II

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Arc II Chapter 15

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Plenty of adventures claimed tents were a science on their own, an essential skill of fieldcraft neglected by bloody amateurs and beginners alike in youthful hubris.

The choice of material, the quality were crucial. Hemp, linen, leather.

The guild was full of such candidates, full of aspiring adventurers, full of soldiers of fortune. They dreamed of glory, of accolades, of riches, but they paid dearly naivety and inexperience. Blind to advice and counsel, they charged towards their demise.

They thought a sword, an axe, a spear, made them proper adventurers. They were wrong.

Rudolf grinned with a certain sense of satisfaction. Schadenfreude warmed his heart. He pitied the fools in his old age, but his pity didn't run deeep.

They learned the hard way from their errors. Disparaging proper fieldcraft was an unwise decision. Arcadia's climate was mild for most of the year. Arid summers. Humid springs. Fresh autumns.

But the winters were treacherous, harsh, unforgiving, brutal for the unprepared when supplies were exhausted and temperatures fell. Snow and frost reigned the land and knew little mercy.

Rudolf grumbled, “Stupid stone. Stupid ground.“

The tents gave him trouble. The pegs were a pain in the ass, as usual.The ground was covered by naked stone, making setting camp a nightmare. Rudolf tried his best to drive the pegs into the ground to no avail, his trusty hammer failing him..

Rudolf cursed his luck. He hated Valentia. Every time, the same story. Every time the same hassle.

Lambert fled the battlefield and left him alone with his duties. No help whatsoever. Lambert patrolled the citadel while Iris was busy collecting firewood and watching the girl.

Iris managed her. The girl's curiosity was boundless, and her incessant questions annoyed him. Her continuous presence got on his nerves.

Rudolf's hammer struck. The peg bit into the ground, but Rudolf didn't cease his grumbling. Fuelled by dissatisfaction, Rudolf struck once again with force.

“Rudolf!“ Iris returned ... without firewood. Iris carried no stack. No wood. No fire. No warmth.

Rudolf frowned. More work for him and his poor back.

Iris sweated. Her troubled expression didn't escape his notice. “Rudolf, ... did you perchance see the girl?“

Rudolf shook his head. He grabbed another peg. One done. Plenty to go. “Not that I know of. Didn't see our little princess and her doll anywhere.“

“But isn't she supposed to be with you?“ Rudolf hammered. The soil proved hard like granite, challenging him, defying him.

Iris fidgeted, hesitating. Guilt was written all over her face. Iris didn't only forget the firewood.

“She is, but I might ... have ... potentially ... lost her.“

Rudolf froze. “You did what?“

Iris offered a nervous laughter. She messed up. Once again, poor Iris committed a severe blunder. “We were on our way to the forest to collect firewood when she suddenly ... went missing.“

Rudolf didn't believe his ears. He was aghast. “How?“

Iris averted her eyes. The whole situation distressed her. Lambert would demand an explanation. “We chatted along the way, and then I ... lost ... sight of her.“

“The girl disappeared, ... vanished, ... evaporated. No trace of her.“ Iris wildly gesticulated .

“I searched the area, but the girl slipped away.“ Iris scratched her head in embarrassment. Her smile was strained. The girl's disappearance was troublesome.

...

...

...

Rudolf took a deep breath to restore his peace of mind.

Rudolf calmed down and processed the information. His choleric streak didn't help. Anger and fury were bad advisors.

“Didn't you warn her? We have no idea what lurks among the rubble. The ruins are no place for a little girl.“

Iris protested. “I told her so, but she didn't listen. She insisted on visiting the ruins ...“

Rudolf sighed. “What happened, happened.“

“We must search for her. Immediately. We must find her. Time is of the essence. Spirits know where the brat is.

Iris agreed, time was of the essence ...

A blast hit them with overwhelming force. The earth trembled. The air oscillated in fear.

The shock wave travelled fast, a violent force of nature. Unable to brace themselves, the impact caught them off-guard and threw them off their down.

An explosion roared in the distance, a furious cataclysm of primal force and unrestrained aether.

The flare illuminated the entirety of Valentia with the intensity of the sun. Radiance, brightness, gleaming light blinded their vision. A hellish column of ash rose skywards, unbothered by earthly needs.

Rudolf struggled to regain his composure. “What the fuck was that?“

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Nelaeryn observed the horizon. His experienced eyes studied the cloud of smoke, a detonation occurred. Amidst the chaotic aether, they discerned a high concentration of lightning in the air. The explosion was the product of fire magic, magic of the more potent kind. A most unusual event.

“Arwing, I think we should investigate this matter.“ Nelaeryn turned his head. Arwing led the expedition, and he acknowledged her authority, at times. He respected her as her equal, mainly due to her status. Her family backed their little excursion.

Arwing nodded in tacit understanding. No further communication was necessary.

Arwing's eyes were drawn to the site of the explosion. The traces of aether didn't escape the trained scholar.

An explosion of uncommon strength, far surpassing human capabilities. The detonation piqued her academic curiosity despite being occupied with other matters.

Valentia wasn't built in a day. The same was true for their expedition. Archeology was a matter of divine patience.

Sadly, time was limited. A week had to suffice. As usual, limited funds, greedy adventurers, travel expenditures, and costly supplies were the bane of academic pursuit. The weight of their purse can only carry them so far.

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Michael gulped. He had a bad feeling. The explosion interrupted their return as smoke and ash soared.

Michael witnessed the flash, the thunderous roar.

“Lambert, did you see this ...“

“Follow me.“ Lambert broke into a sprint. He gritted his teeth. Chaos, confusion, clouded his mind.

Michael stumbled, Lambert's rashness taking him by surprise. “Wait, where are you going?“

“Less talking. More running.“

“No time to waste. No time to talk, we need to hurry. Time precious.“ Lambert raced.

What? How? Why? Who? The explosion defied the odds. A singular event defied his predictions, an event never supposed to happen.

The detonation took place near the camp. Danger loomed. Whatever it was, it was big, bad, and mean.

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