The Achievement Junkie 272 Back Together Again...

"Big Sis, I'm hungry."

"Lina, the food is on its way. You don't have to wait much longer."

"Just drink your juice. Ya know ya can have as much as ya want."

Almost on cue, three waiters approached the table, each carrying a large tray filled with hot plates. "I'm sorry for the long wait, but the kitchen made sure all of your food was cooked to perfection."

"Yay! I'm so hungry!" Lina grabbed her fork and knife and stared longingly at the food being placed in front of her.

The waiters started to scatter the dishes across the entire table, but Maynard laughed, "Put them all in front of her. Just place my steak and her stew by us."

They didn't question Maynard's statement, only doing as he said with a smile. This was not the first time the waiters had witnessed the little girl's outrageous appetite or the group's unrivaled tips. "Very well. Enjoy!"

While Lina began her nightly feast, Maynard and Maura chatted.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" asked Maura. "I know they're strong, but they're up against an army. Wouldn't it have been better if you had joined them? Then, maybe Rydel could stay here and gather information by himself?"

"Listen, Maura, Jack chose the teams and I agree with his decision," Maynard replied in between bites. "Ya should just eat your stew before it gets cold. And don't worry about them so much."

"But if we--"

"Maura, even if Rydel would be better suited them me for gathering information here, he's much better as a scout and informant when dealing with an army," Maynard continued. "Ya forget about his experience in our wars back in Reinolt. I'm just good for killing things, though I am jealous that I couldn't fight my way through an army of soldiers. That I'll admit."

The young woman took a few bites before asking, "But we haven't been able to learn much here… We both specialize in offense, not stealth."

"But I've been able to teach ya a lot while we've been here," stated Maynard. "Ya have improved your techniques plenty cause of that. And who else can watch over Lina? Ya want her to face an army?"

"No… I'm just… I'm just jealous…"

"Oh, ya finally admitted it! It's about time! Come on, let's celebrate with a drink!"

"Maynard, I'm not your drinking buddy like Rydel. I'm your student and fellow party member. Also, I have to care for Lina, so I'm not spending the night with you at the bar," stated Maura, as if repeating something she had said many times before.

"Come on… What good is drinking when ya drink alone." Feigning disappointment, Maynard tried to make Maura feel guilty.

"Big Sis, I want dessert!"

Lina's shout caused them both to find her surrounded by empty platters with a big smile on her face.

"Of course, but only one tonight. We can't let you have too much sugar," replied Maura, giving Maynard the cold shoulder.

"Oh… But I'm still hungry?" pouted the young girl.

"Lina, would you rather not have any dessert?"

"No! I want cake!" shouted Lina. "But I also want pie, and pudding, and--"

"You can only choose one." Maura remained firm.

"Fine… I'll have the cake!"

Like clockwork, a member of wait staff arrived waiting for Lina's dessert order. He humbly bowed and took his gold coin tip before hurrying back to the kitchen. In moments, he was walking back to their table with a large, high-rise cake. "There you, go, little missy."

"Lina, what do you say?"

"Thank you!" The girl shouted it only a fraction of a second before her fork plunged into the layered cake.

Happy to see his well-paying customers content, the waiter left with a bow.

"Can't I get a pie too?" Lina pled with frosting all over her face.

"Nope, you only get one dessert. So hurry and finish your cake. It's almost bedtime."

"Okay…" Lina pouted but only momentarily before she filled her mouth with more and more cake. She had no clue that when most kids get one dessert, they would get only one slice and not one whole dessert. But she would never come to terms with such a thing, and Maura understood that.

'Guys, go to the northwest forest outside of Talmook. We'll be arriving soon.'

"Yay! Big Bro's coming back!" Lina shouted with joy as she paused her eating at the sound of Rydel's statement.

"Shhhh!" Both Maura and Maynard put a finger to their lips as Lina giggled innocently.

'We'll leave now. See ya soon,' Maynard happily responded.

"Now hurry and finish your cake, Lina. If you want to see Jack, then you'll have to…"

Maura never finished that sentence as Lina had finished the cake in record time. She had activated her devour ability and practically inhaled what was left, but they were wouldn't be staying there any longer so Maynard and Maura only laughed at the sight.

Lina gladly grabbed Maura's hand and pulled her through the city at a breakneck pace. Passersby were startled by the young girl's tremendous speed while Maura and Maynard were either dragged by the hand or running just behind her.

After ten minutes of running, the three of them had entered the forest and were deep enough to not be easily seen.

'Okay, we're here and ready for ya.'

'Give us a few minutes. We'll be there shortly.'

'Big Bro!' Lina struggled to contain her excitement. 'Big Bro, you're almost here!'

When no reply came, Lina only kept speaking, 'Big Bro? Big Broooo?"

Lina continued her mental questioning, intent on getting her big brother to respond. At the same time, Maynard and Maura felt that something was off.

Rydel's tone of voice was neutral and detached. There was no emotion behind the few words he said. And with Jack not responding to Lina of all people, both of them started to worry about what may have happened.

'Big Brooooo? BIG BRO!'

"Lina, that's enough." Maura knelt beside the girl and patted her head. "What if Jack's tired after everything they did and fell asleep? Do you want to wake him up?"

"No… Maybe…" Lina was indecisive, not good at hiding her feelings.

"Lina, let's just wait for them to arrive, okay? That way, Jack can get a bit more sleep before he sees his cute little sister."

"I am pretty cute, aren't I?" Lina laughed. "Okay, I'll wait."

'Do ya really think Jack is just sleeping?' Maynard mentally asked Maura.

Maura smiled back at Lina while responding, 'I doubt it… But our pacts are still working, so he's not dead.'

'True.' Maynard nodded while he looked up to the sky. 'I guess it could've been worse, considering he's at least alive. But what about the others?'

'... I'd rather not imagine things like that.'

'Just a thought.'

Thinking back to Rydel's deadpan words, Maynard already had some assumptions as to what happened in Limneer. He knew Rydel well and Maynard understood how Rydel spoke whenever the hunter was hiding or prolonging something. And it was always in that same deadpan tone.

Lina did her best to wait patiently, but she quickly started pacing and marching around while staring at the sky through the trees. "When are they gonna get here?"

"Calm down, Lina. They'll be here soon," stated Maura, who had started imagining the worst. She was reluctant to do so, but she couldn't stop herself in such a situation. All she could do was hope that her friends were alright, no matter how grim her thoughts were.

After a few minutes had passed with what felt like the speed of hours, the three of them all saw a large bird come into view. It got bigger and bigger until it descended right in front of them.

"Big Bro!" Lina couldn't hold herself back any longer and jumped onto the bird's back. She had tunnel vision as she hugged Jack's unconscious body.

Maura and Maynard, on the other hand, were at a loss of words as their breath was stolen by the sight before them.

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