Another month had passed since the altercation with Yorgor, and nothing had transpired since that incident. Even Abaguo had fallen silent, along with the demons and archdemons.
Back at the Residence of the Lost Ones, their training hadn't waned a bit. They had all grown stronger and were finally ready to embark on new missions.
Yanis, with focused eyes, observed the scene. Jacob and Rogue clashed with swords in an endless duel, their muscular torsos moving fervently. Their wooden blades struck with incredible force and speed, the noise of their battle echoing through the air, emphasizing the profound importance of their match. Ultimately, with a well-aimed strike to the neck, Jacob overpowered Rogue. Elated, Jacob let out a triumphant shout that seemed to shake the earth:
"Yes! I did it!"
"How do you do it, honestly?" Rogue inquired.
"Well, I practice. Over and over."
"I feel like hand-to-hand combat just isn't my thing."
Yanis approached them with a proud smile, applauding Jacob for his feat and his improved sword skills.
"Good job, Jacob! You're getting insanely better."
"Thanks!"
"And Rogue, you need to sharpen the accuracy of your strikes."
"Got it..."
"Don't worry about it. You still have your unique power to back you up. Just always do your best to grow."
Not far away, Gwendoline and Alora were also engrossed in magical training. Seated on the lush grounds of their residence, they were learning spells from a grimoire Charnald had provided at the start of their journey. As Alora directed her hand towards a training dummy, pink smoke emanated from the magical runes she conjured.
"Here we go!"
The wave of pink smoke swirled around the wooden target, breaking it down into myriad fragments that settled gently on the grass.
"Yes! I did it!" she cheered.
"Way to go, Alora!"
"Thanks."
Suddenly, the grand gateway of their residence swung open to reveal Jaïka and Charnald walking towards them, flanked by several armored knights stationed at the mansion's entrance. Charnald couldn't help but beam at the sight of the Lost Ones training, proud to witness their undeniable progression:
"Hello, youngsters. I see you've been practicing hard."
"Yeah, we've been pushing ourselves!" Alora responded.
"That's good to hear! For today, your second mission begins!"
"Finally!" Jacob exclaimed.
"Pack enough essentials to last and clothe you for two weeks."
"Is it going to be a lengthy mission?" Yanis pondered.
"Yes, you will be escorting a high-ranking nobleman to another village, ensuring his safety throughout. After that, you'll spend some time in said village."
"That sounds exciting!" Jacob said cheerily.
"Speak for yourself. Escorting someone isn't exactly 'cool'," Jaïka remarked with a sidelong glance.
"Enough chat. Get your things ready. We leave in ten minutes."
The youngsters rushed inside to gather their belongings, while Charnald and Jaïka waited by the entrance.
*
After a few minutes, the Lost Ones headed outside the residence to embark on their new mission. Each of them carried a backpack that weighed them down, unlike Yanis, who walked with remarkable ease. The street where their residence stood was filled with about twenty military carts. Many mages and soldiers were chatting among themselves, waiting for the arrival of the Lost Ones.
"Wow, it's a massive convoy. So, we'll just come back afterward?" Jacob asked to Jaïka.
"Not exactly. There's a good chance another mission will start right after you arrive in the village you're going to."
"Which village is that?"
"Haradi, it's the second-largest village in this country. The two angelic humans from the Kingdom of Rymis also live there."
"Ok, cool!"
Alora, on her part, sneaked a peek inside the carts like a curious child. Inside, she found an abundance of food, tents ready to be set up, long swords, crossbows fitted with magical arrows that bathed the interior of the cart in a bluish glow, books, and a map of the region.
"There are a lot of precautions taken just for one person; she must be really important?"
"More than a little," chuckled Charnald, "he's one of the few who know the location of the Seal of Nerhel."
"The Seal of Nerhel? What's that again?" inquired Jacob.
"Don't you remember? It's the Supreme Archdemon sealed by a metapotent being."
"Oh yeah, the guy who can solo verses! I remember now."
Stopping in front of one of the many carts, the Lost Ones saw a slightly obese, elderly man waddling towards them in the distance. He was dressed in distinguished and noble attire, suggesting his importance. With a proud face and stature, he engaged in conversation with Gwendoline:
"Hello, the Lost Ones. It's an honor to have you as security personnel."
"The honor is ours!" replied Gwendoline.
"My name is Abraham Moon. I am part of a high-ranking circle in Trillia that knows the exact location of the Seal of Nerhel. Pleased to meet you!"
"Pleased to meet you too, Mr. Moon! I'm Gwendoline Bourcier!"
Gwendoline and Abraham exchanged a handshake in acknowledgment. As she stepped forward to greet him, distinguishing herself from the other teenagers, Gwendoline proudly introduced herself as the leader of her group, wearing a confident smile. Charnald approached the distinguished-looking gentleman and gently laid his hand on his shoulder, as if to draw his attention:
"Mr. Moon, when would you like to leave?"
"I was waiting for the Lost Ones, and I planned to leave!"
"Um, I had a question?" asked Jacob.
"Yes?"
"Is Charnald coming with us?"
"Unfortunately not, but Jaïka will accompany you instead," Charnald replied.
"That's reassuring."
"Let's go!" exclaimed Abraham.
Immediately after announcing the start of the adventure, Abraham climbed into a cart accompanied by several soldiers and knights, who spurred the horses to start the convoy towards Haradi.
"Your turn to shine, youngsters!" cheered Charnald as they departed.
*
The caravan had been moving for several hours now, in an utter tranquility where no threat seemed to bear down on them. The sun shyly hid behind some clouds, but the sky remained a brilliant blue. The wind gently ruffled the Lost Ones' hair, as birds sang in harmony while the group passed through a vast clearing. It was then that Rogue, mesmerized by the beauty of this world, exclaimed how much he loved it.
"Truly, this world is so much more beautiful than ours..."
"It's true, the colors here are so much brighter. It's really quite lovely," Alora responded.
Gwendoline's gaze drifted, capturing the trees that lined the dirt path. She looked up at the sky thoughtfully, seated cross-legged on the open-top cart.
"Do you ever wonder what's happening in our world right now?"
"Well, we're 'sleeping,' except for you..."
After saying these words, Yanis placed his hand on Gwendoline's shoulder, reassuring her by saying, "But you shouldn't blame yourself for your suicide. You're growing every day and you seem to have matured, so keep going!"
"Thank you. I'm proud of how much I've changed."
As their conversation continued, Gwendoline, isolated in her thoughts, touched her heart and stared at the wooden boards of the cart she had been sitting on for hours. Her look was wise, as if she felt something alive deep within her.
Still, something bothers me... I feel like I'm inhabited by someone. As if they've been with me since my birth on Earth, up to this very moment... Am I going mad? Or is this real?
After contemplating her existence, Gwendoline mustered courage and addressed her friends with a question that had been nagging her since the start of their journey:
"Um... Do you guys feel like something is about to happen?"
"Like a sort of bad feeling?" asked Alora.
"Yeah."
"That means I'm not the only one feeling it..." sighed Yanis.
"What kind of bad feeling?" Jacob fretted.
"As if this long journey won't be as peaceful as it seems. There's a good chance we might get attacked."
"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Rogue.
"Well, let's just say the fellow is one of the few who knows where Nerhel's seal is. So, I think archdemons might come to steal the information and try to resurrect him."
"But what I find strange," Alora pondered, "is why are the archdemons only acting now?"
"What do you mean?"
"They had over eight hundred years to make a move. So why, coincidentally, upon our arrival in this world, do they return?"
"That's a valid point..."
*
All day had passed, with several breaks in between, and the convoy now entered a forest carrying an unsettling aura. It was the kind of forest you'd see in horror movies, where owl cries echoed throughout and darkness prevailed due to the towering trees blocking out much of the light. Only the glimmers of moonlight allowed everyone to discern the path that unfolded as they delved deeper into the woods. Jacob feigned shivering from the cold, though in reality, he was just frightened of what might potentially await them further along.
"Uh... We're not seriously going into this forest at night, are we?"
"What's the matter? Getting scared?" Yanis teased.
"I don't know what you're talking about..."
Yanis smirked as they ventured deeper into the mysterious and gloomy forest. Seeking reassurance, Jacob glanced back. However, this move did little to comfort him, for he distinctly made out a figure concealing its face with a black hood. But as he froze in terror, the hooded stranger revealed a broad grin that sent waves of dread crashing over Jacob. The stranger, who turned out to be a woman, had short blonde hair with the right side slightly longer than the left. That same longer right side obscured her eye, revealing only her left eye – a distorted shade of green as if corrupted by some digital glitch. Her voice boomed in Jacob's head, echoing thunderously:
"Jacob Kalis! You have great potential within! We will find you soon."
The woman's voice, resonating within his mind, was laced with madness and obsession. Its timbre also seemed marred by a digital distortion, reminiscent of retro video game sounds.
"Guys! Behind us!"
Everyone whipped around immediately at Jacob's cry, only to find no one there save for some fleeting color aberrations that quickly vanished.
"Relax, man, there's nothing there."
"I swear I saw someone! And she used telepathy to speak to me! I'm sure she was a demon!"
"Just calm down a bit."
*
The convoy had halted in the middle of a clearing in the forest, surrounded by towering trees. Most of the soldiers, mages, and knights drifted into sleep as soon as the tents were up, while the Lost Ones began to doze off by the campfire they had earlier lit.
"Still, we need to be careful tonight, guys. I've got a bad feeling about this," Yanis remarked.
"Don't scare me like that, Yanis!" Jacob exclaimed.
"What a scaredy-cat," Alora laughed.
"That's not funny!"
"If it makes you feel better, how about someone stands guard tonight?" Jaïka offered.
"Yeah, that's best for everyone."
"I'll do it!" Alora volunteered.
"Are you sure?" Jaïka inquired.
"Yeah! I'm not even tired."
"Well, if you insist."
"Alright, goodnight everyone," Yanis yawned.
As darkness settled and bedtime approached, Alora moved away from the protective walls of the tent to join Jaïka for the night's watch.
"It's going to be a long night!"