As the carriage meandered its way into the heart of the Sunflower Garden residential area, a blanket of darkness had already enveloped the world. William couldn't help but observe the stark contrast in the ambiance of this area in comparison to the lively streets outside the Garden's perimeter.
The streets here were eerily quiet, devoid of the usual hustle and bustle that the twilight hour brought along. Instead of the usual scene of folks engaging in cheerful banter or winding down after a day's work in the local pubs or eateries, there was an unsettling silence, as though the neighborhood was in a state of suspended animation.
This unusual calm struck a chord with William. The recent troubling incidents of people disappearing seemed to have cast a shadow of fear over the community. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern.
The nightlife businesses like restaurants, pubs, and taverns were likely to bear the brunt of this situation. Those establishments usually thrived on the night crowds, but now, the streets lay abandoned with everyone opting for the safety of their homes. The night had become a source of fear rather than a time for relaxation and enjoyment.
As the carriage rolled to a stop in front of his house, William found himself wishing fervently that Roland and the rest of the knights would be able to resolve the troubling disappearances soon. He worried not only for his own business venture but also for the well-being of his community.
Stepping out of the carriage, he paid the fare to the coachman, who muttered a quick word of gratitude before hastening his departure. The driver's haste was a silent testament to the palpable fear that had taken hold of the area.
William didn't make his way into his house right away. Instead, he opted to stand at the entrance, casting his gaze over the shadow-laden streets of the residential area. The veil of darkness added an extra layer of mystery to the environment, and he allowed his eyes to scan the vicinity for any hint of abnormality or signs of suspicious activity.
In the midst of this silent vigil, a figure garbed in a black cloak suddenly arrested his attention. This mysterious silhouette stood atop a roof, nestled within the distance that lay somewhere between 700 to 900 meters away from William. Given the vast gap that separated them, he found it challenging to discern any specific features or even guess whether this cloaked entity was a man or woman. The cloak did a good job of concealing their identity and left nothing but mystery in its wake.
William found himself bracing to approach this figure, the curiosity and suspicion within him rising like a tide. However, just as he was on the brink of stepping forward, the shadowy figure seemed to merge into the darkness, disappearing from sight as if they were never there in the first place.
A feeling of uncertainty washed over William, and the gears in his mind started turning. 'Something significant is transpiring behind the scenes,' he thought to himself, a sense of apprehension anchoring him to the spot.
For the next ten minutes, William found himself frozen, his gaze relentlessly sweeping across the darkened landscape, hoping to spot the mysterious cloaked figure once more. But the figure remained elusive, leaving behind only the echoes of its presence.
Feeling a mixture of disappointment and unease, William eventually conceded and made his way back home, the unsettling encounter adding a new layer of complexity to the strange events happening in the town.
With a resonating click, the front door of the house shut behind William. The moment he stepped into the welcoming warmth of his home, he was greeted by the delightful sight of Isabella. She was standing in the kitchen, busily engaged with her cooking, yet never too busy to offer him a gentle smile and a hearty welcome.
"Give me a few more minutes, love. Dinner's almost ready," Isabella called out from the open kitchen, her eyes gleaming with the promise of a sumptuous meal.
Just then, a tiny figure burst forth from the periphery, racing towards him with all the unbridled enthusiasm of a child. His heart swelled with love as his two-year-old daughter, Aimee, rushed up to him, her tiny arms stretched wide as she clumsily wrapped them around his legs in an adorable display of affection.
Feeling his heart melt under the sheer cuteness of the moment, William bent down, carefully scooping Aimee up into his arms. As he held her close, he heard her struggling to articulate a word, her tiny voice shaky yet filled with determination.
"Da...ddy..." The word, though fragmented and shaky, was distinct, causing William's eyes to widen in pleasant surprise. The sheer joy of hearing his daughter trying to call him 'daddy' for the first time wiped away all traces of fatigue and worry that he'd been carrying.
"Daddy..." This time, the word was clearer, the innocent sound of it pulling at his heartstrings. Overwhelmed by the tidal wave of happiness washing over him, he couldn't help but lift Aimee higher into the air, peppering her cheeks and forehead with affectionate kisses, expressing his joy and love for his precious little girl.
"My little princess..." William murmured softly, his words filled with deep affection as he continued to shower Aimee with gentle kisses. The sight of her adorable giggles and bright, sparkling laughter was a sight to behold.
"Hehe... Daddy..." Aimee echoed, her voice ringing with innocent joy. Then, she leaned forward, her small, delicate hand cupping his cheek as she planted a sweet kiss on his right cheek. The gesture was so pure, so heartfelt, that William felt a surge of indescribable happiness well up inside him.
After spending several more precious moments engaging in this heartwarming play with Aimee, he slowly moved towards the kitchen, the sweet weight of his daughter resting comfortably in his arms. As he approached, he caught sight of Isabella, adorned in a crisp white apracian and engrossed in her cooking. Her focused gaze was directed towards the pan, her skilled hands gently stirring the sizzling meat.
Breaking the comfortable silence, William began, "I see you've been teaching our little Aimee to speak." He looked at his Isabella with gratitude in his eyes, "She truly is a smart little girl, picking things up so quickly." His voice carried a note of understanding, his heart filled with appreciation for his Isabella's tireless efforts. These moments, simple yet profound, were the ones that truly defined their small, loving family.
"William, have you had a chance to purchase any slaves?" Isabella suddenly asked him, jolting him from his thoughts. William was taken aback for a second, before realization hit him like a brick. Buying slaves - they had agreed upon this earlier. He needed people to help maintain the vast expanse of their new residence.
"Ah, I apologize," William confessed, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Things were so chaotic today and it just slipped my mind completely."
"No worries, William," Isabella answered back with a shrug, a calm smile gracing her lips. "We can manage for now."
Suddenly, a question seemed to pop into her head and she turned her attention back to him, "By the way, what did you eat for lunch?"
"Actually," William began, a slight awkward grin spreading across his face. "I was so engrossed in my work that I... um, kind of forgot to eat." This wasn't a new habit. There were countless times when he would be so involved in his work that meals would just slip his mind.
Isabella clicked her tongue, shaking her head disapprovingly. "That's not good, William. No matter how busy you are, you mustn't neglect your meals." William could only nod in agreement, knowing that she was right.
"Why don't you go take a shower?" Isabella suggested, still stirring the contents of the pot. "By the time you're done, dinner should be ready." William nodded his head in acknowledgment, gratefully accepting her suggestion. As he turned around to head towards the bathroom, Isabella momentarily watched his retreating back before turning her focus back to her cooking.
After sharing a pleasant dinner, the family enjoyed a bit of warm conversation before everyone decided to retire to their respective rooms for the night. William changed out of his regular clothes, trading them for a mysterious cloak that he wore over his attire. Along with his trusted spear securely held in his grasp, he made a secret exit from his house under the veil of night.
With the help of his ability to manipulate shadows, he crafted a pair of impressive, dark wings on his back. He took off into the moonlit sky, the clouds conveniently covering the celestial body and concealing his flight. Unbeknownst to anyone, he swiftly left the boundaries of the city.
In the quiet solitude of the house, not too long after William had taken his leave, the sound of a door creaking open echoed through a room. Isabella gently pushed the door to William's bedroom open, only to find an absence of presence within the room.
Opening the door, Isabella found William's room to be unoccupied. A crease formed between her brows, a suspicion that had been looming in her mind now seemingly confirmed. 'So, he has indeed become an Ascender.' Isabella was one of the few who could easily discern if someone had become an Ascender or not.
Each night, after tucking little Aimee to bed and ensuring she was fast asleep, Isabella would indulge in quiet meditation, her focus centered on healing her wounded soul. Last night, she had managed to recover a small fraction of her once formidable strength. As her power gradually crept back, her senses too had begun to sharpen. This morning, she had felt something different about William, a change that had suggested his ascension. Still, she wanted to be absolutely sure before jumping to conclusions, so she had decided to confirm her suspicion by checking his room later in the night. Seeing his room devoid of his presence, she now had the confirmation she needed. He had indeed become an Ascender.
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Scene Change____
Compared to his previous trip, William found himself arriving at the forest a tad bit quicker this time. With his dark wings folding back into his shadow as he landed, he made his way to the same spot where he and Chronos had first met. It seemed this place was gradually turning into their regular rendezvous point.
Faced with an apparent absence of Chronos, William decided not to idle around and instead prepared himself for monster hunting. Just as he was about to start, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"I wouldn't be so quick to say I'm late, young man," Chronos chimed in, seemingly appearing out of thin air. "I've come prepared today. Brought along four carriages with me. After you've hunted down your quota of monsters for the day, we'll load their carcasses onto these carriages. The villagers will then take charge of transporting them back to the city. You can compensate them for this service with 160 gold coins. To ensure the smooth pulling of each carriage, I've arranged for four men per vehicle. This means there's a group of 16 villagers stationed just outside the forest, eagerly awaiting our instructions."
"Grandpa, I'm sorry for involving you in all of this and thank you for lending a hand," William expressed his gratitude, his tone sincere and genuine.
"What's this about trouble?" Chronos retorted cheerfully, waving away William's apology. "It's a mere trifle, really. If I can't sort out this much for my disciple, then what kind of mentor would I be? Now, let's focus on the task at hand – your training."
A lopsided grin spread across William's face as he turned his gaze towards his elder. "But first..." His voice trailed off, his eyes fixating on something beyond the old man. In the cover of the dark night, an ominous mass had begun to form a circle around them. Over a hundred shadow wolves, their eerie forms flickering like specters in the moonlight, had set their sights on them. Within this large pack, eleven of them were of the formidable second level. A daunting challenge was clearly on the horizon.
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