[INDEF. HIATUS] Regrets and Wishes: One More Chance

Chapter 16.5 - The Adventurers' Journey

"It was awful, man!" Kaval blurted out. "Can't you even say you're glad that we came back in one piece?"

"Let's hear about your report," Fuze said, ignoring his blabbering.

No matter how thankful he was inside, he made it a point not to offer them any reassuring words. The trio was used to this.

"Seriously?" complained Kaval. "We just got back, you know?"

"I so need to take a bath." Ellen whimpered.

"Yeah, the hardest part was that I had to listen to these two squabbling the whole time, I'd say," commented Gido.

Their debriefings almost always started like this; he couldn't help but raise his eyebrow in annoyance. Their eyes, however, were dead serious.

It probably was indeed awful, Fuze thought.

The report began with an anomaly that they found in the cave. It had been clear early on that Veldora was gone, but they had spent another week or so exploring the cave, just in case. The end result: definitely no guardian, or leader, to speak of inside.

"Here is one thing," Kabal said. "When we arrived at the cave, nothing was guarding the area."

"Nothing? Not even the tempest serpent?" Fuze asked.

"Yeah, absolutely nothing. The tempest serpent was already gone at the time."

"Right, yeah!" Ellen exclaimed. "Before we arrived, I had spent all some time figuring out how we would bluff our way past it.... I feel like such an idiot!"

"Yeah," Gido said. "I brought along an illusion and heat-generating trap, and I didn't even use 'em at all. At least it saved us some time, though."

What was the meaning of this? This tempest serpent had a tentative rating of A-minus. It was absolutely the strongest presence in the cave. Not even Fuze liked his chances much against it. It was the whole reason why he had fretted over this trio's chances of a successful journey. Something had definitely happened over there. Fuze could tell that much, and he needed to know what.

"I now understand what happened in the cave."

"Then, we'll just be—"

"Alright, I'll give you three days off." Just when the trio was about to get up, Fuze already threw another statement at them. "After that, I'll need you back in the forest again. Not inside the cave this time—you'll be examining the area around the forest instead. Do not overlook any changes, no matter how small. Be thorough. Search every nook and cranny. That's all."

"'That's all,' he said!"

"Three days? That's it?! Give us a week, at least!"

"Yeah, yeah! You know he's not gonna listen to us, guys."

Fuze didn't let the protests bother him. He had some new information to stew over.

What could be going on in that forest...? He lost himself in thought for a moment...then opened his eyes, only to find three pairs of spiteful eyes staring at him.

He sighed. These guys....

"Why are you still here? Get out! Now!!" he yelled at them as he always did.

The trio hurriedly excused themselves.

⁂

A person with a mask covering her entire face was seen walking towards a house.

The mask that the person was wearing prevents any guess at the face behind it. It was an ornate, beautiful mask, but it bore no expression at all. But the figure's body overall strongly hinted that the masked person was a woman.