"Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen..." Pelia counted aloud, but before she could continue, Peter interrupted her.
"Twenty dead Yaijuus, you're so slow!" He nudged her playfully with his shoulder, sparking a brief scuffle between the two.
Richard burst out laughing at the exchange, while Hannah and Marcel watched with amused smiles. Suddenly, the ground began to shake beneath their feet, causing Hannah to stumble. Marcel quickly grasped her hand and activated his barrier, prepared for any potential danger.
Peter and Pelia ceased their playfight, their eyes widening as they felt the tremors.
"What's going on?" Peter asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"I think it's an earthquake."Pelia's expression turned serious as the shaking ceased.
"What's an earthquake?" Peter asked
Pelia gave him a tired look. Richard, Marcel and Hannah shared similar expressions.
"What?" Peter shrugged.
"Caw caw caw." A bird's call echoed through the air. Pelia gazed up at the sky, spotting birds watching them. "That must be Mela's birds. Time's up." She headed toward the entrance, her group following suit.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the tunnel entrance, but Mela and Mark were nowhere to be seen, leaving them slightly perplexed. "Where is everyone?" Hannah wondered.
Daniel's group appeared, each member sporting a smug grin. "We did well, didn't we?" Daniel said, his group nodding in agreement.
Daniel noticed his group's healer hiding something behind his back. "Hey, give me that," Daniel said, snatching a small ruby from the healer. "It's mine now."
Pelia and Peter exchanged disapproving glances as Daniel boasted about his Yaijuu kills. "Good thing I beat him up back then; guess he still hasn't changed," Peter muttered.
"It's best we ignore him," Pelia said, then her expression turned serious as she remembered something. "Peter, what about the mark?"
Peter's smile was tinged with relief. "It disappeared two days ago. I don't feel that way anymore."
Richard glanced at the tunnel entrance, his brow furrowed in concern. "Guess we just have to wait. What's taking them so long to get back?" he said, referring to Frederick, Alexa, and the others.
*********
Aiden slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the blur. As his vision cleared, he saw Rhea and Cedric on the ground. He moved, noticing his arm was healed. "I thought I lost my arm... did Cedric heal me?" he wondered.
Looking around, he realized Shinra was gone. Arthur appeared, holding out bread. "You want it?" Aiden shook his head, declining.
Arthur shrugged, took a bite, and said, "I need wine... I've got some at home. Till we get back, then."
Aiden started to speak, "There's someone about my age who wore black armor and—"
Arthur cut him off, "He escaped... someone helped him out."
"Who?" Aiden asked. Arthur replied, "I don't know," as he walked toward Rhea and Cedric.
Arthur gazed at Rhea with interest, thinking to himself, "So she's related to him, huh... I like how things are going."
"What's wrong with them?" Aiden asked, nodding toward Rhea and Cedric.
Arthur gave Aiden a sidelong glance. "What do you think?"
Aiden's thoughts turned to Shinra, and he clenched his fist. "I thought I'd gotten stronger, but it's not enough," he said, frustration etched on his face.
Despite his hard work over the past six months, Shinra's overwhelming power had humbled him. Aiden's team had tried to take him down, but it wasn't enough.
Suddenly, Aiden's head snapped up. "Wait, what about Fredrick and Sera?" He looked around, searching for them.
"They're here," Arthur replied, adjusting Rhea's position on his shoulders. Fredrick and Sera arrived, panting heavily.
Mela and Mark rushed to check on Cedric. "He's breathing; let's go," Arthur said, urging them to move.
Richard yawned and stretched his body, feeling the fatigue of the day. He lay down on the ground and stared up at the night sky, taking in the vast expanse of stars twinkling above. Meanwhile, Peter and Pelia were engaged in their usual argument, their voices rising and falling in a familiar pattern.
Arthur and the others finally arrived, their faces calm and composed despite the events that had transpired. Arthur gently set Rhea down on the ground, and she slowly opened her eyes, looking around in confusion. The group murmured, asking about Rhea's condition and addressing Arthur with concern.
"They're back," Peter said, walking toward Aiden, who seemed lost in thought. Aiden was preoccupied with thoughts of Qinsura, wondering if he'd find any answers in the library that would shed light on his mysterious connection to the name.
Peter snapped his fingers, breaking Aiden's reverie. "Hello?" Aiden smiled lightly, his eyes focusing on Peter's face. "Oh, hello Peter," he said, his voice friendly.
Peter asked about the hunt, curiosity getting the better of him. Aiden's response was brief, "It was... good," he said, not elaborating further. He waved at Pelia, who returned the gesture, and then walked past Peter, hesitating to approach Arthur with the crowd around.
"I'll ask him later, when no one is around," Aiden thought to himself, deciding to wait for a more opportune moment. Peter turned to Pelia, whispering, "Something's up." Pelia nodded in agreement, her expression serious. "You're right," she said
Mark brought out the dimensional scroll and touched its center, releasing a shimmering blue portal. Mela gestured for the youngsters to enter the portal, and Aiden quickly stepped through it. Frederick, Sera, Rhea, and Cedric followed closely behind.
Richard watched them go, remarking, "They didn't even check on me." He sounded a bit miffed, noticing that Frederick and Alexa hadn't bothered to see how he was doing.
Marcel observed the scene and thought to himself, "Aiden's group is acting strange." However, he decided not to make a big deal out of it and proceeded to enter the portal.
One by one, they emerged into the large, familiar chamber, its walls lined with scrolls and shelves. The youngsters' reactions varied. Some were still exhilarated from the hunt, while others looked exhausted, sitting down on the ground to rest.
Arthur, Mela, and Mark stood side by side, facing the group. "Now that everyone is here, there's something I need to discuss regarding the Yaijuu hunt," Arthur said, his voice commanding attention.