CHAPTER 12: SIDE QUEST

At Amaya's words, Grell also felt alarmed. He stared at Amaya who had turned her head and was looking elsewhere, trying to gauge the situation. He also looked around the campsite. None of the people present seemed to find anything strange. Maybe only Amaya, who was born out of earth itself, knew the situation of the forest.

Amaya looked around the campsite once again before gathering her palms in front of her and spread them out, palm up. She casted a silencing spell and the entire campsite fell into complete silence. The people looked towards her in alarm and astonishment. But she was already anxious enough to be able to explain calmly. Grell, however, indicated to them to just continue on with their work and not mind the spell.

Amaya then closed her eyes. She once again gathered her palm in front of her chest and then slowly opened it, revealing a deep blue light. She then threw it upwards and it burst into a million little light before dashing into different parts of the jungle. She still had her eyes closed. Her fists were now gathered beside her body, tensed, as she waited for whatever the light could find. Grell stood next to her. Instead of looking at the jungle surrounding them, he stared at Amaya with worry.

After a good while, Amaya opened her eyes, but her face had drained from all colors. Even her lips were pale and trembling. She turned to Grell with a terrified expression. Her black eyes trembled, so was her body.

"I really can not hear them," she said in a voice so small Grell had to crane his neck to listen, "I can not even sense them. Not a single spirit or fairies. Nothing," she reached her hands and clutched Grell's clothes. Her fingers turned pale from the strength exerted.

"What do you need me to do?" Grell asked, trying hard to calm Amaya down But he knew he wasn't proficient in this kind of thing. He clumsily patted Amaya's hands gently. "Do you want to look for them? There should be traces," he reminded her gently.

"Right, traces!" Amaya's face lit up slightly as she once again moved her fingers, manipulating the magic of the earth at her fingertips, creating a blinding silver light that enshrouded the entire camp. The light was so blinding that everyone, except for Amaya, had no choice but to close their eyes. The light shone brightly for a moment before it slowly dissipated and got smaller and smaller, only then left to be not even bigger than a fingertip.

Amaya held the light in her hand and looked towards the jungle. She then turned to Grell and said to the man, "there are actually traces of the earth magic. Fresh magic. It meant that they, or at least one of them used magic during, at least, the last three days," she said, confusion apparent in her voice and face. "But why could I not find any of them?" she asked.

"Did you sense what the magic is used for?" Grell asked back, holding her hand steady.

Amaya shook her head, "but I did catch the most condensed trace of it. It is not far from here…" she trailed her words, thinking, before turning to look up at Grell again.

"You want to look for them," Grell stated, knowing Amaya's thoughts. She was already very worried and unsettled, so he could guess readily what she wanted to do at this moment.

Amaya nodded, "But the portal…" she was anxious to find out the fate of the fairies and spirits, but they were also here to close the portal and strengthen the barrier between realms. The problem with the portals had been a great concern for the council and it was indeed imperative that they close every single one of the portals and repair and strengthen the barrier where it was torn and weak.

"The fairies and spirits may need our help more at this time," Grell reasoned with Amaya. "I also have a feeling that their disappearance may have something to do with the appearance of the hell beast," he added and that stunned Amaya.

"How so?" she asked, heart beating fast as worry overcame her.

"For now, I have no evidence that it is so," Grell said, shaking his head at her and patting her hand gently as to appease her worry, "it's my gut that is telling me so, and I am willing to listen to it just in case," he told her.

"Then you do that," Amaya said, nodding, and hoping that it was not so. "Let us go talk to Kiin," Amaya said and turned on her heel, almost dashing towards the tactical tent. Grell followed behind just as urgently.

"My Lord, My Lady," startled, Kiin straightened his back when Amaya and Grell basically barged into the tent, startling Kiin and a few other subordinates who were preparing for their journey the next day.

"Apologies for the disturbance," Grell said, "there is something we need to discuss," he waved his hand towards the other subordinates, sending them away as he said to Kiin.

"Please," Kiin gestured towards the seats by the big table. Kiin then sat down on one of them when Amaya and Grell sat down.

Without waiting for anyone else to speak, Amaya started, "there is a problem with this jungle," she said and started relaying what she had encountered. Kiin's face changed and started to darken the more he listened.

When Amaya said that she would like to investigate the matter of the jungle first before dealing with the portal, Kiin stood up and bowed, and solemnly said, "we are under your command, Goddess of Salvation and Earth," he said.

Amaya smiled in relief. She gestured for Kiin to go back to his seat before continuing, "I only need a few warriors and protectors to accompany me and Grell. The rest can stay in the camp," Amaya told Kiin who nodded.

"I will send someone for the warriors and protectors and have them get ready," Kiin stood up once again when Amaya and Grell stood up, "we will reconvene here in 15 minutes for a strategic meeting after dinner," he said. Amaya and Grell had no problem with that and nodded in gratitude before heading back to their own tent to have dinner on their own before going back to the tactical tent.

When the two arrived, Kiin was already talking to a few people. They were the warriors and protectors Kiin chose to accompany Amaya and Grell. There were three warriors and two protectors. They were all human and magic users.

"My Lord, My Lady," Kiin bowed as the two entered the tent. The others also followed and bowed respectfully as they called out a greeting in unison. "These are all the people who will accompany you. This is warrior Mika, Nia, and Armin and protector Michael and Jake," Kiin introduced them to Grell and Amaya who nodded in acknowledgement. The three men and two women then made way for Amaya and Grell so they could start the briefing on their plan.

Without wasting time, Amaya looked around the room and said, "the trace of earth magic I found went on for about four kilometers this way," she said, pointing at the map spread on the table.

"It's the opposite direction of the portal," Mika said with a frown, pointing at the location of the portal on the map.

"Indeed," Amaya said, "when we talked to the guide previously, he said that this area was a dead zone. No plants could grow. Nor were there animals," she said. That itself was already weird because during the cleansing ceremony, no matter how bad the condition of a place, as long as it was purified, anything could grow there. But the guide said that the land there had been a dead zone for centuries.

Granted, Amaya could not visit each and every place herself no matter how much time she has. But even so, her magic during the ceremony could cover the entire human realm.

"Black magic?" Michael asked, somehow uncertain but also worried. Hearing it, the others were also starting to get worried.

"Perhaps," Amaya said, her heart heavy. "I am unable to sense it. Even if it was, I have no way of knowing it if they put a barrier over the land," she explained.

"So we can only go and see the place ourselves, right?" Jake asked.

Amaya and Grell nodded at that, "we will be going in blind for the most part," Grell said, looking at the people in the room. His bearing was confidence and his face was serious, unlike the rest of the time when he embodied the word 'playboy'. The rest of the people listened to him attentively. No matter how playful Grell was, he was still a knight of the kingdom and they respected him for his conquest and bravery.

The warriors and the protectors all bowed down in respect, chanting their allegiance and loyalty to the magic realm and the Goddess Amaya solemnly. Grell smiled before continuing, "we bring everything we have that could be used against black magic. No matter how trivial the item is, as long as it could be used, bring them. Get ready and we will meet back here in 20 minutes," he said and he dismissed them.

Kiin, who was also going to accompany Amaya and Grell, also excused himself to get ready, leaving behind Amaya and Grell in the tent. Grell, having noticed that Amaya's countenance was not good, held her hand and gently squeezed it, offering comfort.

"You're worried," Grell stated, gazing into Amaya's eyes which rippled in fear and agitation.

"I am," Amaya closed her eyes, letting Grell comfort her.

"The warriors and protectors are very well trained, and you also have Kiin and me," Grell said in confidence although his eyes betrayed the confidence. However, whatever quests they had to go through to ensure the peace of all realms, no matter the danger, they would definitely do it regardless of anything.

Amaya listened to Grell, eyes still closed, and finally let out a shaky breath. "Let us go and get ready," she opened her eyes and smiled and Grell, taking his hand into hers, before walking out of the tent.