[ For three days, Liem's unit in Alenroux have been slowly but surely tracking the remaining monsters towards their mysterious origin point in the northern reaches of the island. Although the group has three Shard-Bearers, none of them can be considered "heavy hitters" among the Meri; compared to some of the deities and sorcerers among their allies, their skills are better suited for investigation, scouting, and survival. For this reason, the group has prioritized safety over speed, allowing Liem to carve out a path for the rest of the group to take, while foraging for food along the way and maintaining their energy levels.
It's because of their diligent efforts to preserve their energy that Link finds it off, on the morning of their fourth day, to wake up feeling more groggy than usual. He is accustomed to staying up through the night and sleeping outside on the ground and rising before the break of dawn, so the feeling can't be attributed to their rustic lifestyle over the past few months. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he stumbles towards the center of their camp and makes it all the way to the burnt-out fire before he realizes... the soldiers are gone. The swordsmen and the archers. Even the mage who came along to act as their doctor and healer, normally impossible to miss by the bright red of her Legionary robes, is not in her usual spot next to the fire.
Blinking and gripped with alarm, Link spins around and scans their camp. The natural light is still low as the ALenroux sun has only just began to rise again after the long night, but there's nobody to be found. If it weren't for the remains of the previous night's fire and a few tents, there'd be no sign of any person having been here. Everyone's packs and supplies and equipment are gone too.
He doesn't know what's going on, but... this can't be good. ]
Liem! Liem, are you here?
[ He's most likely sleeping in the largest of the tents, assuming he has not disappeared like the others, but Link runs to a smaller one set up beside it. Is that new Bearer, Keitaro, gone too? Link has no said so aloud, but he was unsure of bringing a new arrival along on a mission that could prove to be so dangerous and had quietly steeled himself to make sure he stayed safe. How could he face Cyrus and the others if something were to happen to him? ]
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It's because of their diligent efforts to preserve their energy that Link finds it off, on the morning of their fourth day, to wake up feeling more groggy than usual. He is accustomed to staying up through the night and sleeping outside on the ground and rising before the break of dawn, so the feeling can't be attributed to their rustic lifestyle over the past few months. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he stumbles towards the center of their camp and makes it all the way to the burnt-out fire before he realizes... the soldiers are gone. The swordsmen and the archers. Even the mage who came along to act as their doctor and healer, normally impossible to miss by the bright red of her Legionary robes, is not in her usual spot next to the fire.
Blinking and gripped with alarm, Link spins around and scans their camp. The natural light is still low as the ALenroux sun has only just began to rise again after the long night, but there's nobody to be found. If it weren't for the remains of the previous night's fire and a few tents, there'd be no sign of any person having been here. Everyone's packs and supplies and equipment are gone too.
He doesn't know what's going on, but... this can't be good. ]
Liem! Liem, are you here?
[ He's most likely sleeping in the largest of the tents, assuming he has not disappeared like the others, but Link runs to a smaller one set up beside it. Is that new Bearer, Keitaro, gone too? Link has no said so aloud, but he was unsure of bringing a new arrival along on a mission that could prove to be so dangerous and had quietly steeled himself to make sure he stayed safe. How could he face Cyrus and the others if something were to happen to him? ]
Keitaro! Liem! Where are you?