The Town of Armeton is now healthy and living peacefully. Their agriculture slowly revived as time passes by.
After the night of their celebration, Luis bade them farewell as he returned to the Sky Chasers headquarters.
Before he can even step his foot in the premises of the headquarters, he can already feel the heavy atmosphere in the area.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw the members of the Sky Chasers, sitting away from each other as the four new members gathered in a corner looking at them confused.
Luis approached the four as he looked back to the other members looking dejected.
"What happened here? Why are they all gloomy?" Luis asked the four.
"We also don't know, as soon as the fight with the Prophets finished, they came home looking like that and since then, they all sit away from each other," Ana replied to him.
"Did something happened with the fight?" Luis asked at them as the four only shrugged meaning that they also don't know.
"We didn't watch the fight because Lady Ingrid came and made a bulk order for Grade 3 Skin Rejuvenating Pills, the palace made the order, probably to be given to those who are affected by the epidemic. We are occupied during the days that you were out." Alex replied helplessly.
"I'll try to fix this, help me out, please!" Luis spoke as he walked towards the center of the lobby and looked at the dejected faces of this team.
"Everyone, come to the Meeting Room, we need to talk, now!" Luis firmly directed as he went to the room first. The four followed him and a moment later, everyone gloomily followed him inside.
When everyone entered, Luna is already at the center of the table lying on it as if she was taking a rest when in fact, she was also waiting for the people to enter.
Luis walled towards the center most seat and sat on it, the four sat at the furthest seats since they knew that this meeting centers at the team who went to fight the Prophets. The others followed and they occupied the seats they looked gloomy.
The girls tried to reach out to Luna but the wolf ignored them and went to Luis. Their expression changed as they felt a rage that is building up inside them but they suppressed it.
"Now, if anyone wants to tell us what happened, just speak when you're ready." Luis calmly spoke as he waited for someone to speak up.
Cyrius tried to open his mouth but he immediately closed it and bowed his head down. This didn't escape Luis's sight but he remained silent in respect for the man's feelings.
A moment later, a heavy sigh rang out as Alyssa raised her head and looked at Luis.
"We lost the battle with the Prophets," Alyssa spoke with a heavy tone as if what she's saying is the most embarrassing thing.
"Yeah, because some people there didn't do their part. Their only job is to keep those golems up but they can't even handle that!" Julianne continued and snorted.
"Are you talking about me? You don't even know how taxing it was to keep those golems up! Why not ask yourself why you can't even hit them with your spells?" Archie angrily retorted as an argument was raised and the people inside blamed each other.
Luis listened to everyone's argument as he felt everyone's disappointment and anger but he can also sense a single person with nothing but upset in his emotions. Luis finds who it was and saw Cyrius who was silent while his head was down. Small drops of liquid can be seen at the table just below his head.
"What's wrong Cyrius?" Luis asked.
"I just felt that everything is my fault, I didn't save everyone, I can't save all of them. I think that I didn't deserve you guys, I don't know why Lady Chisa let me join you in the first place!" Cyrius replied his head still down as his voice cracked due to him trying to contain his sobs.
"Yeah right! If only you teleported us quickly then we won't be hit by those spells!" Achilleas snorted in reply to Cyrius.
"Stop it Achilleas! Don't rub salt on his wounds! You're only making it worst!" Alyssa reprimanded him.
"Guys, stop blaming each other, let's just learn from this defeat and try to improve what we lacked from that fight so that next time, we know what is needed to be done!" Luis smiled at them trying to cheer them up.
"Said by the one who left to fulfill his selfish desires! Who are you to tell us that? You are not there to know how we feel!" Julianne raged when she heard what Luis said.
"Stop it, Julianne!" Alyssa exclaimed.
"Why? Am I wrong? He accepted that quest because he wants to get that Royal Request for himself! What are you going to do with it? Ask for a land? Riches? Power?" Julianne sarcastically added.
"So that's how you think I was then." Luis frowned when he heard her.
"Why? Who is the one who said that they will be back at the time before the match starts? Is it me?" Julianne retorted.
"I didn't know that everything happened because of me... If that's the case, then I'm willing to accept all of your blames if that's how you can ease your mind!" Luis replied as he stood up and when he was about to leave the room.
"And where are you going now? Escaping reality?" Julianne sarcastically asked.
"I'm going to the castle to meet the Royals." Luis simply replied as he went out of the room. Luna followed him.
"That's right! Fulfill your selfish desires and bring that arrogant beast with you! Like master, like a pet!" Julianne shouted when Luis stepped out of the room.
"Stop it, Julianne! That's enough!" Alyssa shouted.
"Don't raise your voice at her!" Jericho defended.
"Guys, I know I'm not in the position to say this but, we didn't even know how was his mission ended, and as soon as he came back, he tried to fix this mess and ended up accepting all of the blame," Ana spoke as the people inside the room silently looked at her.
"She has the point, we started arguing over this matter without thinking about him." Serion agreed.
"I don't care! He just came back from his selfish desire so count me out of here!" Julianne stood up and abruptly left the room. Jericho followed her.
The people left inside the room silently stare at the table pondering on everything that happened to them.
Meanwhile, Luis packed up his things and left his belongings that he didn't need. He immediately left to go to Springfield City, the capital of the Spring Kingdom. He was fetched by a royal carriage just outside Riverside City.
Luna went with him and curled up on his lap. She's trying to comfort her master because she can feel his sadness.
"Thanks for the comfort Luna, I'm okay, don't worry!" Luis smiled but his eyes didn't hide his true emotions.
The ride took three days and the heavy feeling was felt during the days of their journey. Up the mountains through the forests, down the rivers. They traversed those areas with a heavy feeling in his heart as the words that Julianne said echoed repeatedly as the scene of the townspeople of the Armeton played through his mind that even crying can't ease the burden.
At the noon of the third day of their journey, a large silhouette of a city that appeared thrice the size of Riverside City appeared. As soon as the carriage appeared in front of the palace, Luis set his thoughts aside as he walked inside the palace and prepared himself to meet the Royal Family.
During these days of Luis's journey, the headquarters of the Sky Chasers felt heavy as the people inside still felt distanced against each other. The four alchemists felt helpless as they were about to head back to the Alchemy room. A loud knock echoed through the lobby. The other people looked like they didn't notice the noise so Ana went to open the doors and there she saw Mufar standing in front as he smiled towards Ana.
Ana awkwardly smiled back as she invited the Vice Dean inside.
"Sorry, Vice Dean Mufar, but Luis is not here, he left for Springfield City two days ago," Ana informed him.
"I know, that's why I'm here!" He smiled at her as he looked at the people who looked angry and dejected.
"So, it's true huh?" Mufar sighed as he walked together with the four alchemists.
"Can I ask you all to come with me to the Meeting Room?" Mufar asked all of them.
"And the Apprentice called his Master to reprimand us, great!" Julianne sarcastically remarked as she stood up and dejectedly walked towards the Meeting Room.
When everyone was inside the room, everyone was silent for a moment before Mufar broke it.
"Would you mind telling me what's going on?"