Oi, Finally updated, Sorry --; I WAS SO BUSY WITH WORK D:
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"Kana …" Kumatora whispered to Kana, shivering to keep warm. "It's almost nighttime … It's starting to get cold, we need to stop this now …"
Kana opened her eyes and let her hands drop to her sides. She was trying to pin point the exact location of the children, but the fact that she already used her power to teleport the 5 plus the fact that that the darkness she sensed all around her made it nearly impossible to search for them. She could feel their presences in the ruined city, she just didn't know where.
"If you wish that, Princess." Kana said, turning to walk back to Boney, "Hopefully the Men will stop their attempt as well …"
"I'm just hoping that there's some wood to burn, I'm freezing!" Kumatora said, blowing warm breath upon her hands. "I can't believe it's close to winter already …"
Kana smiled to herself. "It will be warmer in the morning. Come, we must proceed."
"Hey, Kana …?" Kumatora spoke up.
"Yes, Princess?"
"It's about the boys …" She said, looking at her hands. "You keep telling us they're in grave danger …"
Kana nodded. "There is a miasma of darkness all around the three … And … I am afraid one of them may be the source of it."
"What?!" Kumatora yelled out, "Why didn't you tell that to us earlier?!"
"Because I'm afraid that I don't know who it may be from …"
The Angered princess kicked up a tiny dust storm with her shoe. "This isn't good. Damn it, what is going on?!"
Kana blinked, and then her eyes blanked out. Kumatora stared at her, wondering what was happening. "Kana? You okay?"
"Lucas …" Kana said in a trance, "I can see Lucas …"
"What? Where is he?!"
Kana's lips quivered as she stared off into space. Her eyes looked glossy and fearful, as if she was seeing something bad happen right before her eyes.
"Kana, what's wrong? Is Lucas in Trouble?" Kumatora asked. She let out a cry when Kana suddenly fell to her side, holding her head. Kumatora helped her up, trying to keep her from passing out. "Kana, please, tell me, what the heck's going on?"
"Lucas's mind is being invaded once again … and … I'm afraid they finally got to her …"
"Who?"
Kana looked at Kumatora, frightened as ever before. "They finally got to Hinawa."
--
Claus stirred, the night still around him, thinking he heard someone call his name out. He heard nothing and fatigue was getting to him again, threatening to put him back into slumber once more. He waited a few more moments, then rested his head again, closing his eyes.
"Claus!" He heard a voice call from the distance. Now he knew someone was calling him. The voice seemed to belong to a man, an older man, almost like …
His father.
Stricken by the very thought that Flint and the rest finally caught up with them, Claus got up and panicked. Flint shouldn't find them, not yet. They needed to at least see if their mother was at least alive. Claus gave Polly and Lucas a rough push, yanking them out of their sleep.
"Lucas, Dad's here! He's finally here! We'll be dead if he finds us here!"
Lucas gulped. He started to gather his things when Claus stopped him with his arm. "Lucas, there's no time!" Claus said, "We need to go NOW."
"But if we leave our stuff here," Lucas said, "He'll know we're here! Plus the fact that we are leaving it right in front of the building doesn't help either."
"I agree with Claus." Polly said, "We're wasting enough time just standing and talking here. I wouldn't worry about your father though."
Claus blinked, "Why is that?"
Polly smiled as she led the three into the building, "Just a feeling. Come on, I'm sure we'll find something inside!"
--
"Claus!" Flint yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Lucas!!" Duster said, mimicking Flint.
The Two had searched and searched, but they could not find any evidence of Lucas and Claus. They kept hope that they were in the city somewhere, but now that hope was waning. They had already spent more than half the day searching for the two, and barely covered half the city.
"Flint, it's starting to get late," Duster said, shivering "I'm sure the girls stopped looking, why can't we?"
Flint put his hand at his side and sighed. "I guess you're right Duster. Plus we'll freeze if we don't build a fire soon …"
Duster nodded "Agreed. We need to – wait, hold up"
Duster turned his head to the side and saw something in the distance. He ran off to whatever he saw, Flint close behind. Flint straightened when he saw items of clothes and blankets thrown about and scattered across a single spot of dirt, right in front of the Empire Pork Building. Upon further investigation, he found that the loose articles of clothing did in fact belong to his children.
"This spot is still warm …" Duster said, placing his hand upon the spot where a blanket was. "They were just here!"
"They must be in that building!" Flint exclaimed, rushing for the ruined doors.
"Wait! Flint!" Duster said. But he was too late; Flint had already rushed inside the building, completely ignoring Duster. He sighed and turned around – he was hoping to get some sleep, or at least warm up by a nice fire. But now, it seemed it was his duty to lead Kana, Kumatora and Boney to the building.
Duster Stiffened. He felt a rush of cold wind just fly past his ear. Duster prepared himself for an ambush, but saw nothing when he span around. Duster shrugged off the feeling of danger and continued walking back.
Two hands rose from the ground, grabbing both of Duster's ankles. He fell over, landing on his chin and biting his tongue. He had no time to yell out in fear and pain, for the dark shadows that surrounded him started to emerge and envelope him in pure darkness. Duster tried in vain to reach out for something, anything, that would prevent him from being consumed completely.
The darkness surrounded him, embraced him, and suffocated him of every last breath he had. He wasn't able to scream, to yell, to cry out for help, all he could do was flail about while the darkness consumed him.
The shadows finally parted, and there was nothing left but the dirt.
--
Kumatora carried Kana, her arm around her shoulder. Kana felt as if she had been poisoned, she could not think straight, see straight, or even talk straight. Kumatora thought the best plan of action was to retreat to where Boney was and wait until the men came back.
Finally, she saw Boney in the distance, his tail between his legs as he shivered.
'Y-you g-g-guys sh-sh-should've b-built a f-fire, I-I-I-I-I'm FREEZING here …' Boney whimpered
"Sorry Boney." Kumatora said, putting down Kana and getting out lumber from her bag.
Boney approached Kana cautiously and sniffed her, whimpering in concern 'What's wrong with her?'
"I'm not sure …" Kumatora said, "It's something about this place that's putting her mind in a tizzy." Kumatora gathered the sticks and used her PK fire attack to light them. "Have you seen the boys yet?"
Boney shook his head, 'No, sorry princess.' He said, 'No sign.'
"I wish your nose was still working …" Kumatora sighed, rubbing her hands together in effort to keep them warm, "We could've found Lucas and Claus by now."
Kana groaned, sitting up. Kumatora and Boney went to her side and helped her up. "Easy there, girl. I'm not quite sure what's going on, but it seems you were in pretty bad shape."
Kana lightly pushed Kumatora away. She rubbed her head with both her hands, then looked at Kumatora with dazed eyes. "I am sorry for the episode back there, Kumatora. I let my mind open to the shadows outside and … they just ambushed me …"
Kumatora blinked. "I'm not sure if I'm getting what you're saying, but I'll believe you because I've no choice but to do so."
Kana lightly laughed.
Kumatora smiled, but quickly frowned again when she put her knees up to her chest.
"The boys are deep within the Lion's den now …" Kana said, reading Kumatora's mind. "I'm afraid that it may be too late for us to reach them …"
"We'll at least try …" Kumatora said.
"Yes … we shall certainly try … but …"
Kumatora looked at Kana, concerned.
"I'm afraid that Lucas may not find what he is searching for."
Kumatora looked into the fire. "Are you startling to lose faith?"
Kana shook her head. "No … no, I haven't lost faith … but …"
Kana sighed. "Hinawa is dead … but she still had a purpose in the life she had, so she is alive."
"So wait, I'm confused …" Kumatora said, "You're saying because she HAS a purpose, she's alive, but otherwise, she's dead?"
Kana shook her head. "It's hard for me to explain but … All I can say is that Hinawa's will and soul are so strong, she managed to harvest her soul within Lucas's body …"
Kumatora stared at Kana in shock.
"Hinawa's Soul … her soul is leading Lucas to this place, because she sees something that only Lucas can take care of."
"So … All the times that Lucas was out of it …" Kumatora mumbled to herself, "All the days that he got up and wondered around, looking for something … That must've been Hinawa leading Lucas somewhere." Kumatora stared at Kana again, aghast, "She must've been searching for Claus the time he was in the River 3 months ago!"
Kana stared at the ground. "I'm afraid, though That's Lucas's mind has been shadowed by the darkness, and now, Hinawa can't grant him power. If we don't do something soon, her soul and Lucas's mind will be forever lost to the darkness."
Boney barked and growled. 'Guys, we have company again!'
Kumatora stood straight up, her hands glowing with power. Kana stood up slowly, trying to spot the danger. The darkness all around the three revealed itself, changing into multiple forms of humanoid bodies. Kumatora unleashed a fire blast towards half of the shadows, but more kept coming. She backed up towards Kana, who kept defending herself with a similar fire attack.
"Why won't these creature die?!" Kumatora asked, frustrated.
Boney barked and lashed out towards a shadow, preparing to bite. Unfortunately, he would never use his teeth, for the darkness had enveloped him before he even reached his target. The Darkness had swallowed Boney hole, leaving nothing more than the ground he was previously on.
"Boney!!" Kumatora called out. She heard Kana yell out, and turned around to find that she too was being swallowed by the darkness. Kumatora was about to aid her when she found her hands were now also being consumed. Kumatora lashed out, flailing, trying to get out of the darkness. Kumatora glanced over her shoulder and saw that Kana was now completely consumed, her form shrinking before Kumatora's eyes. Finally, the Darkness completely covered Kumatora, suffocating her. She reached out, but alas, couldn't grab anything.
All that was left from the chaotic scene was the single campfire that was made only short moment before.
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I have the song "Hush-a-bye" Mountain stuck in my head. I dunno why.