She found it strange that he was in the Vylkr warrior mode while unconscious in a strange tulga. Moreover, Orion hadn't reached his full potential yet, so it was highly unlikely that he could activate the Vylkr warrior mode without facing severe consequences.
Suddenly, she felt someone land behind her and turned to see Seth intently examining Orion's condition with a puzzled expression in his eyes.
"Whatever condition he's in right now, I'm certain it's far from normal. The sooner we get him back to the village for the healers to assess his condition, the better our chances of waking him up and finding out what's wrong," Seth stated.
His gaze alternated between the teary-eyed Fifi and the unconscious Orion. Like Fifi, Seth also noticed the strange tulga on Orion's body, prompting him to furrow his brow and ponder once more about the whereabouts of Stronghold Leader Drakar, and Saria, who was supposed to be with Orion.
Nevertheless, he chose to set aside his questions for later and focus on returning to the village to determine their next course of action.
Hearing Seth's words, Fifi swiftly nodded in agreement, seeing no reason to argue about his judgment this time. She gently lifted Orion and cradled him in her arms, rising to her feet and leaping into the sky, towards the direction of the flying contraption which awaited their return.
Taking a moment to survey the surroundings, Seth swung his machete at a one-star Vylkr vine that had managed to crawl up onto the rocky platform.
However, he soon gave up on the inspection, realizing that he couldn't pinpoint anything abnormal about the mountains around him, despite the unsettling feeling it gave him.
Seth turned to address the warriors, saying, "EVERYONE, HEAD BACK TO THE ORION'S SKIES! WE'RE RETURNING TO THE VILLAGE!" With those words, he swiftly launched into the sky, following in Fifi's path, his mind filled with deep contemplation.
As for the other warriors, they collectively heaved sighs of relief and quickly distanced themselves from the lone remaining three-star Vylkr vine. In no time, they too took to the skies, their destination set for their village.
…....…
Within the mountains
Gemheart clan
Elara paced restlessly within her bedroom, her face twisted into a deep frown. As the day neared its end, the news from the elite division, who had been monitoring the cities, weighed heavily on her mind.
The Crystalforge Clan had begun executing descendants of the forgotten clans they'd managed to capture in a public display after their shocking announcement earlier in the day.
They had openly declared war, threatening to eradicate the entire bloodline of the Gemheart Clan from the Prismerian kingdom and targeting anyone or anything connected to them.
War in a time like this? When they had a precious opportunity to escape this dreadful mountain within their reach?
Did this not amount to the Crystalforge Clan's attempt to eradicate the Gemheart Clan's lineage, ensuring that none of them or their descendants would live to witness the day Naka finally forgave their sins and allowed them to leave this mountain?
Elara paused, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm her racing thoughts. She stood still, gathering her composure.
After several minutes, she began to focus on her younger brother's unstable situation. Although she was relieved he had survived, and with just a missing arm after his risky mission to assassinate the queen, she was now faced with a heavy decision that could determine his fate.
Elara's thoughts swirled around her, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about which path to take as time ticked away.
With a deep breath, Elara made her decision, resolving to act. She smoothed the deep frown from her face. As things stood, despite their victory in sealing Queen Selene's magical energy, the foreigner who had aligned with the Crystalforge Clan and effortlessly defeated several of their top elite warriors posed a significant threat.
Elara knew that her clan, the Gemheart Clan, was ill-equipped to confront him if he decided to join the war against them.
Considering their previous encounter had been far from amicable, she no longer hesitated and headed towards the palace, deciding to free her brother and explore any possible means to save her clan.
Elara impatiently pulled the bedroom door open and stepped out, but her path was immediately obstructed by two crossed swords held by Gemheart Clan guards.
Her deep frown expressed her dissatisfaction with the interruption.
"What is the meaning of this?" Elara's icy tone cut through the air, causing a shiver to run down the spines of the two guards standing before her.
"I'm sorry, Clan Mistress, but on the orders of Clan Leader Garnet, you are not allowed to leave your room or the Clan Manor. The Clan Head has imposed this restriction for your safety due to the impending war with the Crystalforge Clan," the guard explained, her voice resolute, her gaze fixed forward, away from the door.
"Please, Clan Mistress, let us carry out our orders. If you require anything, just inform us, and we will have the servants provide it for you."
Each word that left the guard's mouth made Elara's body quiver with tension. "How dare you?" she seethed, her voice a torrent of anger.
"GARNET, HOW DARE YOU?" Her scream echoed through the halls, sending a shiver down the spines of the two guards stationed before her.
Elara locked her intense gaze onto the guards and ordered, "Get out of my way, now!"
She anticipated that they would hastily step aside, intimidated by her fury. To her astonishment, however, the guards remained firmly in their positions and shook their heads.
"We apologize, Clan Mistress, but we're doing this for your own safety," the other guard explained.
It was only then that Elara noticed additional guards stationed in the hallways outside her room.
Realizing that leaving in this manner would inevitably draw attention from the entire clan manor, she swiftly closed the door and redirected her thoughts to finding an alternative route to reach the palace.
After a few minutes of contemplation, her gaze was inevitably drawn to the wide window in her bedroom.
"Tch!" she clicked her tongue in frustration before stepping determinedly toward it.
.....
A/N: The village will be included in the status sheet starting from tomorrow.
