Rescued

The convoy led by Gerald and Viscount Ferox marched towards the vicinity of Valvar Forest with as much speed as possible.

Valvar forest was a wide forest with lots of demonic beasts and it was also the place where Gerald had gotten his steed. Due to the dangers of encountering demonic beasts, no villagers would venture into the forest and it was mainly isolated.

If the kidnappers had dared to hide in the forest, then they must be confident enough to fend off the demonic beasts.

'I hope Zen is fine.'

The Viscount prayed in his heart as they reached the entrance to the forest.

Giant trees and roots could be seen everywhere in the vicinity. At this point, Gerald took the charge of the convoy and started leading the way.

"Gerald, how much time will it take to reach the kidnappers' location?"

Viscount Ferox asked as he moved slowly, trying to look out for demonic beasts while Gerald replied without looking back.

"It won't take much. Looks like those bastards didn't dare to venture too deep into the forest and that's why, it was easy to find them."

"Alright."

They moved carefully yet swiftly and despite some demonic beasts popping out once in a while, it was not enough to hinder the convoy.

The knights were already used to dealing with demonic beasts as Gerald would often take them to the Valvar Forest for training.

So, dealing with these beasts was child's play.

After crossing the forest with professional level efficiency, the convoy came to a halt at an open area which looked to be the ruins of some former settlement.

Huge bricks made out of rocks with weirdly shaped carvings were scattered around and there seemed to be an entrance leading underground that was blocked by bricks.

"This is the place where young master's scent stopped. I think they are hiding somewhere around."

Gerald said as he stopped his steed, Dian by patting his head.

"Let me check."

Viscount Ferox said as the mana inside his body started flaring up. The mana passed out from his body and spread all around the ruins.

His body glowed a little, indicating the use of magic and he was able to detect some presence under the ground.

This was a low-grade detection magic.

Through it, he was able to detect four presences. Three of them looked completely fine, but the last presence was extremely weak.

It was like a candle on the verge of blowing out.

'My son…'

Viscount Ferox immediately understood whose presence it was and quickly ordered out.

"Hurry up and destroy those bricks. We can't waste time. Zen is in an extremely fickle state."

Gerald immediately understood that Zen was in danger by the expression and words of his lord. He quickly ordered two of his knights to destroy the bricks hiding the entrance.

As soon as the entrance was discovered, Viscount Ferox himself took the lead and destroyed the metal gate. He didn't care about catching the attention of the kidnappers and just wanted to get to his son.

The destroyed gate revealed stairs that led underground.

"My Lord, we need to be careful."

"I know. Five of the knights will go with me and the others will guard the area around here. If the kidnappers try to run away, kill them on the stop!"

He gave out commands with a cold voice and descended downstairs with Gerald and five knights following behind him.

As they reached the basement, all of them soon realized that the place they were in was like a prison which was used to keep prisoners.

There were cobwebs and weeds all around the walls. In a corner, there was even a skeleton laying around, giving a more eerie feel to the place.

"They are close. Get ready. Gerald, I will protect Zen with my magic and you and the others can go after the kidnappers."

"We understand."

They whispered among each other and reached a turning point. Viscount Ferox knew that his son would come into sight as soon as he took a step.

He didn't know in what condition his son was, but his heart was feeling heavy and bad thoughts were looming in his mind.

But he didn't have time to waste.

Preparing his heart, he and the knights turned around and suddenly, their feet came to a halt as they saw the scene in front of them with a stupefied expression.

"What is going on…?"

They had expected to see a gruesome sight in front of them, but what they came across was completely opposite to what they were thinking.

It was to the point that they forgot to carry out their plans.

"Zen…"

Viscount Ferox managed to squeeze out his voice as he took in the sight in front of him.

Zen, who he had thought would be in a dying state, was smiling in front of his kidnappers. The positions of the kidnappers were way weirder.

Two of them were bowing down to Zen on one knee and looking at him like he was their savior while the pink haired girl that his guards had warned him about was looking at Zen with a complicated expression.

But she didn't seem to be hostile to his son.

'What is happening? Why are the kidnappers bowing down to Zen? Is it a hallucination prepared by the kidnappers?'

Viscount Ferox thought in his mind, but he couldn't feel any mana in the air, so it was safe to assume that it wasn't a hallucination, but reality.

Still, it was too weird of a situation to take in for the Viscount and his knights.

"Father!"

As the Viscount was just standing stupefied, Zen noticed him and immediately shouted out.

It was the first time he was meeting his father, but due to the memories and feelings he had received, it didn't feel unnatural to call him father.

On the contrary, he couldn't hide his emotions of happiness.

'You are finally here! Now, I don't have to deal with the kidnappers and can finally rest.'

Zen has already finished his deal with the kidnappers, but the appearance of his father still gave immense relief to him.

His plan had helped him secure time and now that his father was here with his knights, he can finally take a sigh of relief.

"Knights, detain the kidnappers and don't let them go!"

Zen's shout made Viscount Ferox break out of his trance and he immediately ordered the knights to detail the kidnappers.

"W-wait!"

"Don't kill me!"

The two lackeys were the first to get hit by the knights. Both of them rolled on the ground and were quickly detained with their foreheads touching the ground.

Gerald himself went after Hilda who was surprised by the sudden appearance of the Viscount and the knights, but unlike her lackey's, she was quick to act.

She brought out her dagger and immediately thought of using Zen as a hostage, but before she could move, Gerald pinned her to the wall.

"Ahhh!"

She cried out as her back slammed into the wall, but she stood up and glared at Gerald who was already aiming for her with his sword.

"Ugh… I will kill you!"

"You have some strength, but a mere kidnapper can never win against a knight."

Both of them got ready for a battle, but at that moment, a loud shout gathered their attention.

"Stop fighting!"

It was Zen who had shouted out seeing the situation getting worse.

'At this rate, a fight will start and all my efforts will be for nothing.'

He thought grimly in his mind.

"Zen, what's going on? Are you okay? What did the kidnappers do to you?"

At that moment, Viscount Ferox walked towards Zen to inspect his condition. He had already begun casting out a protective magic around Zen to safeguard him.

"Father, I'm fine. The kidnappers didn't do anything to me. On the contrary, I want you to spare their-"

Zen took a step forward while saying that, but as soon as he moved his right foot, it flopped to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

'Shit! I forgot my leg is broken.'

He cursed in his mind as he saw his father running towards him with a worried expression.

"Zen!! Are you okay?!"

"I, I'm fine… just my leg is broken."

"Don't move. I will apply healing magic to you. You will soon be fine. I will make these bastards regret kidnapping you!!"

Viscount Ferox roared angrily, but Zen quickly said.

"Father, don't kill the kidnappers… I have something…"

He tried to speak, but suddenly his throat started burning more and more. Maybe, the fall was the final push to his already worsening condition.

'Ugh… I can't hold on for more…'

Zen's eyes suddenly started spinning as he felt a nauseating feeling. His hands started shaking like he was having a panic attack and it became impossible for him to open his eyes for long.

"Zen, what's happening to you? Are you okay? Please say something…"

He could hear the voice of his father, but it was getting more and more distant even though he was right in front of him.

In the end, most of his senses died down and there was only one thought in his mind.

'I don't want to die again…'

* * *