Every turn they make, a pair of guards would stand on the side, making sure none would lose their way and find themselves somewhere they shouldn't. But what baffles the visitors isn't the number of guards within the hall, instead, it weirds them out how the hallways are in different sizes.
"Do you notice something?" Thenea whispered to Serene.
She nodded, "the size kept changing."
"Do not bother," Leon kept his cool, "this happens whenever a person passes by, sizing up those who would attempt an ill thought."
"Oh," Serene would love to witness what would happen but of course, she is only curious as to how it works. She doesn't really wish for someone to be wiped off the surface of the earth.
"This reminds me of something," Lance said, remembering the time when he and Lithea walked in mazes of portals and hollow halls just to get to the hidden room where they met with the council.
His words alarmed Leon and gritted his teeth, "and you shall not utter a single word of it."
Lance blinked, he almost forgot how it must remain unknown to those who were not invited. Had he not revealed his thoughts, Leon wouldn't have warned him.
Serene's nosy side awoke, "utter a single word of what?"
"If it is meant to keep a secret, one must not pry on something they aren't meant to know."
Serene's brow twitched, "you know, if only you were a real kid, I would have smacked you."
"My back is facing you, you could have easily done so."
She looked at Lithea who did not react and simply returned her gaze; the redhead pouted as she screamed and grunted internally.
'I do not like him, not even one bit!' she thought.
Soon, the group arrived in front of a wooden door. It looks like an office, they only need one thing to confirm what they use it for but since the words engraved on the wooden sign above them is written in ancient text.
"What does that say?" Lance whispered to those who would hear him.
"Zero idea what that was," Verin answered.
"Is that not the old writings?" Thenea took notice.
"Can you read it?" Lance asked again but they all shrugged.
"Records," Lithea casually said.
Everyone turned their heads to Lithea, even Leon.
"You can read that?" Leon asked, surprised. He's been studying the ancient texts for years. Whenever he got some time to freely do what it is he wanted, he would always read a book about the history, especially the ancient texts of their kingdom. But unfortunately, no matter how hard he tries, he's still lacking.
Lithea nodded.
"When did you learn that?" Lance asked.
Being a noble, they all have access to scholars that could teach them how to read and write ancient texts but since Lance was trained to serve the court in the castle, he wasn't given a chance to dig deeper into it. They all made him work and study on the previous chief's duty and military works.
"I learned to read it as a child," she answered, thinking it was normal.
The group were all astonished at how advanced she is, her life is as privileged as the crown prince. This causes doubts and concerns within the group. Who is she?
A priestess in light rank with a divine power; orphan at a young age. Her father raises chicken to provide for their daily needs, while her mother is a simple housewife who takes care of her education. As simple as their life is, how did her mother manage to teach her ancient texts?
"I thought you're an orphan?" Serene asked, not thinking it was insensitive. But because of her curiosity, she didn't recognize the risk of her words.
They have not seen Lithea mad.
"I am."
Thankfully, she took it lightly.
"Anyway," Lance cleared his throat, "let's focus on the quest first. You can ask Lithea after all of this."
They all nodded and Leon proceeded to unlock the door with a bronze key. When he opened the door, it revealed a fully organized boxes with labels on it to quickly identify what's inside without wasting their time on digging unnecessary boxes that will not be relevant and helpful for the mission.
"Where shall we start?" Lance said as soon as he entered the big room full of shelves and boxes.
Leon turned his head and snapped his fingers, not a moment later, four soldiers appeared next to him.
"Help me gather everything they need for the search."
The four soldiers saluted and perfectly marched towards the shelves where the files have been kept; from the first evidence found to last. Every box is filled with every book and every scroll. These four strong men gathered every last one of them and placed them by the long table where the rubies were eagerly waiting, readying themselves for the countless hours of work and puzzles to determine the root and its location.
"Is that all of it?" Leon asked the soldiers.
"Yes, my lord." One of them spoke.
Leon nodded, "very well. I thank you for your service."
He looked at the rubies before returning his gaze to the soldiers, "You may now go back to your station."
"Sir!" they said loudly before going back to their posts.
The rubies looked at the many boxes brought to them, Lance asked, "all of this were gathered for months?"
"These are what our people have gathered so far," Leon scanned the boxes, silently counting them, "naturally, Lady Edrei can go and lock up who did this with no trouble, but because of how cunning this man is, even she cannot find it with her powers."
"Even someone as powerful as she is has limitations, huh?" Verin blurted out.
Leon smirked, "you must be unaware of the power the council possessed."
The look on the adventurers' faces gave him delight, "the mistress, the one who is at the very top of the councils, their leader, is a former ruby rank."
"WHAT?" they all were amazed.
"Ruby rank? What was her power?" Serene asked.
"No wonder they all were scared that time," Lance murmured.
Serene noticed him saying something, "what was that?"
"Nothing."
"You clearly said something about the council," she insisted.
"There is a reason why the councils do not show themselves to the public," Leon growled.
It is indeed forbidden to question the council's appearance as it is something they did to protect themselves from traitors who could possibly use them for something evil.
"Remember," Leon stared to each of them, "do not open anything unrelated to the search."
The golden sheathe owner took a step backwards, slowly closing the doors on them.
"Ask for me if you ever have some questions," Leon said as he walked away.
"He seems stuck up," Serene shrugged.
"I can still hear you," Leon's voice faded.
Serene froze.
That exchange earlier caused both Lance and Lithea to wonder why Calla showed her face to them. Is the rule inapplicable to her? But she's the most public person out of all within the council.
"Enough with that," Lance walked towards the box that was dated earlier than others, "let us get to work."
Everyone nodded and they each took a box to study its content, tracing everything they have in their hand. Too focused on reading 'til their eyes went dry, yet they still could not rest. Not until they have figured everything out. From one box to another, from one hour to more; each report, every movement, every evidence, there must be something, a mistake that could determine their whereabouts.
Viv raised his hand with a scroll that's filled with scribbles.
"Don't understand," he said, frowning.
Thenea went to him and took the scroll from his box, she knew he is not stupid, he can understand everything. He just has a hard time expressing himself, and he also is afraid of what he could possibly say would cause everyone to hate him. This is why he keeps to himself, but he is still helpful like the rest of them.
"Let me see," she put out her hand and Viv placed the unrolled scroll on it.
Thenea sat next to him and spread the scroll, "this is—"
She looked at Lithea, they all were confused why, and she said "this is in ancient writings."
"Have Lithea take a look at it," Lance said.
Verin who's sitting across Thenea took the paper and passed it to Lithea who's seated a meter next to him.
"Here."
The priestess looked at everyone before having her eyes on the scroll.
"They are jumbled," she said.
"Can you do it?" Verin scooted to her.
Lithea only nodded.
"That is alright, keep digging everyone. Let Lithea do her part peacefully."
Lance's orders were heard and they all returned to their task. Indeed deciphering an ancient language requires a peaceful environment to not be distracted. But not to her, all she has to do is place them correctly so that it would make sense.
"Has anyone have locations in your boxes?" Lance asked as he wrote down the locations where the evidence and abduction took place.
"I have," each of them said.
"Write them down and the date as well."
They did not say anything and only did what was asked of them.
"The houses were pinned as well, shall we write them down too?" Verin asked.
"Yes, those could be a lead."
"You heard him," Verin said and went back to work, gathering blank papers to write the locations.
As they kept themselves busy, a soldier opened the door hastily and shouted, "Four children went missing at the playground just now!"
All of them froze and stopped what they were doing, they were waiting for a "but it was all taken care of" but that hope was not given.
"What about the guards surrounding the area? Had they gone lenient?" Lance shouted. Here they are doing all of this work, wanting to locate the criminal as soon as possible but the children were abducted at the place with soldiers guarding them.
"They were all unconscious when we found them, sir." The soldier reported.
Lance sighed loudly as he was irritated, "Verin, Viv, Serene."
The three looked at Lance, "I want you all to scout the area and move. The remaining ones here will look for more clues and take care of your part. Also,"
He grabbed the locations they all had gathered so far, "follow what you found in here and what you will discover."
They all wore a determined look.
"But before that," Lance took out a flat box from their portal inventory they use from the ring and set it on the table. When he opened it, eight mana-activated earpieces lay inside.
"What's this?" Serene asked.
"These are earpieces, put this in your ear and we can communicate with each other within a mile."
"And if we're over a mile?" Serene grinned.
"Stop it." Verin glared at her.
She groaned, "Fine."
"Where did you get all of this?" Verin asked him.
"The guild provided us."
"Eight?" Thenea asked.
"There were originally eight people in this rank," he said, "but with the dark mage gone, there are now only seven rings in the guild's possession."
"But we are only six?" Serene counted.
Lance sighed again, "Set aside the questions. The priority is to find the children."
They all took an earpiece and wore it.
"Now, go!"
"Roger!" The three saluted and the others saluted back.
They all dash out to capture whoever this person causing troubles in the peaceful land of scorpion.
"Let us hope those kids are still alive," Lance uttered.
"Yeah," Thenea agreed.
Lithea did not move from her seat and focused on her task to decipher the document, as her eyes were busy trying to figure out its correct placement; her hand was busy writing on a clean paper. Erasing, and writing, and erasing, and writing.
Far from the Scorpion Hall, the silver haired guy hopped down from the tree when he confirmed the man finally left the cave. He stealthily ran inside the cave, trying to make sure there's no one inside helping him.
He tried to listen carefully, trying to determine whoever is inside but all he can hear are the children's pained, and frightened cries. His heart aches with this agonizing sound.
As light as he wants to walk inside the cave, with the children already blind with how dark it is inside, their hearing automatically heightened. With each step he makes, sends fear to the older children thinking the man came back earlier.
'Did he forget something?' one child thought.
But no matter how he got used to the way the old man walked, this seems light and careful. It isn't dragged and messy.
"Come closer," an older kid whispered to the others and they did as told.
The moment the silver haired guy saw a bunch of children hugging each other, trembling, he unsheathed his scimitar and let a small amount of mana run through it, the gem in the middle of the blade glowed brightly, revealing his appearance to the children.
"I have come to save you all."
The shadows within the woods faded and appeared before the old man.
"You have been found," an echoey voice of a woman said to him.
"M'lady," he knelt, shaking. "I did everything I could."
"Well, it doesn't seem enough," the shadow grinned.
"Let me keep doing it, please." He cried as he begged.
"What more could you offer me?"
The old man frantically thought of what he had but there's nothing. No family, no treasure, no nothing.
"My life," he said in a serious tone.
The shadow continued to stare at him and did not utter a single world.
"Your life?"
It swirls around the man, giggling uncontrollably.
"Your life means nothing, Grun."
The shadow kept laughing menacingly, mocking the person before her.
"Please, please, please." He kept begging.
"What would we get from your life?"
"More!" he screamed, "I will offer more children!"
"Hmm," her glowing eyes squinted, "but you'll get caught."
"I will find another hideout," he is trying hard to make the shadow believe her.
The figure brushed her hand on the man's face, "make sure you won't fail this time."
He nodded vigorously as she faded along the winds.