“You can’t be serious?” Silvia screamed, tears trickling down her cheeks, “How is it possible that nobody is capable enough to find my son?!?”

It had been several days since Luka’s corpse had been found, but there was still no clue to Xavier’s whereabouts. Xavier and Luka had been last seen leaving the settlement together but never returned. A search troupe managed to follow their trails, only to find Luka’s corpse.

Xavier’s traces seemed to have disappeared. It was almost like he vanished into thin air.

Only his blood remained, drenching the soil around Luka’s corpse red. Even that had gone a little dry by the time they arrived.

“Calm down, Silvia,” Zora Vador patted her daughter while trying to keep her poker face. Xavier’s disappearance hit her hard as well.

“Calm down!? How can I calm down when my son is nowhere to be found??”

“You know how Xavier is. He rushes into danger alone and must have found something that is keeping him occupied. He will come back soon. Just ask him then.” Mark said in a desperate attempt to calm his wife.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“No. I can’t accept this. I want my son back!” Silvia demanded in defiance, but her wish wouldn’t be granted.

The other residents somehow came to terms with his disappearance and concluded that he got lost in the forest or some wild animal dragged him away. Still, his family was struggling to accept that he would never return. Mark often found himself consoling Silvia after returning home to tell her he had not seen any sign of their son again.

Days turned into months, and every day, Silvia cried herself to sleep, waiting by the door anxiously, hoping that her son would come walking through the gates one day. But that day never arrived.

Meanwhile, Haven overcame all the problems that were thrown at it. They defeated the Kobolds and claimed the stabilized Aether Gate. But that was only the beginning. Other beings appeared near Haven as the first citizens decided to explore the other side of the Aether Gate.

Earth changed. Temporary Aether Gates manifested all over Earth, and more stabilized Aether Gates were discovered.

Other races emerged on Earth, some amiable while others were hostile.

Alliances were forged, and wars were waged.

Earth was not only a place for humans to inhabit anymore. It transformed into the home of countless beings.

However, even after months passed, Xavier didn’t return to Earth. He was still far away from his people and his family. But he was not sitting idle.

He had to prepare himself for what was about to happen. For what he had to do once the time came.

A sacrifice had to be made.

[End of Volume 2]