Adori was shocked to hear that Cale had disappeared again. It was only that morning when she and Cale had talked. Indeed, his behaviour had posed a lot of questions, but to think the situation had been that serious...
She immediately invited Rebek to her house to probe for answers because the way things had been happening lately, Adori believed there was something sinister which had been going on behind the scenes.
Inside she quickly prepared a cup of tea in hopes it would calm the anxious Rebek somehow. To Adori's relief, it did work on Rebek to a good extent.
Sensing the slightly relaxed atmosphere, Adori wasted no time in inquiring about the things that had happened.
"I actually talked with Cale in the market this morning when I went to buy groceries. To think he would disappear just like that... Rebek, just what had happened?"
Rebek was fidgeting her fingers, a clear indication that she was nervous.
"The last time I saw him was before breakfast. He told me he was meeting with Seren and Finn. Then he never came home."
Tears ran down on Rebek's cheeks as she said those words. Adori couldn't help but feel pity for the poor mother.
Rebek continued, "I and his father has been asking people around, and some said they saw him with you at the market this morning. That's why I'm here right now."
Rebek suddenly stood from her seat and walked over to Adori to grab her hands, "Right now, Seren and Finn are also nowhere to be found. Adori please, if you know anything about this, tell me."
Adori was stunned for a moment. "W-What are you talking about?"
Me? I'm just as confused as her, Adori thought. Surely Rebek was not implying she had anything to do with the disappearance, right?
"Cale...what did he say to you this morning?" Rebek's eyes were pleading Adori, their grey hue reminiscent of an oncoming rain, so contrasting to the one she saw on Cale that morning.
Adori released a breath she did not know she was holding. "He asked me if I'd seen his friends...and when I told him I didn't, he ran away," Adori told her.
"He...just ran? Did he look scared? Did you see anyone suspicious there? Why would he just run away? Him and his friends always meet up at the port, so why would he be searching for them? Was there anythi—"
"Wait, let's stop for a moment." Rebek's bombardment was interrupted by Adori who looked like she needed time to process everything that had all been said.
Firstly, Cale had disappeared at the Whispering Forest the day before, and on the next day, along with his two friends he disappeared again.
Is there a connection between these two disappearances?
Adori shifted her gaze towards Rebek who was looking at her with so much expectation. "Have you search for them in the forest?"
On hearing Adori's question, Rebek suddenly straightened her posture. "No, not yet. He promised us he wouldn't go near the forest again and we're rather inclined to believe he was out somewhere else... You don't think—"
"No, it's just a thought. I also don't think he would want to go to that forest again." Adori stole a peek at Rebek and quietly said, "But I find it a bit strange that he seemed to remember me so vividly..."
Indeed, Cale had clearly remembered Adori. Not only that, he was also asking her about his two friends indicating he did not forget them either. It was almost as if the Whispering Forest had not an ounce of effect on the fifteen-year-old boy; unlike many others who had went there only to vanish into thin air or had their memories completely erased.
It seems like something had happened when he was in the forest.
Rebek was fidgeting her fingers again. Not only had her demeanour suddenly changed into that of someone who was caught red-handed, also she was now doing her best to avoid looking into Adori's eyes.
She's acting strange.
"W-we simply believed it was the work of divine intervention. Well, if you don't know his whereabouts, I think I better go now," Rebek said and hurriedly went towards the door. Just when she was about to open it, Adori interrupted her.
"Rebek, if you can't find him tonight, let's go to the police station tomorrow."
Rebek simply nodded and in no time, she was out of their house.
***
Dinner had already gone cold when Adori and Emis finally had time to eat. The table was quiet except for the clanking of tablewares and the occasional coughing because Adori had added too much salt in their soup.
Emis checked Adori's expression from time to time, wondering what had gotten her to be so quiet this time. He had heard the conversations she had with Rebek and knew of the gravity of the things they talked about. But for Adori to have suddenly gone mute... Emis believed it was not that serious of a situation for Adori to act this way.
Emis had always believed he knew Adori like the back of his hand. From the first time they had bonded to this present day, Emis could always guess what was on her mind. The reason for that partly is because Adori liked to talk his head off. However, this time she was as quiet as a mouse.
"What do you think is in the Whispering Forest?" Adori suddenly asked, surprising Emis.
"Don't know, I've never been there before," Emis quickly answered.
From her facial expression alone, it was clear Adori was not satisfied with his answer.
"I mean what do you think could be in the Whispering Forest? I always thought the forest was cursed by someone during the Great War. But if that was the case, then everyone who had entered the forest would have their memories erased. But Cale had clearly remembered me."
"So you think there's something going on inside that forest?" Emis asked with a hint of interest in his voice.
"That's right. Think about it, if it was indeed a curse, then everyone who had entered the forest would have met the same fate. But since Cale was spared of such consequences, we have to believe this was not the work of a curse and something else entirely." Adori looked at Emis with expectation in her eyes, clearly wanting him to follow her line of thought.
Emis was quick to catch on. "You mean to say there's someone or something inside that is erasing the memories of those who went there?"
Adori was now beaming. "You got it! I mean, it is only reasonable to think there's some entity inside that forest right? Not to mention, when I brought up how Cale had remembered me to Rebek, she got visibly anxious. It was almost as if there's some secret involving Cale and the Whispering Forest that she did not want me to know."
Emis sighed. "So now you want to go investigate that forest?"
"No, idiot. I don't intend to risk my life going inside that forest until I'm perfectly sure something is indeed residing there," Adori said as she facepalmed herself. Emis looked at her dirtily, his side-eye was nasty too.
"And how exactly do you plan to proof the existence of said entity without going there to investigate?" Emis asked, incredulous.
Adori leaned her face on her two hands and looked at Emis with mischief in her eyes.
"Well, there's someone who came out of that forest alive and well. We simply have to ask him what he saw there."
It was now Emis' turn to facepalm himself with his paw. "And that someone is currently missing, if you haven't heard."
"Oh my dear Emis," Adori started, "Have you forgotten how the people in our homeland used to call our family 'a bunch of mystic freaks'? We simply have to use Unity to find him."
Emis sighed for the umpteenth time, thinking the day had gotten too long to his liking.
***
After dinner, Adori had quickly prepared herself to use Unity and made sure their doors were locked and safe beforehand. This was because she would not be able to move her body while using Unity.
Adori had descended from a bloodline who could make contact with primordial beings called Yvelari. A single being like Emis was called a Yvelin and those who descended from such bloodline were called Veyrathis.
The bloodline was so old and ancient that normal people were not even aware of their existence anymore. And if they happened to see a Veyrathi use their power, they simply referred to them as mystics—which was what had happened to Adori and her family.
In order for a Veyrathi to use the power of a Yvelin, they have to go through several stages first.
The first stage was called the Present Stage where Veyrathis would enter a State of Binding and form a bond with a Yvelin. Though in this stage, they could only make contact and were not able to use the powers of their Yvelin yet.
It was on the next stage called the Ancient Stage when the Veyrathis would enter the State of Unity where they could finally use the powers of Yvelari. Adori herself had reached this stage not too long ago.
"Let's start," Adori said as she laid down on her bed.
Right after she said those words, Emis' body suddenly dissolved into a black smoke with ancient patterns that glowed golden and floated around inside their room. Gradually, the smoke gravitated towards Adori and finally descended into her eyes.
Adori's eyes suddenly shot opened. However, her eyes were no longer the usual hue of amber. Instead, they were glowing gold—the same colour as the ancient patterns which were now dancing inside Adori's eyes like stardust. It was an indication that Adori had now reached the State of Unity.
Not long after she had entered the state, Adori softly murmured.
"Found them."