some of you may be worried, but we have to put our trust in each other and our abilities. We are all skilled members of this guild, and we have faced difficult challenges before. While this is only a search party and may not even pose some challenge for some of you, we do not back down on our brethren. We will not fail Joseph, and we will not fail our guild." Aeo faithfully declared.
The guild members were in awe of Aeo's voice of authority and seriousness. Some of them immediately prepared rations while some walked outside and had their contract pets with them. Having contracted pets will prove to be helpful in the search as they have heightened sense of smell and is better at tracking. They can also act as an early warning system for any potential threats.
While the rest were preparing, Emmanuel, approached Mary who is seated in the reception area.
"My poor cousin, if ever you need any help, do not hesitate to reach out to the guild. Joseph is one of our own and we will do our best to find him at all cost.", Emmanuel said.
Mary's visit to the branch guild provided her with much-needed relief from her anxiety. After a brief conversation with Aeo, Eileen, and Emmanuel, she bid them farewell, informing them that her children were alone at home. Mary expressed her gratitude to Aeo for swiftly organizing a search party.
"Aeo, I am grateful for heeding my plea. Please exercise utmost caution. May the gods guide and protect you on your search mission." Mary lowered her head in respect and bade farewell to everyone in the guild.
As Hind gazed out of his window, his attention was solely focused on Mary and the child he saw from their house. He wondered who the child was, which only served to increase his curiosity and vigilance towards the fate of this small village. He even contemplated visiting their home when they were both there, as he felt that he just had a near death experience seeing a Grim reaper in the form of an ancient magical clan. Hind was acutely aware that his own life was fragile, just like a candle flame that could be snuffed out in an instant in the face of such beings.
"Something significant must be occurring in the continent if the ancient guardians are stirring," he mused to himself, his mind racing with the implications.
Ten Thousand Mountains.
Joseph struggled to maintain his vigilance over the wolves. He had numerous wounds on his body, and the discomfort made him sweat tremendously. Furthermore, he had lost a lot of blood, and the only thing on his mind was to continuously try in surviving this situation. Despite his precarious predicament, Joseph considered the tree as his saving grace for letting him rest and stay the night. He felt a sense of gratitude as he believed that it was an intervention from the divine beings.
On the other hand, he cursed the wolves fortitude for refusing to depart even during the day. He tried other scare tactics, such as cutting off branches and flinging them at the wolves, but the wolves seemed to ridicule his attempts, infuriating Joseph even more.
"How absurd!" Joseph exclaimed in frustration. "How much longer must I endure the presence of these damned wolves?" He cursed.
"Damn these beasts," again, he cursed.
Joseph's mind raced as he considered his lack of options.
"What the hell am I suppose to do now? I don't know magic, and there is no possible way for me to take on a pack of thirty wolves alone."
"Mary, my dear," he pleaded, thoughts of his loved ones heavy on his mind. "I am doing everything in my power to survive. Please do not shed tears for this foolish man.", he cried.
Joseph was quite intrigued by one thing: he had yet to catch a glimpse of the Alpha Wolf who led the massive pack. It was clear that this wolf was not just any ordinary creature, as only a true leader could maintain such control over such a large group.
While Joseph recognized that he himself was likely not a worthy meal in the eyes of the Alpha, the younger and more impulsive members of the pack still posed a serious threat to him, as evidenced by last night's attack. Joseph was even more puzzled by the wolves' hunger and aggression. Could it be that some sort of disruption had caused them to migrate, leading to a shortage of prey and thus resulting in their newfound taste for human flesh?
"Nah, I think that's simply impossible to happen. I must've been overthinking things.", Joseph thought.
Windfallen Village.
The incident of Joseph missing prompted the other skilled foragers of the guild to take action. Armed with their own maps and expertise in navigating treacherous terrains, they set out to determine the possible locations where Joseph may have gone to collect Purple Hazed Flowers.
Although their approaches varied, each member of the search party possessed a formidable skillset for overcoming natural obstacles. Through meticulous analysis and investigation, they identified three distinct locations where Joseph may have strayed, rendering the search mission a carefully planned and methodical endeavor.
As the search teams traversed the rugged terrain, they divided into specialized groups to maximize their coverage. One team boasted a skilled scout who deftly navigated the treacherous landscape to uncover vital leads, while another employed a member with a pet hawk, affording them a unique perspective from the air.
Despite grappling with an array of challenges, including sheer cliffs, perilous gorges, and deadly wildlife, their unwavering determination to locate Joseph propelled them ever forward.
"We're getting closer, I can feel it. We just have to keep going.", exclaimed the middle aged man with a huge double axe on his back.
"I agree. Don't give up now. Joseph is counting on us.", followed by another man.
"We're the best search party out here. How difficult is it to find him?", another man confidently said.
"But don't you find it weird for the Guild Branch master to mobilize a huge amount of members of the guild just to look for one individual?", The middle aged man asked.
"Yeah, it does seem like someone has paid a huge amount of money to the guild to search for Joseph". answered by another man with red hair as if it's burning.
The search party members shared a collective sense that there must be a deeper motive driving the guild master's request to deploy the resources of the guild solely for the purpose of locating a solitary individual. Additionally, Aeo's enigmatic proclamation that she possessed knowledge yet could not divulge any further details only served to deepen the enigma surrounding the situation.
It was only natural that some of the party members began to develop their own conjectures about what could be transpiring, but ultimately, their primary objective remained steadfast: to locate Joseph, their fellow guild member, who had loved ones eagerly awaiting his return. Despite any speculation, the urgency of the situation demanded a focused effort to bring Joseph back to his family.
As the sun reached its zenith, Mary arrived home, having made a brief detour to the market to purchase some confections for Margaret and Devon, knowing that Margaret would undoubtedly plead with her to return to the market later in the day. However, with Joseph still missing, Mary found little solace in such mundane activities. Upon entering the front yard, she observed Devon and Margaret absorbed in their customary pastime of erecting architectural marvels.
Mary asked Margaret regarding her father's whereabouts. "Margaret dear, has your father returned home already?
Margaret with a straight laced face replied, "No, mother. Father has not returned home."
"Alright, I have brought you and Devon some sweets. Take one each and I will go and check on Grey".
Margaret responded with joyful exclamation, "Oh, thank you so much, Mother!" Meanwhile, although Devon was not yet able to articulate his feelings, his saliva-inducing reaction spoke volumes about his appreciation for the delectable treat before him.
Mary then distributed the sweets to Margaret and Devon and proceeded indoors to attend to Grey.
As Mary approached Grey's crib, she discovered him already awake and slightly disgruntled after having wet his pants.
"Oh you poor little one, did you miss Mother already?", Mary asked in a soft and languid tone.
She then proceeded to change his underwear and feed him, noticing that he was a heavy sleeper in comparison to Margaret and Devon. Grey, unlike most one-year-olds, was permanently lost in his own world of discovery, continually attempting to fathom the secrets of his surroundings.
After feeding from Mary's voluptuous bosom, Grey went back to sleep. Mary then headed down to prepare lunch for Margaret and Devon. She sliced some loaf and heated the pumpkin soup they had for breakfast.
Margaret, with a determined countenance, posed the question once more, "Mother, do you have any knowledge of when Father will return?"
Suspecting that Mary was withholding information from her, Margaret sought to test her resolve by asking directly.
Mary's initial annoyance at Margaret's repeated questioning was quickly dispelled as she recognized the genuine concern etched on her daughter's face. Margaret had grown so accustomed to her mother's unwavering composure that any deviation from her usual temperament was cause for alarm.
Mary took a deep breath and composed herself before answering.
"Dear, your father may have encountered some minor obstacles that are causing him to take longer than expected. You know how cautious he is when he travels. Sometimes being overly careful can lead to delays."
Mary's words were measured and deliberate, aimed at reassuring Margaret without giving away her own growing anxiety.
"Enough with the idle chatter, let's savor our midday meal. And after, it's time for your afternoon slumber, Margaret and Devon," Mary declared, setting the tone for their daily routine.
It was imperative for the children to rest for three hours in the afternoon, to aid in their physical growth and development.
Following their repast, Mary instructed Margaret to assist with the dishes, although she had already done so earlier when Mary was leaving for the guild. But this time, Mary was mindful of her own emotional state and didn't want to burden young Margaret with too many household chores.
As they settled into bed, Mary, Margaret, and Devon all succumbed to slumber. Mary's mind was consumed with the absence of Joseph, feeling as though a significant piece of her was missing. It was as though her heart is being torn into multiple pieces from the pain she was feeling.
Three hours passed before they awoke, just as the sun began to set.
Mary woke up upset. It was already sunset and she still have not heard back from the guild. She was about to sigh when a persistent knocking jolted her.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Mary!" came the urgent voice of a female from the other side. "Open up! I have news for you!"
Knock, knock, knock.
"Mary! Are you there?"
The knocking continued, causing Mary's body to tremble as she hurried to the door.
Upon opening it, she found Eileen standing there, gasping for breath as if she had sprinted all the way from the guild branch to Mary's house.
"Mary, they found Joseph! The guild had just received a pigeon messenger from one of the search parties, but he is not in a good condition!" Eileen blurted out hastily.
She hurriedly asked Eileen to get inside.
"Quick.... Come inside, we'll talk here".