The village didn't panicked everything was normal.
But there was someone who was carrying the unsettled feelings inside.
Morning came as it always had, with rising morning smoke from cooking fire and boiling water, the rythamatic hits on the metal forge, children running and lost in their own world but still under supervision.
In all this quite and normal environment a unsettled feelings was present.
Hunters no longer left alone.
Always moved in together with pairs, eyes scanning the movements on border areas.
Some guards lingered with fear to moved in the areas, the earlier scene still give a trauma they never encountered ever before.
Nothing was said aloud, but a whisper was running wild in village.
Yet everything was normal.
Limbo noticed it while helping his father, lifting a cooled blade from the quench barrel.
"Hold steady," his father said, adjusting the angle. "You're anticipating too early."
Limbo corrected without arguments.
The metal hissed softly.
"You're listening too far ahead again," his father added, observing.
Limbo didn't deny it.
He wiped his hand on cloth and wiped sweat over the face.
He glanced towards the forest line, barely visible beyond the rooftops.
I just don't like...gaps, Limbo said.
His father snorted. "Gaps are where mistakes happen."
Or decision, Limbo thought.
"Father! who am I?" Limbo asked with serious face in casual tone while looking at sky. "What should be... my goal in this life?"
Ronan smiled. "For that you need to dive deep inside."
It's something—time can tell.
"I do...also think that, but sometimes it's feels something is missing."
This changes the expression of Ronan.
"For that.." intruption in middle.
"Limbo! Honey! Food is served!"
Ela call them for food break.
They went putting things in hand down.
"What in the menu!" Ronan asked with smile.
"It's Limbo's favourite," after seeing dish a smile stick at Limbo face.
And after finishing food, Limbo leave first to practice.
"I'll back as usual."
Ela sense the change in presence but, word's didn't come through mouth.
She exchanged a glance with Ronan.
Ronan stayed quiet and noticed.
Limbo was practicing near the river when he heard the footsteps, soon the figure get cleared—elder chaya stood approached.
Her steps unhurried, staff tapping softly against stone ground.
She came alone, unannounced.
Limbo remained stand-by on the spot,
"You already know," she said, stopping beside him.
"Yes," Limbo said. Maybe not.
She studied him for a moment, then nodded, "good."
"Change is happening sooner than expected!"
"Of what?" Limbo asked.
She just smiled.
They walked together, but in opposite direction of town on the path where ground is usually soft through the field.
"They spot again," chaya said. "Same distance. Same restraint."
"Different shapes," Limbo added.
Her eyesbrows lifted slightly. "So you felt it too."
"No, I just guess that." Limbo said.
"They weren't testing strength," Limbo said.
"Maybe they came attracting to something."
Chaya stopped walking.
"That conclusion may have took others half a day."
Limbo shrugged. "I've had practice noticing when something doesn't behave the way it should."
In last encounter I tried to collect as much information I can.
That's the gift you should cherished.
Silence streched.
"We're not sending scouts forward of certain distance," chaya said at last.
"That means you're expecting movement," Limbo replied.
"Yes."
"And you don't know from which side," he finished.
She did not ask him to fight.
Instead, she asked, "if the line moves...how long do you need?"
Limbo thought carefully.
"Not time, he said. "Depends upon position."
Chaya's grip tightened slightly on her staff.
"Explain."
"If they noticed preperation, they'll react," limbo said. "If they noticed observation... they'll hesitate."
A long pause.
"You're suggesting blind zone," chaya said slowly.
"Yes."
"And if they noticed you?"
Limbo did not look away. "Then I don't retreat."
Chaya studied him for a few breaths.
Then she nodded once.
"So be it."
"Any thoughts on acedmy you'll choose?"
"Academy?" Limbo think. "I haven't, decided anything."
Limbo didn't returned to the forge in afternoon.
Instead, he sat beneath th old willow near the river bend, eyes closed, breathing shallow and controlled.
He did not push his senses outward.
He let them rest at the edge.
The Fragment remained silent - present, heavy, watching without intruding. The system offered no prompts no warnings.
That too, was new.
Limbo focused not on range, but on clarity.
Two more.
This is getting hard get location of other fragment since the fourth fragment,
Almost more than year has been passed.
Still no clue of — location.
Footsteps echoed at distance before the figure a voice reached him first.
"What are you doing here alone," she said.
"Nothing just came for walk after food."
Soon Gaja joined them later, rolling his shoulders he approached.
"The restraint tightened again," he said bluntly. "Didn't even push it this time."
Limbo frowned. "Reaction."
"Yeah," gaja replied. "Like it knows something's coming."
Rin's expression darkens. "That means if things go bad."
"I don't go all out," gaja finished. "I know."
Limbo nodded. Strategy adjusted itself in his mind.
They stood together, watching the river flow.
Hey by the way, it's getting boring coped at the village all the time.
"Yeah, traveling is fun." Limbo added.
By the dusk, elder chaya returned.
The gathering again took place at same location.
"No engagement," only observation for the time being. She confirmed.
At the night Ela and Ronan was sitting on their bed discussing.
Sudden knock, "mother are you awake?"
Behind the door Limbo's voice came.
She quickly responded and open the door.
"What happened dear?" While bending on knees she asked.
"I'm not able to sleep can you sing a lullaby."
Ela and Ronan exchanged glances.
And Ela nodded gently.
Stayed with us tonight.
Bed was built enough for two adult and baby child, still somehow it was sufficient for three of them.
Limbo sleep in middle of his parents.
Forgetting allbthe things and worries, the world itself in sweet melody of his mother.
And the warmth of parents, their love.
Ela and Ronan was happy to share the moment with their child.
For Limbo it work more than anything, it ease his mind and soul, more than that his heart.
Soon even before melody end, someone was already lost in the world of dreams.
With faint satisfying smile on face.
Peaceful and quite.
With that night reached its peak.
Somewhere on forest border when there was no guard somewas trying to sneak.
Grr grr a growling sound.
But before it can take a step forward, a suddenly air became heavy, smoke covered the place.
All forest went death silent.
Within the dark smoke, green-yellow with blue shade eyes glared at the sneaker.
And unspoken warning without any attack was given.
They withdrawal on the spot.
He's presence widened, scaring the remaining invaders.
System flickered while noticing.
************** Presence Is detected.
The corrupt mana is reduced.
...is on guard...