Riven kept trying. He edged closer to Vaelorian, hoping that maybe, just maybe, if he got close enough, the older boy would finally acknowledge him. But no. Vaelorian didn't blink, didn't cough, didn't even glance his way. He just kept walking, steady and unyielding, like a statue carved from stone.
Riven huffed silently. "Come on, Your Highness!" he thought, frustration bubbling up. "Just say something. Say anything. I'm right here." He was fuming with pure annoyance—He wasn't really invisible, was he? He thought turning to look at Barron and his friend raised a questioning eyebrow.
Nope! Definitely not invisible! Riven concluded. Vaelorian is just ignoring him.
Amidst the frustration, a light bulb suddenly turned on in Riven's head and he decided to have a little fun where he knew the older boy could hear. There's no better way to annoy someone who's ignoring you than start a mental conversation while mimicking their voice.
Riven readied himself, keeping his voice light and playful.
"Hello, Your Highness," he began in his mind but he was grinning on the outside. "I know you don't remember me, but I'm your roommate—Riven? Yeah, we kinda shared a room once." He paused, then changed his tone, imitating Vaelorian's voice.
"Oh, hi, Riven my old pal! It's been a minute! How are you doing today?"
He chuckled inwardly, then switched back to himself.
"I'm fine, thank you. How about you old friend?"
In his mind, he adopted what would be Vaelorian's cheerful tone.
"I'm great, thank you very much! Thanks for asking."
Then, back to his own voice, he replied.
"You're welcome, old friend. Happily then back to his old grumpy self he added, "You see that? That's how a conversation between two people is supposed to sound like."
But still, Vaelorian didn't even flinch. Not even a blink, not a cough, nothing. He just kept walking, unwavering as the woods swallowed their quiet footsteps.
Riven groaned inwardly. "Ugh. I give up!" he muttered. "What's the point?"
And then, Lady Isolde Ravenclaw, walking nearby and sensing the surroundings, used her gift to communicate with the environment.
"I think we're getting closer," she announced quietly, her voice floating through the trees.
Vaelorian nodded, and then, with a calm but commanding voice, he addressed everyone. "We should split here. That way, we can cover more ground. Keep your eyes open, everyone. We don't know what we're walking into." His tone was steady, confident—leadership flowing from his words. Riven couldn't help but admire how he carried himself.
"Barron, is it?" Vaelorian looked at a boy who froze at the sound of his name.
"Yes—yes, Your Highness!" Barron stammered, eyes wide with nervousness.
"Just Vaelorian," the older boy said, his voice carrying an uneasy edge. "It's fine to call me that."
Riven caught the tension—the way Vaelorian's words felt clipped, like he was holding something back. Barron nodded eagerly, and Riven saw the awkwardness hanging in the air.
"Barron and Riven, you're with me," Vaelorian continued. "The rest of you, be safe, look out for each other."
Riven rolled his eyes internally. Oh, now he finally says my name. I thought I was invisible. He thought bitterly, following him as others scattered into different directions, each group hoping to find the missing kids.
As they moved deeper into the woods, Riven kept glancing at Vaelorian, trying to catch his gaze, hoping for some sign that the older boy was ready to talk to him. But Vaelorian just stared ahead, eyes focused and distant.
"Seriously," Riven thought, frustration bubbling over. "You're really just never going to talk to me, huh?"
Silence. Complete silence.
"Look," he pressed again, mentally, voice desperate. "We both did things we regret, okay? Can't we just move past this?"
More silence. The woods remained quiet, except for the faint rustling of leaves. Oh, goodie.
"Dude," Riven exclaimed in his head, voice rising slightly with annoyance, "you gotta meet me halfway here." He grumbled mentally, "Will you just stop walking so fast?"
Suddenly, Vaelorian stopped, abruptly, and Riven nearly collided with him.
"Keep it down," Vaelorian finally said in his head, quietly but firmly. "I think we're here."
Riven's stomach clenched. Ahead of them, a building loomed—old, abandoned, shadowy. Its windows were dark, cracked, like the shadows inside were waiting for them.
"Is that a building?" Barron asked in disbelief, voice cracking.
"Yes," Vaelorian confirmed calmly, though Riven could hear the faint edge of anger in his tone. "I think this is where the kids might be."
Riven's heart pounded. He wanted to rush forward, to storm the place. But Vaelorian held up a hand.
"I need you two to wait here," he said, voice steady. "I'll be back soon. Barron, keep an eye on Riven."
Riven immediately wanted to protest. "But—"
"No buts," Vaelorian cut him off sharply. "Behave! I mean it." His stern look made Riven grit his teeth but nod, feeling frustrated.
As Vaelorian disappeared toward the old building, Riven muttered under his breath, "Ugh…I hate him so fucking much!"
"Hey," Barron whispered, nervously eyeing him. "What was that about?"
"Nothing, just my roommate being a pain in my ass," Riven said casually, trying to hide his frustration. "Look, I can't wait here. I gotta go over there." He pointed toward the building.
"But Vaelorian said we should wait," Barron stammered, voice trembling slightly.
"Yeah, right," Riven scoffed, crossing his arms. "Like I'm gonna do what he says."
Barron's eyes widened even more. "Let's just wait here a bit. If he doesn't come back soon, then we go after him, okay?"
Riven hesitated. Something told him to listen to Barron, but instead, he just stubbornly shook his head. "No way. I'm going now. I don't care what he said."
Meanwhile, Vaelorian moved swiftly behind the building. Every step was cautious. He pressed his hand against a grimy window, trying to see inside. The faint voices from the first floor drifted out—muffled, tense, urgent. He strained to see more, but the dirt-streaked glass hid everything.
He knew he had to figure out if the missing kids were inside, how many enemies he was facing, and what kind of people were inside before he could decide what to do next.
Every second counted. His heart hammered in his chest as he took a deep breath, steadying himself—one wrong move could ruin everything.