Alan and the rest of the group were taken aback when Armis referred to the man ahead as his uncle. Before anyone could process this revelation, the man abruptly took off, darting into the dense jungle and vanishing amidst the foliage. Without a moment's hesitation, Armis bolted after his supposed uncle, leaving the rest of the group stunned.
Exchanging surprised glances, they silently concurred to follow Armis, their curiosity piqued by this unexpected turn of events.
Armis raced through the dense jungle, his heart pounding with each stride as he pushed aside trees and branches in pursuit of his elusive uncle. Despite his efforts, his uncle's nimbleness allowed him to swiftly navigate the forest, using the terrain to his advantage and effortlessly gaining distance from Armis.
As Armis struggled to navigate the uneven terrain, his uncle gained distance, leaping from one tree to another with remarkable agility. Despite his best efforts, Armis's large frame and the obstacles in his path slowed him down. Finally emerging from the thicket into a clearing, Armis stumbled and fell to the ground, his call for his uncle echoing through the forest.
"Uncle Adrian!" Armis cried out, watching helplessly as his uncle disappeared into the foliage once more, leaving him alone in the wilderness.
The group caught up to Armis, who stood with a somber expression, his eyes fixed on the dense jungle where Adrian had disappeared. Alan, being the first to reach him, jumped down from a tree branch and offered his hand to Armis. After a moment of hesitation, Armis accepted Alan's hand and rose to his feet with his support.
Before Alan could speak, Aurelia approached from behind, her voice filled with concern. Placing her hand on Armis's shoulder, she asked, "Armis... What happened? Why did you run?"
Armis remained silent for a moment, still staring into the jungle. Then, he replied softly, "I saw Adrian... My uncle."
Aurelia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Yeah, we got that, but why did you run? Did he not recognize you or something?" Lyco chimed in, joining the conversation and glancing between Armis and the direction he was staring.
To Lyco's question, Armis looked at him with a puzzled expression, unsure of why things had unfolded the way they did. "I... I'm not sure," he admitted. "I tried calling out to him, but he just kept running, as if he couldn't see or hear me."
"Well, that's odd... Are you absolutely sure it was Adrian? Maybe you mistook someone else for him?" Alan suggested, scanning the depths of the jungle as he spoke.
"Even if that's the case, whoever it was should have stopped when Armis was chasing him," Poduria chimed in.
"Yeah, she's got a point. And now, who knows where he could be?" Aurelia added, gesturing toward the dense foliage around them. "He could be anywhere."
Armis grew frustrated with the deductions being made one after another. "I... I don't know," he admitted. "But I'm certain that man was Adrian. And I need to find him, to fulfill my promise to Layla. I made her a promise, and I intend to keep it." With determination, he turned toward the jungle, ready to embark on his search.
Alan, observing Armis's frustration, turned back to the group, recognizing the need for their collective support. With a firm voice, he proposed a plan while offering reassurance to Armis. "Don't worry, Armis. We believe you, and we're all here to help you find him,"
Alan began, stepping beside Armis and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Seeking to instill hope, he continued, "Since the gate to the next floor isn't far from here, we should be able to locate Adrian before nightfall if we split up and search the jungle thoroughly."
"Relecta and I will take the east side," Alan assigned roles, glancing at his companion. "Armis and Aurelia, you two will scout the north, and Lyco and Poduria will cover the west."
"But how will we know if anyone has found him or not?" Aurelia raised a valid question, joining Armis's side and offering him comfort by holding his hand. Alan nodded, acknowledging her concern, before responding, "I was just getting to that. If any of us finds Adrian, we'll use these," he said, distributing small balls to each member of the group.
"These are filled with smoke. You just need to throw them on the ground, and they'll burst open with a loud sound, spewing smoke. It'll signal the discovery to the others, and we'll all converge on that location."
As Alan finished his explanation, Lyco examined the ball in his hand with curiosity. "These are quite handy. Where did you get them?" he inquired.
"I made them," Alan replied firmly, stowing his ball in his knapsack. He then confirmed everyone's understanding with one last instruction. "Is everyone clear on what to do?"
"Yes!" came the unified response. With nods exchanged, they began dispersing to their assigned directions.
Navigating the eastern side of the forest, Alan maintained his position atop the trees, leaping from branch to branch for a better vantage point. Below, Relecta called out loudly, her voice echoing through the dense foliage, "ADRIAN!!!! Mr. ADRIAN!!!"
As they ventured deeper, a large frog suddenly leaped towards Relecta, causing her to shriek in surprise. Alan swiftly descended from the tree, but before he could intervene, he watched in amazement as Relecta, with remarkable courage, conjured a water ball and hurled it at the frog, sending it flying away from her. She remained composed and confident throughout the ordeal.
Impressed and delighted by her quick thinking, Alan approached her with a joyful smile. As they continued on their path, he gently patted her head, eliciting a playful reaction from her. Chuckling, Alan praised Relecta for her progress in wielding her abilities, "That was impressive, Relecta. You're getting better at handling surprises."
Relecta's eyes sparkled like gems as she chimed in with enthusiasm, "Yes! And not only that, Poduria has taught me how to scan for water sources in the surroundings. If I focus hard enough..." With a determined expression, Relecta closed her eyes and placed two fingers on the side of her head, concentrating in a specific direction. Suddenly, a puddle of water surged towards them, levitating in the air.
With a satisfied smile, Relecta resumed her stance and played with the floating water. "See? I can even control water from a distance. Pretty cool, huh?" She looked at Alan expectantly, eager for his praise. Alan, acknowledging her newfound abilities, responded warmly, "Absolutely fascinating! Your abilities have so many potential uses – reconnaissance, attack, defense, and even as a guide if we ever get lost."
With a radiant smile at Alan's praise, Relecta eagerly stepped forward, turning to face him with pride evident in her expression. "I know, right? I'm learning all this because I want to be a good wife for you, one who can protect you," she proclaimed confidently.
However, Alan's initial smile faded into disappointment as he took a step back from her. Leaping onto a nearby tree and adopting an aloof demeanor, he addressed her in a stern voice. "Relecta, don't tell me you're still fixated on that. I've told you before, I don't see you in that way. You're just a kid to me."
Relecta's anger surged at Alan's dismissal, causing the water around her to erupt in droplets, a visual display of her frustration. She fixed a piercing glare at Alan, her ample, maturing figure emphasized as she pointed out, "What's your problem? Look at me, I'm becoming a woman. Look at my legs, do they resemble a child's legs to you?"
Her voice rose with each word, fueled by hurt and indignation. "And what YOU said was you don't know how to love YET. If you're not even willing to try, and you won't even let ME try, how can it ever work out?!"
Despite Relecta's outburst, Alan remained unmoved, his attention fixed on the task at hand. Frustrated by his lack of response, Relecta turned away in a huff, stomping forward with angry determination.
Alan watched Relecta's reaction from the corner of his eye, realizing that arguing with her would only escalate the situation and detract from their mission. Instead, he leaped onto another tree, preparing to resume his search.
Suddenly, a figure darted through the forest, racing directly in front of Relecta and startling her. Regaining her composure, she shot a glare at Alan, who understood her intentions perfectly. With a defiant smirk, she blew a raspberry at him and declared mockingly, "I'll show you! You'll have to see me as a woman when I catch that guy alone!"
With determination, Relecta dashed after the man, leaving Alan frustrated but begrudgingly impressed by her determination. Gritting his teeth, he followed closely behind her, leaping from tree to tree in pursuit.
Lyco followed behind Poduria as she called out to Adrian, but his attention seemed preoccupied with something else. With butterflies fluttering in his stomach, he couldn't resist posing a question to Poduria.
"Darling… I wanted to ask you something," Lyco began, his curiosity evident in his voice.
Poduria halted in her calling and turned to face Lyco, a suggestive smile playing on her lips. With a wink, she replied, "Yes, my love?"
Her words filled Lyco with excitement, like a little puppy eager for attention. Regaining his confidence, he joined Poduria's side and asked in an excited tone, "Well, I was thinking, ever since you accepted my proposal, I can't stop thinking about our wedding. How will it be? What will we do? I know, for food, we can have that Tauros from floor 17. It was delicious, wasn't it?"
Poduria hesitated for a moment, her gaze drifting ahead with a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she replied in a tone that didn't quite match Lyco's excitement.
"Yes, it was. And I'm excited about our wedding too, but I'm not sure we can have it anytime soon, Lyco."
Lyco was taken aback, his heart sinking with various theories swirling in his mind, questioning Poduria's love for him. Almost on the verge of tears, he was lost in his thoughts until Poduria turned back, seeing his despondent expression. Quickly approaching him, she wrapped him in a comforting hug, explaining herself.
"Oh, no, my love, please don't misunderstand me," Poduria said, releasing Lyco from her embrace and looking into his eyes with sincerity. "What I meant is that we shouldn't rush into our wedding right now. Forgive me that I didn't tell you this before but I have some family on floor 47, they run a large Favua farm there. I was thinking that for the most important day of our lives, I'd like my family to be present if possible. Plus, there's a beautiful cathedral there, and I've heard they have light priests who hold authority from the Holy Church. Wouldn't it be nice to receive their blessings?"
Lyco's expression gradually shifted back to happiness and excitement upon hearing his fiancée's thoughtful words. He quickly embraced her, planting a quick kiss on her lips, which caused her face to light up with a blush as she stood up and began walking ahead, passing Lyco a humble, loving smile.
Lyco continued to follow her, and after taking a few steps, she paused and turned to him, a question lingering in the air.
"So, dear, don't you want your family to attend our wedding?" she asked. "We can send them invitations from the next window, and maybe they can join us before we reach floor 47."
Upon Poduria's question, Lyco paused for a moment, his mind grappling with conflicted thoughts. With a smile that masked his true feelings, he replied, "Nah...I don't think you'd like them, the—"
Before Lyco could finish his sentence, a figure darted past them from behind. Lyco and Poduria exchanged a quick glance, their eyes widening in realization. Without another word, they nodded at each other and sprang into action, chasing after the mysterious runner.
"Adrian…where are you???!!" Armis's frustration echoed through the forest as he angrily tore away at the foliage obstructing his path. Aurelia, walking behind him, observed his distress with concern and attempted to offer some solace.
"Armis…if you don't mind…will you tell me about your uncle? You seem very sad with all this, when you should be happy, I think…" Aurelia's voice was gentle, her intentions sincere. Armis remained silent for a moment, his gaze distant as memories flooded his mind.
Taking a final glance at the threshold where Adrian had vanished, Armis let out a sigh of resignation. With a heavy heart, he sat down on a nearby rock, covering his face with his hand, overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness. Aurelia, sensing his despair, joined him and enveloped him in a comforting embrace.
"Don't worry Armis, we will find him," she assured him softly, her voice filled with empathy and reassurance.
Armis, his voice tinged with emotion, gently extracted himself from Aurelia's embrace, his gaze heavy with sadness as he began to recount his past.
"Adrian…and Layla were the ones who took me in when I received the news," Armis began, his eyes reflecting the weight of his memories. "The day I became an orphan, the day I lost my biggest inspiration, my father…it almost broke me. I didn't know where to go. Alone and desperate, I wandered helplessly in Pompeii, hoping that somehow, I would find him…still holding onto the hope that all of that was a dream, and waiting to wake up from the nightmare."
Armis paused, his gaze drifting towards the sky as he continued to reminisce. "But he never returned. Instead, one day, Adrian showed up at my hut with my father's belongings. He came to return something, but took back a helpless child with no obligation to me whatsoever. Adrian and Layla took me in, raising me as their own, because they never had any children of their own. That day, I found a family, and they found a child."
Armis turned his gaze towards Aurelia, his expression a mix of helplessness and nostalgia. With a heavy heart, he shifted his eyes towards the dense foliage ahead, lost in his memories.
"I knew they weren't my real parents," Armis began softly, his voice tinged with sadness, "but I never thought of them as anything less. Adrian used to go on raids, always returning with enough treasure to provide the three of us with a decent living. He also taught me how to fight and shared stories about my father, painting him as the bravest Raider in their party."
Armis paused, his mind drifting back to that fateful day. "But one day, Adrian never returned. All we received was a messenger sack containing some treasure and a message. It said that he had found a lead on a large treasure and would be going to find it. He promised to return as soon as he could."
Armis continued, his voice tinged with sorrow. "But he never returned. He used to send us treasure, barely enough for me and Layla to get by. Eventually, the amounts became smaller and smaller until they stopped altogether. Layla never lost hope, though. She was certain that Adrian would come back to us one day."
Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Armis went on. "So Layla started farming and selling crops to make ends meet. I helped her as much as I could, but it was never enough. Despite her brave face, I could see the fear and desperation in her eyes every day. She never expressed it openly, though. She held onto her hope with all her strength."
Armis's expression hardened with determination. "That's when I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a Raider. Layla supported me wholeheartedly, even though I could see the toll it was taking on her. Before joining the academy, I promised her that I would bring Adrian back to her, to repay them for all they had done for me."
Hearing Armis pour out his heart, Aurelia's eyes welled up with tears. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and enveloped Armis in a tight embrace, his head resting against her chest. In a voice filled with both sadness and determination, she reassured him, "Don't worry, Armis. I'm here for you. We'll find Adrian together and bring him back to Layla. You're not alone in this."
At first surprised by Aurelia's sudden embrace, Armis soon found comfort in her warmth. Returning her embrace, he gazed deeply into her green eyes, a flicker of warmth passing between them. Just as they leaned in for a kiss, their moment was interrupted by the sound of someone rushing past them. Startled, Armis quickly nudged Aurelia away, both embarrassed by the close encounter. However, they swiftly refocused on the task at hand. With determined gazes exchanged, they nodded at each other and took off after the runner, determined to catch up and find Adrian.
The entire group pursued the figure they believed to be Adrian, eventually emerging from the dense jungle into an open clearing near the gate to the next floor. Armis and Aurelia were the first to arrive, but their excitement turned to shock as they saw the man they had been chasing standing in the center of the clearing with another figure at his side. It was unmistakably Adrian.
As the two newcomers turned to face them, the tension in the air thickened. The man beside Adrian summoned his sword and aimed it directly at Armis and Aurelia, signaling a confrontation that none of them had anticipated.
As rustles in the foliage signaled their arrival, Lyco and Poduria emerged from the right, while Alan and Relecta appeared from the left, confronting the man they had been pursuing, presuming him to be Adrian. Two other men swiftly joined Adrian's side, drawing their weapons in unison, mirroring their leader's actions.
Filled with a mixture of surprise and hope upon seeing what they believed to be Adrian, Armis couldn't contain his excitement as he called out, his voice echoing through the clearing, "Adrian! It's me, Armis! Layla is worried sick about you! Let's go back to her—"
Before Armis could finish his plea, he found himself staring down the blade of a sword, wielded by one of the men, who sternly warned him against any further advances.
Armis cautiously stepped back, his eyes still fixed on Adrian, who remained unmoved by his pleas. Frustration and concern gnawed at Armis as he attempted to reason with Adrian once more, but to no avail.
As tension thickened in the air, the unexpected sound of heavy footsteps drew everyone's attention. Before their eyes, eight more men, armored and armed, emerged from the shadows, encircling Team Goliath with an intimidating presence.