Chapter 481: Ryun

Chapter 481: Ryun

Scramble

Ryun and Nayra stepped out of the gate and left the Afterlife, entering the Ethereal Realm once again. Ryun closed his eyes as he felt his connection to his other half grow stronger again. He hadn't felt much of Selia while in the Afterlife, only knew that she was still alive.

As soon as they left the gate, he felt a stab of something that he identified as worry.

"Ryun," Selia sent immediately, a sense of relief flowing along her thoughts, though her words and feelings were somewhat muddled. The time difference between the Ethereal and the Real in the place Ryun and Nayra were wasn't as large as it could've been, which allowed them to communicate. The Ethereal moved at its own pace, not always in line with the Real. They were fortunate that it was close aligned now, otherwise he wouldn't be able to talk with her, both of them would only be able to perceive some of what the other felt, distorted by the time differential.

"What's happened?" Ryun asked, he could feel her nervousness.

"It's Tali, she's gone," Selia sent.

Ryun froze, his mind trying to make sense of the words and pull context from the emotions Selia felt. She was angry, tired, and also... Felt almost hopeless.

"Ryun? Everything good?" Nayra asked.

"I'm speaking with Selia," he said then focused on their link.

"Gone how?"

"Their Dome fight went wrong, I don't have all the details, only that they fought against Awirren, and many died, Sigmund and Awirren are presumed dead, along with many Sect Warriors on all sides. The world believes that Awirren went mad and killed everyone, Tali included, but Zacharia was there at the end. The Unchained arrived and took the her prisoner."

"When did this happen, and where is she?" Ryun sent, his thoughts as hard as stone. He had warned Tali that her revenge was blinding her. He didn't disagree with it in principle, but she shouldn't have rushed. She could've had it in time.

"It's been almost two weeks. I've hoped that you would return sooner. Your perk? Can you sense her?"

Ryun turned to Nayra immediately and spoke.

"We need to get into the Real Realm, right now," Ryun said.

Nayra frowned. "I don't know where we'll arrive if I open a gate here. We should get back to the Dragon's mountain, I'm sure that he would--"

Ryun shook his head. "Tali is kidnaped, I need to be in the Real Realm to track her, I don't think that we have time to spare."

He couldn't use his Great Hunter unless he was in the same plane as the target.

Nayra nodded, no longer hesitating. She raised her spear and then used her ability, [Ethereal Gate], and opened a way into the Real Realm.

Ryun jumped through as soon as it was formed. As soon as he stepped out, he focused on his perk and on Tali.

Ryun grimaced, but he didn't argue. He conceded that she was right, and she felt his emotions, knew that he had done so. He also remembered what they had talked about before. The yeti had come for Zach, and now this... He couldn't help but think that there was a link, and if he was right then Tali was in incredible danger.

"I'm already preparing a small force for the rescue," Selia sent, but underneath her words he could feel that she was unsure if Tali was even still alive.

Ryun would not accept any other outcome.

He listened to the conversations in the town, read the engraved writing on the walls and metal plaques, and quickly he learned the name of the faction it was part of. "Where is the Kingdom of Reo?"

"I don't know, give me a few minutes, Anrosh is sending someone to fetch our maps," Selia said, not questioning why he asked.

"You are together?"

"Of course," Selia sent. "We've been working on a rescue since we found out."

Ryun nodded to himself, forced his mind to calm. He should've known that they would be doing that. They were each of them very good at their roles in the Sect.

He waited for Selia to find the information he was looking for, and took the time to fill in Nayra.

She cursed. "What are we going to do?"

"That depends on where we are," Ryun answered. "But I am not sitting and waiting. Every moment that we delay might mean the difference between her being alive or dead."

Nayra grimaced, then nodded her head.

Selia's thoughts returned, and Ryun raised a hand to indicate to Nayra that he was listening.

"Kingdom of Reo is in the far North Eastern frontier, near the Exalted Empire's sphere of influence, if things haven't changed since the last time we got intelligence from there."

Far northeast, that would put him on almost the opposite side of the Settled Territories from the Twilight Melody Sect.

"Am I closer to Eratemus's lands than the Sect?"

"You are," Selia responded.

"I'll head there, see if Eratemus can locate her. You keep trying to find Maleatus," Ryun told her.

"I will reach out to the other members of the League, see if they know anything. We will find her, I promise you."

Ryun didn't answer with his thoughts. He couldn't trust himself to. Instead, he focused on his emotions, keeping a tight grasp on them. He couldn't afford to lose control, for Tali's sake.