With Sisters frustration brewing Father decides to shut his mouth for the rest of the conversation. Now that the sinister aura is starting to diminish from Sister, Heddwyn starts calculating on average, how long sister would have to get her will in order.
"so, I would estimate that you would have to say you have four years to live. That is a generous timeframe, It would be very possible that you could die before that." A long pause fills the room before Heddwyn speaks again.
"now to answer your question of why I think you have TB. I'm guessing your already taking herbal cures?"
"well, yes but it hasn't done a thing, so I stopped taking them to save us funds" sister replies nervously.
Heddwyn's face went from relaxed to worried and he hastily starts shouting. "HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU STOPPED TAKING THEM!"
Sister was caught off guard, causing her to stutter on her words. "I I th- think about two weeks?"
Without even a pause to let her breath Heddwyn starts rambling with a less worried expression in his voice, but still startling. "this reduces the time by an average of six months. Not good at all, I'll pay for the potions, keep taking them"
She nods and Without even a second thought sister says "we can't tell the kids any of this. Absolutely none of this, you hear me father?" with a shakiness in her voice.
Both Heddwyn and Father both nod to signal a mutual agreement of the situation. With that matter settled, Heddwyn goes back to formulating a plan to save the three missing kids.
"ok, this shouldn't be too much of a problem to undertake. I will go around the opposite way to the entrance on the road. This may catch the kidnapper off guard, if they haven't established a detection field spell around the area that is"
"I would need to use this counter detection scroll on the barrier if there is one" Heddwyn takes a scroll out from the sleeves of his adventurer plate armour and places it on the table.
(narrator) I am now going to explain how you can detect magic fields, it's a little confusing.
So, a mage can't instinctively detect a magic field. It's a very specific technique that is called mage sight. Mage sight is just the focus of magical energy within a person's eyes. It lets a mage see the unique threads of a magic spell and counter it accordingly. In a mage battle it is crucial for a mage to use this without even thinking. But to use a technique without even thinking takes allot of time and discipline to master. If you understand the threads of the magic formation, it can be disabled at the weakest point but if a spell was being used defensively the mage would easily notice as the consumption of their mana would cease. So, a counter detection scroll would be the only effective measure of getting past a detection spell without ever actually being detected. However, masters of detection magic will feel the sliver of disturbance still left behind.
"I will do the rest of this as the situation sees fit. Sound good to you two?" Heddwyn said, finishing his plan to them.
At the same time both say "yes" while sister continues with "I look forward to your return with our children" with her manner changing sweet and soft, emotions Father wasn't used to seeing from sister, so it struck him as odd.
With all conversations resolved, Heddwyn packs up the map and scroll back into his bag and pills out a large black spear.
"I promise, I'll bring back those kids" Heddwyn states with confidence and an unexpected kitty growl.
Catching Father off guard, it takes all his willpower to stop himself from laughing. Sister on the other hand had no shame to say. "how adorable" Heddwyn blushes and chuckles at her statement. He leaves to go find the orphans, leaving Sister and Father in the church to wait and discuss what just transpired.
A long pause fills the room before a conversation transpires between the two religious adults.
"I'm going to focus on what I'm going to do in terms of splitting my stuff for when I die. don't expect anything to be for you father, you are my biggest pain in the ass" Sister said softly as she breaks out in a sweat.
"I wouldn't have expected anything to begin with. All you stuff should go to the kids" Father also said softly.
"are you ok sister? you're sweating." Father said, worried for her health
"no, I'm not. I was trying my best to not show how bad my condition is. By his estimate of the truth, I would actually have two years to live not three and a half"
Sister is no longer able to supress her discomfort and starts coughing profusely, coughing up blood and clots. After a few minutes this subsides and Sister heads upstairs to clean up and write her will. Father can do nothing but watch the horrific sight that just unfolded before him.
(narrator) I cannot believe such a powerful woman has been given such a long and painful last years to live out. But the story must go on, Let's catch up with Heddwyn.
After leaving the church, Heddwyn starts his search by going behind the church to go around the back of his search area. He enters the forest and immediately checks if he is using mage sight. He was, got to make sure you know. Without even a thought he weaves a spell in his mind. It's a status effect spell, its 2 rune circles and 40 runes in size and dark grey in colour. It takes no longer than 10 seconds to cast. "status effect muffle" he casts this spell upon himself, and the spell coats his feet in an almost black aura. Thanks to the aura His footsteps become silent.
About 20 minutes of walking later, he comes along a very wide detection field. "I knew it" he says coming along the barrier. Now that he is there, he grabs the counter detection scroll and infuses his mana into it activating the paper's stored magic. It gets enveloped in a bright blue flame before coating Heddwyn in the counter detection aura.
As he passes through the field of magic, the scrolls magic starts converting itself into the enemy's unique mana. He will never truly know if he has been detected until he meets face to face with his opponent. That's probably the only disadvantage that he poses right now.
Heddwyn kneels on one knee and touches his right palm to the floor. He is feeling for any disturbances in his defences. Oh, that's right I haven't explained anything about Heddwyn. His magic attribute is enchantment magic, and his affinity is buffing. The enchantment attribute allows him to be most effective at enchanting stuff, Like the ground of his woodland home. The buffing attribute is basically used to either buff defence in battle or increase an enemy's weaknesses.
Where were we? Oh yeah, I remember, after kneeling and touching the ground he spends a while feeling for any disturbances in the dirt. Low and behold he has 3 hits, one just outside the main road, one on the north of the forest and one within the search parameter.
"score" Heddwyn mumbles to himself.
After detecting the area in the parameter, he makes a b-line towards it. Even though he was heading towards the disturbance, he is finding it difficult to pinpoint the base of operations. It takes him a while, but he comes to find the light from the campfire.
"shit I need to stay back for a bit while the scroll wares off" Heddwyn whispers. He ends up waiting for a further five minutes before the scroll decides to fuck off. Will we see an epic battle of Heddwyn and this mysterious woman? You'll have to wait until next time in chapter 4
(narrator) yes! Love making suspense!