Roric looked down at the captured beasts and turned to walk away. He then paused and instead of heading back towards Blackhaven headed towards the direction the herd was coming from and dashed foward.
He had to know where these beasts came from. He followed their trail back, his eyes now scanning for something more than just hoof prints. Using Flow Perception,he discovered a faint trail, a withered patch of moss here, a cracked stone there. The trail led him deeper, to a part of the forest no person ever came to. It was ancient, wild, and forgotten part that even hunters steered clear of but not for reasons one might think. This was a space reserved for the propagation of the mundane beasts. It was decided to keep the place natural and not contaminate it with Flow from the human touch. He stopped a few feet away and scanned the area. There, in a small clearing, was a crumbling old shack. Flow Perception however told him otherwise and that this building was in use until a while ago based on the lingering flow signatures that were undoubtedly human.
It had been abandoned relatively recently and a fresh, unnatural frost clung to the eaves and the splintered wood.
He pushed the door open, the hinges groaning a protest that sounded like a scream. Inside, the air was still and cold. The ground was littered with broken chains and thick iron rods. They were unlike anything he had seen. He picked one up, its iron cold in his hand. He studied it for a moment then infused the rod with a low pulse of energy, and to his surprise, faint, intricate symbols carved into its surface began to glow, a pale, humming blue. It was a broken containment array, a powerful tool used to trap beasts. He'd know since hunters used them on the daily but this array was particularly powerful.
'What creature could possibly be able to break out of a containment like this one?'
His eyes, now fully adjusted to the gloom, caught a flash of light from a patch of the frost. It was a single, iridescent blue scale, glinting like a jewel. He picked it up, its surface unnaturally cold, a chilling counterpart to the array. The scale was like nothing he had ever seen, its color a deep, rich sapphire.
As he stood there, the blue scale in his hand, the moon finally rose, its light spilling through a hole in the roof, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the cold air. The gravity of what he had found settled over him like a shroud.
He had to get back to Alaric. The words formed in his mind, and then, for the first time since the night began, his thoughts drifted to a different kind of urgency. He glanced at the moon, its light casting long shadows across the clearing. A soft, worried smile touched his lips as he thought of his daughter.
"She'll be worried sick," he muttered to himself.
.‡.
Roric sat before Lord Alaric in his study,the strange blue scale he had found in the woods resting on the polished wood between them.
"I scouted the area for a whole week after that," Rorric said, his voice a low, steady rumble.
"Found nothing. The containment array was too shattered to give any information on what exactly it was holding back and the residual Flow ,while it can be traced back to a person, is too faint to actually tell us anything."
Alaric nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on the iridescent scale. "And the herd you led into the ravine?"
"Dead," Rorric replied, his tone grim.
"The hunters I sent to relocate them to the Iron Forest found them two days ago. They were all drained of Flow. Cleanly. Whatever killed them left no mark, no tracks. It was a surgical strike."
Alaric leaned back in his chair, a faint, troubled frown on his face.
"Whatever this is, it's not an accident and somehow tied to that Awakened Beast. I'm sure it's one of the other nobles from any of the faction s but I don't have any proof and besides they've been very meticulous in keeping themselves hidden."
"So what now?" Roric asked.
Alaric sighed, the sound heavy in the room. "Nothing for now. We don't know enough to do anything anyway and any unnecessary movement will warn whoever is doing this that we've caught wind of them. So for now, we wait. We remain reactive and watch."
Rorric's brow furrowed.
"That's a rather laid-back approach, Alaric, considering what's happening in your woods."
Alaric chuckled, a low, rumbling sound.
"My lands are safe, Roric. As long as I have people like you watching over them. In any case, we have another matter to attend to. Come." He rose from his chair, and stretched.
"You should follow me."
They walked out into the cool, morning air. In the open training field, Aina was sitting under the shade of a tree a thick book resting in her lap. Elias was a few yards away, his small form a study in concentration as he practiced slow, deliberate sword swings. He looked tired, his brow furrowed with the effort of remembering his form.
Aina looked up as they approached, closing her book with a soft thud.
"Uncle Alaric." Her greeting was polite, precise, and devoid of emotion. Elias paused his swing, turning to face the newcomers, a small, weary bow from his form.
Roric's eyes landed on the boy, and a slow, warm smile touched his lips.
"He has Lady Elara's eyes, Alaric."
Alaric groaned.
"Oh, come on. He has to have at least one of my qualities. My striking good looks, perhaps?"
Roric laughed, a hearty, genuine sound that echoed across the field.
"Why would a boy want an ugly mug like yours? He's all Elara, a fortunate thing for him."
Elias watched the two men. He could see in their easy banter a bond forged in a different kind of fire.
Alaric cleared his throat.
"Elias, this is Hunter Roric. He is a dear friend of mine, and a Tier 2 Hunter." He then turned to Roric.
"My boy's been working hard, as you can see."
Rorric's eyes fell to Elias's hand, where a small silver ring glinted on his pinky finger. "Glad he likes my daughter's gifts," he said folding his arms.
Elias bowed formally.
"Thank you for the gifts, Sir. Please tell your daughter I am very grateful."
Roric nodded, a smirk on his face.
"I will."
"Roric is going to be your new teacher, Elias." Alaric said casually.
A synchronized, surprised
"Eh?" from both Elias and Rorric filled the air.
"You two should get along just fine."