After the gruesome battle with The Princess, Akwan vanished following a single command.
It remains unknown where he was sent or what became of him; a feeling of helplessness lingered as he was teleported somewhere far from the wanderers' reach.
The four trudged back to Milmoor, each step weighed by the grim news.
Drimi greeted them, her cheerful energy colliding awkwardly with the heavy, silent grief weighing down the group.
"Hey Be-be, how was the expedition?"
A heavy silence clung to the four, each one struggling to keep the aching truth locked away. Aletha's lips trembled before her resolve crumbled, and the words tumbled out.
"Gone." She said, "He's gone, just disappeared into ashes and--
Drimi nudged Aletha, disbelief sharp in her voice.
"Gone? What do you mean he's gone?"
Asahi, also unable to hold his tongue, spoke bluntly.
"Akwan… he vanished into thin air."
Drimi stepped back, eyes wide with fear, a visible tremor in her hands as she tried to collect herself.
"I…figured this would happen." Drimi clenched her fists, dark hair shifting wildly.
They recounted what happened, each detail deepening Drimi's distress, her face shadowed with mounting dread and disbelief.
"You mean… The Princess slaughtered him? How?"
She slammed her fist against the ground, tears streaming freely, her shoulders shaking in grief.
"How could you lose him? I knew he was powerful, but I never thought…" Drimi trailed off, overcome.
The four stood in silence, a respectful distance between them and Drimi, each offering space for her aching grief.
"Do you understand the significance of Akwan? He's the main reason why Belial. Sally and I are still together. I can't believe we lost him just as he was about to transform."
She drew in a deep, shaky breath, letting the birdsong fill the heavy silence over the plain. Drimi sniffled, arms tightly crossed for comfort as she searched for composure in the open air.
"Come on," she said, taking deep breaths. "We have a bigger deal to handle. Let's move forward."
Once Drimi's anger had simmered, Aletha found the courage to speak up.
"So… finding the crop thief wasn't enough?"
Drimi, suppressing her emotions, answered calmly.
"Yes. Now come on. We will act as if he never disappeared," Drimi said coldly. "We don't want to terrify the villagers, right? Pretend like you did this morning. You can't move forward if you're weighed down."
The wanderers replied faintly, voices tight with grief still raw in the air.
"R… Right."
. . .
They navigated the cobblestone paths with forced smiles masking flickers of sorrow; Akwan's absence pressed down, an ever-present shadow.
Only the distant crash of waves against the cliffs and the soft breeze whispering through the trees offered any comfort. The golden sunlight melted into a gentle orange mist, ushering in the evening.
As daylight faded, the wanderers stepped into Milmoor and were met with a sudden, jubilant energy from the villagers.
Cheers erupted as the villagers welcomed the wanderers home, arms full of freshly harvested crops. Clover lounged against a wall, eyes narrowed at Asahi as she called out.
"Hmph, what took you so long?"
Asahi clenched his jaw and drew in a steadying breath.
"We were… busy."
"Busy with what?" Clover said, clueless.
"It's none of your business."
Aletha blinked back tears for Akwan and gently nudged her brother.
"Stop being rude, Asahi."
Shortly after, the sound of a cheerful, feminine voice resounded from the crowd.
"Hey, over here!"
Amid the crowd's shouts, a tall figure emerged, her platinum hair trailing over villagers' shoulders. Her striking pink eyes locked onto the wanderers, brimming with pride at their return.
"Asahi, Aletha, you're okay."
Drimi harshly patted Sally's back and faintly grinned, holding her mask in one hand.
"Of course, these dunderheads are alright," she said, barely containing her anger.
"Y ... .Yeah, erm, we are all so happy to see you. Speaking of, where did Sadiki trot off to?"
Drimi, as the wind blew over her long, dark hair, revealed.
"Sadiki told me he had to return to the city to check on Brich."
"Oh, is that so?" Sally said, fixing her hair.
Before they could gather their thoughts, a tall, dirt-streaked man stepped in front of Asahi, halting the group.
"Excuse me. But I have to tell you something." He said, "There is a blockade within the tips of the water well."
Suddenly, a disheveled blonde girl approached, her voice gentle as she addressed them.
"I know that you found our missing crops, but we need water."
An elderly lady interrupted, pushing her aside. As she clutched onto her cane, she straightened her back and offered.
"If you can find a way to make the blockage leave, we will reward you one million Gincoins from the bank."
The wanderers fell into stunned silence at the mention of such a bounty. The old lady pressed on.
"What? You two look surprised. In the event of an emergency, one million Gincoins were hidden beneath the church's safety. It was imprinted in black ink with the words "For the Owners only." It seems your arrival was preordained."
Drimi's eyes widened as the wanderers smiled in relief. Seizing the moment, they dashed through the crowd, racing toward the well.
"Stop!" Belial said, breathing heavily.
"I can't catch up to you any longer," Sally shouted, sweat sliding down her face.,
Their hearts pounded with hope at the promise of the bounty. But as they neared the well, surrounded by a throng of shouting villagers, Asahi and Aletha's optimism began to fade.
. . .
"Move out of the way, slob!" A villager said, trying to poke it with a farming tool.
As the glittering orange glow of the sun approached the horizon's edge, the villagers shifted restlessly, and voices rose in anger at the obstacle blocking their path. A massive green slob, clad in torn shoes, a jumper, and a half-bitten hat, snored loudly while sleeping against the circular rear of the Well, ignoring the assembling, furious villagers.
The wanderers exchanged glances, uncertainty in their eyes. Silently, they slipped away while the villagers remained focused on the obstacle.
Drimi and Samantha rushed to the side of the shaken wanderers, whose wide-eyed terror hinted at old scars and nightmares awakened by the chaos. Asahi trembled, unable to meet the beast's gaze.
"Goblins… n-no…"
Drimi perked her head to him and raised her eyebrow.
"What got you too scared? It's just a goblin blocking the Well entrances."
Aletha whispered quaveringly as she pointed to it with her shaky finger.
"Those… f-fiends… we're one of the monsters who were against the Rulers millennia ago. They almost slew Asahi and me, then caused destru—
Asahi covered her mouth and interrupted.
"We don't want to talk about it. We vividly remember who these wretched beasts are. They are not even from this world."
Drimi jumped up in shock and raised her voice in front of everyone.
"You're saying that these pests are not even from Gincad? Then where did they come from?!"
Asahi softly responded.
"The meteors, the shimmering debris from the spiraling Perpetual Storm."
While limply pushing her long, dark hair to the side and kicking a small stone off her foot, Drimi replied with curiosity.
"Perpetual… Storm? Out of all the bizarre stuff I encountered in this world. What is it, some eternal storm in the clouds created from some Ruler?"
Asahi neglectfully whispered while he pushed his feet against the dirt.
"Space outside of Gincad." He said nothing more. "Those creatures are invaders outside of this realm."
Aletha calmed herself down and crossed her arms. She answered and continued Asahi's ongoing words concretely.
"Goblins are a disgrace to the race of rulers alike. They were dishonorable, putrid beings with no taste and a tiny soul. If that's what they were, and they still live even after their extinction, feasibly, they could plan on another rebellion against whatever power is highest in this world."
One of the villagers stepped up and nudged both the wanderers' arms.
"If you ever want to see your precious money again, try and speak to the blockage and ask what it desires. Maybe then, that miserable beast will move out of the way."
Belial tactfully nodded his head and said.
"I agree with the man. Walk up to the beast and ask why he is doing this or what he wants in return."
Aletha shook her head wildly, retreating until her back hit the wall, desperate to put as much distance as possible between herself and the goblin.
"What, sis?"
"Nothing."
As the wanderers remained silent, Drimi whispered.
" Sally, there is something we don't want… to tell you. Something you would hate to hear." As they moved around, Aletha dashed through the crowd and quickly hid behind Drimi in a desperate bid to evade Asahi. As Asahi scanned the assembly for her, Aletha whispered urgently to Drimi, her dark, silky hair brushing Drimi's nose.
"Drimi, can you please tell Asahi to stop?"
She squinted at Aletha and lightly chuckled.
"Why can't you do it yourself? Come on; I'm not your mother."
Before anyone could speak, the slothful goblin unleashed a thunderous roar and stomped the earth, demanding the spotlight. The villagers erupted in fury, their insults flying sharper than ever.
"Get that filthy pest out of there!" A man with a straw hat and a jumper said.
A brave girl dashed forward, straining her slender arms against the monster, only to be flung through the air and land ten meters away. Belial shook his head, clearly fed up with the spectacle.
He pulled his hood up and leaped eight meters into the air, grabbing both Asahi and Aletha. His green eyes shone in the shadows, and his claws sparkled with small fragments of luminescent green petals. Belial then placed both the wanderers in front of the monster, instantly dashed back to the crowd, and leaned against a wall. Aletha furiously asked while the goblin slowly leaned towards her.
"Belial, what are you doing?"
Asahi's gray eyes palpitated, then he hastily pulled Aletha away from the creature. He gritted his teeth and stared into the large, droopy, dark brown eyes and the slimy, green skin. The villagers stood back, glaring at the scene, while Drimi and the others prepared for any danger to pop out.
As moments slipped by, an utterly unexpected event shattered the tension.
The giant goblin monster shouts at the wanderers.
"Need. Fruit!"
The wanderers reeled in bewilderment, struggling to make sense of the demand.
"...Eh?"
A mildly deep young male voice sounded out from the crowd.
"Stay back from the creature; I know what he needs."
The wanderers turned their heads behind them, seeing, far in the distance from the crowd of villagers, a bright orange luminance shining on the walls of the houses and the bodies of people. Drimi placed her dark, black mask over her mouth, feeling a sense of power coursing through the stream and the orange luminance behind the agitated villagers.
Belial took a relieved sigh, knowing who the orange luminance belonged to.
"Ah, it's him. The true boy who was with the Nameless adventurer ever since she arrived in the world."
Belial gave a weak grin as the orange-luminescent boy popped out of the villagers. He had long, dark brown hair, beautiful, glistening tangerine and baby blue eyes, and one arm covered in orange, luminescent tattoos.
"Greetings, it is I, the strongest warrior from the sandy nation of Zomrack."
Aletha tilted her head in confusion and asked, while Asahi stood blatantly still, waiting for the meaning of the goblin's strange words.
"Who are you?"
The tall boy stood confidently, with his black scarf covering his neck. There was a subtle blend of a beating orange, lingering at the tips of his fabric, and two long, floating strands that fluctuated back and forth in the air.
He had dark skin and wore a bright, glowing snake-shaped necklace. As the villagers impatiently waited, the boy shouted to the crowd.
"Well, my lady... my name is Phthonus. I am a human from the distant nation of Zomrack, here to support the needs of this village and Pladtioa as a whole."
Asahi backed away from Phthonus and asked while pushing his white hair to the side.
"Why do you need to support the village? You don't look like a guy who would volunteer to do such things."
Phthonus tilted his head and squinted his fierce eyes towards Asahi. He pulled his black scarf off his mouth and replied with a sarcastic tone.
"So… I think I can afford to return to Zomrack, duh. Do you know how much it costs to travel overseas from Pladtioa, given its ridiculous docking prices? Sigh, I don't have enough Gincoins to travel back to Vehemat."
He took a deep breath, then perked his head back and forth from his surroundings. Phthonus faintly muttered while staring at the wanderers with his glimmering orange eyes.
"Hold on, I just realized,"
The wanderers stare at Phthonus while the goblin monster snores loudly. Phthonus approached uncomfortably close to the wanderers and pointed to their heads.
"Both of you have white hair. I have never seen such a bright beauty in this world. Where did you two come from?"
The wanderers remained silent, then pointed to the large green goblin sitting comfortably on the Water Well. Phthonus swiftly tapped his foot against the dirt, then jumped up in realization.
He fixed his long, dark mocha hair, then yelled out to everyone.
"From my past travels in the oasis of Zomrack, where most of the goblin race dwells, I can easily assure all of you that this beast wants a 'special' fruit. This 'fruit' can only grow on the fluorescent trees of the jungle and nowhere else. So... if you ever want to have a chance to move the goblin, you probably need to travel to the nearest Goblin camps in Pladtioa,"
All the villagers gasped, while the wanderers' eyes fell silent, widening in pure dread.
"If you must, could you please allow me to travel with the brave heroes who dare to accept this quest? I can lead all of them towards the Forest of Plados, then Dreamtoe Village, which is on the other side of the nation, farthest from Milmoor."
Belial tapped Phothonus's shoulder and droned to him while he pointed to the wanderers.
"How about you travel with those two. I will stay here to guard the village from monsters."
Sally jumped up ecstatically.
"Can I come?!"
Drimi grabbed Sally's hand and playfully placed her hands over her heart.
"I will come as well. I have unique fighting tactics when it comes to fighting goblins."
The villagers' mood changed, with them feeling relieved and somewhat happy about this announcement. Phthonus agrees, nods, and smiles while putting his scarf back on.
He jumped down from the Well and approached Drimi and Sally. His height towered over Drimi, but Sally remained higher.
"I guess I can hang out with her.--
Drimi roughly pushed him away from her and viciously squinted her purple eyes at him.
"Don't even think about it."
Phthonus sighed and shook his head. He gives a slight shrug while walking along the cobblestone roads.
"Ugh, fine."
The wanderers hurried to join Drimi, Sally, and Phthonus, making their way toward the village gates as streetlights flickered to life and windows glowed with warm amber. A cool evening breeze swept over them, washing away the day's lingering heat.
Without a backward glance, they slipped away, leaving even Clover unaware of their quiet departure.
Inwardly, all they wished for was a swift end to this quest. With formidable Phthonus and commanding Drimi at their side, confidence surged that this challenge would be nothing but a breeze.
Sally also felt confident in this straightforward task.
As the sounds of crickets chirping and the night duties filled all of their ears, Asahi curiously whispered to Drimi while Aletha strolled near Phthonus, gazing in awe at his appearance.
"So, is that it? Is that how this plan will work?! Are we just going to leave the village without telling anyone? Is this quest that easy?"
As the glistening, luminescent ball of moonlight rose from the fleeting horizons of the tranquil, grassy hills, Drimi replied, hearing the distant cheers behind all of them.
"Pretty much. Sometimes, quests like these take only a few hours to complete. Never mind that. All I want from both of you is one simple answer to my question."
Asahi nodded his head while faintly replying with a smile.
"Sure, what is it?"
Drimi slowly tilted her head to the ground, feeling a sense of dread coming from the unknown. As a firefly passed while the others walked in front of them, Drimi asked Asahi in a firm, curious tone in her deep, feminine voice.
"How did Akwan disappear?"