THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 251. NOT ADDING UP

"We should go back and regroup," Yoka said after a while of the men in both squads airing their distaste about what was about to happen to the ladies.

Sagiri had been sitting in silence, trying to recover his strength. It was not the breaking of the illusion that had tired him a little, but the holding of twenty-five people in the archive pocket, being stuck in the illusion madness, and breaking in had depleted a third of the archive’s strength. He could still go on for days, but he wanted to regain some of that strength before he faced Tatani.

"No," Sagiri said, standing to his feet. "We keep going."

"The plan was to scout till midday and go back, then come again tomorrow," Tavora said. As a strategist, he was stiff and stuck to the plan, which could be a good thing, but if what he said happened to the ladies was true, then going back to regroup was the last thing they needed to do now.

"The plan did not involve the part where the ladies were going to be taken and bred," Sagiri said in a low tone. He was now calm. He was not going to get agitated inside Tatani lands again. Perhaps it was partly his fault that the ladies had been taken.

"Well, the plan did not involve you losing your marbles and slashing the air with your weapon and suffocating us half to death," Tavora said. He was still salty, it seemed. Sagiri did not have time to argue with him this time.

"Well, you can keep to the plan and go back to regroup. I’m going in." Sagiri said, facing the direction that led deeper into the Tatani lands. Tavora sighed loudly with irritation, but he didn’t argue any further.

"What happens if you are stuck in an illusion again?" Captain asked calmly.

"The same tricks don’t work on me again. If it happens, I can just break it forcefully again till there is no Tatani left for the illusion weavers to hide." Sagiri answered without missing a breath.

"We need to come up with a new plan, even so," Kiuga said silently.

"The ladies’ honours could be getting tainted at the moment. The more we delay, the more chances of that happening grow. If their innocence is tainted, their lives would be ruined." Sagiri said. His voice was too calm, and everyone could feel it. He was not going to budge. He was going in whether they came with him or not.

"You can follow me after you come up with your plan," Sagiri said. It was now past midday and at least four hours before sundown. Without warning, Sagiri tore through the group and across the depression. He would soon disappear out of sight at the speed he was moving.

"I’m going after him." N’varu did not hesitate before he ran after him.

"Well, it seems I have no choice since I am the strategist he chose. Anyone who is not willing can go back with Vice Captain Tavora.

It seemed Vice Captain Tavora did not like the sentiment because he hissed in irritation.

"It seems the plan has gone up in flames. Your call, Captain." Tavora said. Captain Yoka sighed, looking at the two squads before he finally opened his mouth.

"We go after the southerner. We can’t afford to go all the way back while Tatani has the girls. We move in!" Captain Yoka gave the order, and after a momentary pause, the squads followed after Sagiri. He always moved fast when he was in this state of calmness. He was still going slower than he wanted because he knew N’varu was right behind him, but even so, he was still going fast, and the squads had to move at top speed to catch up with him.

Sagiri paused at the edge of the unnatural learning he had created in his attempt to forcefully break the illusion. He had been scared to utilize the archive, fearing he could kill his friends in the process, but he had protected them this time. The archive had protected them, according to his deepest feeling, and now he was feeling more confident. him, at his current full strength, and merged with the archive, could not be touched with the mere tricks of the illusion weavers. He was also calm now. And perhaps he needed to find a way to be always as calm as the supreme mandra who practiced the art of the beast, yet he was calm as deep water.

After he was sure the squads were within range of him, Sagiri did not waste time before he darted past the tree line. The squads followed him, and he could feel their steady heartbeats behind him. This time, if it came to that, he would just move them within the archive and send them as far away as possible before he gave the tatani what was coming for them.

Surprisingly, Sagiri could feel the heartbeats of more and more small beasts after two hours of tearing through the woods at top speed. The markings on his body crawled dormantly for the two hours, and they had not stirred with any warning of the illusion trap. sagiri did not like the silence, but then he was prepared for whatever they could throw at him.

There was one more thing he could not understand. How were those who took the girls able to move that fast while carrying them? Something was not adding up; perhaps they had overlooked something. After another hour of running, Sagiri finally stopped. He perched on the ground and paused to listen for any voice.

The squads finally caught up with him after a moment, and N’varu was beside him in a moment. He must have been moving too fast because N’varu was slightly out of breath.

"What is it?" N’varu asked, looking around frantically.

"Something is wrong. I don’t know what, but something is not adding up." Sagiri said as everyone caught up.

"I think so too. We should have been able to catch up to the ladies’ kidnappers." Kiuga said, and sagiri listened deeply. He pushed out his senses as far as they could go, and yet there was nothing.

"It is as if there is no one on these Tatani lands," Sagiri said.

"Are you sure you are not under an illusion again?" Tavora snickered. Sagiri ignored him and continued listening for any sign of life, but just like from miles back, there was still nothing apart from the small beasts crawling about.

"What do you think is at play here?" Kiuga asked, and sagiri tried to think, but he could not come up with an excuse for this. He had never encountered anything like this.

"Could it be possible for an entire clan to hide their presence like the Shadow Corp?" Sagiri asked, and there was a pause as the Yoka squad shifted uncomfortably.

"Impossible!!" Tavora was the first to break the silence. For the first time, he did not sound salty and more concerned instead.