Chapter 422: Northern Is Missing
"Hey, have you seen Northern today?"
Ellis tilted his head left and right, thinking for a couple of seconds before responding.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? Last I saw him, both of you were walking out."
Annette frowned a little bit and nodded her head, "Thank you, Ellis." She said and turned away from him.
However, before she walked any further, Ellis ran to her front with an inquisitive expression drawing on his face. She already knew what he was going to ask.
"Nothing is wrong, Ellis. There's no disagreement of any sort. Maybe he's just killing
monsters or relaxing somewhere. You know your friend."
Ellis's expression relaxed a bit. He let out a sigh and said, "I know him. That's exactly why I'm suspecting that something happened between you guys and Lady Raven."
Annette observed him for a moment. She frowned slightly as she called to him.
"El, I've got a question for you."
Ellis looked up to her eyes, confused, "Okay... sure?"
"If Raven and Northern end up picking different sides, which side are you following? I mean, it's no news that those two do not like each other. So if it comes down to it, who are you following?"
Ellis chuckled, "Isn't that question something you already know the answer to?"
Annette raised a brow, "So you would follow your lovely Lady Raven?"
Ellis frowned immediately, "What? Hell no! I owe Northern my life. Why would I pick my love for Lady Raven over my loyalty to Northern? When no one saw any good in me, Northern did. He believed in me and still believes in me. I might be nowhere near where he is right now, but with someone as strong as him believing in me, I am sure I too will become a force to reckon with one day."
Annette stared at him with respect and amazement, then a smile whispered out of her face, "You are impressive. Keep that good brain of yours."
She looked around, "Anyway, there's a need for us to find Northern. Things are moving fast. Raven is preparing to invade Luinngard. I need to know what exactly his plan is."
Her eyes came back to Ellis, "What about Jeci?"
"She woke up a few minutes ago. I can help you ask her."
Annette nodded to him, "You help me do that. I have to address the people and finally break the nut and tell them the perilous mission we have before us."
Ellis looked at her tentatively and called as she walked away, "Instructor Anne..."
Annette looked back without turning.
"Do you think we can make it back home?"
She smiled, "We won't stop trying until we are home." Then she walked away, her right and left flank seductively swaying as she did.
Ellis withdrew his eyes and solemnly made his way to where he last remembered he saw Jeci.
It was a small yard behind, somewhere that had been designated as an open space for training.
Ellis had seen her walk towards that side earlier before Annette approached him, so he had naturally thought she was going there.
A couple of people were sparring here and there in the open space. Despite the toll that the past day had taken on everyone, they seemed energetic.
Moreover, Gilbert was also here. He stood towards a corner and seemed to be instructing someone or at least teaching? Maybe explaining...
'...ah, I don't know, what's my business,' Ellis grunted away and turned his neck, carefully observing every other person.
That was when he saw Jeci opposite a man, grinning menacingly with her spear in her hands. "Oh no, that can't be good," Ellis mumbled and hurriedly ran towards the man.
He got in between them and spread his arms, facing Jeci.
"Please don't do this."
Jeci frowned, "What do you mean?"
Ellis trembled but summoned the courage to speak, "This man is a resource of some sort. We are still trying to find a way home. You can't kill anyone!"
Jeci's frown deepened, becoming dark and scary.
"Young boy, what do you mean? I had humbly asked for a spar from this lady because she uses a spear and I can see she is skilled with it."
The man raised the rod in his hands, "Might not look like it, but I am a spear user also."
Ellis blinked a couple of times and awkwardly dropped his hands, scratching the back of his head, "Ah, I didn't know that was the case. It was a spar?"
He slowly took himself from their middle to Jeci's side. Everywhere settled into a few moments of silence.
The man then disrupted, his strong voice ringing, "Well then, if you wish to continue?"
Jeci was about to answer; however, Ellis hurriedly interrupted, "She can't!" He said to the man and quickly faced Jeci, "You can't."
The man looked at Ellis with a small frown, "Kid, that is not your decision to -"
"I can't," Jeci said before he got to finish his statement. This caused the man to grimace towards Jeci.
But his anger only lasted a few seconds. He breathed everything out and said in an even tone.
"Well then, if that is what you want, young lady." He bowed his head barely and walked away. Jeci turned to Ellis immediately, a frown etched upon her brows.
"Explain yourself, langer."
"What? What did you call me?" Ellis questioned with an intense frown, but Jeci's expression
was scarier, making him cough softly and answer with humility.
"So, uhm, the thing is, Instructor Anne has been looking for Northern."
Immediately the part "Northern" was mentioned, all of Jeci's demeanor changed.
Her eyes widened and trembled.
"What? What happened to him?"
"He hasn't been sighted all the while, and Instructor Annette thinks something is wrong."
Jeci covered her face with her hand and bent, trembling as if she was in pain.
"Jeci, are you okay?"
She stood up with a deep frown, "He... he has gone to Luinngard."
Ellis took his head back with a disbelieving frown, "Luinngard? Why would he?"
She turned to look at Ellis with a doleful expression and said, "To see his mother."