Chapter 11: Left Behind
Hendolff's chuckle resonated through the air as he absorbed the words, his voice laced with amusement. "Seems like that promotion to Senior Wizard has inflated your confidence, Vineca. Made you arrogant, hasn't it?", he quipped.
"Arrogance or not, step away from Lucifer," Vineca retorted firmly.
"If you ever held genuine concern for your student, or dare I say, our bond, then lend an ear to my plea," she implored, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Our bond? The very bond you shattered within the walls of my home when you launched that attack?" Hendolff countered, his tone tinged with accusation.
"Do I still carry a shred of care for it?" Hendolff's voice was wavy, his clenched fist almost making him bleed. His eyebrows depicting his angers.
Vineca's hands trembled, her legs betraying her with their unsteady quiver. Even though she had roused from her slumber and regained c0nsciousness, she did not get time to regain further strength. The first thing she did was rush straight here.
The tears that glistened in her eyes and the sweat that covered her forehead, they weren't mere supplications; they were silent testaments to her courage, compassion, and unwavering friendship for Lucifer. Despite all odds, she had rushed to his side.
Observing her fragile state, Daniel's grip on his wand tightened, mirroring the intensity of his resolve. He aimed his wand at Hendolff, his voice carrying a firm command, "Old man, it's in your best interest to release our friend."
Hendolff's ears caught Daniel's words, prompting a deep, resonant laughter to bubble forth from his chest. "Hahahaha."
"One might accept such a statement from Noah over there," he continued, a wry smirk on his face, "after all, he stands on the line of becoming a Grand Wizard. Arrogance comes with that territory."
"But you two..." Hendolff's voice trailed off, a mixture of incredulity and warning infusing his words.
"You two are-"
Hendolff's sentence was abruptly cut short as a pentagram materialized right beneath his feet, catching his attention only at the last second.
"Stynom!" Noah's incantation sliced through the air, and in an instant, Hendolff vanished, teleported far from their presence.
Noah's shout reverberated through their minds, instantly drawing the attention of Daniel, Vineca, and Maya. Their gazes converged on him, a mix of surprise and curiosity etched across their faces.
"Sir?" Daniel's voice carried a touch of astonishment. He hadn't anticipated that Noah would take action. The understanding was clear: a Grand Wizard wielded power surpassing that of a mere Master Wizard by tenfold. Engaging them directly in combat would undoubtedly lead to dire consequences.
But then again, who dictated that a Master Wizard must confront challenges head-on?
Noah's swift, calculated move ensured Hendolff's expulsion from their immediate vicinity. He took the necessary action after watching Daniel and Vineca, who seemed against Hendolff.
Vineca's strength wavered, her grip on her wand turning cumbersome, the weight of recent events bearing down on her. With a faltering step, she almost stumbled, a plea for assistance escaping her lips as she reached out to Maya, who acted with swiftness and grace, providing Vineca the support she desperately needed.
"Vineca..." Maya's voice carried a mixture of concern and empathy.
Daniel, who wanted to show his respect to Noah, found Vineca leaning on Maya.
"Vineca, are you alright?", he rushed close to Vineca.
Maya, seeing Daniel close up, moved herself behind, swiftly replacing herself with Daniel and now, Vineca leaned on him.
Daniel merely expressed thanks with his eyes, Maya chuckling and nodding in return in understanding.
She fixed her gaze on Daniel for a brief moment, her expression turning into a frown. "Why did you both come to the forest without me?" she inquired.
"You fainted…" Daniel's words trailed off.
"Still, you could have waited. It's not like I was planning to sleep the entire day. What was the rush?" Her question carried a hint of annoyance.
Daniel clenched his teeth, grappling with how to confess his impulsive thoughts of plotting someone's death due to his temper. He opted for silence, lacking a suitable response.
But he covered it up by saying, "Well, Lucifer urged me to. He was worried as he was in final stage…"
"Oh…", Vineca blinked in realization.
A moment of silence accompanied by the cool breeze, filling the area with an eerie feeling.
Vineca shifted her attention to Noah, nodding her head slightly in gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance, Sir Noah."
"No problem, my dear," Noah replied, a faint smile touching his lips.
Her gaze then drifted to Lucifer, who remained peacefully asleep.
"I believe it's best if we make our way back to the hideout," Vineca suggested.
The group's unanimous agreement was accompanied by their collective observation of Maya, who stood beside the slumbering Lucifer, as he words echoed in their ears, "Shall I cast the spell?"
"Where exactly is this hideout?" Noah's curiosity prompted him to ask, aware that he might need to employ Stynom to warp to the location.
Daniel, however, shook his head casually. "It's just a short distance away, not far at all."
Noah's confusion was evident as he continued to gaze at them. "You established a hideout close to the dark forest?"
"Indeed. It's a strategic choice to hide in a place where few would venture," Daniel explained.
Nodding in partial agreement, Noah joined their group, preparing to accompany Maya as she readied the spell for their journey.
Though it was a basic teleportation spell, it could only be used by the skilled Senior Wizards, a capability that Daniel lacked.
Had he possessed such power, when confronted by the enforcer, his instinct would have urged him to employ the spell. Escaping the scene and avoiding the futile altercation would have been his primary objectives.
Either way, that was far from reality at the moment.
He now, looked at Maya, merely giving a nod which meant to be a signal for the said spell. Maya, wasting no time, raised her wand.
"Stynom!" Maya invoked the spell, her wand aimed at Daniel and Vineca, whisking them instantly back to their secret haven.
With Lucifer as her next target, Maya paused to request Noah's assistance in supporting him. The sudden teleportation could disorient Lucifer, potentially causing him to stumble.
"Sir, could you please hold him in your arms? I'm afraid he would get injured.", Maya said.
"Sure thing," Noah responded, approaching Lucifer and effortlessly hoisting him into his arms, surprised by the lack of weight.
His eyes squinted, here stared at him for a second or two before looking at Maya as if giving the approval for the incantation.
Without much delay, Maya enacted the spell, propelling both Noah and Lucifer through the teleportation process.
Their arrival wasn't precise, as an internal barrier prevented a direct teleportation into the cave. Nevertheless, they materialized in close proximity to the cave's entrance.
About 50 steps led them closer to the waiting elevator, its descent imminent.
Patiently, Daniel stood, anticipating Noah's arrival.
It didn't take more than a minute before Noah arrived with Lucifer, appearing at the uncanny dark cave.
"Ah, boy, is this the entrance?", Noah asked, much familiar with the cave.
"Indeed sir. The elevator…", he pointed at the ground, chanting the Operacio spell while showcasing that it was the elevator that led them underground, where their actual hideout was.
As the elevator rose high, Daniel and Noah got inside it, with obvious weights resting on their arms. Closing it, and hearing Daniel's chant, Noah merely felt a jolt as the elevator started to speed downwards.
The elevator's motion caught the attention of the vigilant guards stationed nearby. With poised wands, they adopted defensive stances, ready to act.
As the doors slid open, Daniel strode in, cradling Vineca in his arms, while Noah followed, bearing the weight of Lucifer.
Familiar faces among the guards recognized the trio – Vineca, Daniel, and Lucifer. Hours earlier, Daniel and Lucifer had departed, accompanied by Vineca shortly thereafter. Yet, Noah remained an enigma, an unknown figure who perhaps, for the first time had entered the place.
Curiosity piqued, one guard inquired, "And who might he be?"
With a knowing smile, Noah replied, "Just a friend." His awareness of his own renown and the potential risks of revealing his identity led him to be discreet.
Daniel, already knowing Maya's house, walked straight towards the place, only finding a carpet and a few boxes instead of the house. He then almost instantly privoted back, in search for Maya, "Maya, the house-"
However, Maya was nowhere to be found.
"Where is she?", Daniel asked, confused, only confusing Noah who had followed him all the way, who momentarily turned back, finding no one behind him nor beside him.
Vineca squinted, slowly parting her closed eyelids to peer out. "Maya? Did she not return with us?" she inquired, her voice tinged with concern.
As her vision cleared, she spotted another vendor girl nearby. For a fleeting moment, Vineca almost mistook her for Maya; they shared the same ponytail, and their heights were quite similar, with this girl being just a tad shorter than Lucifer. Even their brown hair, matching the earth-toned garments they both wore, seemed almost identical.
Although being carried by Daniel, Vineca managed to extend her right hand forward. With determination, she reached out and grasped the girl's left hand using her own left hand, causing the girl to halt in her tracks.
"Maya…" Vineca uttered, her grip firm and imploring.
The girl turned her gaze toward Vineca, her eyes locking onto hers. A brief silence hung in the air, pregnant with unspoken recognition.
"She isn't Maya," Daniel interjected, his words slicing through the moment. Vineca blinked rapidly, as if trying to brush away the haze from her vision.
Realization dawned upon her, and she swiftly spoke, "Ah, forgive me." The girl simply withdrew her wrist from Vineca's grasp, her departure swift and wordless. Her eyes fleetingly met Daniel's before she melted into the crowd and disappeared, leaving behind a sense of mystery.
Vineca observed her retreating figure for a second, a sense of bewilderment coloring the scene. However, this peculiar interaction didn't seem to faze the ever-popular Daniel, who heaved a sigh at the girl's hasty departure.
Shifting her focus back to the matter at hand, Vineca inquired with a sense of urgency, "Where is Maya?" Her gaze was fixed on Daniel, her eyes searching for an answer.
Daniel's gaze wandered, as if mentally retracing their steps. Just then, Noah chimed in, a hint of concern in his voice, "She didn't come with us in the elevator…" The revelation hung in the air, casting a shadow over their collective thoughts.
Daniel's intuition pricked at him, a gnawing sense of unease settling in. Why hadn't Maya joined them? Chanting the Stynom spell for the third time wasn't overly demanding, or was it? He furrowed his brow as a recollection surfaced, "Ah... I think she is tired."
"Tired?" Noah's voice held a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Yes," Daniel affirmed. "She's a Junior wizard."
"What?!", this surprised Noah, whose eyes widened.
"I understand the surprise. She is talented indeed, and her talent allowed her to perform the spell. But even talent has its limits. She needs some rest. She'll rejoin us soon," he reassured with a nonchalant air.
However, Maya had been left behind in the treacherous Dark Forest. The danger of the place seemed to have slipped his mind, his focus fixated solely on Maya's tiredness. Noah, however, did consider the potential danger, yet he didn't appear overly anxious. He had already decided to venture back to the forest to join her, once he ensured Lucifer's safety in a secure location.
After some contemplation, Daniel decided that visiting the healer was the wisest course of action. Without hesitation, he pivoted and made his way toward Osfald's dwelling. As he approached, a young boy came into view, standing before the Healer's hut.
"Hey, Josh!" Daniel called out, a hint of recognition in his voice.
The boy, Josh, was of short stature, an old brown cap perched atop his head. His youthful features were marked by a mole beside his left eye and a scattering of freckles, testament to his transition through puberty at the age of fifteen. His countenance held a seriousness that belied his age, his lips devoid of a smile as Daniel approached.
"Josh, has the doctor left?" Daniel inquired, a formality more than anything, as he was already aware of Osfald's departure.
A nod from Josh indicated the doctor's absence, his finger extending to point at the far end, signaling Osfald's exit through the West Gate.
"Alright, we'll just rest for a few minutes inside," Daniel informed, his tone confident as he didn't seek permission but rather conveyed his intention. With a determined stride, he entered the hut.
Inside, a trio of beds lay, originally meant for patients or the injured, now serving as a haven for Vineca and Lucifer to rest.
Carefully lowering Vineca onto the bed, Daniel spoke with a sense of determination, "Rest for a bit, Vineca. Sir Noah and I will go in search of Maya." He was resolute, fully aware that Maya had been left behind in the Dark Forest.
Vineca nodded, her attention briefly shifting to Lucifer, who had been placed beside her on a separate bed. A smile of agreement graced her lips as her gaze remained fixed on the slumbering figure of Lucifer.
Daniel's brow furrowed slightly at her lack of attention towards him. Shaking his head in mild exasperation, he turned to Noah and began, "Sir, Maya—"
Before he could elaborate, Noah preemptively understood the situation, nodding in comprehension. With purposeful steps, he approached Daniel and the two of them made their way outside. Daniel bid Vineca a soft farewell, "I'll be back soon."
Vineca, however, seemed wholly absorbed in her gaze upon Lucifer, offering neither a response nor a parting word. A sigh escaped Daniel's lips, his eyes lowering as he silently exited the room, joining Noah in their quest to locate Maya.
Just before leaving, Daniel directed his attention to the young boy, Josh, who stood nearby. "Um, could you do me a favor?"
Josh's serious expression remained unwavering as he replied, "Yes."
Daniel's voice carried a hint of concern as he continued, "Can you watch over them?" His gaze subtly scanned the surroundings, settling on a few individuals whose Devil's curse levels were in the sixties and seventies, whom he knew about, ensuring they remained in close proximity.
"Don't let them be harmed, alright?" Daniel's words held a note of urgency.
"Harm? Whom?" Josh inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"Vineca and... uh, Lucifer. The ones who are resting inside," Daniel clarified.
At the mention of Lucifer, a smile graced Josh's face, catching Daniel off guard. It was a sight he hadn't expected.
"Harm? Pfft."
"Alright, big brother. Don't worry. I swear on my name, I won't let anything like that happen," Josh assured with a sudden shift back to seriousness, his tone now resolute.
Surprised by the boy's change in demeanor and his earnest promise, Daniel chuckled softly. "Haha, do your best." With those words, he hurried away, retracing their steps back to the East Gate from which they had initially entered.