Chapter 58: Chat with the System
Lila took the smooth, cool communication stone from Riku. It pulsed with a faint, internal light. She took a deep breath as she started speaking.
"Father?" she spoke into it, her voice a little hesitant at first. "It’s Lila. Can you hear me?"
A moment of silence, then a crackle from the stone, followed by Barou’s familiar, slightly distorted voice. "Lila! Yes! I can hear you. Riku had given me this stone, which he had asked me to keep close. But it was supposed to be only for emergencies. Is everything alright? Did something happen?"
"We are fine, Father. We’re together. And we found something... something important about the weird infections we noticed earlier in the forests near our village."
Lila quickly summarized their findings in the Whisperwood – the dark stones, the red mist, the cart tracks leading towards Luxia.
"It seems this blight was deliberately brought here, Father. From the capital." "Luxia?" Barou’s voice was grim. "That’s... troubling news. Very troubling."
"We think so too," Lila continued. "Riku has contained the stones here for now. We’re heading to Luxia to investigate further. Please, be extra careful in Elowen. Warn everyone to stay away from the southern woods, and if anyone... anyone at all shows signs of this crimson sickness, or if anything else strange happens, you have to let us know immediately through this stone."
"Understood, daughter," Barou replied, his voice heavy with concern but also pride. "You two be careful. Luxia is a dangerous place, but I am sure that you will be alright with Riku with you. And Riku," his voice softened, "look after my girl."
"I will, Chief," Riku called out from nearby, his voice clear through the stone.