Dread Mage

Sonder lingered by her quarters, anticipating Inure's arrival. He was typically the one to fetch her.

Yet as the hours ticked away, stretching into noon, a sense of unease began to creep in.

No matter how solemn and somber he became, Sonder didn’t think that he would neglect his duties.

With her blunt training blade in hand, she ventured towards the training grounds.

However, her search for Inure bore no fruit.

She probed the guards and soldiers in the vicinity, but none had seen him since the previous evening.

She thought it was so strange.

Could something have befallen him? Perhaps he was on a royal errand, but if that was the case, then she should have been informed, right? At least Vell should have been.

She returned to the inn, where she encountered the mage swilling an egregious amount of ale amidst the local drunks, already thoroughly inebriated by midday.

“Have you seen Inure?” She asked him.

Over the rabble of drunks drunkenly singing and then falling on either the counter of the bar or on the floor, he answered, “Nope.”

Sonder’s frown deepened, her concern amplified by Vell's indifferent tone.

“Are you going to help me find him?” She pressed, her voice rising above the noise.

Vell leaned back in his chair, a mug of ale sloshing dangerously close to the edge. “I don’t think so. He’s not a child. If he wants to disappear for a while, let him. Maybe he has some important business to attend to.”

She clenched her fists due to worry, “Inure wouldn’t just vanish.”

With a dismissive wave of his hand, he leaned forward, “If you’re so worried, why don’t you go find him?”

She decided to search the places he often frequented, beginning with the training grounds again, but this time with more determination. She scanned the area, looking for any sign of him, but it was as deserted as before.

She also wanted to visit his home, but she didn’t know where it was, so she had to ask around again.

Her appearance drew many odd looks from the city's inhabitants, particularly due to her defining feature, the sword embedded in her chest.

Yet the sight of a young girl meandering through the city brandishing her own blade was equally strange.

After several inquiries, Sonder eventually obtained directions to Inure's residence, a humble house situated near the marketplace.

She paused briefly, her hand hovering over the door. The timber structure appeared well-maintained in the past, but it seemed neglected of late.

Pushing the door open, the mournful creak of the hinges filled the air.

The interior was dim, the only light filtering in through dirty windows. Dust motes danced in the beams, and the air felt heavy though there was no sound.

“Inure?” she called out.

No response came, only the echo of her own words.

Gripping her training sword tightly, Sonder ventured inside. The living room was undisturbed, the furniture strewn about as if frozen in time.

She sifted through the drawers, hoping for some hint, only to discover more dust and vestiges of a life abruptly halted.

She navigated the house, each room mirroring the previous one.

The bedroom was simple, with a neatly made bed and a small desk cluttered with scrolls and books.

Finally, she made her way to the back door that opened to a small garden. As the door creaked open, it revealed a patch of overgrown weeds and wilting red flowers.