Arriving where the others are, all of them can't believe what they're seeing. This state is something they were not expecting to see, they were confident they would be fine. But Hugo got injured, and Lithea was unconscious. Only Thenea has no visible injuries yet she looked tired.
Viv's eyes met with Thenea's red eyes, she was holding in her tears when she noticed they were coming.
"Thenea!" he shouted and sprinted towards her.
"Did he just say her name?" Serene blinked, asking herself, "not Tia?"
Serene was talking to herself as she walked to the others, "I think this is the first time I heard him talk properly."
She was deep in her thoughts, "and that's just her name."
"Serene!"
The rose mage blinked multiple times and searched for the person who called her, it was Verin who was looking at her weirdly.
"What?"
"What are you doing? Help us!"
She then remembered why they hurried, they're injured.
"What happened here?" Lance asked Thenea.
She shook her head, "she was healing the kids but all of a sudden her mana exploded."
"Mana explosion?" Lance can't remember if he's heard of something like this before, it seems new to him. This is not something he encounters everyday, and none of the guild members had ever talked about this as well.
Had he known something like this, he would have searched about it in case he encounters anything like it. Unfortunately, this is the first and he couldn't help.
Thenea nodded, "she released too much mana and it went spiral."
Just then, the two guards arrived with reinforcements and a few wagons for the children.
Lance glanced at Grun who's still passed out and bound with Serene's vines.
"Thenea, I know you're worn out but can you please check if there's some remaining energy in him."
Thenea smiled and nodded, "I'm still fine."
"You can always say no," Lance reminded her, he's also afraid she's only saying it for the mission.
"I'm fine, she only had me cast the orb."
"Alright," he nodded, "just don't over-exert yourself, okay?"
She only gave him a nod and went over to Grun and started her chant.
"Lend me your strength and the goodness of your heart," the orb imitated a faint glow, "Let me find the slightest hint of darkness inside this person and destroy it."
Everyone's eyes were fixed on her.
"As the darkness fades, the light will shine. Set this person free from what possessed him and shield him from harm."
The person was wrapped up in a warm glow and Serene's vines loosened up. He floated in the air as bits of darkness escaped his body and exploded. When he was settled back down on the ground, Viv frowned and kept kicking his unconscious body.
Spirit felt her head create a sharp pain. Her eyes bulged as she felt such intense pain for the first time.
"Arghhh."
She felt her strength fade and she almost fell from the tree, fortunately, she used her winds to float down the ground.
"I need to go back."
"Let's carefully load the children on the wagons so they can go get treatment," Lance said and everyone helped.
"Let me create them a soft bed," Serene volunteered and summoned her vines again, this time, she made it thick and soft and knitted the children a comfortable bed to sleep on.
"Good work, Serene." Thenea praised her.
"Now for those two," the redhead looked at the unconscious Lithea who's comfortable with the bed she made earlier for her, and then at Hugo who's resting with his eyes closed.
"He wouldn't have gotten those injuries if he didn't protect me," Thenea felt guilty.
"Protect you?"
The blonde mage nodded, "yeah, when her mana can't be controlled, he covered me just in time for the explosion to happen."
Serene was in deep thought, "so, what do you think of him?"
An awkward head shake was the only thing Serene got out of Thenea as an answer, "I still can't say."
"Something bothering you?"
"It looks like he's on to Lithea."
Serene's expression changed, she's suspicious, "on to her?"
"Yeah, he kept watching her. Not because we were tasked to watch over her, no."
Thenea looked around before whispering to Serene, "his eyes are filled with curiosity and regret."
"What?!" Serene can't help but to say it out loud, it didn't make sense to her.
"I know, it's weird. Let's give it time."
"What if he has a different mission and is here to capture Lithea since she's a newbie?" Serene can't help but become protective and overthink things, "what if they don't want Lithea as a Ruby rank? What if they see her as a threat?"
"Hey!" Thenea kept gesturing for her to hush down.
"What are we going to do?" Serene screamed.
The shorter adventurer covered Serene's mouth and flicked her forehead, "quiet down."
Serene blinked, "the only thing we can do now is observe him."
"Wouldn't that be disrespectful to the guy who protected you?" she wondered.
"Not if he's being suspicious," Thenea sighed, "let's not tell the others for now."
Serene nodded, she knew the guys wouldn't stay put. But what they did not know was that Verin was already suspicious of him.
"The wagon is ready for transport," one of the scorpion guards yelled to inform everyone.
"Serene, have these two settle first," Lance said and she moved her vines to keep Lithea and Hugo comfortable.
"Have the children's wagons go first, surround them." Lance ordered.
"Ha!" The guard stomped his foot and walked towards the others to relay the assignment.
"We should move as well," he said and all of them got on the wagon.
The Land of Scorpio's abduction case being their first mission as a group, and being the first S-Rank mission for years, Lance had a lot of thoughts in his head. Questions of his incompetence and weakness resurfaced. He thought he's not fit to command the team, but if not him, who? He could only think of two people who could replace him, Verin and Hugo.
Verin had the capabilities, he thinks of the good for the whole team first. He also isn't afraid to reprimand anyone; he trains both his body and mind everyday. His instincts are on point as well, although not as good as Viv.
Hugo on the other hand is more fit than Verin, he's stronger and more sharp. But he put his personal mission above else, he cannot guarantee he won't leave the team for what he trained for.
Lance sighed and watched the night sky slowly fading in the horizon as the sun was about to rise. A sleepless night with a lot of things to think of. His head started to ache.
As their commander, it is his duty to watch over them and know what they're up to, what they want, and how much they've improved. And since Hugo chose to detach himself with the group, Lance asked the guild to let him know about him, even just a little bit. With that, Calla gave him a bird, a rare one, a green colored crow.
These crows are hard to tame and capture, they choose their masters. Once you're chosen by them, they will do anything you tell them to. Luckily, Calla's tamed green crow felt comfortable with him as soon as they met.
"Must be your Vancouv blood," Calla said when she saw how the crow started to rub its head on his chest.
When Hugo joined, Calla wanted him to lead the team alongside Lance, but it was refused without second thought. He was very adamant with it. Although the reason for it wasn't told to him, he told himself to not fully trust Hugo if he would change his mind. No, especially if he changes his mind. And now that he's with them, he wonders if it is just a mere coincidence or is there more to why he's also doing the same mission as them.
"We're at the gates," yelled the guard who was driving their wagon.
The group arrived at the town peacefully and they could see the parents who waited for the children all night wore an expression of relief on their faces, but with the kids' current situation, there is nothing much to say about the future of these children.
They all watched the parents who cried as they kept an eye on the wagons that carried their children in it.
"Where are we going?" Serene asked.
"We were told to immediately take you to the adventurer's hospital, miss."
"Before that, can the rest of us check the tree first?" Lance asked.
"Tree, sir?"
"Yes, the one we found at the outskirts of the village."
"Of course, but Miss Lithea looks like she needs care immediately."
"After she's settled, we will go."
And just as he said, Thenea and Viv were left with Lithea. Hugo was told to stay as well and tend to his injuries but he refused, telling them he can still move and that it is nothing compared to his injuries when he trained.
The others didn't push further and have him come with them. They can see how he badly wanted to see the crystalized tree in person.
"What should we do with this?" Verin asked as they all circled the tree.
"It doesn't look as good as it did when we first found it," Serene took notice.
"It seems rather gloomy," she added.
"We should let Lady Edrei decide," Lance said, if he could, he would. But since they're not at the capital, he can't do as he pleases. After all, this region has a different council.
The group was still discussing the events of the day when Hugo swiftly turned as he squats and threw the rock he picked up. But the person who he threw it at simply moved her head to the side and grinned.
"Awesome reflexes."
"Jades," Verin clenched his teeth.
Coral waved her hand cheerfully, "hello my lovely rubies!"
She was grinning and giggling when he noticed Hugo, she did not care about him at first for throwing a rock at her. But now that she stares at him, her eyes sparkled like she just found her favourite dress.
"Oh my world," she purred.
Serene noticed her change of attitude and raised an eyebrow.
"What a fine young man you have here, rubies!"
"What?" Both Verin and Lance were dumbfounded.
"What's your name, new guy?" she ran towards her and was about to throw herself to him when Serene blocked her and whipped her thorny lasso.
"Stay back, Coral!"
Coral flipped her hair and scoffed, "Ha, he's not even that great."
"Stand down, Coral," Lance stared at her.
"Lance, that's not applicable to me. I'm not Viv."
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh," Coral smiled, "I'm here for that thing behind you."
All of them alerted themselves.
"What do you mean?"
"I am taking that tree back to the lab."
"With whose order?" Lance fought.
"My commander?" Coral shrugged.
"Do you have papers for that?"
Coral rolled her eyes, "give me it."
One of the Jade soldiers handed the scroll to his captain.
"Here, captain."
Coral's expression changed, "hand it over to them."
"Of course, my apologies captain."
Lance read the scroll and it was indeed ordered by the J.I. But he had doubts it was Dash as there's no signature found in the letter.
"Even with this," he threw it back at the soldier, "you can't take it without the council's approval."
"Who are you to tell me that? You may be a rank higher than us, don't forget we're above you in terms of the importance of this investigation, Vancouv."
"You can't use that tone on me," Lance took a step forward, "if this is about the secret case, it is just right that the northeastern council must know about this."
"If it is Mayor's approval you seek of," Leon suddenly appeared and butted in the conversation, "I can assure you that is what I am authorized with."
"Leon, what are you doing here?" Lance asked.
"The very same thing this lady is after," he smiled gently and walked towards the tree with grace.
"And you are?" Coral crossed her arms near her chest.
"Oh," Leon turned to face her, "my apologies, miss. I am called Leon, the right hand of the northeastern council."
"Ah," she reacted, clearly disinterested.
"Does the mayor know?" Lance asked, genuinely concerned about Coral's sudden appearance.
"My lady has been watching everything," he informed, "she can only give one fruit to the J.I."
"What?!" Coral can't believe what she's hearing.
"As for the ruby adventurers," he faced Lance, "you will be coming with me."