Vylt: The New Dawn

Side Story, Part 5: Search Party

Night 10.

My resource gathering has become difficult once more. I should've seen it coming. Of course humans would come in search of Nyggry and her parents. Considering the path of destruction the car left as it fell down the hill, it didn't surprise me that they found wreckage with ease. My efforts to clean the scene backfired. The lack of blood, and the fact that the family was missing led them to believe that they were alive somewhere, which ended up in an extensive search through the forest.

Night and day, I saw them patrolling the surroundings. It took them nearly two days to locate the burial site, and with it, the remains of Nyggry's parents. That was another blunder. However, not giving them a proper burial would've been disrespectful. It couldn't be avoided. Unfortunately, they know someone found the family before they did. The worst part is that they are now focused on finding Nyx herself.

They may as well give up. My shelter has remained hidden from human eyes for centuries, and I plan to keep it that way. I do find one thing odd, though. There are two different teams participating in the search now. The second group arrived the day after the burial was desecrated, and their looks stand out quite. To begin with, every single one of them carries at least two weapons. The firearm varies between individuals, but they all have identical swords hanging from their waists. It's been a while since I last saw a sword, and now, I get to see a dozen. I fail to see the need for such things when looking for a girl. Surely their firearms would be more than enough to handle any wildlife here.

A show of status perhaps?

Their outfits are interesting, as well. They aren't casually dressed like the humans from the first group. Instead, they all wear some sort of black uniform. They like to carry odd devices, and sometimes, I could swear they turn to look in my direction. I know they can't see me, but it makes me hide every time out of reflex. I hope they'll give up soon. I'm not comfortable with their presence. The constant searching also makes it difficult for my daughter to go out. Her inexperience would make her an easy target when there are so many eyes on the lookout.

Speaking of her, she's an interesting child. Always curious, always wanting to help. At first, I was unsure of how to handle the matter of her past, but it doesn't seem to interest her in the least. Nyx is too busy asking questions about magic, the gods, and our culture. The girl even knows a handful of common phrases in Geilspræn, now. It amazes me how fast she learns everything.

No, not everything.

Cooking is one thing she doesn't seem to get the hang of. No matter how many times we've gone through the same recipes, unless she has written instructions, she will start adding or changing ingredients regardless of how little sense it makes. Even with the writing, if she can't find an ingredient, she will try to replace it with whatever she thinks is the closest. For my own peace of mind, she's no longer allowed to touch the kitchen or any ingredient without my supervision. I can only hope that she isn't the same once the practical magic lessons begin.