CHAPTER 112: THE SEARCH BEGINS

Grunt. Stomp. Seek.

The B-Rank Magic Guard slumped heavily as Fiona and Steve supported her to the mossy base of a forest tree .They helped lower her gently, making sure her back met the broad bark with care.

Even from a distance, it was impossible to ignore the state she was in. Her armor was cracked in multiple places, deep fissures lining her breastplate, and blood seeped slowly from a wound just above her left brow.

Streaks of crimson marred her skin, crawling down her temple, neck, and even her legs. Blackened bruises bloomed beneath her torn sleeves. The damage wasn’t just severe — it was astounding that she was still breathing.

Steve stood over her, eyes silently tracing the myriad of injuries that marked her skin.

’Huh...how the hell is she still breathing with does injuries?’

Still, as they took their hands away from the magic guard, Steve finally muttered, barely above a whisper.

"Is this okay for you?"

She gave a single, measured nod.

Her voice came next, hoarse but calm.

"Hmm... so this is where I ended up, huh? That explains it all."

The words were soft, but Fiona and Steve caught them clearly. The two exchanged a glance, momentarily puzzled — her tone didn’t quite match the wreckage she wore. Then the woman turned her head, motioning weakly toward the path behind them.

"What happened there?" she asked.

Steve and Fiona followed her gaze and immediately stiffened. Blood stained the grass just ahead — The spot where the goblin had devoured their comrade just a few hours ago.

Neither of them responded.

Fiona’s eyes dropped. Steve turned his head away entirely. Neither dared to meet the warrior’s gaze.

"We had another... encounter with the clan." Fiona said softly, voice hollow.

"I see..." the Magic God murmured.

"Well... I’m sorry. The Academy never meant to send you all into a slaughter. This was... highly unexpected."

Steve’s lips pressed into a tight line. He looked at her again, and something inside him softened.

"It’s okay." he said.

"We understand. We just want to find our way back... and the other survivors."

Her eyes lingered on him now, longer than before. There was something strange in her stare — not judgment, not pity... maybe a kind of curiosity.

’Hmm...He really is... as they say. A different kind of Magic guard...’ she mused silently. But then another thought shadowed her expression.

’But the other rumors... are they true?’

Her gaze dropped before she could linger on it.

But Steve noticed.

"What happened to you?" He said, voice slicing through her thoughts.

She blinked, confused for a second, before following his eyes to her battered body. Then she let out a shaky breath.

"Oh."

She exhaled slowly.

"As you’d expect... I was brutally beaten by the clan. While I was trying to buy you all time to escape into the forest... I was struck, sent flying." Her hand weakly traced a path through the air.

"Launched... meters away, to probably the edge of the forest. Crashed into some trees and boulders and the impact left me shattered like this. If I wasn’t a Magic Guard... I’d most probably be dead."

Her mouth twitched bitterly.

"But... I woke up minutes ago. Aching everywhere. But alive. Somehow."

Steve furrowed his brows.

"The edge of the forest?" he echoed.

"We’re not even close to that."

"I know." she said, her voice growing colder.

"You see... when I opened my eyes... I saw something." Ser Ira continued.

She paused.

"There was a veil. Transparent. Like a film over the air. It looked... like the color of the sky. Almost invisible. But it surrounded everything — like a dome. And when I tried to touch it... I was pulled in and ended up right where you saw me."

Fiona’s breath hitched.

"... in the forest?"

She nodded.

"Which means one thing- This forest is a loop... forged by high-level magic. And if this is a basic loop spell, which it should be, then no one gets out... until the caster is slain."

Silence fell like a stone.

Fiona’s hand trembled by her side. Steve stood frozen. The weight of her words crushed the tiny hope still flickering between them.

They could get back to the carriage, they could reunite with Maggie and the other soldiers... but if the only way out was by slaughtering the clan — all of them — was that even possible?

Steve turned his head, watching Fiona. She looked... broken. Shattered by everything they’d seen. He clenched his jaw.

"So... what’s our plan?" he asked, his voice lower now. Rougher.

"We just kill them all?"

Sir Ira — the name she was known by — lifted her eyes slowly. She blinked at him with a strange, unreadable look.

"You say it like it’s easy." she said softly.

"It won’t be easy." Steve answered.

"But it’s doable. We’ve got you on our side. And some goblin soldiers, too. If you could take one down... then—"

"I’m barely breathing." she cut him off.

Her words struck him like a slap. She coughed suddenly — deep, raw, guttural — and blood splattered onto her palm. She wiped it away, smearing it across her jaw. Her chest heaved.

"If a goblin stepped out now... I’d die alongside you." she said.

"Or worse — just die first."

She leaned her head back against the tree, exhausted.

"If I’m going to be of use... I’ll need a healer. Unless one of you can heal?"

Silence.

Then another cough — more blood. She didn’t even flinch this time.

Steve clenched his fists.

"You can’t talk like that." he muttered.

"You make it sound like there’s no hope."

Sir Ira looked away. "I’m just being realistic."

"But—"

"In truth..." she exhaled, and her next words came quietly, like the last flickers of a flame.

"I just... don’t think there’s any way I can survive. Look at me. My injuries..." Her voice faltered.

"My chances are... very low-"

But before she could finish, Fiona stepped forward.

"We have a healer." she said.

The words struck like lightning.

Ser Ira’s eyes snapped to her. Steve’s did too.

"What?" the warrior muttered.

Fiona nodded, flickering her excitement laced eyes to Steve.

"We have a healer. Maggie."

Ser Ira blinked in surprise.

"Maggie?"

Steve answered her.

"Our mother...."

’Damn...I loved her MILFness.’

"...She’s a survivor."

Relief passed briefly over Ser Ira’s face.

"Ohh. That’s good to hear. Not everyone was died..." she murmured. The thought seemed to soothe her, even if only slightly.

"Can you find her?" she asked quickly.

Steve nodded.

"That won’t be a problem. We found her tracks... not far from here. It won’t be hard."

Ser Ira exhaled — sharp and painful.

"Then maybe... maybe there’s still a chance. Not just for me. But for the others who might be injured. If you’re telling the truth, if she really can heal... then she’s our priority."

She looked to Steve again.

"Our only chance."

He looked back at her. At Fiona. And then finally nodded.

"We’ll find her." Fiona said firmly.

"We have to."

Steve stood still a moment longer, quiet. Even with the optimism, a knot of unease coiled in his stomach.

’The hell is wrong with them? I know this should be a good sign, he thought. But just because she got out... doesn’t mean she’s still alive.’

’So why can’t they see that?

He swallowed.

’But either way...she’s my first conquered MILF. And quite frankly, one of my sweetest, so I have to...no, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna find her.’