Chapter 26: Embarrassing
As they stealthily navigated their way through the village beneath the shroud of the night, their movements were marked by a remarkable silence. Guided by Kain's seasoned leadership, they skillfully pinpointed the covert whereabouts of the cult's clandestine headquarters, meticulously concealed amidst the dense foliage of trees and the rugged embrace of coastal cliffs.
A short while later, amidst the heart of the sylvan expanse adjacent to the village, they stumbled upon an inconspicuous cave, their collective intuition resonating with the conviction that this was indeed the elusive sanctuary they sought. With a keen sense of vigilance, both Cain and Eran strategically concealed themselves amidst the looming sentinels of the arboreal realm.
Their keen eyes discerned a contingent of sentinels stationed outside the cave's entrance, their imposing presence indicative of the ominous aura that enveloped the place.
"Enough for now, Eran," Kain quietly asserted, the tone of his voice resonating with prudence. Eran, in tacit acknowledgment, nodded, and they discreetly retreated to the comforting confines of their inn.
The following morning, Hollowfield basked in the resplendent radiance of the sun as Eran, Kain, and Taneaya embarked on their mission. Each thoroughfare and alleyway bore witness to their relentless pursuit, as they meticulously scrutinized every nook and cranny, fervently searching for the faintest traces of the subterranean cult that had plunged this peaceful village into abject terror. Along their odyssey, they encountered distressed and traumatized villagers, their plight exacerbated by the menacing presence of various cult factions that had seized control, inciting turmoil and insecurity throughout Hollowfield.
Suddenly, their vigilant gaze beheld a heart-wrenching tableau: a distraught mother and father, desperately endeavoring to shield their daughter from the clutches of the cult's malevolent adherents. Taneaya, consumed by righteous fury, yearned to intervene immediately, extending her protective mantle to the beleaguered denizens. However, Kain, ever the sage strategist, acted swiftly, tempering Taneaya's ardor with a sagacious reminder that discretion and inconspicuousness remained their paramount allies in this perilous endeavor.
"Taneaya, we must remain calm and think with a cool head," Kain said in a low voice, "We don't know how dangerous the enemy we face is, and we must not draw the attention of the cult before we are ready to face it."
"Ughh...," Taneaya growled in annoyance, her hands clasped hard.
Finally, Taneaya nodded in agreement, realizing the importance of a cautious approach in this situation. They continued on their way to the temporary inn to work out a rescue plan. As they sat together in a small room, they began their discussion.
"We should get more information about the cult's headquarters before making an attack," Eran said, "But we can't wait too long, because the lives of the kidnapped girls could be in danger every second."
Taneaya nodded in agreement, "We also need to figure out how to get into the cult headquarters without being detected."
Kain smiled, "I'll break into their base tonight to get some inside information."
Eran glanced at Kain, "You want to do it alone this time, are you sure?"
"Last night I found an opening, but it can only be done by one person," Kain said confidently while playing with his fingers.
"They look dangerous Kain, I don't agree with that?" objected Taneaya.
"Take it easy, I told you I know how to get in, are you underestimating Pathfinder's abilities?"
"It's not that, but you're usually with Gorstag, you can choose to be accompanied by me or Eran," Taneaya protested.
"I'm strong enough, after all, we can't gauge how dangerous they are without infiltrating directly, right?"
"Ughh..." Taneaya confirmed Kain's statement.
"Alright Kain, when are you leaving?" asked Eran while leaning against the window.
"Now."
After discussing it for several hours, they finally figured it out. Kain would find out more about the cult's whereabouts and figure out how to get inside the headquarters without attracting attention. After preparing Kain left leaving Taneaya and Eran.
"I hope Kain returns safely," said Taneaya sitting on the wooden bed while hugging her knees. The girl's voice made Eran realize that Taneaya was still in the room. Eran recalled the events of the previous night.
"Umm...well I'll go back to the next room," Eran said wanting to leave this situation.
"Wait."
Taneaya's voice stopped Eran's steps. At that moment Eran's mind was getting confused, trying to calm down Eran turned his head towards Taneaya.
"Hmm...," Eran replied, their gazes meeting.
"I want to talk about something," Taneaya said softly.
Eran thought Taneaya seemed to remember the events of that night. "What is it?" asked Eran, not moving from his spot.
"Do you remember what happened that night at the Brinetide Village Inn?" Taneaya asked without looking at Eran.
"I seem to remember," replied Eran.
"Umm...Ummm...did I...did I do something weird back then?" asked Taneaya embarrassed.
Eran decided to close the door and discouraged her from leaving the room. He sat on a chair near the window. Taneaya, who was still hugging her legs, waited for Eran's answer.
"Hmm..I guess not the strangest thing would be your incoherent babbling," Taneaya glared at Eran. "No, you went to sleep as soon as we finished the bottle I brought, you were so drunk that I lifted you into bed and left," Eran replied as calmly as he could.
"Are you sure?" asked Taneaya still doubtful.
"Of course I'm sure," Eran answered with certainty.
"But..." Taneaya trailed off. Making Eran even more uneasy.
"But I flew away with not a single piece of clothing on," Taneaya said embarrassedly.
"I didn't do anything to you, I swear..." Eran quickly denied it.
"We didn't do anything weird, did we?" asked Taneaya uncertainly.
"We just...umm...that.." Eran stuttered and then continued. Taneaya looked at him curiously. "We were just chatting, like I said earlier." Taneaya just nodded without saying anything. Eran felt
"Alright then, I'll check my equipment first before Kain comes back," Eran said with a sigh.
"That..." said Taneaya, stopping Eran's steps and following the direction of Taneaya's index finger. "Your clothes are in the drawer...bring them," Taneaya continued with a bow hiding her head between her knees.
Eran was transfixed by that.
"Damn..." Eran muttered softly almost inaudibly, even his ears did not catch his words.
*****
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone