35 34. Stalk

Just like their counterparts, Team B reached the shore of the island, greeted by beggars and the homeless. Some clung to the corpses of their loved ones, while others nursed injuries, all of them casting desperate gazes at the rain-filled skies, their tears blending with the falling drops.

"What's going on here?" Erra muttered, taking in the scene of suffering and despair along the shore.

"What do you mean?" Yosemite queried, conjuring an ice spell to shield their team from the rain.

"Why isn't Frosthaven taking in these people? There are plenty of labyrinths and guilds in the city. This place is just a pit of misery," Erra observed, her gaze stopping abruptly when she noticed a woman with a cracked skull staring back at her.

"These folks didn't just spawn here. They came of their own accord, driven by their own choices, they weren't trafficked or coerced. Stormreach is a breeding ground for villainy and bounty hunters who profit from it. If they're here, it means they tried to survive among the wicked, or they were consumed by them. It's as simple as that," Sven explained, his expression unmoved as he scanned the horizon for a nearby bar or inn.

"Sven!" Halo exclaimed, clearly unsettled by his blunt assessment.

"I understand the truth hurts, but there's no point in sugarcoating it," Sven retorted, his demeanor unyielding.

"Sometimes, a gentler approach can soften the blow," Yosemite suggested, appealing to Sven.

"Softening harsh realities doesn't change them. It just delays the inevitable," Sven countered.

"There's a bar over there," Hiakam interjected, steering the group toward their destination.

They had arrived from the opposite side of the island, separated by hundreds of kilometers. While the other team had spotted a lighthouse, they hadn't seen anything of the sort. As they entered the bar, they scanned for available seats.

The bar was barely populated, with only a few patrons scattered throughout, grouped in threes. They ate and drank without paying much attention to the newcomers.

Erra scanned the room, scrutinizing each person before turning her head to search for Harvey. Instead, Yosemite was nearby. She sighed before relaying her observations. "They're all armed. I couldn't really understand their conversation, but my best guess is it's about us."

"Let's not give them any further reason to be concerned," Yosemite replied, signaling a waiter who promptly approached their table.

In this game, player biology was complexly linked to the game mechanics. While still unrealistic in some aspects, players experienced hunger and thirst, albeit at reduced rates compared to real life.

Food served as a means to regenerate health, although players didn't need to excrete waste unless they chose to do so. Sleep was necessary, as prolonged periods without it could halt health regeneration and lead to hallucinations.

Injuries were complex, regardless of remaining health points, fatal injuries like decapitation or heart impalement resulted in instant death. Health acted more as a buffer, strengthening the player's defenses. The game also handled limbs in a weird way, as if a player lost a body part. It would be impossible to get back unless healed by a specialist.

Three waiters delivered a variety of dishes to their table, ranging from roasted ants to chopped sky Griffins. Erra wasted no time in digging in, though the others hesitated. While poisoning was a concern, it was rare as players could easily be cured with health or poison potions if affected.

Their vigilance heightened when Horus, Halo's dog, let out a slight bark, signaling potential danger. They resumed scanning their surroundings until the dog's ears relaxed.

With no complications during their meal, they settled their bills and retired to their rented rooms. Night had descended, marking the beginning of their search the following day.

Morning arrived, and Erra woke up beside Halo, her chakrams resting on a nearby chair. She had a disturbing dream where Harvey abandoned her. It was one of the most scariest things she had ever experienced. "What do you mean the others disappeared?" Halo murmured, and Erra's ears shot up, now noticing everyone else in the room.

"We were talking, and they went toward a desolate part of the city in search of a potential threat. We lost communication, and shortly after, I lost their markers," Fiera explained.

"I'm confused. When you say 'lost their markers,' do you mean they're dead?" Yosemite asked, causing Erra's ears to perk up even more. She could hear Fiera, but the conversation was still unclear to her.

"So, what's our next move? Do we go search for them?" Halo questioned.

"They could be dead," Sven muttered, his voice barely audible. "And maybe she'd deserve it."

"I can't believe Blair and Aurora would just die like that. There has to be another explanation," Hiakam remarked, preparing his gauntlets. "Aurora is definitely alive."

"Since when did you start caring about Aurora?" Halo asked.

"It's not relevant, woman," Hiakam snapped.

"Hiakam is right, regardless of his motivation. We need to find them. Fiera, is there any other information we should know? Any signs of enemies near their last known location?" Yosemite inquired.

"There were enemies there earlier, but they're gone now. The area they were sent to is currently empty," Fiera replied.

"Have you tried tracking their mana signatures?" Yosemite asked.

"I can't track signatures of anything, even people I've met before. That's why you're all on the ground, to manually locate mana signatures," Fiera explained.

"Right, sorry," Yosemite mumbled, feeling the weight of leadership bearing down on him. He looked around, silently hoping someone else would step up.

Sven grinned as he observed Yosemite's panic. This was the consequence of placing an inexperienced pawn in the role of a king. "What's the plan, leader?" Sven uttered, applying pressure on Yosemite.

"Let's go search for them," Halo muttered, staring at Sven with disdain. "Let's not think negatively, they might've just been knocked out, right, Fiera."

"Yes, if they were knocked out and lost consciousness. Their markers would turn off. It's unlikely but—"

"Let's hope for the best," Halo interjected quickly. "Let's go search for them."

As everyone began to leave the room, Halo grabbed Sven's arm, locking eyes with him. She didn't say a word, but her expression conveyed a clear message: 'If he continued his behavior, she wouldn't hesitate to report him to Loki, further tarnishing his already fragile reputation within the group.'

"Yosemite, wait. I need to tell you something," Halo said, catching up to Yosemite as he headed out of the room. "You did well back there... mostly."

"I'm not cut out to lead. If you hadn't stepped up—" Yosemite began, but Halo interrupted gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so useless, Blair should've given the role to someone else."

"Don't say that. You have what it takes. You just need to trust yourself," Halo reassured him. "I know that for sure."

"Thanks, Halo," Yosemite muttered, smiling gratefully.

"Now, I'm handing the leadership role back to you. I'm in no way smart, hell I'm probably as sensible as Hiakam, which pains me to say for obvious reasons... but you're smart, probably the smartest in the group. What I'm saying is. Lead us well, Leader," Halo said with a smile, and they both left the room and headed outside.

However, as they stepped outside, something felt off. It was as if something was interfering with their mana. Halo turned to Yosemite, who already understood the situation, attempting to conjure a raw mana ball but failing. "Our mana is being tampered with. Everyone, gather around!" They all rushed together, forming a protective circle and scanning their surroundings.

"What could be causing this?" Halo wondered aloud, glancing around in the rain.

"We can't reach Fiera," Sven noted. "She probably can't communicate with us either."

"Do you think it's related to what happened to the other team?" Yosemite asked, but the idea was quickly dismissed. If the cause was here, it wouldn't make sense since Fiera had spoken to them minutes ago about it "It must be someone's innate technique."

"I can't sense any mana," Hiakam added.

"Mother," Erra muttered, stepping out of the circle.

"What?" Yosemite reached out for her, but she moved away, causing him to sigh in frustration. This had happened before in Frosthaven. Could it be that the being had followed them to Stormreach? Were they being targeted or was it something else entirely?

"I'll get her!" Hiakam volunteered, but before Yosemite could stop him and urge them to maintain their formation, a voice interrupted.

"You guys are amusing," A figure laughed, dropping from the sky and landing on Yosemite and Halo's heads. "And you, leader, thought sticking together would help when your mana is being suppressed?"

Yosemite dashed backward, attempting to dislodge the figure and blast him with a spell but his magic failed to work. "Tch."

"Yet I have to admire your idiocy. Even I wouldn't be foolish enough to come to the death capital as a wanted man," The figure chuckled, landing gracefully on the ground, his black trench coat billowing in the wind, its gleam heightened by the rain splatter. "Isn't it amusing, Xolo?"

"It's certainly amusing, Hunter," Xolo agreed, approaching them in pink robes with cherry blossoms drawn all over, a large flower shielding him from the rain. "Let's get this over with."

"Do you think they're the —" Halo started, but Yosemite interrupted.

"Azure, definitely. Loki mentioned those pink robes before. This is bad, very bad," Yosemite said grimly.

"Alright!" Hunter clenched his fist, and everyone on the team felt their mana being further dampened. "Let's do this."

"Sure," Xolo muttered dully, walking toward them slowly.

"Just because I can't use my manifest!" Hiakam ran toward Xolo, smashing his gauntlets together. "That doesn't mean I can't kick your ass!"

"Forest Magic: Rose Garden."

In an instant, a barrage of roses sprouted from the ground, ensnaring Hiakam with their thorns and restraining him. "Anyone else want to charge at me aimlessly?"

Yosemite exchanged a look with Halo as they both raised their hands in surrender. Halo couldn't command her dogs and Sven's unique sword that dispelled mana on contact with the spell or technique didn't seem to be working as he put his hands up as well.

Erra, who was probably the strongest among them when not relying on mana, was incapacitated, walking slowly through the rain, muttering her mother's name. Hunter approached her and swiftly knocked her out with a blow to the neck.

"Okay then," Xolo said with a crooked smile, his dark eyes a portal to an endless abyss. "See you later."

"Forest Magic: Amaryllis Borealis."

As the flowers grew out of the ground, reaching towering heights, they enveloped them, restraining and poisoning them with their petals and pollen and in mere minutes, the entire team had been incapacitated.

In just one day after arriving in Stormreach, both teams had been captured.