A new day rises. It was foggy in Sumiko. Seems that Hide is up early and telling goodbyes to Jisan and everybody else.
Before he set off to meet up with his old friends. He informs them that he will send a messenger raven once he finds them.
Jisan informs Hide about fiends that might attack him on the road if he was heading toward Lona.
Some hours passed.
Hide seems to be have set up a camp near a river outside the outskirts of Sumiko's borders.
The sound of charcoal burning could be heard and some fished being cooked over the fire.
Hide looks up at the night starry skies.
"It sure seems quite lovely tonight. I wonder what the others are doing as of now. It won't be long till I reach Lona"
"I heard that the city is a place to learn magic. From what I heard from Master, she told told me that if I have a knack for magic. I should head there and learn more on magic."
Hide sighs.
"I guess she did taught me the basics but I wouldn't be the best at magic. One thing I learned is that magic comes from the EverGleam or more to say from Evers."
"Evers are said to be the thing that gives life to the world. It is in each and every living being and can create magic."
"I heard legends from Master that there used to be a race that was able to fully used the Evers to its fullest and able to shape the world, but now that race is entirely gone."
"As of now, magic is the essential of learning to manipulate the Evers to create elements and wonders. One thing that is tricky about is that one must understand their Evers to be able to wield it."
A new day begins.
A campfire was seen stoked out and the sound of someone stretching could be heard.
It seems to be Hide who seems to have woken up early and preparing to leave.
In the distance, dark clouds could be seen.
Some hours passed.
Hide made it to a small town and stops there for supply.
As he made it inside the town, he passed by an alleyway with a kid on the ground closed to dying.
He carries the kid and starts to head to the nearest inn.
It was quiet, but the sound of people talking and eating could be heard.
Hide seems to be sitting across from the kid who seems to be eating so fast, as if the kid has been starving for days.
Hide sat there looking at the kid as the kid finishes the meal. The kid sees Hide and shies away. A soft voice was heard.
"Thank You!"
Hide smiles at them.
"Why did you save me back there?" As the kid looks Hide.
Hide scratches the back of his head and answers back.
"Well, I couldn't leave a dying kid in an alleyway. What's your name?"
"Iona." As the kid removes their hood.
"Cyrus." As Hide replies back.
"So mister Cyrus, what are you doing in this small town anyway?"
"I was on my journey to Lona, but I thought about stopping by here for some supplies."
"Sorry that you have to waste your Kez (money) on me."
"It's fine. It's not that hard to get Kez since I'm an adventurer." As Hide somewhat smiles.
"You're an adventurer." As Iona seems surprised.
"Uh huh."
"Aren't you quite young to be an adventurer?"
"Didn't expect a kid to expect me to be that young of an adventurer to be one." As Hide thinks about it.
"I'm 15. That's the minimum age to be able to join the Adventurer Guild."
"So what made you decided to be an adventurer?"
"Huh, now that I think about it. I wanted to search for my friends but when I realized it. I wanted to explore the World as well."
"Sorry for me to ask but why were you in the alleyway?"
Hide sees her fumbling her fingers and she responds back.
"I'm a slave to a manor not so far from here. I ran away so I wouldn't have to suffer from the wealthy man who bought me."
"Some of my friends are still back there. I don't know what happened to them when I ran away, but I promised I will save them."
"I see."
"Iona, earlier I asked Innkeeper that you can work here. That should be able to house you and feed you. Along with having some Kez as well."
"You really have do all of that."
"It's something that at least I can do to help you."
"Why are you helping me so much?"
"I was once in your shoe before, so that's why I'm helping you as much as I can."
"But what if they find me."
"I'm sure that they won't find you. And I'll make sure of it." As Hide somewhat seems serious.
"Before I get going, if you see any of your friends. Ask the lady innkeeper that they want to work here as well. That should at least keep all of you safe."
Iona gets up and hugs him.
Hide somewhat surprised and hugs her back.
"Thank you so much mister." As tears could be seen falling from Iona's eyes.
Hide soon leaves the inn.
"She said that the manor isn't too far from here." As Hide looks up at the cloudy night skies.
Some minutes passed.
Hide made it to the outskirts of the manor.
It was quiet. There seems to be no guards in sight or lights turning on in the manor.
Hide makes it to the entrance and sees blood on the ground.
He quickly runs up to the main gate and sees two decapitated guards.
"Someone's here. I need to find the other slaves. Hopefully nothing bad happens to them." As Hide runs inside the manor.
He hears a scream coming from the second floor.
The manor seems to have more decapitated guards. There were no signs of children.
Hide makes it to where the scream comes from.
He sees a hooded figure holding a sword and a big man on his back who seems to be about to get stabbed from the hooded figure.
The big man sees Hide and shouts at him.
"You there, kill this intruder. I'll pay you as much as I can. I'll give you anything. Money, fame, children...."
Screaming soon was heard.
The big man seems to have been stabbed in the chest with the sword. The hooded figure gets off from the big man.
A voice was heard.
"It's over." As the hooded figure cleans off the blood from the sword.
As Hide was about to walk towards this hooded figure.
Flames start to form in the manor burning everything.
"Wait!" As Hide noticed the hooded figure was about to leave.
"Where's the other children?"
The hooded figure ignores Hide and jumps out through the window and starts running.
Hide jumps over the fire and looks out the window where the hooded figure jumps out from.
He sees the hooded figure disappears in the distance and noticed a ribbon on the hooded figure's right arm.
It surprises him and as the fire starts to be more and more. Hide leaves the manor and soon stood there watching the manor burns.
He turns around and sees some kids hiding in some bushes.
Hide somewhat smiles and talks to them.
A new day begins but it seems that Hide is backed on the road.
Back in the small town, Iona wakes up to see a note and some items that was left behind from Hide.
She reads the note.
"Iona, if you're reading this. Sorry for not saying goodbye but I hope that what I left for you will be enough. Maybe when I'm done finding my friends, I'll tell you all about my adventures."
Iona smiles and soon opens the small box from Hide. Inside lies a small green ribbon.
"Iona, are you up? We got work to do." As one of Iona friends comes into the room.
She puts on the ribbon and looks at her friend and gets up for work.
Back to Hide.
He seems to be on a dirt road heading towards a new direction looking up to the bright blue sky.
"After all, at least I know that they are alive out there. Hold on you guys, I'll be there soon."
As Hide seems to be smiling while walking into the rising sun in the distance.