บท 20: The Hidden Tracks

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As the survivors pressed on, clashing with the ghoulish creatures lurking in the foggy plain, Horizon noticed Vodgo calling for Rysamora. The elder whispered something to her, and though she looked shocked, she nodded and began shouting orders for the tribe to head toward "the Husks."

Horizon's attention was then drawn to Linji, who knelt beside one of the fallen dragonkin, examining it with intense focus. When Linji realized Horizon was watching him, he quickly stood and hurried to catch up with Vodgo's porters.

Something about Linji's behavior made Horizon uneasy, but there was no time to dwell on it. The mist was closing in, and the relentless dragonkin were far from defeated.

The only sounds on the battlefield were the anguished cries of the wounded Amberskins. The nightmarish creatures they fought moved in eerie silence, their decaying armor the only thing that betrayed their presence. Not even a whisper escaped them, even as they fell, turning the battle into a grim, silent horror.

When the dust settled, it became painfully clear that the tribe had lost another group to the relentless Nix'udjar. Yet, the survivors pressed on, as they began running in a specific direction. It was evident they knew something they hadn't shared with Horizon.

"They seem to know where they're going," Horizon remarked, his gaze narrowing as he observed the Amberskins. "I thought they avoided these parts."

"I thought so too," Von replied, his expression mirroring Horizon's confusion.

From the look on Von's face, Horizon deduced that he was just as in the dark about the Amberskins' sudden sense of direction. Something was off.

As the tribe cleared the last of the dragonkin, Horizon noticed Rysamora casting furtive glances over her shoulder, whispering to Tulemo. Her eyes flickered towards him and Von, her expression unreadable but clearly filled with distrust. She was assessing them, and from the look of it, she didn't like what she saw.

"They're picking up the pace," Horizon observed, his voice low. "Are they planning to leave us behind in this fog?"

Von's eyes widened in panic. "What? No way! Hey, wait for us!" he called out, but the Amberskins only moved faster, their figures quickly vanishing into the thick mist.

The fog was dense, swallowing the tribe's forms until they were little more than shadows. Von tried to keep up, but the fog made it nearly impossible to see or follow the others. Horizon, however, noticed the tracks left by Rysamora and the elders, clearly visible to him.

"Follow me," Horizon commanded. "Don't get lost!"

"That's easier said than done!" Von grumbled, but he stuck close, trying his best to follow Horizon's lead.

Cappy clung to Von's shoulder, its tiny claws gripping his clothes to anchor itself amidst the swirling mist.

The two of them moved quickly, Horizon's eyes locked onto the fading tracks. The fog curled around them like a living thing, but Horizon's senses were sharp, guiding them through the maze-like mist. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the distant rattles of the dragonkin creeping at the edges of their vision, but Horizon remained undisturbed, determined not to let the Amberskins slip away.

They wouldn't be left behind — not while Horizon was leading the way.

[QUEST! Follow Rysamora and the elders. REWARD: 100 gil]

As Horizon trailed closely behind the unsuspecting Amberskin, he began to notice the faint silhouettes of low, broken mounds emerging through the thick fog. These were the landmarks the Amberskins were heading toward, but soon the group splintered, scattering into smaller factions that quickly faded into the mist.

One group, however, seemed to lag behind, burdened by their wounded. Horizon's sharp eyes picked up subtle traces on the ground — signs that something or someone had tried to cover their tracks, diverging from the Amberskins' path.

In the distance, he spotted a small, concealed den leading into what appeared to be an underground tunnel.

Finally catching up to the stragglers, Horizon and Von encountered Atyan, who was visibly relieved to see them.

"Thank the Drakhan gods you're alright!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with genuine concern.

"Yeah, no thanks to you for leaving us behind back there," Von retorted, his tone laced with bitterness.

Atyan shook her head, her expression turned to anger. "It wasn't my decision. Even we would've been left behind if I hadn't run fast enough to catch up with Rysamora and leave tracks for the wounded."

"I confronted Rysamora about why she wanted to abandon you and the gravely injured, but all she said was to get to the Husks." Atyan gestured toward a set of mounds nearby. "She claimed it would be a temporary base since the dragonkin avoid this place, though I have no idea why."

"That good-for-nothing . . . ," Von muttered, his anger boiling over. He turned on his heel, eager to confront Rysamora himself, and stormed off toward the Husks.

Horizon, however, was more intrigued by the other set of tracks that had diverged from Rysamora's group. Something didn't sit right with him, and his curiosity compelled him to investigate.

"Hey, where are you going?" Atyan called after him.

"I'll be back. Go on ahead," Horizon replied.

"You'll get lost! It's not easy to find your way around here!" Atyan warned, but Horizon didn't waver.

Ignoring her concern, Horizon continued to follow the mysterious tracks, his senses alert to any signs of danger. The trail led him toward the tunnels beneath the hidden mounds, and it wasn't long before he reached his destination.

Whatever awaited him within those tunnels, Horizon was determined to uncover the truth, no matter the risks.

|| SPECIAL MISSION ||

Investigate the hidden tracks and find out what's happening.

REWARDS:

❶ Silver Chest x1

❷ 10 AP

❸ 100 gil

|| E N D ||