Hefty scuttling of hooves presses across the wide open verdant plains. Gideon gazes at the landscape, losing himself to the packs of docile creatures and colorful foliage. Cyrene felt at ease, as her body lightly bounced atop the moving Yak. As she admires the environment around her, she rekindles a conversation with Gideon. 

“You think your Master has an idea of who I’m looking for?” 

“I can’t guarantee that, but he may likely have some knowledge. I'm quite eager to hear his response when he sees you, though. It may lead me one step closer to where I need to be." 

She leans to the side, catching an angle of his face. 

"By the way, won't your Master be sort of mad that you left without permission?"

"He might be irate at my decision, though, given my findings, I am willing to accept whatever punishment he distributes."

Cyrene raises her eyebrow. 

"And... what kind of punishments does he usually dish out?" 

Gideon pauses. He arches his head down and rests his finger on his chin. He thinks for a moment, then his eyes widen. 

"I... I don't know! I don't believe he has ever been irate before! The very thought is a great cause for concern!" 

Gideon shivers as his mind races through the countless possibilities his Master would punish him; with each passing imagination causing him to grow more distraught. 

"What will he do? I-I have no idea what could happen to me once I encounter him!" 

Cyrene approaches the trembling youth and places her hand on his shoulder. 

"Relax," she smiles. "If it's bothering you that much, I'll have your back."

"Thank you," Gideon nods. "Your words put me at ease."

Splish-Splash, Splish-Splash!

The Yak treads over a shallow body of water, the clear liquid splattering over and around its hooves. Cyrene places both of her hands behind her and leans back a bit, her face aimed at the clear blue sky. 

"I always had a feeling there was more outside my village, too. But my brother would always tell me not to go into the Grotto."

"Seems he shares a similarity with my Master. Are you sure it was wise to leave him alone without someone tending to him?"

"Even in the bad shape he was in, he's really tough. Toughest person I'll ever know. I'm sure he'll be fine. I just need to hurry and find this merchant so I can make him pay..."

Elsewhere, during Cyrene and Gideon's travels, another matter was transpiring in Stalwart Valley. The sun’s rays gradually shone onto the land, piercing into the window of a familiar home. The daylight fell atop a dormant man’s face, awakening Cyrus from his slumber. The hunter gasps heavily, thrusting himself out of unconsciousness. 

“GAH!” 

His eyes shot open, and his body was left in a cold sweat. Cyrus briefly caught his breath and observed the room. He tilts his head upward and peers from left to right. A sea of used bloody rags, scattered capsules of medicine, and a disheveled room surrounded him. He sits upon his bed, though his existing pain causes him to recoil and clutch his abdomen. Pulling the blanket atop of him revealed the parts of his body shielded by an array of splattered, bloody bandages. Only a moment after he woke up, his attention shifted to his sister. 

“Cyrene?” 

He beckons to the huntress, but the sound of his echoing voice is the only noise that responds. Despite his injuries, he jumps out of bed. 

“Cyrene!” 

He calls again, and there is still no response. Limping somewhat, he takes several steps toward the exit of his sister’s room before pausing. The hunter spots something at the corner of his eye. He sees the very same blade that lay in the middle of town during the abrupt invasion of monsters. Curious, he slowly approaches the blade and grabs it by the hilt. It gives off a faint glow; the very sight causes the hunter to raise a brow. 

“What is this…?” He pondered aloud.  

The matter of the weapon was to be dealt with later. Cyrus quickly shifted his priorities back to his sister, all the while keeping the sword in his possession. He exits his sister’s room and searches his home from top to bottom. Cyrus repeatedly calls out her name while searching the other rooms, but it is a useless effort. With every passing second, he grew more concerned. 

Cyrus hurries to his room to throw on a spare shirt in addition to retrieving another scabbard to store his blade. He does not bother to button up his shirt as he rushes out of the house, hoping to find his sister wandering the Stalwart Valley. 

Cyrus exits his home and sees the aftermath of the earlier struggle. Multiple townspeople were still well underway with burying bodies and cleaning up the debris left by the fight. He has heavy eyes, crestfallen by the destruction of the village. 

“Goodness…” Cyrus mutters.

Before Cyrus could hurry into the heart of the valley, he was stopped by one of the residents. 

“Hunter!” 

An older male citizen who was working near the entrance to the dense forest candidly approached the hunter, whose restlessness nearly caused him to ignore the incoming denizen. Impatiently, Cyrus turns to the older man. 

“Yes?” Cyrus asks.

“It’s quite nice to see you up and about already. Though I’m not sure if you’ve made a full recovery.” He says, looking down at the bandages wrapped around his stomach. 

Cyrus tapped his foot repeatedly, attempting to wait for the man to finish, but a few sentences to the hunter felt as though it dragged for ages. His attention was caught, however, when the man mentioned Cyrus’s sister. 

“Your sister was working throughout the night to see your full recovery. Yes, she puts on a strong face, but she was worried to death about you. It was very heartwarming to see. But if I may be honest, I thought she was staying inside to avoid cleanup, yet in hindsight, it's perfectly understandable that she-”

“Apologies, but you were speaking of Cyrene. She doesn’t appear to be at home any longer. Do you have any idea where she may have wandered off to?” 

“Ah, yes, the huntress,” he scratched his chin. “After the battle in the village was over and the other residents were cleaning up, I overheard some people saying they saw her heading in the direction of the Grotto.”

Cyrus felt winded upon hearing the man utter that dreaded place.  

“The Grotto...?" The hunter mutters anxiously. 

“She hasn’t shown up since last night. I daresay I hope the worst has not happened to her. Though I also don’t understand why she would venture off into the Grotto right after such a crazy battle.”

The light in Cyrus' eyes wavered. He stares past the older man and grips the hilt of his blade tightly. 

“I wouldn’t worry too much about the state of her affairs, though. She appears to be a strong young lady. I’m sure she can handle herself,” he states while examining the fallout of the previous battle. “So, have you come to help with the clean-up?”

The hunter walks past the older man and heads toward the forest. Confused, the older man attempts to stop the hunter. 

“Erm, excuse me, hunter,” he turns around, calling to him. “Where are you going?”

“I'm sorry. I need to find my sister. I will return shortly." 

Cyrus continues on his way. Taken aback, the older man attempts to persuade him to stay, trailing behind him as he pleads. 

“Abuh-b-but what if there’s another attack? The sudden flood of those creatures yesterday came unexpectedly, and in great droves! We were completely overwhelmed! We lost thirty villagers, and at least twenty of them were injured! We’ll need you to protect us!" 

Cyrus continues marching down the field. 

"You will need to fend for yourself for the time being. I need to find Cyrene." 

The old man was flabbergasted, almost angered by his statement. 

"Are you insane?! Most of us are in shock! We need you here!"

"My sister needs me more." 

"I-is this how you repay us? The same home that gave you a place to stay and food to eat? Your home that helped raise you after your parents passed," the old man stomps and points at the hunter. "If you don't stop now, do not ever return to this village again!"

Cyrus stops in his tracks. The old man's stern glare did not hold a candle to the deathly scowl building on the hunter's face. Cyrus turns his head halfway to reveal his eyes shrouded in fury. 

“Then so be it," he hissed coldly. "A home without my sister is no home of mine." 

The sun passes over the clouds, blanketing the land below in shadow. His frigid and silent stare sent shivers down the man’s spine. The man stumbles back, trembling at the feral gaze displayed by the hunter. Cyrus reverts his attention from the man and moves on. Diving headlong into the forest, he unsheathes his blade from his scabbard and steels himself, ready to venture forth and find his sister.