It wasn't long for them to track the footprints to their end. "Eh, no more prints. Could it have erased them… or is it that beast? If it is, it should've vanished by now," Chet said. "It's human, not beast," Thane, the one leading replied, his tone flat and sure. He looked eastward at a tree, his gaze narrowing. "Show yourself," he said, his voice calm but threaded with authority. There was a rustle – dead leaves crunched softly beneath feet. A small figure emerged from behind the tree.
Kira's pale body bore dry bloodstains; recent blood smeared her mouth. Her dress, claw-torn, hung unevenly; dirt caked her hands and legs as she clutched the frayed hem, kneeling into the earth like it was a refuge. "This?" Chet trailed off, struggling to square what he saw with expectations. He'd anticipated someone formidable – not this bruised, fragile creature. Abandoning his speculative air, he smiled sheepishly. "Come," Thane said, his voice woven with quiet command. No roughness. Kira hesitated; she knew she couldn't outrun them. She scanned their faces for hostility but found none – just waiting patiently. They didn't push; they simply waited. Warily, she walked toward them, standing before Thane and Chet as they scanned her with intent eyes.
The leader, Thane then walked ahead; the other man fell into place behind her – positioning himself so Kira was between them, a practiced safeguard in case threats burst from shadows. A gentle nudge from Chet, the man behind, encouraged Kira forward, keeping her framed securely between them. They led her unerringly through dense-branch labyrinths leaning against mountains, avoiding hidden traps with practiced ease. The path narrowed; the air shifted subtly. Kira blinked – walls emerged like risen giants, sheltering tiered buildings carved into mountain valleys. They used a secret passage, stepping through into a compound unlike anything she'd seen – Valleyside, a blend of stone and wood harmonizing with cliffs, its threshold seeming to swallow the exterior-world sounds whole.
As they walked toward one building, children in leather gear noticed her, their eyes calibrating interest. Before Kira could take another step, a voice rang out. "Kira? Kira!" She knew that voice. Whipping her head around, she saw Sapphire squeeze through the crowd of children – followed by Nirro, Kealor, and Lucian, all dressed alike. Joy washed over her, but before she could move, Thane gripped her wrist. She looked up into eyes staring down with a look that said _stay_. Saddened, she halted.
Sapphire was different – he didn't stop. "Let her go," he said, running toward them, but a warrior blocked him. "Don't move, kid," the man warned, positioning himself solidly. Sapphire ignored him, mind fixated on Kira; he didn't notice the shifting aura as he stepped forward again. Almost past the warrior, he got a hard blow to the stomach. Sapphire felt like vomiting but coughed harshly instead – his stomach was empty. Kira, shaken, began struggling toward Sapphire. "Stay down. I won't say it again," the warrior growled, but Sapphire got up angrily ignoring the warriors warning.
Irritated by the defiance, the warrior prepared to strike harder – Sapphire, his gaze still locked on Kira. As he stepped forward again, the warrior's expression shifted – suddenly confused, like reality blurred momentarily. The man's eyes seemed to fix on Sapphire… but his stance wavered, perception askew. Sapphire didn't touch him; he didn't dodge physically – instead, the warrior's own grasp on surroundings appeared to falter. In that flicker, Sapphire was past him, like a form dissolving into clear air. The warrior remained standing, immobile, pupils lingering on empty space where Sapphire had been. Thane's gaze narrowed fractionally. Before Sapphire could get close to them, Thane intervened, activating his power barely perceptibly. Sapphire felt himself pinned by an unseen force; he kneed the dirt desperately but couldn't break free. "It's best you don't move," Thane said, looking down. _Smart kid_, he thought inwardly. An angry wave of power escaped from the warrior who had recovered, foiled by Sapphire's evasion, appeared beside the boy, grabbing his neck ready to strangle – but Thane stopped him cold, flinging him away with a glance that earned a harsh stare. The warrior retreated.
Thane turned to Sapphire, still restrained. "Get up and go change. Let this serve as a warning – to you and the rest. You now belong to us; you'll obey what we tell you." He addressed Sapphire, then swept his gaze wider. "You might not be lucky next time." Looking from Sapphire to Kira briefly, he added, "You can speak to her afterward." Chet stepped forward, raising Sapphire upright. "Up now. I'll take you to the healer," he said to Sapphire, leading him away. To ease Kira, Sapphire turned back, smiling silently.
Thane pulled Kira into a building where a tall, broad-shouldered man stood – older, with brown hair streaked gray to his shoulders, wearing refined clothing unlike Thane's practical gear. He silently flipped through some books
"What did find" he said, barely sparring them a glance,
"The noise was indeed from a beast, an infant gryphkorrupt" thane paused, when he saw his master was quiet he continued,
"It was found dead, by the time we got there" this earned an eyebrow raise from the man,
Did you find what killed it"
"No, there wasn't any presence of a beast around, but we found this one," Thane said, with which he brought Kira forward for the man to see. The man dropped the book which he was holding and focused his attention on her.
"Where did you find…"
"Admist the chaos, sir" , with interest the man walked closer to them, Kira immediately felt the suffocating aura, and seemed to forget to breath, he didn't expose or unleash his power but the way he carried himself and walk said a lot, no hostility but yet she didn't want to remain in the room at all. His stare made her feel less than an insect, she had to keep her head down not looking at him.
"Look up child" he said, Kira flinched before looking up at the man, then with a flick of his hand, he probed her body with his magic.
"No injuries" He said smirking and it seemed like he was expecting it. The man, Thane, who was holding her seemed to be puzzled by his Leader's reaction.
"Send her to clean up and stay with the other children, immediately that's done, come back there some I will need you to get." The man said, handing over a small paper to which Thane received. "You can leave now." the man ordered, Thane saluted with a bow with one hand behind his back. Then exited the study with Kira in hand. When he came out, a figure was already waiting for them, the man from before, Chet. He was resting against the wall, immediately he saw them he stood properly,
"What did the Leader say" he asked, but he was met silence, Thane was still trying to understand,
"Nothing" Thane replied,
"Really?" Chet said, not buying it.
"Yes" he answered, handing Kira over to him, still in thought, "Take her, you know what, let her be put which the others, I have a task to carry out"
"You sure he didn't react"
"He did, he smiled" Thane said,
"He what?Hey!" before he could ask further. Thane was gone.
"He is so fond of this" frustrated by Thane's disappearance, but he immediately switched emotions like shuffling decks of cards,
"Let's get you clean and clothed" Kira stood baffled as she looked at the man now holding her. She followed the man as he led her to another building.