Nothing has changed. My vision starts to spin again, trying to cope with the steady rocking of the boat I'm in. With only a narrow tunnel of light reaching my eyes, I start calling out for the one who woke me up.
"Lydia? Lydia where are you?"
I get my answer from Treek, as he states the obvious.
"Snap out of it Cyder! Remember what's happening now."
My vision slows down its spinning a bit and I can finally start to see clearly again. While looking around I see Treek standing in front of me, while Nina is standing behind him, paddling forward with her paws.
It all starts to come back to me. We're on the run from the government and should currently be crossing the Davira Sea. Treek put me to sleep to get me on board, as I would have never agreed to set another foot into one of these sick contraptions.
"Ah!" I yell, finally realizing that it's happening all over again. I really don't want to be on a boat and immediately try to find an escape route.
"Get me out of here!" I yell, while jumping up and clamping my claws into the railing.
I continue to frantically search for the nearest land visible while doing my best to ignore the angry fluids snarling at me from below, but quickly learn that Treek wasn't lying when he said that we are already in the middle of the waters.
It is dusk and the sea is covered with thick fog. Nobody will be able to see our tub floating across. And while we're safe from the soldiers, there is a much more dangerous terrain surrounding me from all sides, not giving the tiniest bit of relieve to my frightened mind.
Treek doesn't seem to share my worries as I fearfully jump away from the railing and the evilly grinning waters, to huddle into a tiny pile of misery near the center of the boat.
"Calm down Cyder." He says, trying to reassure me that this is a good idea.
I cover my eyes and try to forget everything that is happening around me. But closing my eyes is a very bad idea, as doing so amplifies all my other senses and my brain starts focusing on the rocking of the boat again. It feels horrible and I start losing my sense of where up is. But remembering that I am not the only fire type in this tub, I manage to distract my brain by thinking about my kids.
After immediately jumping up to search for Tolan and Cari, my search doesn't take too long and my worried eyes are able to find them huddled together less than a meter away from me and towards the front of the boat. They don't seem to be taking the shaking of the waves much better than I am. - Though they don't appear to be freaking out about it like I am.
Treek seems to notice my intentions and continues to reassure to me.
"Just try to remain calm." His voice manages to reach my ears. "They're fine, just like we're all going to be when we reach solid ground. But if you flip out, you're just going to make everything worse for all of us."
I fall back down into a lump and press my paws against my head, trying to get a hold on the spinning world as a second Treek and a second ghost ship have a ballet with their real counterparts.
Pressing my paws on my eyes lids and tightly holding them shut, my body decides to start shaking uncontrollably.
"Cyder." Treek grabs my attention again. "Control your breathing." He advises me. "Remember? All you've got to do is control your breathing and everything will start to become clear again."
I try to follow his advice and begin to do so while he dictates the frequency.
"Now breathe in..." He says, as I do as he says and take a deep breath.
"And out..." He continues after a short pause of me holding onto the fresh air.
"And in again..." I already start feeling it working, as I take in another deep breath.
But that is when it stops working. My lungs start to burn and I begin coughing. There must be something in the air that my body doesn't like. And although my shaking has subsided I have a different problem now, as I release my paws from my eye lids, letting them spring open and reveal the root of the problem.
I've already noticed it when I had opened them before: because of the time of day and year, there is a thick layer of fog covering the sea. I was breathing in pillows of water vapor, bent of extinguishing my ember and relentless in their determination to do so. Nature really didn't design my kind for the waters and sometimes I swear that it did so on purpose just to anger me.
My lungs finally decide that coughing isn't going to help them before stopping their requests for me to do so, as I roll on my side and begin watching the small sparks from my weakened ember flying out whenever I let another lung full of the wretched air escape my body.
My vision has finally stopped spinning around itself and I can see Tolan shakily standing in front of me. He has his legs spread far apart in an attempt to get a better grasp on the moving floor of the boat. Since he is younger and small than I am, he doesn't have as much trouble keeping his balance as I have. But he still isn't going to be able to remain like this for a longer period of time.
He starts trying to talk, but is obviously having trouble formulating the words. I can see his mouth open and close without any words being produced, while I continue to exhale the small sparks of my weakened flame.
He attempts communication a few more times, but his efforts continue to fail and he stops before plummeting towards me, clinging onto my neck and cuddling himself tightly against my fur.
I watch him while he does so and the distraction proves successful, as I was able to forget about being inside of a boat for a few moments.
Comfortably pressed against my body I wrap my arm around him and stop both of our shaking, holding him tightly and keeping him from skidding away from me. And remembering that I have two kids, I look up to see Cari following in Tolan's steps while attempting to get ahold of me as well.
She is successful and I'm now holding both of them in my grasp, using their presence to distract me from the uncomfortable boat ride I have to endure together with them.
Treek seems to approve of my new distractions, as he returns to Nina to help her steer the boat and get us to where we need to be. They have to use their paws to get us moving forward, because we lost the oars when Lydia tried to safe me out of the water. In her very much appropriate panic, she threw everything she could find into the water after I fell in, until she actually threw Treek overboard, who finally dragged my unconsciousness and dying body back into the boat.
When I finally woke up, we were already out of the water and the day was almost over. They brought me back to the cabin of the dead 'mon and put me to rest in the dust pile that used to be his bed. The fireplace was lit and Treek told me that it took over five hours before I finally started to regain my consciousness, with not a single second having passed during which Lydia hadn't attempted to wake me up.
She was at my side the whole time trying to reach me, desperate and afraid to lose her husband with Treek equally as terrified to lose his best friend.
Lydia learned from the adventure that she should listen to me more often and not just do whatever she thought would be fun. So one of the first things she did after reaching me was to take the rest of the evening off to tell me how sorry she felt for not having taken heed of my disapproval. So we didn't manage to reach our den that day but instead spend the night at the cabin. And when the next morning rolled around, I was awoken to the best apology break first I've ever had in my life.
Shaking away the memories, I start to lend my full attention to my kids firmly pressed against my fur. I stop hearing the noise of the waves angrily rolling against the wood only a few centimeters away from me, while distracting myself by listening for the steady heartbeats of Tolan and Cari. I stop to think about the water's fierce growling and that it surrounds me from all sides, while managing to only think about the ones that are with me. Because I am here with the only thing that matters anymore: my kids.
With the combination of their presence and my sleep deprivation I must have fallen asleep, because the next time I hear a voice calling out to me, it is Treek's telling me that we just arrived on solid ground.
My body immediately confirms his statement as the floor is no longer shaking, the fact of it immediately filling me with thrill. A big smile starts spreading over my face and I want to jump up to joyously greet the ground with my cheers, but a moment before I start doing so I remember that we're still not completely out of the woods. Although I have no idea where exactly we boarded, I can be certain that the fence we just bypassed can't be too far away from here.
It is still a bit foggy and my lungs don't seem to approve the fact, but I finally start getting my bearings and exit the boat. While helping Tolan and Cari get out of the death contraption, I turn around to see Treek and Nina looking at me, expecting me to say something.
But instead I look around and check out the terrain. We laid anchor on one of the steep cliff that the Otheria Coast region is known for. Behind me is the Davira Sea we just crossed, which is still covered in the thick clouds of fog I've encountered before, and I can see the blurry outlines of the moon standing high up in the sky. Nina and Treek must have waited for Night to fall before daring to set out.
With the season of solid water ending, the surface of Davira is always covered with fog at this time of the year. But now we finally made it out of Corasona, leaving behind everything of the life I build for my family, alongside the soldiers that destroyed it and are still searching for me.
Nobody says a word, as I finally look at Treek and Nina to comply with their demand for a statement.
"Yeah... yeah... yeah..." I begin while rolling my eyes. "We made it out and we didn't even sink and it's all thanks to you..."
I want to continue talking in the irritated voice, but am not able to find the correct words. Because in some twisted way there is a part of me that is thankful of Treek's actions. And while I could never get myself to admit to that part of my personality, Treek understands what I want to say and simply gives me a nod before changing the subject and starting to state the next part of the plan.
"You probably don't exactly know where we are right now." He begins, still addressing me instead of the group. "But Kossary should only be two kilometers away from here. With the fog from the lake and the time of the day, we should have no problem finding our way there without being detected. - I know of an old, abandoned factory with a hole in its fence that we can use for hiding the rest of the night. And getting there from here shouldn't be too hard, as it's located in the city's outer ring."
With me usually being the one stating the plan while everyone else just nods in agreement, I'm playing the role of just nodding my head as Treek takes the lead and turns around before starting to head towards his destination.
We leave behind the dead 'mon's boat and get on our way. It's still partially in the water, while most of it is resting on the solid ground consisting of the big rocks that have broken off of the sharp cliff lining the sea.
Heading south we walk over the rough terrain for a while before finally managing to find a portion of the cliff we can climb up at. It is still very steep and barely shallow enough for me to find ahold in the ground, as I crawl up and lend a paw to Tolan and Cari, trying to help them get up as well.
Treek is a natural climber and has no problem overcoming the obstacle, even managing to help Nina get up before we regroup at the level ground on top of the cliff.
"It shouldn't be far now..." Treek says, addressing the group as a whole.
"Kossary should be that way." He elaborates after a moment while pointing towards the inland.
We simply nod in approval and head after him as he starts walking a moment later after not receiving any objections.
He continues to lead the way and I begin to regain my understanding of where exactly are right now. We must be north-west of Kossary, heading south-east. And although I don't know the exact abandoned industrial building Treek is leading us to, I can't blame myself for not knowing, considering I hadn't been to Kossary in ages and its industrial district is full of buildings fitting that description, while the last time Treek must have been here was less than a week ago.
When he came back from his parents, he must have come through Kossary and probably spotted the shelter he is leading us to.
Kossary used to be the thriving industrial city in all of northern Zatola. Everything was produced there and the town was the place where I got most of my supplies for building the den and doing my research when I still had the time to do so. With the amount of merchants and retailers, it was fairly easy to get my paws on even the most obscure things I could think of without raising any suspicions. And while the town was already much degraded then, I can't imagine how abandoned it must be nowadays.
Back then, I could simply pose as someone owning one of the factories and buy supplies under the pretense of looking for materials or wanting to try out something new in the fabrication process of whatever I was telling them my profession to be.
The journey continues and everyone trots after Treek in an orderly fashion without speaking a word, as to not alert anyone hiding in the darkness to our presence. With the amount of 'mons we saw working on the fence to keep me in Corasona, there could very well be one of them just randomly walking around the woods; even at this time of day.
I start wondering about what kind of factory it is that Treek is leading us to, before I get interrupted by the sight of Kossary finally coming into view, alongside the anxiety and thrill of actually having overcome our journey's first portion.
'We made it!' I think to myself, not daring to actually utter to words.
When in public, I usually never speak because some 'mons might be able to identify me with my voice. Because there is technology floating around to record voices. A rare, natural rock formation called a Frism is being found from time to time. And although extremely rare, 'mons have gathered enough of them for almost every town having at least one 'mon owning a Frism living in it.
But the problem is that in my foolishness I allowed the government to make a recording of my voice a long time ago, meaning that anyone might know it and identify me by now.
Luckily though, I just look like every other Quilava you might see. – Aside of the mark on my forehead of course, which I hide by usually wearing a hat in public. And the subtle differences actually make me different can only be spotted by another Quilava, one of the few species not allowed in the military of Zatola for obvious reasons.
I can only imagine the hilarity of the military constantly capturing their own soldiers, thinking it was me they are getting their paws on. And even more though: it would give me a great opportunity to hide among their forces. But there is no reason to speculate, since sadly they are smart enough not to do it.
We enter the town's industrial sector and immediately find ourselves in a small back alley. Everything is shrouded in shadows as I can see smashed windows lining the walls of the buildings surrounding us. Almost everything is made out of metal and bricks here: the buildings use metal beams to support the weight of their enormous roofs, filling the gaps in their walls with rundown bricks. When the town was originally built, no expenses were spared in its architecture, but nowadays it's a historical ghost town only being a display to the wealth and prosperity that once encumbered the entire world.
The tiny path we are walking is surrounded by rusty chain link fences, failing to keep the wilderness from spreading into the courts of the industrial looking buildings they are surrounding.
The fog from the lake is nowhere to be seen and the air is clear, causing me no more pain when breathing it. Quickly checking on the kids they don't appear to be in discomfort any more either, but are too distracted by the sight of the buildings to notice my look. They haven't seen any of the wonders this world has to offer, not just because most of them are no longer what they used to be, but because I always kept them out of harm's way in our cozy little den.
We pass by a particularly overgrown courtyard of what I think used to be an orb factory. On the other side of the fence surrounding it, I can see two huge bay doors opening up into the main factory building. Both inside and outside I see various carts on rails lining the floor, while the miniscule amounts of the moonlight falling through some smashed windows high up in the walls fail to light up anything at all.
"This is the one." Treek interrupts the silence while pointing at the factory I've already been inspecting.
"We'll be able to hide in there until tomorrow." He says, as he moves aside a couple of branches covering a gap in the fence.
Holding open the passage he signals us to go through, which we do one by one. The first one to head through is Tolan, followed by Cari and Nina, before I join them on the other side myself.
The next one to go through is Treek, who continues by commanding the plants to cover up the gap again after reaching the other side.
"Who's there!?" An unexpected voice thunders through the air.
Startled I look around and can see a light walking towards us, only a few meters further down the path we were walking before.
Filled with anxiety, I hastily look around in an attempt to search for a hiding spot. To my luck I immediately manage to find one, as my eyes fall on one the carts standing outside in the yard.
With the light coming closer and closer towards us, I waste no time and signal everyone to follow me. And only a moment later we arrive at the cart and duck behind it.
Cari arrives last, as she has to walk on two legs with her right arm still having the brace strapped to it. But she manages to arrive just in time as well, when we can hear the voice thundering again.
"I know you're here. Come out and show yourself!"
Frozen solid, I can no longer hear any of the footsteps I heard before. But after a while they return louder than before as we can hear large claws scurrying across the gravel ground next to the fence we slipped through only a moment ago.
I can hear the sound of a metal gate in the fence screeching before the sound of the footsteps changes, removing the crunching sound of the gravel rolling over the ground and replacing it with the smooth sound of them sweeping across the paved floor of the factory courtyard we are in.
"This is your last chance to come out!" The voice thunders anew.
I can see a light around the corner of the cart and feel as Tolan and Cari tightly press themselves against my leg, shaking and having troubles to keep their breathing from revealing our location, while an equally as terrified Nina is holding onto Treek. I look Treek into his eyes, trying to ask him about what we should do, almost ready to come out and show myself as I can hear the voice talking again.
"Hrmpf..." It shouts, this time talking in a grumpy and annoyed voice. "Probably just another Rattata."
The light starts getting darker and the sound of feet shuffling across the ground can be heard once again, while we continue to remain frozen, holding onto each other in pure, unadulterated fear.
No more footsteps can be heard after a while and the light is nowhere to be seen any more, while we continue to press against each other in fear, not daring to be the first to risk lowering their guard, waiting for anyone else to do it for them.
A few more moments of the silence pass and the anxiety drops, before I take the initiative and begin whispering to Treek.
"Why would there be a guard for this place?" I ask him. "What would be here that'd need guarding?"
Realizing that I had just talked to him, he, alongside everyone else returns to his senses and responds to me.
"I... I don't know." He states, shrugging his shoulders and being just as confused as I am. "But I don't think that 'mon was a guard. I think the more likely case is that they are already suspecting you're no longer in Corasona."
'Treek is probably right.' I think to myself, considering the thought and letting its repercussions cross my mind for a few moments before getting up. Tolan and Cari notice my movement, and already sharing mine and Treek's relieve of the imminent threat gone they let go of me.
Nina lets go of Treek a moment later as well and we continue to head into the building, hoping to find the comfort and rest we came here looking for in the first place.
"We should still be pretty safe in there for the time being." I whisper to the team as we enter the factory building.
After looking around, I start wondering what they used to produce here. I can see the various empty carts standing around, which probably used to carry various kinds of materials for all sorts of products and not just Orbs as my first deduction of the place concluded. I can see various machines standing around with notches for Orbs that would have been used to power them.
"What do you think they produced in a place like this?" I can hear Tolan carefully asking the question on everyone's mind.
Treek as our resident expert on the factory feels addressed and tries to answer the question. "I don't really know... I just passed this place the other day when I came back from the visit to my parents. The only reason it grabbed my attention at all was the hole in the fence, but I didn't go around town asking everyone what this place used to be..."
I follow Treek with my eyes through the darkness as he inspects some of the machinery standing around.
Knowing that Tolan is not satisfied with the answer given to him, I feel obligated to expand on Treek's statement. - And so I begin speaking, trying to satisfy his curiosity. "From what I gathered, I think this used to be an Orb factory. - At least Orbs were one of the things that used to be produced here."
While I look around the hall, glancing over the barely visible outlines of many different machines, Tolan is still directing his attention towards me as I continue to explain.
"Can you see those molds over there?" I ask him. "Those were used to forming the spheres."
After another short pause I continue while pointing at the machine Treek is standing next to. "And that over there was used to infuse them with energy while they were still hot."
Now looking at Treek, I notice his facial expression changing from excited and happy to have reached this hiding place, to an afraid and surprised look.
But I don't have to ask what the reason for his change of mood is, as he starts talking immediately. "Not to say you're wrong, but I think this place is used for something different nowadays. Something that would also explain the guard we saw..."
Nina and Cari turn towards him as well, looking as he stands next to the machine I previously identified as an Orb Infuser.
After noticing everyone's attention, he looks back inside of the machine and continues to whisper. "This is a weapon's factory. They're making weapons and infuse them with Orb energy, probably later to be transported to the front lines. This place isn't abandoned at all."
"How can a place looking as abandoned as this still be in use?" I ask Treek. "I mean look at all the dust..."
To which he responds with a sad tone. "I think that's just a front for any potential spy. I mean look at these molds."
Pointing at the machine, I take a peek inside as well and can see what Treek is talking about. No dust can be seen whatsoever and instead of being equipped with a mold for an orb, it's equipped with a weapon's cast. And even though the device isn't warm to the touch, I can be quite certain that the last time it has been used was quite recently, thus causing me to agree with Treek's assessment as he continues to talk to the others.
"They probably don't want anyone to figure out where they're producing their weapons. So they hide their production behind the facade of a broken industrial building..."
'I wish I could do something about these weapons.' I think to myself, considering Treek's assessment. 'But we can't do anything because the guard would have to take the blame if the Orb Infuser was broken and we'd just be increasing the risk we're already taking by just being here. Even if we managed to destroy the machine, the city, despite its massive size, wouldn't be a safe resting spot anymore...'
My thoughts are interrupted as Treek continues to talk after a short pause, now only addressing me. "Cyder: Unless you want to destroy their production, we have to get out of here right now before the guard returns or anyone else comes by."
With a heavy heart I shake my head and follow Treek shortly after, as we start finding our way out of the factory hall with nobody raising any objections for already departing or leaving behind the machine.
'This is another one of them good news - bad news situations.' I think to myself, considering the conclusions of our find while we silently creep out of the building through its wide open main entrance. 'On one paw, we can probably assume that they're not expecting me to have reached Kossary. But on the other paw we don't know whether anyone we meet can or cannot be trusted, when anyone could be part of this weapons conspiracy.'
We leave the building just like we came. Only this time we don't run into another over enthusiastic guard and are able to make a clean escape before finding ourselves back on the same alley surrounded by shrubbery behind chain link fences that we entered the town on in the first place.