Fog had filled the streets, letting little light penetrate, creating orbs. The orbs of light were casting eerie glows all around. The fog was even muffling voices, but not the emotions behind them. Fear, confusion, and tortured calls swirled around; desperate to find something.
Though one voice stood out, sounding calmer if not demanding. Calling out as the voice roamed the streets, as if knowing who to find. Rhythmic pounding of boots on cobblestone grew louder as the voice wasn't going to wait to be found.
A shadow cut through the fog and hazed light. The voice's owner, a middle-aged man, nearly balding, but wisdom surrounded him like a cloak.
"My dear, how you look lovely." The man stated, "Time for pleasantries later, time is short. You can hear those voices, the calls?" The man waved behind him as the voice grew around them. He gave a strained laughed before it turned into a giggle, "Pardon me, I'm still trying to rid myself of the Vapors." He said, letting a few more slip out before turning serious, "We need your help, we're trapped. Those voices are really people. The witch 'killed' us, but we never really died.
"When she melted, we were released, but we couldn't find our bodies. We need someone to find our bodies. Go towards the witch's tower. I'll reveal more later, but hurry before the Darkness."
As soon as he was finished, the man disappeared. The fog seemed to engulf him before thickening. The lights were snuffed out, casting the little square in darkness. Though, as the little world grew darker, the voices never ceased.
Jolting awake, Teagan found herself still against the wall. The storm had passed, but the lightening could still be seen. Looking around, she noticed that everyone was asleep and a small fire crackled in a makeshift fireplace.
Getting up, she noticed a bench and table on the far side of the hut and carefully made her way over. Grabbing her bag along the way, she kept as quiet as she could as she sat down. Opening the bag, Teagan pulled out the note from Zero and read it.
Surprisingly, it was three pages long. One page per explanation that he owed her, about the O.Z., her brother, and who Zero was. She was lost in her reading and jumped when someone else sat at the table.
"Sorry, didn't mean to make you jump." Cain apologized, rubbing his face, "What's that?"
"Zero's note." Teagan whispered, "It's still early, you could-"
"I'm up and staying up." Cain stated, "Plus, it's about time we got up and headed out anyway."
"Where are you going?" Teagan asked, placing the note back into the bag.
"Heading back to the palace, Finaqua. You planning on something else?" Cain wondered, "What are your plans?"
"Zero told me where I could find my brother. The way he describes the area, may take a day to find him, but I will." Teagan replied, looking through the bag, "Then he can explain what he did or what happened."
"You mean as to why the Longcoats are after him?" Cain guessed, "Do you know where to go?"
"Who's going where?" DG asked sleepily, "Morning."
"Hey, kid." Cain nodded, seeing the others slowly rising as well, "Teagan's heading out to find her brother."
"He's just a day away." Teagan replied, checking her bag over again.
"Let me see you map." Cain stated, holding out his hand, "Please."
Teagan looked at Cain a second before digging out the piece of paper, "Here."
Cain unfolded the map with a gruff 'thanks' and took a thorough look, "And your brother is here?" He asked, pointing to a crudely done marker.
"Supposedly, why?" Teagan asked, eying Cain.
DG looked from the teen to Cain, trying to figure out what the man was doing. Cain was definitely being over cautious, but why? What could Teagan possible do given the fact she had never been to the Outer Zone? Then again, DG thought she hadn't and actually was the Princess. Maybe Cain was thinking the same thing.
"Well, it's another's days walk to Central City. That is the main and biggest city in the Outer Zone." Cain said, marking the city, "After your business with your brother, you can go there. We need to stop there before heading to Finaqua, then you and your brother and whoever else can come with us to the Palace."
"Cain what are you getting at here?" DG interrupted, noticing the others were just as confused.
"Travel storm, kid. You, Azkadellia and your mother can send her and family home." Cain shrugged.
"That is, if he wants to leave. Remember, the Longcoats wanted him for something. Oh, two things…" Teagan dug into her bag again for a blank piece of paper and drew her own map, "Here, this is a rough idea of what the Longcoat camp looks like. The 'arrivals' come from here and the houses are here." She added, pointing out her symbols.
"And the other thing?" Azkadellia asked, sitting next to Teagan.
The teen hesitated before taking a deep breath, "What are Vapors?"
That had taken everyone by surprise. The group looked to the teen or at one another as Cain found his voice first.
"Vapors are a powerful drug that the Witch used, the name kind of states what they are. Creating a very disturbing, but relaxed individual." Cain replied, "How do you know about them, the Longcoats gave you some?" The urgency in the older man's voice sent chills down Teagan's spine.
"No, but if they had any, I never saw." Teagan replied, "It was in Zero's note, to 'watch for Vapors'." She had lied, but the dream was too vague, having too many questions for her to say.
"That is something else we need to consider. If the Longcoats have Vapors and using them on those people." Azkadellia said, patting the teen's leg, "From what you and DG say, we're up a creek?"
"Something like that." DG rolled her eyes as Teagan giggled, "We're up against people that have nothing to lose. Plus, if they are on any Vapors or any kind of drug, then it will be a sad fight."
"They do have drugs, DG. I might not have seen Vapors, but I did see a lot of alcohol, cocaine, and LSD." Teagan replied, "Sounds like Vapors and LSD are the same thing, but LSD you ingest like a pill."
"Did they give you any of that?" DG asked, kneeling in front of her, "Any of the drugs?"
"No, but I did drink." Teagan answered, "Had no choice on that."
DG nodded before rising, "Come on, we need to get breakfast going so we can pack up and head home."
Teagan watched as everyone started busying themselves with morning chores and other tasks. She waited until Cain's back was turned before she grabbed her bag and carefully made her way out the door. She would have taken off right there if DG hadn't gotten her attention.
"You guys aren't going to believe this. I had a very strange dream… about the Outer Zone." DG stated.
Teagan looked around before leaning against the side of the hut to listen.
"The O.Z., little sister?"
"Yeah, the realm was being covered by shadows."
"What's so bad about that, Doll?"
"That's the weirdest part. Anything under the shadows changed. Like, Central City, as the shadows passed over it, the city decade. Like rust just ate away at the city. Even the people changed…"
"Well, one thing I know about you kid, is that your dreams are nothing to shrug off. Make sure you tell your mother and Toto when we…"
"We have another problem, Cain."
"What's that Az?"
"I also had a dream, but of the Tower. Where the Witch ruled. I couldn't see anything inside, but the Tower seemed active."
Teagan took that moment to leave. Most of that she didn't understand, but knew it was nothing good. All of their dreams had to be connected, but with little she knew of the O.Z., Teagan knew she was over her head.
She made a break for the tree line before someone could notice her disappearing act. Though she knew Cain had seen where her brother was, but at least she could get a good head start.
"So we have a new problem here. Something is going on with the Tower that may cause a collapse of some sort?" Cain rubbed his face again, "Anything else?"
"Girl gone." Raw said, looking from the window, "Ran away."
"She ran, why?" Jeb asked, looking at his father, "What happened?"
"Teagan knows where her brother is and is planning to find him. I saw where he is and if we need to, we can go." Cain answered, "But I think we need to get home and soon."
The others nodded and decided to eat breakfast on the way back to Finaqua. Though DG and Azkadellia stayed close, telling more of each other's dreams. Trying to find some connection or other clues about what may be happening at the Tower.
Cain and his son were engulfed in their own ideas. Trying to figure out the connection of the dreams and Longcoat threat. The recruits the Longcoats were finding were either going to be slaughtered by whoever they fought or kill in some hallucinogenic state.
Glitch and Raw had no an opinion or idea about either the dreams or threat. So, the two just engaged in lightly discussions of whatever seemed to cross their minds. Though it was more Glitch than Raw, but Raw was having fun jolting Glitch out of his loops.
Sorry for the waits. Muses have left me and other blockers. Leave me a review if you like, thanks for reading!