Few time passed since the mysterious presence appear, sambha detected first also the one to react it.
They began to head back.
The walk towards the cave was quieter compared to when they leave the cave.
Throughout this whole time,
No joked.
No argument.
Even agile Sambha was also quite.
The forest, looked like it was witnessing there journey and movement.
Rin's arms were holding bag full of berries and herbs. Gaja had a sack of nuts over his shoulders. Limbo was holding Sambha's hand, his tiny fingers also wrapped tightly around his hands. He stored the item he found useful in the system's Inventory.
But..but... Sambha's eyes weren't on the path to cave. They were fixed on... Somewhere else.
Far.
Pasing the trees. Even the horizon.
Like he was seeing something, everyone else can't.
They reached at the entrance of the cave. The same vines that Set by Rin, covering gently but air tight, leaving no place.
Rin stopped.
"...did you see that?"
Limbo saw same thing like before.
The same pull.
But... this time it wasn't coming from the cave, but rather something beyond or even from far.. deeper.
Like a line was drawn in space itself.
Something that connects this forest... To something strange.
In that moment system flickered before Limbo's eyes to show something.
[Passive scan: active
Weak external fluctuation detected ]
[Direction: northeast]
[ Distance: unknown ]
Again... Limbo whispered, he thought this might be signal Source of beasts.
Meanwhile,
Sambha tugged his sleeves, his small soft hands trembled.
While looking at same direction...
"Brother..." He said in soft voice.
"H...Home... There..." His was carrying a hope, and relief— at the same time someting unsolved mysteries.
He pointed in the direction where he was looking. But it wasn't the cave.
Not at the lotus-peackock symbol Limbo saw early night. It was something...
Futher.
Beyond the hills surrounding cave, and the trees around it.
Gaja frowned.
"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?"
He was walking beside them, so he heard.
Rin heard Gaja's words.
She narrowed her eyes.
"He said door earlier. Now home in that direction. Don't tell me—"
"Maybe a gate," Limbo muttered. "Like... a door between places."
"Why would such a gate will exist in such a place," gaja asked while scratching his head. "Does that even exist?"
Limbo they... Stops in mid talked.
System buzzed again
[External Gate type Mana: weak detected. ]
[Warning: Unidentified signatures approaching from that direction. ]
Limbo's heartbeat fastened.
"Sambha," he asked softly, "did you...know something? About the door?"
Sambha's shoulder trembled after Limbo asked. His trembling lips moved, but no sound come from them for a few moments.
Then —
"Mother... Pushed..."
"...light...broke..."
"Fell... Alone...."
His tiny fingers tightened around Limbo's hands.
Rin inhaled sharply.
Everyones head was moving with random thoughts and emerging theories like water droplets fall in the rains.
Rin continues with her theory.
He was thrown out, she said quietly. Or...pushed through.
But why?
"To escape maybe."
Gaja's expression darkened. "From what?"
Before anyone can say something.
Rustle around the bushes...
Not a small like a animal rustle.
They were heavy. To many feets.
Moving in sync.
Limbo's eyes sharpened.
While stretching hand he pulled sambha slightly behind him.
"Inside," he said quickly. "Now."
No one argued.
They ducked into the cave. Rin closed the vines behind them, thickening them with mana.
Inside, the air was getting heavy. The embers from last night's fire were still warm.
Rin whispered,
Did you sense something unusual?
Limbo nodded slightly.
Something's coming from the direction where sambha was looking.
Gaja speaks, did they come while following the scent. Or he's also carrying a marking.
Sambha shivered..
They...coming...
...open...gate.
Ri knelt to his kneel.
Who's coming, Sambha?
Bad people? Beasts? Or something else?
Sambha's eyes closed.
"...big...claws...but... Not beast ...
Angry....armor...
...sharp like... Knife..."
Gaja thinks. "So armed people. Great."
Limbo moved closer to the cave's entrance and gently pulled a bit of vines, to checks outside situation.
Leaving only a tiny gap to peek out.
The forest was still.
Then...
Thump....
A boot sound heavy...
Then second...
Following it third one come.
They weren't stumbling like a beasts.
They were like a soldier, trained in rhythm.
Voices were drifted through the trees.
His scent is stronger here...
The mana...is weak and old, and fresh.
If we failed to bring him back, lord will...
"Shut up," another voice snapped. Deeper. Harsh...
"Keep eyes open. The gate dumped him somewhere around this sector, we know that much. "
The beasts are restless too... Stay sharp..
Rin's and Gaja's eyes widened at the same time.
Pr*****? What are they talking about.
Rin looked here and there, first at sambha then Gaja and Limbo, after that at surrounding.
Limbo's thoughts starts running rapidly, lines of logic running like code.
If they're his people...they might be safe.
But...
System Notify suddenly.
[New data correlation ]
[Tear-shaped crystals samples found.]
[Emotional fluctuations: high]
[ Owner: sambha (65% match)]
What is all this going on... Did sambha and this is leading to something new, maybe new journey.
Open inventory!
So that crystal i found there... Which I picked... Is...
Limbo looked at sambha, he was figuring out, managing his thoughts and processing the info.
The child was trembling, eyes fully filled with the conflict— or something else.
"Don't...let them... Take me." He whispered.
Do you know them? Limbo enquire.
No reply.
Are they someone you know? Like your family... Limbo asked quietly.
The boy wasn't ready... He didn't say anything clearly. Was it fear or something else, is he the one, these people where searching for?
Sambha's eyes filled with water.
"...mother....father....don't love me..."
"...but....others...hit....shout....lock...."
"...dogs... Dark red orange eyes.... Made gate... I.... Fall..."
He continues as he's voice was getting heavy and trembling....
"..... accident.... Run..."
He's words maybe broken, but he was trying he's best to tell, the meaning was clean.
Also Limbo was trying hard to linking every tiny details. He can't be rushed to any conclusion for the time being.
But will he get enough time...