And so, Kona fainted.
"Da-dad... The ru-r-ruins in the for-forest... Layla and G-G-Gunn..."
As his son lost consciousness into his arms, Juans held him tightly. In his mind, there was no doubt about what to do.
Whatever had happened, it was somewhere in the forest, around some ruins, apparently. And Layla and Gunn were, indeed, involved.
A plan quickly took shape in the mind of the former mercenary, who'd been dealing with situations like this one many times before - well, at least, that's what he thought.
Firstly, he'd bring Kona to his mother Eve.
She'll know what to do with him. Our son is in dire need of medical care.
"Rult, quick, come with me. I'll explain later, right now we may be running low on time!"
Rult was a big man: wide chest, tall, with an intricate, reddish beard covering his face. Usually, he was quite rude and brusque with the children. Usually.
At that moment, Rult could feel it in his friend's voice, there was no time for questions. He knew about Junas' past, and seeing that frightened look in his eyes...
The large farmer immediately dropped the pitchfork, and the two men were soon sprinting towards the houses. Their expressions, frowned and serious, betrayed their concern.
Eve was at home, preparing some lunch.
Ah, I wonder when that little rascal will come back! He'll need to have a proper explanation! It's the... It's the 10th time already, in the last 3 weeks, that he disappears without a trace!
The forest surrounding Gerga was, historically, a pretty safe place. No monsters, no bandits, no weird things - not that they'd heard of, at least. That's why she and Junas had decided to stay there: a safe, quiet place, where they could live happily with their son.
Still, disappearing without saying anything wasn't a good habit.
I'll tell Junas to give him a proper punishment! That brat!
Just then, the woman heard some people shouting just outside.
Then suddenly, the door burst open.
Junas, sweaty and dirty, came storming in. In his arms, drenched in red and bruised, was Kona.
"Ju- Kona! Oh heavens, what happened, Junas? Oh my..."
Eve rushed towards her husband, tears already streaming down her face. What in the world had happened to her son?
"Eve, listen. I need you to take care of him. He told me... He was running here, and just before fainting, he managed to tell me that Layla and Gunn were also involved. Something happened deep in the forest, around some ruins..."
The man cleared his voice. He wanted to remain with his son, but...
"I... I know I shouldn't, but I can't stay here now. I can't. Those kids... They're nowhere to be found, Rult asked around. We can't leave them out there. Kona is here, and he's alive, but look at him. If he's in this state, then what about the other two?"
Eve nodded. She instantly knew what her husband meant.
Our son is here. He's not well, but he is here. However. If his friends are involved, and they're nowhere to be found...
His wife looked at him dead in the eyes, extending her arms. Tears kept flowing.
"I'll take care of him, Jun. You... go."
---
Junas cleared his throat:
"Listen up, everyone!"
Rult had gathered the whole village in the little square, as the former mercenary had told him to do.
"My son just returned from the forest, hurt and bloody, as you've seen. With him, he told me, were his friends, the petite Layla, and the little Gunn, other children of the village! I fear... I fear something happened to them. My son told me to search for some ruins deep in the woods, before fainting. I need some volunteers to come with me... We'll find the kids!"
For a moment, the square stood in silence.
Rult was the first to speak.
"Junas, my friend. We won't let them down. I'll be on your right."
Then, soon enough, another two men raised their hands.
"Junas. We're covering your back."
The one who talked, Nubel, was Layla's father. To his side, hand raised and brows frowned, was Dunn, Gunn's father.
The two of them... Well, let's just say they weren't in good terms with Junas, because of his past. They didn't trust the ex-mercenary.
However, in that moment, their opinion had changed.
Just a few minutes later, the four men gathered on the edge of the forest, right about the direction Kona came from.
Junas was leading the group, with a bastard sword in his hand.
On his right, as promised, was Rult: the giant with his humongous axe.
On the left, Dunn walked with a mace in his right.
Closing the group was Nubel, wielding his precious hunting bow.
A gloomy atmosphere surrounded the four of them.
Junas had made it quite clear. Whatever had happened, this was going to be dangerous.
Something about this whole situation stinks...
There was no denying it. They were going on a hunt.
---
The forest was bright and lively, with the midday sun shining through the numerous branches and leaves. Birds were chirping, and their chants echoed through the trunks.
The group, nonetheless, was keeping its guard up. They'd been slowly advancing for a good hour, following the traces Kona had left around: blood, footprints, broken branches and torn bushes. However, nothing weird had caught their attention yet.
The sun had started its descending path, when the four of them finally arrived. In a tight cove, hidden from view by a large rock mass, a narrow structure seemed to find its entrance.
Junas was the first to notice: the tight door was marked in red, just like the stony walls surrounding the entrance from the outside.
Kona's fingertips?
"It seems we're in the right place, comrades"
Nodding, Rult put down his axe: rummaging through his backpack, he pulled out an old lantern. They weren't about to venture that obscurity unprepared.
"What the hell were they thinking, going in a place like this?" Dunn shouted, nervous.
"My beloved daughter, in such a-"
Nubel couldn't finish his phrase, as Junas glared at them, menacingly:
"We don't know what creature is here, we can't waste time thinking about what has happened. We act in the present, not in the past."
"Now raise your weapons. We're going down."
As they approached the narrow passage, Rult, who was just behind Junas, lit the lantern.
With his blade raised ahead, the former mercenary advanced, diving deep into the darkness.
"Careful, it's slippery, and the steps are short."
As they advanced, the air started thickening, and a weird smell filled their noses.
Please, Gods, tell me I'm mistaken...
Junas would've recognized that smell amongst a thousand others.
Blood.
Then, as the man tightened his grip around the blade's handle, a scene began unveiling under the feeble lantern's light.
Junas, advancing another two steps, gulped.
Great heavens... This...
The swordsman almost fell, his hand gripping to the wall.
Rult, right behind him, nearly fainted, as the red pool at the bottom chamber met his gaze.
"By the Gods... What happened here...?"
---
The sun was setting, and Kona was still sleeping.
Eve had cleaned him, changed his clothes, and washed his wounds.
However, her worry hadn't diminished. Junas and the other men were yet to return, but it wasn't just that. Kona was what worried her the most.
The boy, who was seemingly asleep, kept frowning and moving around, looking tense and shaky. Furthermore, he wouldn't stop sweating, and his forehead was steaming hot.
This boy needs a doctor, this isn't normal.
Just then, while the sun's last rays cut through the window, a great clamor came from outside.
Junas!
Eve sprung up, rushing outside.
The square was filling up with people.
At the edge of the forest, the four brave men could be seen returning, hidden from the sun by the long shadows.
As they approached the square, Eve noticed.
Two of them were carrying something each. Something wrapped in a cape.