Elliot sighed and continued his story.
"It seemed impossible at the start. We began at the town where the ring was found, thoroughly searching it and the neighboring settlements for any signs of you or the captain, staking out the area for days and questioning the people.
"His Majesty, the King, had ordered us to be discreet in the search. We could only show people sketches of your faces without revealing your true identities. The search went on for almost a week before we got our first lead.
"At the farthest village we visited, a merchant told us about a very remote settlement beyond the forest in the far west, inhabited by a nomadic tribe that sometimes traveled to the village to trade for goods.
"It seemed like a long shot, but since we'd searched everywhere else, the general decided we would search for the nomadic settlement as our last attempt. He didn't want to go back empty-handed and disappoint the King without trying everything.
