Emily arrived at William's house with a look of disgust on her face. She couldn't stand the thought of encountering Fredrick, who had unceremoniously fired her father after 30 years of loyal service. Everyone despised him for his arrogance and penchant for cruelly reminding people of their worst moments. Though he never committed a crime, his tendencies were just plain weird.
"Uncle Martin, why don't you call Big Brother William outside of the house?" Emily requested, struggling to maintain a straight face.
Martin gave her a quizzical look, but complied and knocked on the door. Just then, they heard a voice from behind addressing them.
"Emily? What are you doing here?"
William looked at Emily with a puzzled expression. He was wearing the uniform of the White Lotus City's Army Camp, which not only trained the army but was also a sect operated by the City Lord's Clan. He was accompanied by his junior apprentice brother Henry, who was dressed in the same uniform and had the same white lotus-shaped insignia printed on the chest as William, indicating their shared sect.
As Emily caught sight of William, her brave façade crumbled and she lunged towards him, embracing him tightly while sobbing uncontrollably. William, taken aback by her sudden outburst, tried to soothe her and ask her what was wrong. However, his efforts were interrupted by the loud growling of Emily's stomach, which rumbled with hunger.
William quickly made a decision and ushered Emily inside the house, determined to provide her with some comfort and nourishment before asking any questions.
Martin, sensing the genuine concern in William's actions, decided to leave and give the two some privacy.
As Emily stumbled inside the house, William could see that something was terribly wrong. She was shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. William had never seen her so distraught before. As Emily collapsed into his arms, he could feel her tiny frame shuddering with sobs.
Without wasting a moment, William picked her up and carried her to the dining table. He gave her a glass of water and some food, hoping it would help calm her down. But it was no use. Emily's cries only grew louder, echoing through the house.
William had never felt so helpless. He didn't know what had happened to her, but he knew that he had to be there for her. He sat down next to her and gently stroked her hair, hoping to offer some comfort. But it was like she didn't even notice him.
As Emily's cries began to die down, William tried to ask her what was wrong. But every time he opened his mouth, she would just cry harder. It was like she couldn't even find the words to express her pain.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Emily managed to speak. She told him about her father's disappearance and how she had no idea what to do. William listened patiently, offering words of comfort whenever he could.
As he held her in his arms, William could feel Emily's tiny frame begin to relax. After sometime she slowly fell a sleep.
.....
"Senior apprentice brother, what should we do now?" Henry asked as they entered a separate room away from Emily to avoid waking her up.
"Should we report this to my father?" Henry continued.
"No, we can't disturb him with something this minor, at least from his perspective," William said, pondering over the situation.
"We can search for Thomas tomorrow, and we can also take some of our friends from the army camp with us," William suggested.
"That's a good idea. I can also get some higher-ups in the army to help us," Henry added, nodding in agreement.
"Okay, let's let Emily sleep here for tonight," William said.
"No," Henry said, raising his voice slightly to show his disagreement with the idea.
"Shhh, don't shout. You will wake Emily up," William hushed him.
"Sorry, but we can't have her sleep here. Although Frederick is currently away, once he returns, he will surely nag both of us and Emily. She has already suffered enough to have to face him," Henry said, clearly exasperated.
"Don't make Fredry look so bad. He's not that bad," William warned Henry.
"No, don't argue with me over how good Frederick is. You know yourself how you have a bad habit of considering everyone good, no matter how they act with you," Henry retorted.
"We can take Emily to her house and stay with her for the night, and I have decided not to change my mind," Henry continued firmly, not giving William a chance to object.
Helpless William decided to follow along Henry's suggestion.
.....
William made his way to Emily's room, his footsteps barely audible as he tiptoed towards her. He hesitated before deciding to wake her up, but as he approached, he saw that she was already wide awake, lost in deep thought.
"You're awake, Emily," he spoke softly, inching closer to her.
Startled by his sudden presence, Emily jolted in her spot. She tried to hide the tears that were streaming down her face and simply nodded in response. William couldn't help but notice the sadness that lingered in her eyes, despite her attempt to hide it.
"Are you still crying?" he asked, his tone gentle and comforting.
She quickly shook her head to indicate her refusal.
"Do you want to go home or stay here?" he asked, despite receiving a stern look from Henry.
"No, I want to go home," she replied quickly, as if eager to leave.
After making their decision, they promptly left William's house. As they passed through the guard post, Emily noticed Martin sitting there and waved her hand to greet him. Seeing Martin, William remembered how he had seen him with Emily when she had first come to him. William quickly bowed in gratitude to the guard, who simply saluted in return.
As they stepped into the outer city, William's heart raced with unease at the darkness that surrounded them. He felt the cold sweat on his forehead and his hands trembled with fear. Memories of the night he spent in Greenfield village flooded his mind, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that something sinister was lurking in the shadows.
William tried to push the thoughts aside and focus on the present. As they walked towards Emily's house, he kept glancing over his shoulder, his eyes darting around as if looking for something. But all he saw was the empty streets and the faint flicker of streetlights.
As they drew closer to Emily's house, William's unease turned to panic. He realized that his hands were shaking uncontrollably, and his shirt was damp with sweat. He stole a glance at Henry and saw that he too was pale and clammy, though he seemed to be holding up better than William.
As Emily observed William and Henry's condition, she initially felt a sense of fear, but as time passed without any incident, she began to suspect that their unease was due to their fear of the dark. It seemed improbable to her, but the evidence was right in front of her.
She approached William slowly, imitating the same comforting expression he had shown her earlier, and placed her tiny hand on his back. "Don't be afraid, Big Brother William," she said softly. "Emily will protect you in the darkness of the outer city."
Hearing her words, William felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. He had come to protect Emily, yet here she was offering to protect him. Despite considering her ability to keep him safe, he found her words amusing. He playfully ruffled her hair and said, "Then I will have to depend on our brave Emily."
Henry, who had closed in on them, couldn't help but chuckle at William's remark. The tension that had gripped them moments ago seemed to dissipate, and they all laughed together, enjoying the moment of levity.
When they arrived at Emily's house, she was so exhausted that she immediately fell asleep. William and Henry took the opportunity to discuss their plans for tomorrow's search. They sat on the edge of Emily's bed, their faces etched with concern as they considered the difficulties that lay ahead.
William rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "We should start early in the morning and cover as much ground as we can. We need to find any clues that might lead us to Emily's father."
Henry nodded in agreement, "Yes, we also need to be cautious and keep our wits about us. The outer city is a dangerous place, and we need to stay alert."
As they talked, Emily's gentle breathing filled the room, and the flicker of a nearby candle cast a soft glow on her peaceful face. William and Henry continued to discuss their plans, taking care to keep their voices low so as not to wake her.
After some time, they too succumbed to exhaustion and decided to get some rest. They each found a comfortable spot on the floor, and within moments, they were both fast asleep. The only sound in the room was the quiet breathing of the three companions as they drifted off into the realm of dreams, each one hoping that tomorrow would bring them one step closer to finding Emily's missing father.
.....
Lucifer hovered outside the house, peering through the windows to ensure it was safe to enter. Once inside, he gazed upon the three sleeping figures, his mind filled with a rush of emotions.
As he looked at William, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration for the man's kindness, compassion, and humanity. He longed to possess such virtues if he were ever to be reborn as a human.
Turning his gaze towards Henry, Lucifer felt a pang of longing for a companion like him. He was tired of his solitary existence.
But when he looked at Emily, he was consumed by a sense of guilt, shame, and regret. He imagined the pain and devastation she would feel upon learning of her father's death. He wanted to tell them the truth so they wouldn't cling onto false hope, but he lacked the means and courage to do so.
Lucifer stood in silence, watching over the sleeping companions. His heart felt heavy with the weight of his past deeds. Unable to bear it any longer, he decided to wander the city in search of something to distract his mind and soothe his troubled heart.