--------------- Half A Year after Territory Fittoa disappeared ---------------
As Roxy knelt down amidst the desolate remains of Fittoa, her fingers trembled as they traced the faint imprints left by the vanished stone-paved road.
The eerie silence of the grasslands amplified her anxiety, each blade of grass whispering a horrid tale that she could not decipher.
Her mind was a tumultuous storm of emotions, trying to comprehend the incomprehensible.
The once-bustling village, now reduced to ruins, seemed to echo with the ghostly laughter of children at play and the jovial chatter of its inhabitants.
She the ghosts of the past, the path she had walked along with Julian helping the villagers and the path along the fields she had rode with Rudeus, the day her student became one of the youngest Saint-Tier Water Magician.
Memories of her students, danced before her eyes like ethereal specters. She could almost hear their voices, exchanging light-hearted banters and their jubilant celebrations when they celebrated their birthdays.
Roxy Migurdia. Under her guidance she nurtured the youngest Saint Tier Magicians. The older twin, Rudeus Greyrat, achieved the status of Water Saint Magician when he turned 5 while the younger twin, Julian Greyrat, acheived the status of Fire and Earth Saint Magician at the tender age of 4.
Not onlt she had the honour of being a King Ranked Magician herself but also the honour as the teacher of two one in a hundred-years talents.
But now, all that was left were the lingering echoes of their brilliance.
Roxy's heart felt heavy, burdened not only by grief but by self-lament as well. Would she have been able to save those two if she had stayed when Paul and Zenith told her so? If she did, would they still be alive and smiling?
She reached out to touch the scorched and fragmented remnants of The Greyrat Household that once stood proudly. The splintered remains seemed to whisper the tale of a tragedy so profound that its resonance lingered in the very air she breathed.
Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the outlines of the wreckage.
She yearned to understand what had befallen this once-thriving land, but the truth remained elusive, hidden behind a shroud of darkness that seemed impenetrable.
All she remembered was sensing [Summoning Magic].
She couldn't understand what had happened.
Roxy's mind raced with possibilities, each more distressing than the last.
Had they fallen victim to a cataclysmic event? Or had a malevolent GOD deliberately erased their existence? The questions plagued her, yet answers were nowhere to be found.
In this realm of sorrow and desolation, Roxy felt like an island lost in an endless sea of uncertainty.
Every fiber of her being ached with an insatiable longing for her students, her family, and the life they had built together.
As the sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the grasslands, Roxy remained there, a solitary figure in a landscape of lost memories.
As Roxy crumbled to her knees, her shoulders shook with heavy sobs that echoed through the desolate grasslands.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, carving glistening trails in the dirt and dust that clung to her face.
She brought trembling hands to her eyes, desperately trying to wipe away the evidence of her grief, but no matter how many tears she whisked away, they seemed to replenish with each passing moment.
"Did you lose your family member too?" The driver's voice was gentle, offering a small glimmer of solace in the face of overwhelming loss. The words he spoke were filled with empathy, seeking to understand her pain.
Her voice quivered with emotion as she replied, "My students." She couldn't help but acknowledge the brilliance and potential that had been snuffed out so tragically.
The driver paused, contemplating the nature of a magician's student and the dangers that came with such a path.
But then, he too was struck by the harrowing truth—both Rudeus and Julian were merely ten years old.
The innocence and youth of these promising souls made their loss all the more heart-wrenching.
He offered a comforting gesture, placing a consoling hand on her shoulder. "That's really...very young..." The driver's sigh mirrored the heaviness in Roxy's heart.
However, amidst the shadows of despair, a glimmer of hope emerged. The driver mentioned a survivor camp for Fedoa, suggesting that there might be a chance, however slim, that some had managed to endure the catastrophe.
He offered to take Roxy there, in the hopes of finding the two students she cherished.
Without a moment's hesitation, Roxy raised her head, determination shining in her eyes. "I'll go!" she declared.
The belief that Rudeus, Julian, and the others had survived fueled her resolve.
She clung fiercely to the meek possibility that their overwhelming strength had carried them through.
(*********)
As Roxy approached the survivor camp, she beheld a sight that seemed to defy the very essence of the Asura Kingdom she once knew.
Instead of a humble gathering of survivors, the camp appeared more like a sorrowful village with several wooden houses scattered across the landscape.
Despite its appearance, there was an overwhelming aura of desolation that hung heavy in the air, creating a hauntingly depressing atmosphere.
The contrast struck Roxy profoundly, for the Asura Kingdom she remembered was a place of abundance and vitality.
It was a paradise where every face bore a radiance of energy and smiles, a land blessed with plentiful food and scarce monsters --- a true haven for its inhabitants.
But what laid before her now was a stark departure from that image of prosperity.
She couldn't fathom how quickly the smiles had vanished from the faces of those who had ample provisions and lacked nothing.
In this place of abundance, one could even pluck the grass and survive without hunger, yet jarring shift in atmosphere now had left her thoughts reeling.
As she continued her exploration, she noticed the temporary adventurer's guild, a place that should have been bustling with excitement and challenes.
Yet, the notice boards that once brimmed with hopeful requests were now shrouded in an incredibly gloomy atmosphere.
The people who had endured unimaginable loss in the aftermath of Fittoa's disappearance expressed their grief through tears and anguished cries.
Their agony echoed in her ears, reverberating through the depths of her soul.
In the heart-wrenching scene, Roxy witnessed a priest abandoning the very symbol of his faith, the Milis cross, casting it upon the ground in a gesture of despair and disillusionment.
It was a poignant moment that symbolized the loss of belief and hope.
Even a merchant, whose lifeblood was once trade, had reached a point of desolation so profound that he attempted to end his life --- attempted suicide.
The surrounding people intervened, but it was evident that he had lost something more precious than life itself.
This living hell seemed devoid of hope, and the atmosphere weighed heavily on Roxy's spirit.
It was as if the collective anguish had permeated her being, leaving her on the brink of tears.
Despite the somber surroundings, she resolved to gather information, her emotions a tangled web of sorrow.
(********)
In the span of an hour, Roxy painstakingly pieced together the fragments of the tragedy that befell Fittoa.
It all began with an unusual phenomenon in the sky, heralding the arrival of a massive [Mana Calamity].
The calamity manifested like a colossal area-of-effect spell, but unlike a devastating explosion, it wrought a different kind of havoc.
In an instant, the entire populace of Fittoa, buildings, and even the dense forest, vanished without a trace.
Only the people remained, flung chaotically to different corners of the world.
"I found them...!" Roxy knit her eyebrows and found Rudeus and the others in the missing people list.
> Rudeus Greyrat.
> Zenith Greyrat.
> Lilia Greyrat.
> Aisha Greyrat.
As Roxy's eyes scanned the name list once more, her heart clenched with sadness.
The names of Paul and Norn were nowhere to be found, and a heavy sense of worry settled upon her.
Despite her initial relief that they were not listed among the deceased, she reminded herself that the absence of their names might not necessarily guarantee their safety.
Information could have been omitted or the situation might have changed since the list was compiled.
It was too early to find comfort in their absence from the list.
The realization that they could still be in grave danger left a bitter taste in her mouth. "In any case, I should be happy that at least the others didn't die..." she murmured softly, trying to hold onto whatever solace she could find amidst the uncertainty.
Her gaze shifted to the message board, where heartfelt requests were pinned, each a plea for the safe return of missing loved ones.
The effort and emotion poured into each message were palpable, and Roxy felt a twinge of envy.
It was heartening to see how much the people in the camp cared for one another, willing to extend themselves to search for their missing family members and friends.
Yet, as she contemplated her own situation, a melancholic realization washed over her.
If she were the one who had gone missing, she doubted anyone would be as determined to find her.
The feeling of being overlooked and forgotten weighed heavily on her heart.
Perhaps Julian or Rudeus would make an effort, but beyond that, she couldn't be certain.
Thoughts of her parents resurfaced, and she felt a pang of guilt for the argument that led to her hasty departure from the village.
Time had flown by, and she couldn't shake the regret that lingered in her mind.
Despite it not being long by Migurd's race standards, it had felt like an eternity to her.
Determined to mend the rift, she decided it was best to write a letter to her parents.
However, amidst the messages pinned to the board, she stumbled upon one that seized her attention.
The author's name was Paul Greyrat.Her heart skipped a beat as she read the message.
"To my boys, Rudeus and Julian. Zenith, Lilia and Aisha are missing, Norn is with me. Though I don't know where you are, but I think you will find your way here. So, I have pushed back the thought of finding you both. I'm going to Milis continent, that place is where Zenith was born. I also left a message at Lilia's hometown, go ahead and search there. If you find them, go ahead and contact me with the method below. If you're Zenith or Lilia, use the same method to contact me too. Also, if you know me or my family members, or you're a former member of the [Fangs of the Black Wolf], please help me find them too. The former members of the [Fangs of the Black Wolf] still remember me, right? I won't say something like "forgive and forget". It's fine if you scold me too. I'll lick your shoes if you want me too, but all my properties are gone so I can't pay you. Please, I beg of you, help me find my family. Contact Details:
Milis continent, capital of the Milis holy kingdom, Milishion's Adventurer Guild.
Party Name [Buena's Search party]
Clan name [Fittoa's Search group]
From [Paul Greyrat]
Time seemed to slow as Roxy stood there, processing the newfound information.
The message from Paul Greyrat became a focal point of her thoughts, fueling her determination to uncover the whereabouts of her missing students and reunite them with their family.
In this somber and uncertain place, her determination burned brightly, like a beacon in the darkness.
Roxy's heart felt a glimmer of relief knowing that Paul was still alive.
Despite the less-than-flattering description Rudeus had provided in his letters, she recognized that in dire situations like this, even someone like Paul, deemed "worthless" by his son, could prove to be surprisingly reliable and resourceful.
As she considered her options, memories of the time she spent with the Greyrat family flooded her mind.
They had taken her in and welcomed her as one of their own, and those two years she spent with them were filled with warmth and belonging.
She felt a deep sense of gratitude towards them, and on many levels, there was no need for hesitation when it came to helping them.
Decisively, Roxy made up her mind. "Alright, I'll join a party to find them," she affirmed.
Joining a party seemed like the most practical approach to navigate the vast and dangerous world in search of the missing members of the Greyrat family.
But the question that lingered was how she would go about finding them amidst the unknown expanse of the world.
Roxy knew that this wouldn't be an easy task, as they could be anywhere, scattered to far-flung regions by the [Mana Calamity].
She decided to start by seeking information from fellow adventurers, travelers, and the residents of the survivor camp.
Listening to rumors and gathering any hints about sightings or locations where they might have been spotted could be a starting point.
With her experience as an adventurer and her proficiency in magic, she believed she could follow their trail and use her skills to overcome the various challenges that lay ahead.
Another option was to form a party specifically dedicated to finding the Greyrat family members. By teaming up with like-minded individuals who were also determined to reunite missing loved ones, they could combine their strengths and resources, increasing the chances of success.
As Roxy weighed her options, she felt a surge of determination within her.
She knew it wouldn't be an easy or straightforward journey, but she was willing to face whatever obstacles came her way.
She would brave the unknown and venture into uncharted territories, propelled by her desire to find her dear students and bring them back to their family.
"Alright. Let's go. I will find you, Julian. Rudeus." She spoke to herself.
Suddenly, someone started writing something on the board.
As everyone gathered the news spread like wildfire through the survivor camp, a somber hush descended upon the gathering.
The whispers and gasps that rippled through the crowd were like mournful echoes, reverberating with disbelief and sorrow.
It was a place where hope and despair intertwined, and each new name added to the board of the deceased sent shockwaves through the hearts of those who remained.
The figure at the center of attention, "the boss", seemed to struggle to come to terms with the reality before him.
The weight of grief and loss bore down heavily on his shoulders. "Oi, Oi, Oi. You can't be serious. HIM too?" he uttered with a mix of incredulity and despair. The notion that such a young and talented life had been claimed by the tragic Mana Calamity was almost too much to bear.
The one who wrote it, came forward to validate the devastating truth. "Yeah, boss. Really felt sorry for the boy. He helped me a lot, here and there, ya'know," the ally shared, a hint of melancholy coloring his words.
Another person, unable to wrap his mind around the cruel twist of fate, could only muster a pained response, "No way in fucking hell..... how?" The anguish in his voice mirrored the collective grief that hung like a heavy cloud over the camp. "He was strong..... he helped the villagers so much."
As the name was etched onto the board of the deceased, a wave of sorrow washed over the onlookers.
The mere act of writing that name seemed to solidify the tragic loss, as if to make the reality more tangible and final.
Gasps and wails intermingled, the sounds of mourning that resonated through the air.
"Are you sure, boss?" a voice questioned, a glimmer of hope seeking reassurance that this news was a mistake.
But the boss responded with certainty, his voice weighed down by the burden of what he had seen. "Ye. Saw his corpse. Little guy was impaled to death."
And then, amidst the collective sorrow, Roxy's world seemed to come to a standstill.
As if time itself had ceased to flow, she turned around slowly, her body feeling heavy, as if every step took immense effort.
Her mind, numbed by grief, refused to fully accept what had been spoken.
'No.... no..... no.... no..... no....no..... no....no..... no....no..... no....no..... no....no..... no....no..... no....'
The word 'no' reverberated in her mind, a desperate chant of denial that sought to reject the cruel reality before her.
She wiped away the tears that blurred her vision and faced the board again, forcing herself to confront the truth.
The name of her dear student, etched in stark contrast to the others, was a testament to the life that had been extinguished too soon.
The world around her seemed to fade into a haze, the sounds of grief distant and muffled.
Roxy's heart felt like it was being torn apart, her emotions a tempest of sorrow and disbelief.
With a heavy heart and tear-stained cheeks, Roxy vowed to find every last one of the Greyrats.
But despite her attempts at keeping her attention somewhere else, she couldn't shrug the pain in her heart away.
It was just too much.
What was the text you ask?
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[NAME: Julian Greyrat]
[STATUS: Deceased : K407 - K417]
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Author's Note - Thanks for reading this fic.