They shut the box closed, not knowing the piece of parchment would be a tool for at least a dozen people to find their loved ones.
It also saved even more lives by virtue of giving hope.
The group soon finished cleaning up the resting place, making sure that it was as near as to how it was when they got there.
However, they had not finished packing up when they heard running footsteps coming in their direction.
There were no yells or screams though, and their pace indicated they were simply in a rush and not being chased. So, although the soldiers were guarded, it was not so tense.
A group of about fifty people were running to their location and they flinched when they saw it occupied. "We're just using a small part." One said from the get-go upon seeing their physiques.
The soldiers didn't mind of course, but they were a bit surprised at the naturalness people arrived here with, despite their apparent tension.
It seemed that this place had been used a lot, and people had an unspoken agreement on how to handle it.
It was just that someone from Bright frowned and walked towards the new group.
"Aren't you from Vismont?" Ron asked, he was on the tour with him back in Altera.
The tense man relaxed when he recognized Ron. He lightened up like seeing an old friend. "Ah, yes, we escaped. Barely." He paused, "It was so scary. So many monster groups of levels four and five kept attacking the wall.
"If the lord hadn't chosen to upgrade the wall again after everyone's help, we'd have fallen an hour in."
"How is it now?" Ron asked. It wasn't that he really cared about another territory. He cared more about the fact that it could easily happen to Bright as well.
"When we escaped through the other gate, the wall was still going strong." He said, "We also encountered monsters on the way, but thankfully we were rescued on time."
Another skinny man nodded, eyes filled with admiration. "Thank goodness we encountered the people of Altera."
Everyone in the mercenary team froze. "Altera?"
The man obviously did not notice what was wrong. "Yes, our lord requested their help and they came. That fireball was so.. magical."
"Ms. Althea is as beautiful as always."
"Althea?!"
The skinny man squealed like a girl as his thin shoulders were held by a strange man's iron grip.
"You mean she's there?!" The man asked, low voice reverberating, and the thin man nodded wildly in terror.
"Where?"
The man shakily pointed at the path he was on. "A-about a few h-hour r-run from here…"
"I'll go ahead," was all Garan said, eyes fixed in a direction. The next moment, he instantaneously disappeared everyone's from sight.
…
When he arrived at Vismont about half an hour later, the battle was almost over, with the initial batch of level 5s long dealt with and now a new more powerful batch was being killed.
They were level 7s and 8s and Matthew was thankful they only arrived when the Alterans were already there, otherwise his new level 3 wall—with extremely sparse sentries due to the lack of funds even after so much solicitation—would definitely have given way early on.
At this time, there were only about a dozen monsters left being dealt with by more than a hundred people. This was what Garan and the others saw when they arrived.
It wasn't difficult to see where his wife was. She was standing gallantly over the battlement, proficiently using her bow and arrow.
She was still so beautiful, like an angel, continuously firing arrows and accurately hitting monster after monster, saving a lot of people by the way.
Although her level wasn't enough to kill them in one shot, it caused considerable damage. With her cooperation with the guards, they managed to deal with various level 7 and level 8 monsters.
But more than anything, he observed her carefully and made sure she was truly healthy and safe.
"Wife." He whispered breathlessly, his cerulean eyes fixed on her figure, following her every move.
His eyes stung as he did so, his cold empty heart filling up again.
…
Althea heaved a sigh as she watched the final monster fall down with a flop.
Finally over.
She had brought twenty guards with her, including Rowan, to deal with the monsters. The levels were just perfect to train with.
Rowan helped the Vismont guards deal with half of the monsters, and then she and her twenty guards worked together to deal with the remaining ones.
This time she was in charge of the long-range support and backup, as she was not allowed by Rowan and the guards to do close combat. 'They wanted to train'. they said.
Then the stronger batch came and she brightened. She took out the three level 8s by herself despite consuming all the mana food she had in stock.
She watched with a smile as the citizens cheered when they saw the last monster taken down. After confirming there were no more attacks, she finally relaxed her stance.
Now that it was calm, Althea finally felt the heated stare that had been directed in her direction.
Puzzled, she turned her head and froze. Her heart stopped as she saw the face that she had been dreaming of for months.
His skin had become a bit darker and coarse but he was still so handsome, charming, and reliable as he always was.
"Husband?" She whispered, her ears ringing from shock, but she soon remembered where she was—soon realizing that she was not dreaming!
Her tear ducts broke instantaneously at the realization.
"Husband!" She yelled again, voice cracking, and she skillfully jumped down the wall and sprinted to him with open arms.
Garan, who had been holding back tears, also succumbed and opened his arms to meet her.
When they were only a meter apart, he quickly lifted her up so he could embrace her tightly. In response, she hung on him like a koala.
Garan expertly angled his face to meet hers for a heated kiss, which Althea met with similar enthusiasm.
Everyone blushed and either looked away or covered their faces, understanding that these two had completely forgotten where they were.
Only Ansel would ever have the guts to tell them off.
He glared at the two most inconsiderate people ever!
"Get a room, damnit!!"