Chapter 23.

PART 1.

Ever since the disappearance of Hatori, Josh and Raven are inconsolable. Not a day goes by when they don’t blame themselves for leaving him alone. no one has time for them either, since most adults are either looking for their friend, or just busy with politics.

Except for one soldier who has a day off today. Magpie consoles his sobbing son. Usually, Raven is not very emotional. But clearly, the boy must have put an impression on his son, for to make him feel so badly for his disappearance.

After having enough of their sobbing, Magpie decides that it is time someone says something to these children. Honestly, Josh’s parents or his uncle should be the one doing the consoling for him. But as usual, they are too busy in court to look after the children of their families.

“Listen boys,” they stopped sobbing after hearing his strong tone. “You should not blame yourself. Consider this. What could you have done for him? They could have killed you and taken Hatori all the same.” He winced internally. His wife is correct; he is too blunt.

The words helped a little, but nothing could fix their mood until Hatori is found, and returns to them.

“Do you think Zeko would find him?” asks Josh.

“I’m sure he will. Once that happens, we won’t leave him alone.” assures Raven.

PART 2.

Porus paces back and forth in his room. Different from his study, no one is allowed here without his approval. Given the wards and fields surrounding this room, no one wants to enter this room without his permission.

He considers the case of Hatori. Twice the boy has been kidnapped from under his protection. Meaning, his strength is not what it once was. Meaning, the nobles don’t fear him anymore. meaning, he’s not the tiger running the country. Instead, the ants are slowly climbing over him.

‘But they forget.’ He thinks. ‘This tiger just doesn’t roar. I will burn their nests if need be.’

When the court resumed the next morning, it was terrifying.

PART 3.

Zeko tracks down the last location of the tracking spells on Hatori, finding that the spells were last active near the Joshi family’s territory. ‘Figures. That bastard won’t stop at nothing to get his hands on my student.’

Sending a letter to Porus, informing him of this information, Zeko tries to find a way inside without disturbing the wards. He has enough power within himself to tear these wards, but he would be weakened afterwards, so he won’t use brute force on them.

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Porus probably would move against Joshis in the future, since twice they have defied him. But Zeko puts all these thoughts out of his head, and focuses on rescuing his student. He keeps himself hidden from the patrols going on.

‘Why the sudden increase in security? Could he be expecting some kind of retaliation?’ Zeko considers capturing some of these grunts. But he decides that given Yograj’s personality, he won’t tell them the reason for their sudden increase in vigilance.

Thus, capturing them would be fruitless, and it might even expose his position here. He must remain nearby, since he can move fast, and get the boy out of there if he could get the Joshis distracted somehow.

The anger surged within Zeko. Just like these past three days, he controlled himself. He cannot let his emotions influence his decisions. His student’s life in danger. He must use all the experience he has to play this carefully.

But it is not like he couldn’t ring the necks of the people involved once he got Hatori back. And he will get him back, no doubt about it.

PART 4.

Hatori has been locked in the basement without food, just according to the orders of Yograj. When he was brought here by the people whom Hatori thinks were the servants of this house, they introduced him to everything. They did not restrain him. They told him where to get water, where the toilet was, but did not give him any food.

They left him in the basement, without checking up on him at that time. To save energy, Hatori began to meditate. He sensed some light near a wall. He follows the path of light in reverse, and learns that there is a shaft which brings some small amount of light during the time of day to this basement. That is how he has been able to keep count of the days down here. A blind kid keeping the count of days in a dark basement seems like a bad joke to him, but Hatori is experiencing the effects of hunger. His mind probably is not in the right place.

Since he has nothing else to do aside from sleeping, drinking water to keep away the hunger, and meditating, he just focused on the light. Soon enough, he started to bend it around. It was hard at first, but it got easier and easier. He started to sense the light around his body, and started to deflect it away from him. He did not know what kind of effect it had on his body. but when the door opens, and the exclamations of surprise are uttered by the people who come to check up on him, he realized that he had a chance.

“Where did he go?” asked a man with a gruff voice.

“He couldn’t have gone anywhere, find him!” To their surprise, the door is left open. Before anyone could stand there to block it, Hatori sneaks away from the door to the outside.

He hears someone mumble behind his back. “Lord Yograj will have our heads…”

(End.)