Reaction and Matchmaking Attempts

Path of No Return Part 1 (76-78)

Side B remained in the watching area. They could only stare at the disappearing Side A, with quite a few of them panicking as they dissolved into thousands of small light particles, and frown annoyed when Cale and a few others were taken somewhere else as well.

The awkward second afterward was even more unbearable.

"So," Tonka of all people was the first one to break the silence. He turned his head to the side, staring at a calm Gashan with predatory eyes.

"Wanna fight?"

Harol wanted to bang his head on the table. What else could he have expected from his battle-greedy friend?

"Nature says no," was Gashan's reply sadly. The old shaman pouted. He wanted to fight a bit since they had been sitting for ages now. His muscles will grow old and dry out if he doesn't move. The younger ones of his tribe shared the sentiment.

Unfortunately, he couldn't fight. Truly unfortunate.

Cale and some others may be gone but the atmosphere was rather calm.

Prince John enjoyed a cup of tea with a content smile on his face. His big sister, Rosalyn, was gone as well, a fact that Pen didn't let them forget.

The cup in his hands was slightly shaking.

"Our wonderful sister! She was kidnapped!" Pen wailed dramatically. His fist met the table in a loud, resonating blow.

John continued smiling.

"Noona will be fine," he reassured his younger brother. "She is the strongest and most awesome mage out there and don't forget, her friends are with her as well. Plus a dragon or two."

John doubted that even the god of death could win against his sister's group of friends, especially with the young master in the middle.

"But! I am not there!"

Sighting, John asked tiredly, "And what would you do if you were there? Distract the enemies with your wailing? Make them fear your battle cries, I mean, your sobbing? Noona would drown you, again, if you annoy them in battle or important situations."

Pen stopped wailing. The distant sounds of cookies being eaten scared him mute. With shaking eyes, he looked around wildly, trying to spot Cale Henituse even though he knew the other was not in the room. Yet he could still hear cookies being decimated.

Was he going insane?

Crunch.

Whipping his head around, Pen spotted the cookie eater squad.

A few key people were removed and those who were left felt that their tables were too empty. Some combined their seats, enjoying the opportunity to talk with new people.

Tasha was one of them. With her favorite victim, ehem, her favorite nephew gone for now, taking Cale and the kittens with him, she had no other option but to search for a new...friend to annoy... have fun with, cough.

Cale and Kim Rok Soo wanted to stretch their legs a bit. They left the safe haven that was known as the Henituse Table to wander off. This was their first and last mistake as Tasha zoomed in on them, yanking their walking selves off the carpet and parking their asses next to her and Mary on their table.

Cale had just enough time to blink before a wide grin was in front of him. Kim Rok Soo sighed.

"Want a cookie?" Tasha offered the tasty treat.

Cale took it gleefully. He bit into the delectable pastry with relish, not knowing that by doing so, he deepened the trauma poor Pen was suffering.