REN
After Cellon gave me a mana boost, I suddenly felt tired. All I wanted to do was to close my eyes and sleep.
"Cellon," I called out.
"Ren," Cellon said, worry evident in his eyes. "Please, just for a little while, close your eyes. Agrissi can't afford to lose their Commander. Just a little while. Nina will be fine."
"But what if something bad happens to her? What if she needs our help? What if she is really injured and she needs your help?"
Cellon sighed, "No, nothing will happen to her. Selena said that as a maybe. And you know Nina, she's tough as a rock. She could even defeat an adult minotaur single-handedly."
Shock and understanding dawned on his face. "If she can defeat adult minotaur on her own, then isn't she on par with you in magical power? Holy light of all ages, she's a candidate for a Commander rank!"
I sighed. Finally, he's catching up. "Now you see why we need to find her?"
"Agrissi also needs her then! She could strengthen our barrier ten-fold!"
"So now let's go!" I grabbed him and dragged him out of the bar, calling out Ling in the process.
Cellon stopped me. "But we can't afford to lose you both. You stay here and we'll both look for her."
"No. I-I need to go look for her!"
Cellon crossed his arms and raised his brows. "And why is that?"
I was stumped. He is right that I needed to rest. I can't afford to be unavailable if ever Agrissi's going to be attacked again.
I sighed, shoulders slumped. "Fine, but wake me up in five minutes."
Cellon gave me a thumbs up and led me back to the couch.
I barely put my head on the pillow when I woke up with a start.
"Cellon!" I called.
Cellon ran and reprimanded me. "It's only 2 minutes and you're awake!"
"We need to find her now."
He raised his brows then finally sighed. "Okay then. I scanned you right now and you're good to go for a couple of hours. But right after that, you need to sleep."
I smiled and together we went out.
When we are assembled outside, I asked Ling, "How are the three of them?"
"They are fine. The Great Mage welcomed them inside," Ling replied curtly.
I nodded. "Did you tell the Great Mage of what happened here?"
He shook his head. "No. I said I need to go back immediately. I left the report to Dior."
"Well, that's good. We need to find Nina before they know about it."
"Why is that, Commander?"
Cellon couldn't help his smile, "We might have found our Second Commander."
"Nina?"
Cellon and I nodded with vigor and horror, respectively.
"So where to?" Ling asked which surprised us both. The emotional switch he has always astounded me.
"We go first to her home."
Ling opened a gate and we both walked to Nina's house.
As soon as we crossed, we were met with a dark house. I feared that she was not here.
"I think she's not here," I thought out loud.
"How would you know?" Cellon asked.
"I - I don't know. I just felt like it. Let's go to her office."
"No! Ren, we need to search here first. Maybe she's just hiding in her basement or wherever here."
I feel it in my heart, in my whole body that she isn't here. But I can't deny the fact that Cellon is right. I can't rely on this unfound feelings I have. Logic first before emotion.
I nodded and we walked towards the house. We knocked on every door and window around the house but still nobody answered. The only way to really check is if we go inside, but we can't disturb the alarms or else we'll end up in jail.
"Ling," I called. "Can you find a way to get inside?"
"I haven't been inside. Can you light up the living room window? I can picture it out as my destination."
Cellon stepped up and conjured a healing light. Not really a bright light but it serves its purpose.
In no time, Ling has opened a warp gate leading to Nina's eerily quiet living room.
"Ren," Cellon said, shivering. "I think you're right, she's not here."
"We still need to look. Let's go."
We navigated the maze we called Nina's home. But there was not a single living presence.
I give up. "Let's go to her office."
Her office was easier. We have a free pass inside and there are less rooms. But along with it comes down to the fact that she's not here.
I sat down in one of her office's couch. Where could she be?
Cellon helped himself in the bar with some cold water, offering one for me and for Ling.
I took it and drank in one gulp. "Cellon, where else?"
He shook his head. "No idea. We looked at the three top places she'd go."
"Three?" I asked. There's one more?
"Her house, here and the bar."
Oh yeah right, the bar.
"Now, what?" Ling interjected.
I really wanted to punch him, but he's right. We need to speed things up and find her.
Suddenly, I felt a stabbing pain in my chest. I clenched my chest and doubled over.
Cellon and Ling quickly went to my side. Cellon casting nonstop spells and Ling helping me sit down on the couch.
But all I can focus was the pain. What is causing this?
"Ah ~ " I said out loud in pain.
Cellon's face came at my face. "Ren, tell me what's going on. I can't seem to find anything. You are perfectly fine!"
I shook my head. I really have no idea. I found a glass of water shoved in front of me. I looked thankfully at Ling and drank it.
A couple of minutes and then, the pain slowly subsided. Leaving with it an image of a lady sitting in front of a tombstone.