Getting You Back (And Closer)

Ch. 3 - Family

-Alberu, the wind elementals, they found him!

"..!"

The Ancient Dragon Eruhaben, mage Rosalyn, and the crown prince Alberu Crossman looked shocked.

Eruhaben stood from his seat.

Alberu continued to stare, eyes wide.

"..Is he ok?"

-That is.. they say they left him 4 nights ago. We do not have any updates.

"Then we do not have time to waste."

Rosalyn nodded firmly at Eruhaben's comment and turned to call the others.

Tasha looked at her nephew with a pained expression.

Alberu noticed this and asked her.

"..What is it? Why do you look like that?"

Alberu was uncomfortable.

Aunt Tasha's expression was one very similar to the face she made when Alberu was still young. 

Although she never said it, he didn't need the clarification.

It was the same face she made when thinking of his mother.

-They say Cale is unable to use his ancient powers, all but one.

She glanced to the side, not wanting to say more.

She said in a more hushed tone.

-They kept his regeneration ability. They've.. been using it to..

"To..?"

Nobody dared to breathe as they waited for Tasha to finish her sentence.

-Hey.. did you know his ability could regenerate things such as limbs and organs?

...

"What are you implying?"

Eruhaben asked, but unfortunately everyone in that room already had a hunch.

-Alberu, you need to get to him fast.

Her eyes were painted with disgust and rage.

-They're farming him.

'What!?'

Alberu, Tasha, Eruhaben, and Beacrox looked beyond exasperated. 

"Farming? Pardon my ignorance, but what does that mean?"

Rosalyn, who was unfamiliar with the term, felt uneasy at everyone's reactions to the term.

"It's.. a method of torture. Limb by limb."

Beacrox's mind seemed to drift elsewhere with those words, as if reminiscing. 

"It was a common practice a few hundred years ago. The purpose of it was to harvest organs and limbs of rare beasts to present to the royalty and the wealthy."

Eruhaben spat in a cold tone.

"That's sick! How could they!?"

Rosalyn paled.

-It was one of the things that really pushed our people into hiding.

Eruhaben shook his head at Tasha's words.

"Around 400 years ago, people used to collect and sell the ears and hands of dark elves. It was an inhumane practice I've only ever heard of, but.."

His voice trailed off.

-That bastard definitely did it to provoke us.

Tasha growled.

"What are the coordinates to his location?"