Chapter 9 Part 3: Missing

The night was long. The Jinshari watched with an unusual zeal. Mei took the first watch. In the early morning hours they were left alone, allowing them to rest more deeply. Jun wondered why they were being so brazen today? After asking Mei over breakfast, and finding no correlation, the two headed to combat class, wary of their followers.

At class, Mei sought him out after a sparring session, asking if he had seen Arvad.

“No. I thought he was with you.” At that, both of them took note of the missing students. Solara and a few they had gotten close to, were missing. However, individuals like the Red Silver Saint were still there. Zain was no where to be seen either, which didn’t add up in Jun’s mind. Perhaps they were assuming too much.

Amalie joined in halfway through the class and Jun asked her about the missing students.

“Oh, those kids are on a field-trip in the mountains over there. The herbology course needed some fighters to join them to ward off the wildlife while they studied and it would be a good chance for field experience.”

“Why didn’t we hear of this?” Mei asked, joining.

“You two don’t need the experience. And look, the ones who remain are the ones who are excelling. This is like extra studies.”

“We could always benefit from experience,” Jun remarked.

“Not this sort. Would you really benefit from hunting flies when you are exceptionally good at it? You have a good head about war tactics, and Mei would be able to study under you. This was a chance for them to learn to work with other teams with different combat skills. In essence, they needed to learn to communicate.”

“Jun could use that.” Mei quipped. He scowled.

“Yes.” Amalie laughed. “He could do better at communicating.” Amalie tussled their hair in a rare display of humor. “But we reserve this for the those who are really struggling with it.”

Jun looked out at the other students. The red saint had her people at her command, and the remaining students were from lineages where they were used to commands and orders. While not everyone would be proficient, they had some time experiencing it. Arvad, while part of a nomad tribe, was slightly outcast from others due to his mark. Zain was an orphan, according to his recounting. It made sense and put Jun’s heart at ease.

“As for Zain and Arvad,” Amalie interjected. “Those two are familiar with monsters, so they will be guiding the field-trip to avoid the beasts and monsters that inhabit those places.”

That small detail was interesting to Jun, though he wondered why Amalie said it, till he looked to Mei whose shoulders shifted from their stiffened positions. ‘It was for her sake then.’ Jun stilled a shiver. Amalie was sometimes too keen an observer.

After combat studies, Jun headed to the rune class again and met with Christopher who shared about Zain’s departure. The boy had been asked to join by the mercenary guild. Apparently the school had a few monsters in that particular area that hailed from Mathanalo and he had an unprecidented amount of experience with them. Jun asked more about it.

“Oh? You hardly ever concern yourself with our classmates.”

“I’m beginning to regret that,” Jun mumbled. It wasn’t entirely true. Once he determined someone wasn’t Zeke or Ellen’s incarnation, he usually lost interest unless they could help him.

“Well, in spite of his talent for runes, he was illiterate when he came here. His running joke was something along the lines of, ‘apparently a baby lighting on fire is enough justification for abandonment in my hometown’ or something along those lines.”

“A baby on fire?” Jun simplified, confused.

“That’s right. He claims he was born with his mark, and the Mathanalo aren’t too friendly with the Silver Flame. So it’s seen more of as a curse. He’s got it under control most days, but get him mad and well… he does ‘light’ on fire.”

“You say that as if you know from experience.”

“Oh heavens no. A merchant wouldn’t be worth their salt if they made people mad like that. But I watched it. You know of the Red Silver Saint?” Jun’s brows raised at Christopher bringing up her name. “Well, she had a group that liked to make her life rough. Her chair is pretty heavy, so she can’t avoid them.”

Jun frowned. That didn’t make sense. She could just knock them back with her ice. Unless they were outside of combat class. As he pondered on it, it became more plausible.

“Zain stepped up and scared them off with his flames. Then started hanging out with her and helping her. Apparently she taught him how to read and write which is why he started taking Rune classes.”

“So a new transfer as well…” Jun muttered.

“Sure…” Christopher looked at him with slitted eyes. “But isn’t it interesting how close he got with that saint? She’s pretty cold after all, pun intended. Even I can’t just casually approach her.”

Jun hummed at that. Christopher raised one brow at his lack of reaction before changing the subject to the runes again, speed running Jun through more of the class. As Jun studied hard, he became engrossed in the books and then headed to the rune library. Some texts were theories of combinations and others just detailed what occurred with their specific runes.

Jun pulled himself from his studies and looked at the sundials. Realizing the time he jumped from his seat and grumbled, stashing the books back. He wouldn’t get to the mercenary guild on time, but he hoped they would still have a job when he arrived.

As he ran to the building, he saw a gathering of students outside, much more than usual. Jun’s heart sank. He wouldn’t be getting a job today, though he would still try to. If not, he would go fishing or scrounge up some work. At the very least, the Jinshari were not tailing him right now. His mind back peddled. They had been so close all night, and now he struggled to find one or two observers. When had that happened? As he approached, a little more reluctant, his ears heard the mumblings. Multiple people were talking about some job, and it seemed massive.

“Jun!” it was Mei. His eyes widened as he saw her hand stick up, making it easier to see where she was at. He trotted over and her hands clutched at her heart.

“Where were you old man? You’re late.”

“Why were you looking for me?”

“So you haven’t heard?” Jun shook his head at her question. “All these people are getting ready to do a search and rescue. The field trip we heard about, well they haven’t returned from the mountains and it’s past time they did.”

Jun’s face darkened at that. As he listened his hand moved to his mouth.

Some were discussing what teams to form. Others were whispering about timing.

“Isn’t this the field trip that Arvad…” As he looked to Mei, she cast her gaze down. “Heh. So that’s why you knew about it.” He muttered to himself. Mei ground her words into something incoherent. “Though… that doesn’t explain why you’re here…”

“I wanted to earn some money on the side. I can’t just keep relying on you. So…” she pulled out a mercenary tag from her pouch. “I just finished registering right when the request came in. However…” she looked at the teams that were beginning to form. “Because it’s related to the school, one of the white flames is going to be leading the efforts, and coordinating the teams. I’m too new for anyone to want me on their team though. I was hoping to find you and join up.”

Jun shrugged. He quietly headed to the desk and asked for the details on the request. Mei protested his quiet observations. As he listened through the potential dangers he wasn’t sure he wanted Mei to join him on this. The pay was good, enough that only one of them had to do this. The dangers however were what bothered him. Monsters had been sighted after the classes had left, and they hadn’t showed up at their designated check in. That was the last details from a few hours ago.

“I’m not sure…” Jun answered as he looked to Mei who repeated her request.

“Well, it’s not like you can go without me.” She huffed.

“Why?”

“Well, in order to communicate with the other teams you have to send off a fire flare of different colors for different meanings. Red for ‘you’ve combed through the area’ and yellow for ‘a sighting’. Two reds for if you need ‘back up’ and so on.”

As she talked, Jun ground his teeth. He could rarely make a flame appear, but to shoot one into the sky like this, and color control, he couldn’t do it.

“That’s where I would come in. I can do all that, and I can see heat, so it would be good for search and rescue. Besides, Arvad is out there and he would be easy for me to spot. Seriously… why didn’t the other teams let me join. I’m way too valuable.”

He scoffed at her self appraisal, though he couldn’t refute her thoughts. Noting one Jinshari enter the building, eyes searching, he pulled her aside.

“Have you noticed?” he asked quietly and her mask quivered before she tugged on it.

“Ya. They’re missing.” She looked to the Jinshari as well, staying in the shadows. “If anything. I want to see if they’re involved. Too many of our ‘friends’ are missing…” her voice trailed off.

“Fine. But if we encounter monsters, you’ll retreat first. As for if we encounter them… we want to avoid that if possible.”

“Okay old man,” she growled. “Argh. You’re such a worrywart sometimes.”

Jun smiled a bit at her complaining. She likely thought that he was treating her like a child, but if he refuted that, she wouldn’t believe him anyway.

Jun signed them up as a team and found his way from the secretary’s directions. They waited in the square till a man dressed as lavishly as Amalie appeared. He pulled out a staff, reminding Jun of Solara. He adjusted his glasses and looked out at those assembled.

“Order!” he shouted and the group quieted down. “Ahem, as the White Flame over this operation, I will only say this once. While urgency is needed and expected, rashness is not tolerated. If you are causing more troubles, or making the search hard, then you will be sent back.” He stamped his staff. “With that warning out of the way. Some of you are already familiar with my ways. But for the new teams joining us, this is how we do things. Make sure you have one person as your designated flare. I do not need two red flames shot off at the same time to confuse things. They will be responsible for relaying and receiving communications around the mountain.”

He continued on, summarizing what Mei had said about the signals.

“If you see a white flame shot up like this,” he demonstrated, “then all hands are to come immediately.”