Chapter 41 : the healer's trail

The Ember Couriers returned to Sunwhisper Mansion after their first assignment in the Eastern Hills. Their cloaks were streaked with dirt, horses tired, and Aldah had somehow managed to smear candied nuts into Ryo’s hair during the journey.

Keller was waiting in the main hall, arms crossed, eyes sharp. “Report.”

Ryo quickly recounted the events—the silent courier route, the minor skirmish with the bandits, and how they had secured the supplies until they reached the soldiers camp of Briswell. Lara added her observations on the bandit movements and possible mercenary presence. Vix quietly mentioned that Aldah’s antics had nearly given them away several times.

Aldah, for his part, struck a heroic pose. “But I saved the day with fists and diplomacy! Surely, that counts for valor?”

Keller raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “fist does not win wars. Observation and efficiency do. But you survived, and the mission succeeded—barely. You’ve learned something.”

Ryo swallowed, adjusting the satchel. The orb inside pulsed faintly, almost like it agreed.

“Now,” Keller continued, “your next assignment is urgent and strategic. A healer has gone missing near Duhleigh, he came from Elandor in East Geneva, according to his courier who managed to meet one of us despite being injured, they were carrying industrial crystals. Your objective is to locate and escort him safely back to Ember Field. Failure is not an option.”

Lara’s eyes narrowed.

“You leave at first light tomorrow. Take what you need. And remember, the map will provide guidance—if you’re perceptive enough to read it.”

Aldah grinned. “Ah, a new challenge! Nothing excites Blue Wave—or rather, The Ember Couriers—like danger and heroic flair!”

Ryo muttered under his breath, “Please don’t call it that again in the field.”

Vix snorted. “Too late. We’ll be branded in the bandits’ nightmares.’”

---

Meanwhile, in Stone Gate, Kael was training relentlessly. Arachnee stood over him, arms crossed, watching his movements with critical eyes.

“You’re improving,” she said, her tone sharp but approving. “But speed isn’t enough. A courier must anticipate obstacles, detect threats, and preserve resources—especially when escorting someone as critical as a healer.”

Kael wiped the sweat from his forehead, breathing hard. “I understand. I want to be ready. I want to become a confirmed Courier.”

Arachnee's gaze softened briefly. “Your determination is commendable. But a confirmed courier carries more than parcels—they carry trust. Trust in themselves, in the group, and in the lives depending on them.”

Kael nodded fiercely. “I won’t fail”

Archnee lifted her staff. “Then we begin the final trial. You’ll track a simulated missing courier across the training grounds. Obstacles, ambushes, and sudden decisions will test you. Succeed, and you’re ready to be my courier.”

Kael clenched his fists. “I’ll succeed.”

---

Back at Sunwhisper Mansion, the Ember Couriers prepared for departure. Lara packed supplies efficiently—her methods precise, minimizing excess weight. Ryo double-checked the satchel and orb, glancing nervously at its faint glow. Aldah, of course, tried to sneak in extra “heroic props,” including a small flag and a bag of sweets. Vix muttered complaints under his breath but quietly ensured their weapons, foods and healing potions were ready.

As they mounted their horses at dawn, Keller’s voice echoed from the gate. “Find the healer. Protect him . Return safely. Ember Couriers—don’t forget, perception is your ally.”

“Perception, right,” Ryo muttered, gripping the satchel as the orb pulsed faintly.

Aldah raised his hand dramatically, scarf fluttering. “Then onward! To glory, to danger, to heroic feats and daring rescues!”

Vix groaned. “We’re doomed.”

Lara smirked faintly. “No. We’re The Ember Couriers. Let’s move.”

And with that, they rode out toward the southern outposts, their path uncertain, danger imminent, and the first hints of Kael’s eventual arrival looming in Stone Gate—training, preparing, and readying himself to join the team as a confirmed courier.

---

The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers and pine as the team descended the rolling hills leading to the southern forests. The landscape was peaceful, almost deceptively so. Ryo’s hands itched to grip the reins tighter, his senses alert to the slightest crackle of leaves or snap of a twig that could signal danger. The orb in his satchel throbbed with a low, steady pulse, as though urging him forward, guiding him toward the missing people.

“Keep your eyes open,” Lara murmured, scanning the horizon through narrowed eyes.

Aldah, perched jauntily on his horse, jingled a small bell strapped to his satchel.

Ryo sighed. The team, as always, was a fragile armor against the tension tightening around them. He adjusted the satchel again, feeling the orb’s warmth seeping through the fabric, faintly pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. Its magic was subtle but insistent—he sensed it guiding him, whispering in a language he couldn’t yet name.

Hours passed in cautious silence, broken only by the occasional instruction or muttered complaint. The southern outposts of Duhleigh were a labyrinth of narrow passes, dense woodland, and old watchtowers—places where a courier could vanish in an instant if the wrong footstep was taken.

Suddenly, Ryo froze, hand shooting out to halt the others. “Wait.”

Lara’s head snapped toward him. “What is it?”

He pointed to a trail of broken branches and scuffed earth, barely visible in the undergrowth. “Something—or someone—passed through here recently.”

Beast
You were doing fine without me so far

What happened here ?

Vix crouched slightly in the saddle, inspecting the ground with a practiced eye. “Fresh. Less than an hour old. Could be the healer—or trouble.”

Ryo grimaced.
What are you feeling?
Danger...
Interesting, I don't feel that but I'll be on alert for now, if you need my strength tell me, we will switch .

The trail led them deeper into the forest, where sunlight struggled through the dense canopy. Shadows danced across the forest floor, shifting with the movement of the branches and their horses. Every sound—the whisper of wind, the call of a distant bird—set their nerves on edge.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached a clearing. At its center, a small figure sat huddled against a rock, a bundle of herbs and medical supplies scattered around them. The faint shimmer of a healing aura marked them as more than an ordinary person—this was the healer they had been sent to retrieve ?

“Over there,” Ryo whispered, gesturing.

The healer looked up, startled, eyes wide and wary. “Who… who are you?”

Lara stepped forward slowly, hands raised in a calm, non-threatening manner. “We are blue wave delivery. We’ve come to escort you safely back to Ember Field. No one means you harm.”

The healer hesitated, then nodded, gathering the supplies quickly. “I… I thought I was alone. Me and my courier, we got separated during the supply run. And then he disappeared Bandits were everywhere—I had to hide. ”

Vix stepped closer, scanning the treeline for signs of pursuit. “Did anyone follow you?”

The healer shook their head. “No... I mean I don't think so”

Horses snorted and shifted nervously as the healer climbed onto the strongest mount, carefully balancing his supplies.

As they set off again, the forest seemed to close in around them. Shadows deepened, and the distant calls of birds were replaced by the low rustle of unseen creatures. It wasn’t long before the warning signs became obvious: snapped branches, footprints not their own, a faint smell of smoke curling through the trees.

“Bandits,” Aldah said, a note of awe in his voice rather than fear. “This is my kind of excitement!”

Ryo gripped the satchel tighter. His heart pulsed rapidly now. Something was coming—something dangerous.

Without warning, figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding them. Bandits, armed with crude weapons and malicious grins, blocked the path ahead.

Ryo’s heart raced. “Hold formation,” he whispered, his voice steady despite the fear prickling his spine. “No one moves until we know the numbers.”

Lara’s hands glowed faintly, energy crackling as she prepared to defend.

The bandit leader stepped forward, voice dripping with menace. “Hand over the healer. That’s the easy way out. Refuse… and you die here.”

Ryo glanced at them “We don’t negotiate with threats. Not today.”

Switch.
Finally !

The battle that followed was a blur—arrows whistled through the air, horses reared, and Lara’s magic crackled in flashes of light. Aldah flung candy into the air as a distraction, much to everyone’s bewilderment, but it worked, giving her the opening to disarm two bandits at once. Vix moved with precision, using subtle guidance to anticipate attacks and position himself to protect the healer.

When the last bandit fell, panting and bruised but alive, silence returned to the clearing. The healer exhaled shakily. “You… you saved me.”

Aldah allowed himself a brief, exhausted smile. “Part of the job. Ember Couriers don’t leave anyone behind.”

Vix groaned. “Please don’t brand us in the future, Aldah.”

Lara gave a small, approving nod. “We keep moving, the danger isn’t over”

With the healer secured, Ember Couriers pressed on, moving through the forest with caution and resolve. Danger still lingered, war loomed on the horizon, and a healer’s life—and countless supplies—depended on them. Yet, in the quiet moments between threats, Ryo felt something stir deep within him: the understanding that perception, trust, and courage were as vital as any weapon. And far off in Stone Gate, Kael trained relentlessly, unaware that soon, he would step into the same path, the same trials, and the same battles, joining the Ember Couriers as a confirmed member, ready to face the coming storm.