I walk out of the cave with the ancient ruin and the core in my hands. I see Luke playing with the pups grinning happily while Howard is standing against a tree watching over him. I take this chance to see Luke's status.
Name: Luke
Race: Human
Health Points (HP): 24/24
Mana Points (MP): 10/10
Strength: 10
Vitality: 12
Intelligence: 20
Dexterity: 6
Agility: 20
Luck: 1
Skill: Pack Leader ( Passive ), Golden Ascension ( Active ) - ( 50% Hp and 50% MP) ,
Moonlight Renewal ( Active ) - 2 MP
Luke's status had gone through leaps and bounds, skyrocketing past David and Howard's stats. With the addition of new skills, he is currently the strongest resident of HavenFall. Since there was no way of getting a description of the skills I could only interpret them.
Moonlight Renewal is the skill that the golden wolf knew to restore HP. Pack leader must relate to his position in the golden wolf tribe and allow him to control and command the remaining golden wolves. However, Golden Ascension puzzled me. I think it had to do with the golden wolf mark that appeared on Luke's forehead when Aur vanished but what it does I have no idea.
"Luke, Howard shall we head home?"
I get their attention and after a quick nod from them, we started to head back to HavenFall. Luke leads the way with the golden wolves following behind him closely. The small pups would trip and fall randomly since they were not used to the environment making the return journey a little slow until Luke came up with an ingenious idea of placing them on the female wolves back. The three female wolves each had three pups while Luke carried the remaining pup in his hand. I was amazed at Luke's ability to communicate with the wolves. Each time he talked to them they would carry out the order to the smallest detail at the same time his previous colder attitude to people slowly disappeared after interacting with the troublesome pups. He had to manage them carefully making sure to teach them not to wonder or jump off the backs of their mothers. He had to constantly correct them and sometimes scold them. Every so often though I could see a dark sad expression on his face. The weight of Oscar's death still hangs over Luke's head and as we get closer to HavenFall his expression slowly gets worse.
I could see HavenFall's wall through the gaps of the trees but Luke suddenly stops in front of me prompting the wolves to stop as well. He turns around and looks at both Howard and me. "I-I don't how I should face Robin and Owen. Oscar...He was with me...I-I."
I could see Luke's eyes start to tear up. He hangs his head low and the tears rolled down his cheeks. I forget despite what he has done he is still a child. His life is like a rollercoaster constantly going up and down. I see Howard walk towards Luke, stepping in between the wolves and then wrapping his arms around Luke. He pushes Luke closer to his chest and pats his head.
"Luke, I know it will be hard. It was hard when you were in the situation with the Blood Ogre. It was hard running from it and it will continue to be hard. There is no easy way out in life. Both Robin and Owen know this, they are not young people. They have gone through their fair share of death as well. Oscar...Oscar will be tough on them. It won't be easy for them to overcome it but they will. You will make it up to them. You have this new power inside you. Protect them. Don't let anything bad happen to them anymore and when you see them. Tell them how you feel. Tell them everything."
Luke cries while nodding his head up and down. The guilt in my heart was not any smaller than Luke's. I sent them off to scout the surroundings knowing that there was going to be dangerous.
After Luke's waterworks, we continued onwards towards HaveFall. The sun was high in the sky already and I could see Gobi pacing back and forth at the gate while David was holding a spear and shield nervously watching the forest. Luke steps out of the forest followed by the wolves, Howard and then me. I could see David's tense expression loosen. He turns around and shouts towards the back.
"EVERYONE! THEY ARE BACK!!"
Everyone except for old man Hus ran towards the gate while Luke, Howard and I slowly walked towards them. Luke's expression was still tense and dark while Howard was trying to keep a straight face.
I see Robin and Owen's heads peek out behind David and immediately I tense up. Luke puts the pup in his arms down on the ground while telling the wolves to move towards the side. He then lets out a deep sigh and walks towards Robin and Owen.
"Where is Oscar?"
Owen expresses his concern while asking us the important question. Luke stands in front of them, looking into their eyes while he delivers the sad news.
"Robin, Owen. I am sorry. Oscar...Passed away last night."
Owen's eyes shook and he started to blink rapidly while trying to say something but nothing comes out of his mouth. Robin reacted a bit later before covering her mouth with her palm and turning away.
Both Howard and I were silent. Standing motionless behind Luke. I could see their hearts sink at the same time the moment Luke finished his sentence. It wasn't just them. David and Lucina who were nearby were speechless as well.
"I would like to speak to the both of you...About Oscar. Can we talk inside the house?"
"O-Of course. Luke, I-I-Let's go."
Owen could barely make out words and while looking at his wife quietly sobbing with tears running down her face he could only accept it and move on. He leads the way to the house while holding onto Robin's shoulder, patting her back every couple of steps.
Even the toughest woman, like Robin, becomes a small fragile mother when it concerns this topic. I watch their backs as the three of them walk away to the house. All that was left was a sad atmosphere at the gate. Lucina said she was going to go foraging in the forest but I told her to just get some rest and relax today. She ends up going to the river and I ask David to accompany her in case anything happens. Gobi could tell that the rest of the goblins had passed away too since there were no goblins with us when we returned. Gobi went back to the goblin house and rested up taking in the series of deaths that just happened. Howard went to old man Hus in order to tell him what had happened and I was left with the wolves.
Since there were no caves I could not place the core down just yet so instead I motioned for the wolves to come into HavenFall closing the gate behind them and like that my day in Settlement was completed and I wake up in my bed.
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