Elleeka
Chapter 1 - Selection
They had been waiting at the crossroads for nearly half an hour, discussing their most recent mission and their subsequent failure to make it home yet again. Bobby had recited the whole story of their last encounter to Uni, who had been cowering out of sight throughout most of the action, getting gradually louder and louder until Sheila had intervened, telling him to keep it down.
The Barbarian had done as he was told, and the topic had then moved on to some of their previous adventures, and then back further as they discussed their lives before the Realm. Sheila had said very little, happy to sit back and listen, glad that none of them seemed overly disappointed about still being stuck here.
There was a lull in the conversation, the only noise being the sounds of nature surrounding them, the birds singing, insects buzzing or clicking, and the running water from the river. She knew it wouldn't last and, right on cue, they began talking again.
"Eric, what was it that Dungeon Master said again?" asked Presto.
"Some garbage about lost and found," his friend snapped.
"Eric!" Diana warned. "Play nice."
He scowled, but answered the question in a dull monotone.
"You must find that which is lost but does not know that it is lost and those who seek but do not know that they seek. Combined, the power to send you home exists, if you should choose to use it."
"How can something be lost if it doesn't know it's lost?" queried Bobby.
"Meah?" added Uni.
"I don't know, Bobby," Sheila answered. "But I'm sure we'll figure it out."
No one commented on this, and they all remained quiet for a short while until Eric broke the silence.
"How much longer do we have to wait here anyway?"
Diana glared at him, obviously frustrated at him repeatedly asking the same thing.
Sheila sighed softly. "I'll go and see what's taking so long."
She slowly got to her feet, brushed the dry bits of grass from her dress and cloak and began walking back towards the town that they had exited a short while ago.
-X-
Hank had been trying to leave for the last ten minutes but the Mayor of Chand had continually delayed him, first with his repeated thanks at the help his town had received, then by the unnecessary apologies and expressions of regret about the portals collapse. After politely refusing offers of staying longer for a fourth time the Ranger was able to shake the man's hand as he said his final farewell.
He left the house carrying a large sack filled with supplies and was pleasantly surprised to see the Thief waiting for him.
"Is anything wrong?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Some of the others were getting a little impatient, and so..."
She didn't need to finish. He could easily guess which member of their group she was referring to.
"Don't worry about it," she added. "Would you really expect anything else?"
"With Eric, the day he stops complaining is the day I start worrying," he stated with a smile.
She laughed at his reply and gave him a knowing look before they began moving, chatting cheerfully as they walked. Hank followed Sheila's lead as they made their way out of the small town to where she had left the others waiting. As they approached the river he noticed a look of concern flash across her face.
"Sheila?"
She turned to him in confusion.
"They were right there," she exclaimed.
"Something must have happened," he said with a frown.
The Ranger looked at her and she immediately raised her hood, acting upon his unspoken warning that they should be careful. He handed her the bag he had been carrying, watching as it vanished from sight, and then continued walking until he reached the waters edge, trusting that Sheila would follow.
"There doesn't seem to be any sign of a struggle," he voiced aloud, as much to reassure himself as the invisible Thief.
A movement caught his eye and he turned to see a small girl. She appeared to be about the same age Bobby and she was striding purposely towards him. She wore a simplistic green dress which matched her eyes, and her untidy blonde hair hung loosely around her face.
Hank opened his mouth to address her and . . .
-X-
Sheila saw the child as soon as she emerged from the reeds. She did not consider her to be a threat but remained concealed and watched as she approached the Ranger, waiting to see what he would do. To her surprise he did nothing. The girl was standing directly before him, staring at him, and he was just staring back, completely motionless.
She silently walked up to the pair and saw the glazed look in Hank's eyes as she circled them. From the triumphant expression on the child's face Sheila knew that it was obviously her doing. She turned her attention back to the Ranger and as she did so the girl darted off, back to the spot Sheila had first seen her appear from.
The Thief stood still for a moment as she tried to decide what she should do next; follow the child and confront her or stay where she was with Hank. She tentatively placed her hand on the Rangers arm and upon receiving no response she tightened her hold, shaking him gently. Next she tried whispering his name, but this too had no effect.
This is getting me nowhere she thought ruefully. She had no idea what had been done to him, how long it would last, or if he would be stuck like that until the child returned to release him.
Sheila took one last look at Hank's immobile form before creeping carefully to where the girl had hidden. She wanted answers. First she wanted to know what had happened to the Ranger, and then she wanted information about her friend's disappearance, something which she was sure the child was also responsible for.
Even though the Thief knew where to look, it still took her a few seconds to catch sight of the girl, the green dress she wore blending in well with the tall grasses of the riverbank. Her eyes were fixed on the road leading from the town and Sheila realised that the girl was watching for her return.
She carefully shifted her position and quietly placed the food sack she was still carrying on the ground. She was now directly behind the child and, still cloaked, she reached forward and grabbed her.
"What have you done to him," she demanded.
The girl screamed, and struggled violently, forcing Sheila to take several steps back until she tripped over the bag she had deposited only a few moments ago. Her hood flew back as she fell and the child took full advantage of the situation and twisted free.
Sheila hastily sat up and her eyes locked with those of the child.
-X-
Hank blinked a few times to clear his head and looked around. He counted a total of three paths leading away from the area, excluding the one he had just taken from Chand. He half considered going back that way to stay a few more days, as the people had been so friendly, but he quickly dismissed the idea. He had a journey to continue.
He took another look and appraised his options. The route towards the hills in the north did not appear to have been used very often, being very overgrown, so he promptly disregarded it. The second, heading north-west, was more worn and it looked like someone had gone that way recently. He could make out three or four different sets of footprints and even some small hoof prints in the dusty ground.
The final trail, to the south, was the most used. He settled on that one and set a brisk pace as he continued his search. As he walked, he vaguely wondered what it was that he was looking for, but something told him that he would somehow know it when he found it.
-X-
Sheila closed her eyes for a few seconds before slowly opening them again. She turned her head and caught sight of the small child she was seeking, half hidden in the reeds.
"Elleeka, look at the state of you," she exclaimed, taking in the girls wild appearance. "Come here."
Elleeka approached and sat down directly in front of her as indicated. Sheila had pulled a hairbrush from her pocket and slowly worked it through the tangled blonde mess, carefully teasing out the knots.
"I leave you alone for five minutes," she gently scolded as she finished.
"I'm sorry," the girl mumbled. "Are you mad at me?"
"No, I'm not mad," Sheila assured her. "I just wish you could stay out of trouble."
Elleeka turned her head and grinned, at which Sheila shook her head and smiled. She then got to her feet and held out her hand to the child.
"Come on you, let's go home."
Elleeka quickly jumped up and, with the girl held firmly in one hand and a bag full of food in the other, Sheila began walking along the narrow hillside path to the north, picking her way through the long grasses and shrubs as she went.
-X-
