"Vail and I will investigate the source of the sound while you two ensure the village's safety," I instructed, swiftly assigning tasks to my companions.

"Okay," Farkas confirmed

"Got it," Luna added.

We swiftly parted ways, each embarking on our assigned missions.

"Ace, Wind Armor," I commanded.

Ace nodded in understanding, and a gust of air enveloped my body, swirling around me like a tempest capable of slicing through the fabric of space itself. Protected by my newly formed Wind Armor, I phased through the trees effortlessly, while Vail maneuvered through the shadows, keeping pace with me.

Minutes flew by as we traversed the landscape at breakneck speed. Finally, we arrived in the vicinity from which the sound had originated, gradually slowing down our pace and growing more cautious. I asked Vail to scout ahead in her shadow form, but as she entered the clearing, a barrier materialized, trapping her within.

"Entrapment," A voice muttered, scrutinizing the barrier. Inside it, my wife struggled to break free, attempting even to teleport through a shadow beyond the barrier, only to collide with its unyielding force.

"Darkness Domain," She commanded, summoning a dome of darkness within the confines of the barrier. However, it faltered upon reaching the barrier, unable to extend any further.

"Who are you?" The voice called out once again, the voice echoing with a tinge of familiarity.

"Rohan," I responded.

"Ah, so it is you. Apologies, Rohan," the voice conceded.

With those words, an immense bear, measuring perhaps twelve to fifteen feet in length, emerged from a colossal crater that had gone unnoticed by me until now. Simultaneously, the barrier dissipating. Vail emerged from the darkness domain, visibly angry, but she held her tongue.

"I'm sorry, Vail. I couldn't certain if it was you. My sense of smell is deteriorating with age. I'm getting too old for this," the bear, known as Spirit, admitted.

"It's fine, Spirit," my wife responded, her countenance gradually calming.

"Hello, Ace," Spirit greeted.

"Hi, did you discover anything here?" Ace inquired, curiosity piqued.

"I did. Rohan, the boy on my back, isn't he your son?" Spirit queried, motioning towards the unconscious figure on his back. It was then that I noticed Akio lying there, his presence unbeknownst to me until that moment.

"What is Akio doing here?" I wondered aloud.

"I'm unsure. I found him at the bottom of the crater," Spirit explained.

"Did you uncover anything else down there?" I probed further.

"No, I only stumbled upon your son. I have no knowledge of what caused this enormous crater," Spirit replied.

'Hmm... This seems to be more troublesome than I had anticipated,' I contemplated silently.

After retrieving Akio and expressing gratitude to Spirit for his assistance, we made our way back to the village, hoping that Farkas and Luna might shed light on the situation.