Fallen Stars

Into the woods

-Soraka POV-

I woke up in the morning like usual, had my morning routine and went out of my house to head to class. My father is the only one living with me and he leaves the house way earlier than me to go to work. And while normally, today would be just like any other... there was a serious situation preventing me from feeling normal. I couldn't help but to space out of class, thinking about all the possibilities, about all the possible reasons why he disappeared. Professor Braum even took me outside of the classroom during lunch break to speak with me, telling me that he understands the situation, but that he's also worried about my wellbeing. He is a great support for me in this situation.

Kei'ral disappearance and possible death has caused a huge backlash in the institute. Even while Ahri's father decided to keep the guy disappearance as private as possible, the news spread quickly in the institute. So, besides of just finding his whereabouts, the Star Guardians have to worry about the news spreading to the entire city. His name is well known in the school grounds, but no one has a clue of who he is... but if the news reaches his family's ears, then everything will turn into something even more complicated.

I've been bombarded with questions by pretty much everyone in the institute since I'm known to be one of his friends. But all I can tell them is that I know as much as them. The good side of that is that I don't have to fake my worried attitude, the bad side is that I'm not faking my worried attitude.

Given the current gossips, it is being speculated that Kei'ral might have died in a void rift, or that he was kidnapped. A lot of things have been circling through the institute's hot topics, a lot of students and teachers had told me and the others that they are just as worried as us... Even Brayden has told me that he hopes Kei'ral is fine. He might not like Kei'ral, but he at least has the decency to worry about another human's life.

Right after finishing classes, I directed myself to the forest alongside Sarah, who has been constantly patrolling with everyone that comes to the outsides of the city. We decided to organize regular expeditions to the forests to investigate, taking turns in patrols of two. Since most of us were busy with our own lives and we couldn't just toss aside everything until we find him, we decided to do it like this. Today was my free day and I offered myself to search this time, while Sarah... she has been looking for Kei'ral non-stop since the first day. Even when she seemed to be terribly affected by the Gore Magala's frenzy virus, the effects dissipated after she woke up.

I remember Ekko saying that the infection was non-lethal for humanoids, but even when the effect is strong and persistent while staying awake, the moment your body rests, it dissipates rather quickly.

To keep everyone safe during the expeditions though, we decided to not engage combat with any creature we might find in this place. Especially the now Shagaru Magala. The moment we came in sight with a wyvern or unknown beast, we should back off and inform of the discovery to either Ahri, Janna or Syndra. The three of them would decide on hunting the beasts or not and assign the best team to do it.

One of our best clues, however, is the Stygian Zinogre. A day after the incident, Sarah and Poppy came back to the scene where we found the rests of the Gore Magala and the only clues about Kei'ral, and they both found footprints that matched the ones in the bestiary, signaling the Stygian Zinogre being a participant in the scene and a possible lead to Kei'ral.

But the thing that had most of my attention was Sarah.

Me: Sarah... why are you so eager to find him?

Sarah: I'm the one that left him behind... how could I live with myself if I just abandon him completely?

An honest answer from the get-go? That's something I wasn't expecting at all, but it does works as I wanted it to. At least a little.