The next morning, Loganel responded to Avelin's challenge and returned to their usual training ground. He was alone there, and thinking that he has nothing better to do, Loganel decided to just wait around for a bit. On his face, he no longer had that faint smile he had displayed when next to Avelin. That small bits of joy had evaporated when he had returned home that day and was able to stop to think and allow the melancholy to catch up with him.

Feeling the cold autumn wind blow past his face and moving his hair, Loganel stared at the blue sky above deep in thought. He ignored the rattling of the brown, red, and yellow of the autumn leaves on the tree branches, and occupied himself with the mental simulation of how his future would play out. He tried to anticipate what he would do after returning from the expedition, and how he would talk to Iry about things. This simulation he had done in his brain countless times already, but he still can't seem to find the best way to do things.

"You actually showed up," Avelin's voice sounded surprised as she approached Loganel.

"..." Loganel didn't say anything as he greeted her with his eyes.

"Today we're not gonna be doing any intense training," Avelin said, gesturing for Loganel to follow her.

Loganel walked after her without any words of doubt. Instead, he was quite curious as to where Avelin would be taking him. Avelin took Loganel outside of campus, and the two of them began walking down the daytime streets of Astalan. The city was still as it was before, busy with lots of travelers and merchants going about, engaging in commerce. However, Avelin led Loganel away from the more commercial streets and into the residential areas.

The houses in this residential areas were nothing special, other than being of the upper-middle class neighborhood. Loganel could tell easily by the large sizes of the house and the extravagent, but not over the top designs of the houses. These houses were no mansions, but they were on the better side.

The cobblestone road beneath Loganel's feet were nice and even after years of weathering. On either side of the road, there were a short fence that surrounded each house, marking each person's property. Within those fences were sometimes a lawn, with grass that were starting to turn yellow from the change of season. However, the most notable thing about this street was the feel of Autumn that it emits due to its inhabitants' numerous trees. Different colored leaves clung onto the trees, and some were blown onto the ground, coating the cobblestone ground here and there with some of the beautiful, Autumn leaves.

"Here we are," Avelin stopped in front of a house and turned to Loganel. "You remember anything about this place?"

Loganel studied the house. The house was similar to the other homes in this neighborhood with its slightly above average size and its numerous windows. However, despite Loganel trying his best to recall anything about this house in his memories. However, he was unsuccessful and ended up only straining his mind. With a sigh of defeat, Loganel shook his head in response.

"Looks like you losing your memories were true."

Avelin for a moment there appeared quite sad. However, that expression disappeared immediately, causing Loganel to wonder if he was seeing things.

"You probably don't remember," Avelin started again, "but you used to live in Astalan."

"Really?" Loganel appeared quite surprised by Avelin's sudden claim.

"Yeah," Avelin said, placing both arms on her waist and looking back at the house. "You lived in this house until you were five and moved to where your parents now live."

"I don't recall any of that..." Loganel frowned at the sudden reminder of the memories that he had lost ever since he became eight years old due to some mysterious illness.

Wait...I feel like I forgot something else as well. Something important...something that makes me who I am...But what is it? I can't remember...Loganel felt a brain-splitting headache, and he clutched his forehead with his left hand in pain. The sudden pain caused him to sweat a bit and produced some moisture on his back.

"You alright?" Avelin asked, looking worriedly over at Loganel.

"I'm fine," Loganel responded. The pain had gone away so Loganel dismissed that as an one-time thing.

"Well, back then, about ten years ago? No...It's almost eleven years is it...Well, about eleven years ago, when I was around fourteen and almost turning fifteen, I was your mother's apprentice," Avelin recalled. "Back then, she was the head of the Knights Corp still. After being her apprentice for about a year, she invited me to her home, and that was when I first met you."

Loganel nodded to demonstrate that he was still listening. In fact, he was curious about his past. Therefore, there was no reason for him to speak up and interrupt Avelin in her story.

"You were about four years old back then, and super shy too. Like super shy," Avelin looked at the house with a nostalgic look in her eye. "Your mother had invited me to stay the night, and that first night was sooo awkward. Your mother tried her best to make me feel comfortable, but she was mostly with your father. And, as for Laurina and Redgilus, since they were twins and quite young, they stayed by each other most of the time." Avelin turned and looked at Loganel. "You were the one who approached me first, and that moment, I knew that I would get along quite well with you. Why? It's because you were kinda like me. You belong, but you sort of don't in a way. You understand? Like you are loved by them and all."

Avelin walked over to the fence, and gently placed her hand on it.

"Anyways, from that day on, we sort of started sticking together. Whenever I would stay the night--which is quite often--you would whine and complain just to bathe with and sleep with me for the night."

"What? For real?" Loganel exclaimed his disbelief. His face and tips of his ears turned red from his sudden embarrassment after being exposed to tales of what had done as a child.

"You were so cute back then," Avelin continued with a nostalgic look in her eyes. "Your eyes would light up when they see me," she then glanced over at Loganel and looked at him with a playfully rude look, "not like now."

"Haha," Loganel forced a chuckle.

"I can still remember that look you had on your face when you knew that you were gonna move away," Avelin stretched her back by clasping both hands together and pushing them towards the sky. "Time sure goes by fast. You're now all grown up."

"Yeah..."

Loganel looked up at his old home, feeling a cold, empty void within his heart. He could not recall any of these memories, and he is frustrated by it. There will forever be that void in his heart, and he could do nothing about it.

"It's getting kind of late now," Avelin said after looking at the sky. "Let's head back."

The two of them retraced their step, back out of the residential neighborhood, and past the various restaurants and shops that they passed along the way. After walking a bit more, they returned to their usual meeting place in side the campus of the Academy.

"The expedition is tomorrow..." Avelin said in a slightly gloomy way. Loganel concluded that this was most likely out of worry.

She is like my second mother after all, he thought.

"You got everything ready?" Avelin asked."Did you resupply yourself with healing potions? Some food to eat?"

"I got it all taken care of," Loganel smiled.

Avelin closed her eyes and nodded in response. As if she had finally made up her mind about something, she stepped forward, closer to Loganel, and placed her right hand on his head and gently petted him.

"Get back safely," she said in a motherly way.

Her sudden affection surprised Loganel, causing him to appear dazed. However, he soon recovered from it, and smiled in response.

"Of course," he answered.

"Alright then," Avelin brought her hand back to her waist. "Go home and go to sleep early tonight. Get plenty of rest, got it?"

"I know," Loganel responded.

"And also," Avelin continued, "if you come across any monsters that you can't handle, run towards Marsha. Have her take care of it for you."

Loganel chuckled. He was amused by Avelin's worries and was happy that someone cared for him as much as her. "Don't worry," he said.

"How could I not?" Avelin smiled. "You're still just a kid."

"But you're the one that said I was all grown up," Loganel reminded her.

"Doesn't count."

"Alright, alright. Fine," Loganel nodded.

Then, the two of them walked their separate ways as they prepared to embrace a new day tomorrow.

***

Five days later

***

The sun shined brightly on the city of Astalan. Within the city, life went on as always. It has been five days since the departure of the expedition team, and today should be the day that they return. All four hundred thirty-seven members of the expedition team--included in that number were the squad of knights led by Marsha, adventurers including students from the Academy, and commoners that had volunteered--were all met with a joyful farewell party. This expedition to Ekeletas was considered one of the easier and safer expeditions. Everybody was waiting to hear news of their heroic return to Astalan and can't wait to hear from them their adventurers and discoveries.

"Momma," a young boy cried excitedly as he jumped up and down. "Is daddy coming home today?"

"Yes dear," the boy's mother smiled.

The mother and son duo were located in one of the below average districts of Astalan. The woman and her family weren't the most wealthy, probably about lower-middle class or even lower. Her family's main source of income is her husband, who works as a construction worker. To supplement the cost of life, she would also work and sew or repair clothing for customers while staying at home to watch the child.

They were getting low on their savings since lately, there weren't much construction jobs available in the city. However, after hearing about this expedition and how every person that signed up and returned would receive one Gold as payment led to the woman's husband deciding to volunteer.

She was against it initially, but after hearing her husband's words about how this expedition would be led by the Flora and how there will be plenty of knights, soldiers, and adventurers, she allowed him to go. She could still remember five days ago, when she and her child saw him off with his crude sword to join the expedition team. Now, it has been five days and it was the day that they were expected to return.

Almost all of Astalan gathered by the main gates of the city, awaiting the heroic return of the braves that went on the expedition. They gathered by the closed gates, awaiting for the gates to be raised and show the heroes the rightful welcome that they deserved. People had cut out pieces from colored paper to create petals that they would throw to welcome the expedition team's return. Numerous restaurants had ordered extra food to welcome these men and women back. In addition, many families had bought their family member that had went their favorite food and was ready to cook up a hearty meal for them that night.

"The gate's opening!"

People started shouting in joy and excitement. Those who could not contain themselves had started tossing the paper petals in the air so as to welcome the returning heroes. People didn't blame them, but rather, they too had a big smile on their face as they watched the gates slowly be raised. However, what they saw soon erased the smiles and joy from them.

The mood was gloomy as the crowd watched the badly beaten team return. There were no smiles on the returning heroes' faces, and most of them were bandaged up. In addition, no matter how hard the bystanders tried to convince themselves, it was obvious that the numbers of the expedition team had dropped drastically. They couldn't believe it, but it was true. And then, at that moment, numerous wives dropped to their knees with tears in their eyes. Their children stared at them, shaking them as they remained confused to why their mothers were crying. That day, the whole city mourned.

Four hundred and thirty-seven people had walked out of this same gate five days ago, and now, only sixty-seven of them returned.

Author's Note:

Bout to get to the good parts...

Please vote and comment if you've enjoyed. Add this book to your reading lists or something.

PS: Come on people. I want to hear what you guys think about the story so far. Any opinions, and anything about my writing I can improve on?