Back in the Nether Regions, Zol and his teammates had spent weeks searching for Alexander to no avail.
None of their signals came back and they were running out of places to search without exposing themselves to danger.
Void creature attacks had become rampant as the teams spent more time fighting them off than searching. Lower tier void creatures came at them frequently while Class A void creatures came once in a while.
"Looks like the void creatures have come to know we're here," Charlotte commented as she unleashed an arrow at a void creature that exploded on impact.
"Yeah, I think we should call it," Mason chipped in while he observed his teammates fight off the sea of lower-tier void creatures.
"I agree, but that is in Zol's hand." She cleared her creatures and floated close to Mason, joining in on his watch.
"Mason, I want your honest take on the issue. Do you think the boy is still alive?" Charlotte's expression took a serious turn from her naturally flirty look.
Mason turned to look her in the eye and understood she was being serious. "I don't know, Char," he sighed. "The boy survived in a veiled space for years, that much speaks of his ability to survive in such an environment…alone."
"Yeah…." Looking at the void creatures, Charlotte nodded in agreement. "We don't know if the boy got stronger and how much, but void creatures and the other dangers this place presents might be beyond the boy."
This was not to mention the magical beasts that had managed to become cosmic monsters after surviving for many years. Who knows? Perhaps the planet he found himself had a monster he couldn't fight and got swallowed.
"In any case, Zol should be aware of this as well," Mason muttered to himself. He too knew the boy and while just briefly, it was enough to consider Alex as a younger sibling of sorts.
[Lord Mason, Lady Charlotte. Lord Zol is calling back all teams to the mothership] A voice came from their sets and the two exchanged glances before passing the message to their people to get ready to depart.
Meanwhile, Julia went after her uncle to understand why he called off the search.
"But uncle…we still haven't found him yet. How can you just call off the search?!" Her emotions were all over the place.
To be so close to your beloved and still be unable to find him robbed her of the joy she brought earlier. It's been weeks and still no signs of Alex. Of course, she was getting worried, but she couldn't afford to despair.
"Julia…" Hunter Zol turned to her, placing a hand on her shoulders. "I understand your frustration, but we have to face reality. You've been by my side all this time and seen the efforts everyone put in."
He didn't like seeing his niece hurt like that, and the same expression could be seen on Ross's face as well. The kids were starting to despair but they continued to hold on to hope.
With a sigh, he continued, "I'm calling it off because we have a new problem at hand." His words caused Julia to tilt her head in confusion.
"Reports coming in from the empire is that there has been an increase in the appearance of void creatures and veil tears with its associated problems."
"What?" Julia was shocked and so were Henry and Ross who stood a few feet away. "Yes. It's only a matter of time before more powerful ones make an appearance." He added as his mind went back to that particularly powerful void creature they faced some time ago.
"Since when?"
"That's what I'd like to find out." Zol hated to say this, but he had to. "Right now, the safety of the people is at hand and as the sworn protectors of the empire, we can't just stay away."
Julia lowered her head in defeat. She didn't like it, but she understood it.
Tears threatened to fall but she gritted her teeth and held them back. She wasn't a little girl anymore.
"I promise you this, Julia. When everything settles, we'll return and expand our search even more. It seems he may not be in this galaxy at all."
"Yes, uncle," Julia replied dishearteningly, and it broke the hunter's heart just hearing it. With a gesture, he prompted the crew to set off to their main ship.
It was time to return to the empire after months of being away, and although the journey was bound to be rough, they would see it through.
Back on the ship, Zo sent the kids and the others to their rooms, leaving Charlotte and Mason with him.
"What happened?" Mason asked the moment they were alone, mirroring the same questioning look Charlotte had.
Zol sighed and then went ahead to explain to them what was happening and their orders to return to secure their territories.
"So it's began, huh?" Mason sat down dejectedly, his hand moving to massage his forehead.
For some time, he and Zol theorized that the appearance of that visitor and the 'S-Class void creature' would set the grounds for plunging their world into another era of madness.
But it was just that—a theory—something they kept to themselves. They never anticipated it would actually come to pass, and this fast.
"You guys foresaw this coming?" Charlotte asked in disbelief, shifting her gaze to the seated Mason and then to the standing Zol.
"Mm," Zol nodded and explained their hypothesis. It was something he and Mason came up with when Mason came for a visit in his territory.
"I see…"
Charlotte muttered with a pondering look on her face. Nothing like that ever crossed her mind. Sure, the creature was unlike anything they had faced, but that was the only one they'd encountered so far.
But if veil tears were going to begin appearing once again, chances are those Class S monstrosities would be making more appearances.
'This could be bad…'
"It shouldn't be too big a problem… With the Manastorm form, hunters have become more powerful than ever." Zol said.
'Hopefully, it would be enough. It has to be...' He added inwardly.