The high priest slowly stood up, walked to the table in the middle of the tent, and took out a pendant engraved with complex runes from an exquisite wooden box. The pendant was crystal clear and emitted a soft light, as if it contained some mysterious power. The firelight in the tent reflected on the pendant, refracting colorful light, illuminating the solemn face of the high priest.
"Third elder, you are experienced and have the most acute perception of the soul. You will sneak into Toby's residence secretly and explore his soul state." The high priest handed the pendant to an elder with white hair and beard and a kind face. The third elder took the pendant and bowed respectfully, "I will obey the high priest's decree." He carefully put the pendant into his sleeve, turned around and quietly left the tent, like a ghost blending into the night, disappearing. Outside the tent, the night wind whistled, the shadows of the trees swayed, and several night owls cried on the branches, adding a bit of mystery and solemnity.
After receiving the order, Captain Edmund immediately called the troops. He walked out of the tent, came to the center of the camp, and shouted: "Assemble!" His voice was loud and clear in the silent night, and spread throughout the camp.
The soldiers quickly gathered and lined up in front of Captain Edmund in an orderly manner. They wore silver armor, held spears, and had firm eyes. Under the light of the fire, they were like sculptures made of steel, exuding a fierce murderous aura. The night wind blew their battle robes, rustling, as if playing a war song for the upcoming battle.
Captain Edmund briefly explained the mission, and according to the clues provided by Mark, he headed towards the place where Lily disappeared. He jumped on his horse, took the lead, and led the team into the night. The sound of horse hooves broke the tranquility of the night, echoed in the open field, and gradually faded away. The fire in the camp gradually dimmed, and finally disappeared in the night, leaving only a few wisps of green smoke rising and disappearing in the night sky.
At the same time, the third elder came to Toby's room. His movements were light and silent, like a feather falling to the ground. In the room, the dim light reflected the simple furnishings, and the bedding on the bed was messy, as if the owner had just left. The third elder approached the bed cautiously, scanning every corner of the room, trying to find any clues. He gently stroked the books on the table with his hand, feeling the texture of the paper, trying to get some information from it, but found nothing.
He found a few scattered hairs on the bed where Toby slept, which were obviously Toby's. The third elder immediately activated the pendant, and a faint light shot out from the pendant and shone on the hair. The light was soft and warm, like a mother's touch, but with a hint of sacred power. Toby's hair reflected a dark light, blocking the light of the pendant outside. The third elder's face changed suddenly, and he immediately took back the pendant. He realized that the situation was more serious than he thought, and Toby's soul might have been eroded by some evil power. He didn't dare to delay any longer, and quickly turned around and left the room, disappearing into the night. The night wind blew, rolling up a few fallen leaves, swirling in the air, and then slowly falling, as if nothing had happened. The room returned to calm, with only Toby's low muttering echoing in the empty room.
The third elder quickly returned to the high priest's tent and reported the situation he had found out. "High priest, from Toby's hair, we found that Toby's soul state is very abnormal and very resistant to the holy light. I suspect his soul has been completely controlled." His tone was heavy, with a hint of anxiety and worry.
After listening, the high priest frowned and fell into deep thought. Her fingers tapped the table lightly, making a rhythmic "tap" sound, as if she was thinking about something. The atmosphere in the tent became more solemn, as if a storm was about to come.
"It seems that many people in the 12 major tribes have been controlled." The high priest said firmly, with unquestionable majesty.
On the other side, the team led by Captain Edmund searched in the dense forest for a long time. The night was dark, the shadows of the trees were swaying, and the light in the dense forest was dim. Only a few rays of moonlight fell through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground. The soldiers held torches and moved forward carefully. The footsteps echoed in the silent dense forest, startling a few night birds perched on the branches.
"Captain, there is a handkerchief here." A soldier pointed to a white handkerchief on the ground and said. The handkerchief was embroidered with delicate patterns, which was particularly eye-catching under the light of the fire.
Captain Edmund bent down to pick up the handkerchief and observed it carefully. There was a faint fragrance on the handkerchief, which was the perfume that Lily often used. He immediately realized that this was something Lily had left behind.
"This is Lily's handkerchief. Let's continue to track along this clue." Captain Edmund said firmly, with a sharp gaze.
The team members immediately continued to track along this clue. They pushed aside the dense branches and leaves, moved forward carefully, and watched the movements around them vigilantly. The night wind blew, and the leaves rustled, as if guiding them in the direction.
Sensing someone approaching, Lily and Toby hid behind a giant tree. They held their breath, pressed their bodies against the rough trunk, motionless, as if they were integrated with the giant tree. She looked through the gaps in the leaves, observing the movements around her, her heart pounding as if it was about to jump out of her chest.
A layer of fine beads of sweat oozed out of Toby's forehead. He licked his dry lips and stared at the approaching fire. She could hear the footsteps becoming clearer and clearer and the soldiers' whispered conversations.
"Captain, look, there are scratches on the trunk." A young soldier pointed to the marks on the giant tree where they were hiding and said, he reached out and touched the scratches on the bark, "It looks like someone climbed left."
Captain Edmund walked to the giant tree and carefully observed the marks on the trunk. He shone a flashlight and found that in addition to the scratches on the trunk, there were also some traces of soil. "Yes, fresh traces." Captain Edmund said in a deep voice, "They should be nearby." He gestured to the soldiers around him, "Spread out and search, be careful." The soldiers quickly spread out and formed an encirclement. The distance between each soldier was just right, neither too far to lose support nor too close to interfere with each other. Their movements were quick and orderly, showing excellent training and tacit cooperation. Toby's heart beat faster, he knew it was only a matter of time before he was discovered. His eyes quickly swept around, looking for a possible escape route. His mind quickly calculated various possibilities, and every choice was full of risks. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a stream not far away. The stream shone silver in the moonlight, and the gurgling sound of the water was particularly clear in the silent night. Toby's heart moved, knowing that this was his only hope. He took a deep breath and prepared to take a risk. His body was tense, carrying Lily on his back. Lily seemed to be asleep, unconscious.