Bonjour, mes amis! Chapter Two is now up! In all honesty, I don't have much to say...other than please enjoy and if you have the willingness and the time, would you mind leaving me a review? :D
"I believe it necessary that you and I speak. You seem like you could use some dry clothing as well. Please, would you be willing to come with me?" The old man's voice asked her.
The stranger was hesitant. Going off with a stranger probably isn't a good idea…then again, I'm already surrounded by a bunch of maniacal weirdos. But maybe he can lead me to a phone. I still need get that guy to a hospital. Man, just what the heck happened?
Finally, she nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the kid dressed up like Vahn still watching her. Go away, already! Looking at the supposed Village Elder, he gestured for her to follow him. She began to walk after him. She shivered in her soaked clothing. It couldn't have possibly been more than fifty or so degrees when she'd fallen into the lake. The temperature had no doubt dropped within the last hour. Matching her pace with the old man's, she surveyed her surroundings as they walked.
Many of the houses were convincing replicas of circular one-roomed cottages, similar to ones built in medieval times. They had stone bricks and thatched roofs even. Each of the little cottages looked exactly the same, save for one rectangular, two-story home located next to a hill. It was more modern looking than the other shelters. Outside each house was a garden. Every single patch of earth was filled with tiny seedlings that were beginning to grow now that April had arrived. However, the stranger saw things she had not expected, such as cows, horses, chickens, and other animals kept in pens next to small shelters.
However, the wall was the one thing that intrigued her and intimidated her the most. They're doing one heck of a reenactment, aren't they? Probably made of cheap alabaster. It'd be too much work to carve something that big of really hard stone. And that gate looked pretty convincing too. Why are they putting so much effort into a reenactment of a game that's barely known? I never would've thought that there were enough Legend of Legaia enthusiasts in the U.S. who were all serious enough to create a cosplay. And where'd they get the costumes and everything? Did they make them?
Everything as of the moment seemed more or less like a surreal dream. The stranger felt numb, unable to completely comprehend everything that had happened earlier. She hadn't the slightest idea what had happened by the-supposed-Hunter's Spring. The woman had felt uneasy and afraid around the men, then panic when having been almost electrocuted by the Theeder replications. Probably mechanical would be my bet. Panic had been her utmost reaction after seeing the one man earlier get electrocuted. I guess the replicas malfunctioned or something? I don't know.
Shivering again, the woman rubbed her arms rapidly, trying to warm herself up. She trailed after the man up the hill behind the two story house. Eventually they came to a house that looked like two cottages connected by a hallway. The man walked up the steps, his cane clicking against the stone. The cosplayer opened the door with his spare hand. "Please, after you," he told her. Slowly she made her way inside.
The inside of the home looked quite similar to the one in the game with several key differences. Instead of only two chairs at the round dining table, there were eight. The brick stove and water barrel were in the same places, but there were two water barrels instead of one. On Airian's right there was a large wooden bathtub against the wall and three wooden dividers surrounding it. On the left side of the room just in front of hallway, pushed against the wall, were two beds, their footboards facing each other. Both beds looked big enough for two people to sleep in. A large wardrobe was located on the other side of the entrance to the hallway, on the left side of the stove.
Just how much time and effort are they putting into this cosplay? It seems a bit too extreme. An apprehensive feeling passed through the surreal numbness she felt. Everything felt too real, too much alike to the game she knew for just a reenactment. I hope I didn't come across a bunch of psychos…
There were two others inside the room; another elderly lady and man, who both turned upon hearing the two people come in. The woman had brilliant red eyes that widened in surprise upon seeing the stranger. She wore a simple, ankle-length purple robe with a thin strip of cloth tied at the waist. An over robe of blue-green covered her body. Sandaled feet could barely be seen from underneath the robes she wore. Her gray hair was tied into a low bun at the back of her head. Her leathery skin was wrinkled with age, and she appeared to be in at least her late sixties
The other old man was bald with a scraggly gray beard, though not anywhere as thick as the beard the "Village Elder" had. His attire was similar to the woman with an over robe of deep blue covering a yellow-green robe. His brown eyes weren't as shocked as the woman's. He appeared to be much older than the lady.
The way they dress reminds me of biblical characters, the stranger thought.
"Amon, who on earth…?" the old woman rasped out while staring at the brunette. The brunette's forehead scrunched up in confusion until the man behind her spoke.
"This young lady was brought back today by the hunters," the "Elder" said. "I am about to speak with her and find out her story." That was when the stranger realized that "Amon" was the old man playing the Elder.
"You're saying…that this woman here…is from outside the village?"
"Yes, Lily. That is correct."
A voice broke into the conversation. "What woman? I don't see no outsider nowhere." The other man was squinting at the stranger. "This here's just 'lil Miss Lydia Orston, ain't it? How ya doin', Lydi darlin'?"
"Um…" was all the stranger had to say.
"Felix, where are your glasses?" Amon asked. "You know you are not able to see well without them. You would then realize this woman is obviously not Lydia."
"Bah! I don't need them useless thingamimbobs. More trouble than they's worth," the old man grumbled. "'Sides, I can tell who's I'mma talkin' to."
"Hello, I'm right here," the young woman said, drawing some attention to herself again. Being talked about in third person while in the room was not something she liked.
"Forgive me, I did not think to introduce you," Amon said. "In fact, I have not yet introduced myself, have I? It's been over ten years since I last had the opportunity. My name is Amon Kyner. Nearly everyone in the villager addresses me as the Villager Elder, save the other elders. But seeing as you are a stranger here, you may call me Amon. This lady over here is my wife, Lily," Amon informed. "And this man here with the lacking eyesight is Felix Onwah."
"I heard that last bit! My eyes ain't so good no more, but my ears still work good as they done did twenty years ago! And you got a cold or somethin', Lydi? Your voice don't sound so good, darlin'." Felix came closer to the woman, squinting at her all the more. He thrust his face near hers to the point of discomfort for the young woman.
"Uh…" the stranger trailed off, unsure how to speak to the man without sounding rude. He was obviously much older than he had seemed earlier
"Well, anyhows, I hope you feel better, darlin'. Make sure you rest now, ya hear? I need to be takin' my late afternoon walk. Lily, where's my cane at?"
Lily brought his cane over from next to the stove and gave to him, along with a pair of glasses. "Go on now and don't cause trouble for anyone. And wear your glasses! They help you!"
"Ah, quit your naggin', woman! I'll be just fine." With that the old man went and headed out the door with his glasses clutched in one gnarled hand. "Always naggin' at me…" he grumbled as he went out.
The stranger just asked, "Is he always like that?"
"Most days, yes. Felix is in his late seventies, and his vision and hearing are not what they used to be. I apologize for that. He usually listens to his wife, Hisa, more so than the rest of us."
"And who's the Lydi he had me mixed up with?"
"Lydia is one of our villagers. He may have confused you with her because she has brown hair like you." Amon's voice became serious again. "And now may Lily and I have the courtesy of knowing your name?"
The brunette was hesitant. Should I tell them…? After a few seconds she said, "Airian."
Amon's eyebrows went up. "Airian? Very unusual name."
Lily commented, "Unusual, yes, but also quite lovely."
"Thanks. Most people call me Airi, though," Airian replied.
"Then we shall address you as such, if you so prefer," Amon stated. He didn't ask for her last name and she didn't give it.
It was then Lily saw Airian's wet clothes. "Oh, goodness, you must be freezing! Amon, why in Rem's name did you not let her change the second she came in?" Seeing Airian's black cinch pack, she asked, "Do you have any spare changes of clothes, dear?"
"Um, no."
"Well, then I'll have to see if I can find some from the other villagers. Hm, you're awfully small though…I'm not sure who will have clothes to fit you. Mei is most likely closest in height and weight to you, seeing your build, but I don't wish to disturb her…Ruri is probably the second most likely person to have clothes near your size. Goodness though, you're so small…" Lily said, circling her. "Alright, I should be back shortly with some clothing for you, dear. Until, take off your pack and set yourself right down next to the fire," she instructed Airian. "Amon will make you some hot tea, won't you Amon?"
"Yes, Lily, I will. Why do you think me such an incapable host?""It's not that you're incapable, you're unpracticed. Ten years since we last had a guest, and I was the one who usually did the hosting then. Alright, I'll be back shortly." Lily went and let herself out, leaving Airian and Amon alone.
After a moment of silence, Amon gestured with his left hand towards the chairs closest to the fire. "Please, sit down. I will make us some tea." Amon leaned his cane against the wall and began gathering materials to make tea-the old fashioned way, with a pot dangling in the hearth.
Airian went and sat down in one of the chairs closest to the stove. She took her pack off and set it on the table. She untied her soaked zip up hoodie from around her waist and wrapping it around her French braid, attempted to squeeze some excess water from her hair. The jacket was somewhat soaked again. She set the hoodie on the table. Feeling the heat from the fire upon her skin gave her goose bumps. The brunette dug her phone out of her jean pocket. Sliding off the back cover, she checked the battery. It seemed slightly wet, but not drenched, which surprised her. Then again, it's been in the washer before and still survived. Give it some time to dry and it'll probably be okay. Airian took the battery out and put it down on the wooden surface next to her jacket, followed by the phone itself and its back cover.
While waiting for the tea to ready, Amon came and sat himself in the chair next to Airian. He pulled it out so that he faced her, his right side to the fire. He set his left arm upon the table. "The tea should be ready soon. While we wait, however, I wonder if you could tell me how it is you came to be here, Airi. Judging by the story Esto told everyone earlier, it seems as though you appeared here quite by accident. Would you mind telling me your side of the story, and everything that happened?"
"I'd like to call my parents first, if you don't mind. Do you have a phone I can use? I need to call my grandparents too."
Amon's brow furrowed in confusion at her request. "What do you mean, 'call'? What is a 'phone'?"
Airian's blue eyes became slightly angry. "Look, I understand that maybe you guys are trying to keep in character for this reenactment or whatever it is you're doing, but now's not the time for it. A cosplayer was hurt earlier and he needs a hospital, and I really need to call my family. I don't doubt they're going out of their minds with worry."
"I do not understand what you mean by reenactment and cosplaying. We are not doing a reenactment of any sort. I do not understand what it is you are saying. As for a 'phone,' we do not have one for you to use, whatever that may be."
Airian didn't like what she thought she saw in Amon's brown eyes; honesty. Her stomach clenched in uneasiness. "Okay, if you don't have a phone, what means of communication do you have? A computer would work even, 'cause then at least I could email or facebook my family. Normally I'd try to call or text from my phone, but I'm not sure if it works. Until the battery's dry, I won't know."
The old man spoke to her gently. "Airi, we do not have any of these things you speak of. I do not know any of these words. 'Phone,' 'computer,' 'email,' 'facebook'…I do not know of any of these things or what they are. And as far as communication…we have none. There is no one outside with whom to communicate. Even if there was, the only form of communication is through letters and messages."
"Okay, even then, you must have a car or something that I or someone can drive to another nearby town. I mean, just because you're all choosing to live like an Amish community doesn't mean the next town over won't have a payphone. Or a horse and buggy, or something…some kinda transportation?"
"No. It's far too dangerous to travel outside the wall. I have no idea the state of the other nearby villages. I do not think it likely that the inhabitants are alive, or if they are, they are possessed by Seru."
Airian burst out angrily, "Then how the heck are you supposed to help me?! Cause you're not so far. Can you at least tell me where I am?"
"You are in Rim Elm," he replied patiently.
Airian just snorted. "I swear, you guys are taking this way too seriously. The way you said it, you sound like you're not joking."
Amon did not appear to like the way Airian was reacting. "My dear, where are you from? By the way you dress, I would assume you to be from the Sebucus Islands or Karisto Kingdom. Your speech and accent also gives me this impression."
"And why on earth would I tell a complete stranger where I'm from? I don't have any idea who you are or where I am, and you're not helping me."
"I cannot help you unless I know your situation. Believe me, the other villagers and I will attempt to help you as best we can, but we cannot unless you tell us how you came to be here. In all honesty, I highly doubt you were traveling due to the Mist, and due to the other fact that you do not have a spare change of clothes. Was magic involved?"
Airian just crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "Again with the magic crap. You know, the other guys earlier brought that up, too. What is it with you guys? Are you even mentally stable? Or are you just now including me as part of your freaking cosplay?"
"What is a cosplay? You keep mentioning that word."
Airian stood up. "Okay, I'm done. No offense, but you're not exactly being helpful and I need to call my parents." With that she grabbed her phone, battery and back cover, tossed her wet jacket over her back, and then slid her cinch pack over her shoulders. "Maybe someone else here will be willing to help me-talking in modern terms." Tennis shoes squelching, she made her way to the door and opened it.
Amon called out from behind her, "Airi, wait!"
But Airian ignored the old man.; at least until she went through the door and came to a sudden halt on the steps. The two story cottage had hidden the view on the way up the hill. Even now, with the large building just a bit taller than the hill, the view from the hill was difficult to see unless a person was standing right on the steps where Airian now currently stood. The sounds were virtually nonexistent from the distance she was at, as was the smell.
But she could see it; she could see the ocean right in front of her. The uneasiness in her stomach began building into fear. Her gut clenched painfully, and her chest began to hurt as her heart started beating rapidly. Without thinking about it, the young woman began running. She had to be certain. Despite the fact that her legs still felt like jelly from running earlier after the whole freak incident, she didn't slow down. She ran down the hill, past cottages and people. She ran for several minutes, ignoring concerned looks from the weird cosplayers she passed.
The stranger skidded to a stop at the edge of the bluff.
Right there, right in front of her…was a beach; a sandy beach, with waves receding before coming back to meet the shore. The brunette could hear the waves. She could smell and taste the salt. She could see the beautiful water with her own two wide eyes.
Numbly, Airian managed to go find the stone stairs and scramble down them. The brunette went right up to the water's edge. Scooping some of the water in her hand, she took a small sip. This is salt water…despite the words that went through Airian's head, her mind was unable to process them. Aloud she whispered, "But there aren't any oceans in Indiana…let alone Greencastle…"
Despite what her nose scented, despite what her ears heard, despite what her eyes saw, she could not contemplate it. Everything around her was logically impossible.
Oh god, where am I? Where the heck am I? Airian's body began shaking. A new level of fear blossomed in her chest, and she felt like she couldn't breathe properly.
Immediately her hands went to work-the phone was held in one hand and the battery in the other. She inserted the battery back into the phone, then slid the cover back on. Her hands were hardly able to perform the task, quivering as they were. She stepped away from the water, not trusting herself to not drop the phone into the salty waves.
"Please work, please work, please work…" she pleaded quietly. The woman pushed the power button. A few seconds later, her phone came on. She breathed a deep sigh of relief-only to find shortly later that there was no signal. Hands still shaking, she dialed a number from her contacts list on her Sprint Rumor. The dialing stopped barely three seconds in. Searching for service flashed on the screen. Airian tried several different numbers-her parents' cells, the house phone, both of her brothers', her sister's, her grandparents'. None of them were working. Airian attempted to send text messages. Every single one of them failed to be sent.
I have no way to contact my family…The thought slammed into her like a semi-truck. A haze of panic overtook her-she had no idea where she was, no way of communication, or any idea of what to do. There was nobody here that she knew. It felt like a painful block had formed in her chest-suddenly it was extremely hard to take in any air. A few seconds passed and Airian felt dizzy. She fell to her knees, her hands grasping at her chest-her heart was beating harder and more rapidly than she could ever remember feeling…she could never remember feeling this afraid before.
The stranger could barely make out the sound of footsteps clicking on stone, or the sudden presence beside her. A deep voice near her said, "Calm down. You need to breathe…" Two large hands gripped her right shoulder and wrist gently.
Another voice, a female, shouted out, "Sade! Go get Vada! Tell her to bring some lavender!"
A little girl called, "Okay!"
"Easy, sweetie, easy…" the female voice was closer now, attempting to soothe the young woman. Airian felt tears beginning to trickle their way down her cheeks; she could easily say she was terrified. "What happened Tetsu?" the same voice asked.
"She came down to the ocean, and then just suddenly started hyperventilating. She was attempting to do something with her…device."
The young woman felt her wet jacket lifted off her shoulder, and the two people near Airian managed to remove her cinch pack by forcing her hands away from her chest. A small hand began rubbing her back in small circles as soon as the pack was off. Airian struggled to draw in breath.
Footsteps could be heard once again. The brunette was unaware of how much time had passed when yet another hand pressed a cloth against her mouth and noise, cutting off any air she could inhale. The stranger could feel her lungs beg for breath-she was forced to take in a deep amount of air compared to the previous extremely, short gasps of oxygen. As she breathed in, the scent of lavender filled her nostrils and a taste settled on her tongue. The cloth was pulled away slightly from her face so that she could take in air unobstructed, but still close enough so that the herbal scent could be inhaled.
After several moments, the red haze of panic cleared from Airian's vision and she was starting to breathe normally. The rigid ache in her chest gradually disappeared. "There, there…you are alright." A second woman had been the one to administer the lavender. When Airian looked up to meet the woman's black eyes, she saw that the woman was dressed in a red skirt, a white blouse, and blue vest. Her brown hair was pulled into a ponytail. The woman's hand retreated from the brunette's face. An expression of deep concern was on the cosplayer's face. "Do you feel like you can breathe alright now?"
Airian just nodded while thinking, The woman who runs the armor shop. Airian's mind barely acknowledged the thought. She was still in shock. I'm near an ocean…a freaking ocean…how did I wind up so far from my Grandma and Grandad's? Her thoughts were a whirl in her head; there were too many questions all at once, too many answers she needed at that moment. Trying to think logically about her situation was difficult when her brain could hardly even process what was currently going on, especially when she didn't have anyone to contact to help her think.
"What were you trying to do with this?" The woman on Airian's left held up Airian's cellphone. The woman had shoulder length red-hair parted from the center and brown eyes. Her full length white skirt and the apron she wore over it were covered in sand from where she kneeled next to Airian. A delicate white blouse and red vest completed her costume.
It took Airian a moment to place her. The woman Vahn meets at the Genesis Tree.
"I was trying to contact my family, but I can't get a hold of them!" the young woman said desperately. "Do you have a telephone, a computer, anything I can use to contact someone?"
The woman shook her head. "We do not have any means of communication."
"But there must be a radio tower or power lines somewhere! I mean, even in rural areas one or the other has to be nearby!"
The man playing Tetsu said, "You will not find any of those things you talk about here."
Tears threatened to overwhelm the stranger. She had no idea where she was or what was going on. "Where am I?! I was not near the ocean an hour ago! The ocean is hours away from Greencastle! The only logical explanation is that someone knocked me out or drugged me and kidnapped me right after I got out of the lake!"
"You have not been kidnapped by any of us. The only possible explanation is that magic was involved, if what you say is true," the man said coolly.
"Will you freaking drop the act already? My situation isn't a part of your cosplay. I'm not a part of your cosplay, but you keep dragging it on and on! I just want to find out what happened to me," she snapped at him.
Tetsu and the two women glanced at each other uneasily. "Listen to me, sweetie," the red-haired woman said gently. "I think we need to get you in some dry clothes and something to warm you up first. Once you've calmed down, then you can speak with the elders and they'll help you figure out what happened. They're more experienced than us with these things. They're most likely to know. Does that sound like a start?"
"She is right. You need to clear your mind of anxiety and fear first, otherwise you may panic again," the cosplayer Tetsu added.
"Is this alright with you?" the brunette female in front of Airian asked. Inhaling deeply, Airian nodded again. "Okay then. I'm going to take you back to the Elders' house, and we'll get you in some dry clothing and something warm to drink." The brunette woman stood and helped Airian to her feet. The red-haired woman handed Airian back her phone. Airian pushed it into her pocket. Her cinch pack and jacket both had sand sticking to them, as well as her jeans. Airian gathered her hoodie and bag into her arms. The shop keeper woman put a hand on Airian's back and led her gently back up towards the house on the hill. "My name is Vada, by the way. The redhead you met was my sister-in-law, Ruri. Lily came by earlier looking for her to see about some clothes for you. Ruri will most likely have something to fit you. The man you saw was-"
"Tetsu, I know. His costume looks exactly like the one from the game." At that sentence, Vada stopped and looked at Airian oddly.
"Game?" Vada inquired.
"Never mind. Forget what I said," the stranger replied.
"Alright, then." But from out of the corner of her eye, Airian saw the woman with an unreadable expression on her face. It only added to Airian's growing fears and anxiety.
Once again Airian sat in one of the chairs next to the hearth's fire in the same building as before. A blanket was around her shoulders while she waited for a change of clothes. A wooden cup of steaming tea was set before her. "Here. I added a few ingredients to it in order to calm you down-some more lavender and then a bit of chamomile. And a bit of mint and honey for flavoring. This should ease your nervousness," Vada said. It was the same tea that the Elder had set in the fire earlier.
"Thank you, Vada," Amon said. He too, was sitting in the same chair as earlier. Airian picked up the warm cup with her hands. It felt good against the chill in her body. However, she glanced warily in the cup. She raised the cup a little closer to her nose. I can smell the herbs and honey, but did she add anything else? She didn't feel comfortable taking a drink from a complete stranger, and certainly not from a stranger she saw no reason yet to trust. When Amon saw that she wasn't drinking, he took a sip from his own cup of tea. The young woman and Elder had both watched Vada add the extra ingredients to the brew, but even then Airian still seemed overly cautious.
Seeing that the old man hadn't died of poisoning, Airian took a tentative drink from the warm liquid. She could barely taste the lavender or chamomile-the mint and honey overpowered the taste of the two calming herbs. The tea warmed her body from the inside out. The stranger took another sip. Seeing that she was drinking, Vada said, "I'll go join Lily and Ruri in the search for clothes. They're taking longer than I thought they would." She excused herself and left. Airian had a feeling Vada had left so that Amon could speak to Airian alone.
After a few more sips of tea, the brunette could feel the herbs going to work. She felt calmer than before. Amon broke the silence by asking, "Are you alright, Airi? I think you concerned quite a few of the villagers with your sudden panic attack."
"I don't know…I have no idea what's going on and people are telling me there's nowhere for my phone to get a signal at. I have no way of contacting my parents until I get a signal…"
"I see. Until that happens, then, we will do our best to help you. Airi, I know you may not want to, but I need to know what happened earlier when you were with the hunters. Tell me your story from the very beginning. Will you do that?" he requested
"I may as well. You'll think me crazy."
"Try me. This world is full of mysteries. Few things seem impossible."
Airian took a deep breath and then started, "I was at my grandparents' lake. I was trying to get my cellphone from my pocket and it slipped from my hands. After I fell into the lake trying to catch it, that's where things get nuts…"
Airian sat cross-legged on the dock as it bobbed up and down gently with the waves of the lake. Her cinch pack was tucked in the crook of her left arm-she had three of her favorite books ready to read inside it. The weather was warm-at least fifty degrees or so-making for a wonderful spring day to sit on the dock and enjoy a book. The April breeze blew gently through Airian's French braid. Sunshine made the lake water glitter and sparkle. She wasn't the only one out enjoying the weather. Nearby a mother duck and her ducklings were swimming across the water. The ducklings were coming the brunette's way, towards the deeper part of the lake. Airian laughed as she saw the ducks diving under, before eventually coming up and shaking water from their hands. The ducklings were adorable as Mama Duck tried to teach them how to dive properly.
I gotta get a video of this. It's too cute. Standing up quietly so as not to frighten the feathered family, Airian reached for the phone from her jean pocket. In her attempt to get it out, the phone slipped from her grasp. Her hands fumbled as she tried to catch it. She leaned too far forwards and lost her balance. "Yike!" she yelped. The next thing she knew, she was cold and wet. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was in the lake. She saw her phone slowly sinking down beside towards the bottom. She grabbed it in her right hand and swam for the surface two or three feet above. Sunlight rippled through the water. Airian could see the bottom of the wooden platform and reached to grab the edge of it, seeing as her hand was closer than her head.
Her hand broke the surface of the water, followed by her head. However, the wooden dock was much colder than she had expected to be. It should have been warm, due to the heat from the sun's rays. Airian grabbed what she assumed was the dock and hauled herself up. She folded her arms on the dock and laid her head down for a moment. Her pack weighed heavily on her left arm-it held all of the crap that most women would carry in a purse, after all, plus three of her favorite novels. Thank God I asked for a waterproof bag. Never thought I'd wind up swimming with it.
However, that was when the young woman realized something was wrong. The wooden dock didn't feel like wood. She wasn't bobbing up and down, and she couldn't feel sunlight on her body. Airian lifted her head, only to see gray stone. What the heck? The brunette then ran her hand along the surface. It felt like rough stone, not smooth wood. "What the…this isn't the dock. Where'd the stone come from?" Looking up, she saw trees-too many trees. There were woods upon her grandparents' property, but there weren't trees near the lake. With one arm grasping the stone wall, Airian rotated in the water, glancing at the place around her.
She shrieked when she saw two men a few mere feet away from her with arrows pointed at her. Startled, her first instinct was to get away. She let go of the wall in an attempt to swim farther away. Instead, she wound up sinking. Airian came up a second later, spitting out water. She pressed herself against the stone wall as she gripped the edge again. The woman shouted out, "Where did you all come from?!"
"Where did you come from?" one man instantly shot back. That was when Airian realized that were more of them-five men in all. They appeared to range in age with the youngest –the man who had just spoken-being about nineteen, while the oldest man-the one nearest her- looked to be in his forties. Seeing five men who she knew were all older than her, she gripped the ledge of the wall, pulled herself out of the water, and then whirled to face them as she backpedaled. There was a decent of amount of distance between them and herself now.
Airian shivered the moment she was out of the water. It might have been warm, but it certainly wasn't weather to go swimming in just yet as she had. Her clothes dripped and they felt heavy on her. Her sneakers squelched. The shade provided by the trees did nothing but make the brunette colder. Once more Airian quickly glanced around. This was definitely not her grandparents' lake. "Where am I? I was not in the woods ten seconds ago!"
Airian saw four of the men look at the oldest man as though he was their leader. All five men had their bows trained on her-the weapons made her very uneasy. Just by the way they held them, Airian didn't doubt that these men knew how to shoot an arrow. "Who are you? How did you appear in the spring like that? Was it magic?" His voice was harsh and hard.
Airian felt her eyebrows go up. "What? Magic? Are you crazy?" The man had said it so seriously! The young female took a moment to get a good look at all of the men. Each one of them wore light leather armor and quivers upon their backs, along with water canteens slung over their shoulders. Their bows were made of fashioned wood. Each man looked physically fit and healthy, if their arm muscles were anything to judge by. The two hunters closest to her appeared to have hunting horns slung over their shoulders. She burst out, "Who are you? Why are you wearing…armor, and why do you have bows and arrows?!" The appearance of these men made her feel threatened-she was a lone female who stood five foot one and weighed about a hundred pounds. Airian had no means of defense, and she didn't like the current situation.
The man next to the leader calmly told her, "We're hunters. We wear armor to protect ourselves from Seru. Now, who are you?"
"And what are you wearing?" one of the other men asked. "We've never seen clothing like what you're wearing."
Airian could feel her heart starting to beat. "I'm wearing normal everyday clothes like all teens wear. And did you just say Seru?"
"Yes," said the man with the gray eyes. Seeing as he appeared to be the second oldest, Airian automatically assumed he was second in command or something like that.
I just need to get out of here. Five men on me…I might be able to outrun them if I just knew where here was. Once more Airian looked at her surroundings. She suddenly felt very afraid of what these men could-and might-do to her. Not to mention the use of the word "Seru" added onto her uneasiness. She was surrounded by woods-she couldn't possibly be too far from her grandparents' house or their lake. Had she been dragged out here? "Okay…" she started, struggling to find the right words. "How…" she moved her hand around, gesturing to the woods. "How…did this-this…" she couldn't find a word to describe the event that happened to her. "-this all happen? How am I here?"
"We were waiting for you to tell us. None of us have ever seen someone suddenly appear out of nowhere," the leader said.
Deciding to be honest with them-just because she didn't want to irritate them-she explained, "…I…I was out on the dock at my grandparents' lake. I accidentally dropped my cellphone…when I tried to catch it, I leaned too far forward and fell into the water. I was in the lake for maybe a minute. I got my phone before it sank, then came back up. But when I reached for the dock from under the water…I touched a stone wall instead…" Airian's blue eyes scanned the clearing around her once more.
"Whats a 'cellphone'?" one of the "hunters" asked.
Airian felt herself gape. Is he for real? He sounds too freaking serious. Looking at his expression of confusion and curiosity, the man seemed serious enough. "How do you not know what a cellphone is? Everyone knows what a cellphone is." At least, every single person Airian had ever met knew what a cellphone was. She saw the five men all turn to glance at one another-their expressions looked just as uneasy as Airian felt. Her heartbeat began to pulse harder. This time she couldn't keep the anxiety out of her voice when she asked, "Can you please tell me where I am?"
The youngest of the males answered, "You're in Drake Kingdom."Airian just felt herself give him a what-the-heck-are-you-talking-about look. "In Legaia."
Airian felt herself freeze at those two words. Did he just say Legaia? As in the video game? Did I come across potential nuts who just might rape me? The only words she could utter aloud were, "Excuse me?" The words were barely above a whisper.
Once again one of the men spoke. "He just said you're in Legaia. Where are you from?"
Airian made the obvious logical choice of not answering-he was a complete stranger, not to mention a complete nut job. Confusion and fear were causing to her heart to beat in overdrive. Apparently the men had deemed her not to be a threat, for the leader lowered his bow. The other four men did likewise.
One man stepped towards her. "What's your name?"
The second he stepped forward, Airian took several paces back. She wanted him to stay far, far away from her. "I don't know if I should tell you that."
The same man who had asked Airian for her place of origin cut in quickly. "We need to go! The Mist is getting closer! If we don't leave in the next few minutes, we'll be caught up in it. We can't risk being attacked by Seru!"
"Jacob's right. Esto, what do we do about her?" One of the males jerked his head at Airian. They're talking about freaking Mist! Why do they keep referring to Legend of Legaia? And what do they mean "do about me?"
The leader appeared to be making a decision. "I supposed she should come with us." This time the leader turned to speak to her. "If you stay out here, you'll die. Rim Elm is the only safe place from the Mist and Seru."
Airian just stared at the man in incredulity. He's insane…they're all insane… her voice didn't hold its usual tone as she said, "Is this some kind of joke to you? Because I'm not finding it finny." Each man gave her an expression that asked why the current situation would be a joke. "Seru, Mist, Rim Elm, Drake Kingdom, Legaia…it's not funny." Some of the men's expressions hardened somewhat.
"What are you talking about?"
Before Airian could reply, the man called Esto broke in. "Look, we can figure everything out later. For now, you need to come with us." His voice held no request-it was an order.
I need to run. Now. Esto took a step towards her. Immediately she backed away slowly, not wanting to provoke him. Airian began making her way towards the woods. "Okay…okay, I have no idea who you five are. I don't know why you're dressed the way you are, or why you have bows and arrows. I don't know why you're saying crazy crap about a video game…I don't know, and I don't want to. My grandparents are probably worried, so I'm…I'm gonna go now. I guess I'll…see you around, w-whoever you are." Seeing that their weapons were lowered still, she spun and ran.
Behind her she heard a chorus of "Stop!" and "Wait!"
Gotta get away, gotta get away…oh God, help me now! Airian's legs pumped-at least she knew she could outrun them-for the moment. But she'd have to find somewhere to hide quickly. A tree…I can hide in the branches…Already her breath was coming in short gasps. She was a short distance sprinter, not a long distance runner. Her stamina wouldn't last long.
Airian managed to shove her phone into her jean pocket as she sprinted. She kept on running, willing herself to endure. But her speed was slowing. Airian was panting when she came upon a most unusual sight; a thick veil of fog could be clearly seen ahead. The brunette stopped. What the…? The fog was moving towards her very quickly-faster than any fog she had ever seen. It was the thickest mist she had ever seen-and Airian had seen some very foggy mornings. It quickly came upon her, surrounding her in whiteness. She could barely see the tree five feet in front of her. The sun was blocked out-no more than a hazy orb in the sky that was barely able to be made out.
Why is it foggy all of a sudden? There's no rain, no dew or condensation…nothing to make fog…unless they have a fog machine? That would make sense…but why? Are those men just doing all of this to mess with my head? How the heck would they even know I own Legend of Legaia and know all about it? Something's majorly off… Shaking her head, Airian kept running-between the fog and the men, she'd take her chances with the fog.
Sixty seconds later, she was regretting that decision; the woman gave a shrill scream as a lightning bolt suddenly dashed right past her. Where the hell did that come from?! her mind shrieked. She had felt the heat of the electricity as it had passed her. Another bolt came from straight ahead of her-she dodged to the side, landing in a scramble.
Red took over her vision as she saw a third one coming-her mind screamed "Run!" Her heart was pounding so hard it felt painful. Her breath now came in ragged gasps as her body panicked in fear. Airian thought she heard something flying through the air-and then yet a fourth bolt came shooting towards her. Just ahead of her, she saw a creature. And it was floating in midair. It floated straight towards her. A menacing feeling chilled the air. "Is that a…Theeder?" Airian voiced aloud. The Seru-look-alike was streaking towards her.
Airian then turned to run in the opposite direction. Now she'd rather take her chances with the men. The woman ran with what little energy she had left-only to feel a stinging slap as she ran into a thick, low hanging branch. Her right eye watered from the blow, causing her to stop. Airian pressed a hand against her hurting eye as she then ducked under the branch.
The sound of the gliding had grown louder. A twisting spin of electricity passed her on her right, narrowly missing her as Airian veered away to her left-only to have another one pass on her left. Yet again, it missed by a hair. Airian gave a shriek of fear as she threw herself on the ground in attempts to avoid both. Even now, a third twister was coming towards her. And for yet the third time, missed her. Airian had nonetheless put distance between herself and it. The pattern of the attacks had made her take a path in which she was now pressed with her back against a tree trunk. That was when three of the strange Theeder look-alikes came out of the fog.
"A human. Do not let her get away!" The voice was a malicious one; and even more strangely, it sounded as though it had come from Airian's head. The three Theeders came and quickly surrounded her, keeping her near the trunk.
Airian attempted to move and run again-but another blast of lightning made her move back. She attempted to do the same by moving to the left. Once again, a shriek left her mouth as she scrambled around between the two bolts. Her blood was pounding in her ears-she could feel her pulse and her heart thudding painfully against her chest.
"She is trapped. Now we can kill her!" one voice said. Airian froze. With her blood roaring in her ears, it should have been much harder to hear the words of the-whatever it was. But she had heard the words clearly.
"We should possess her…then we could have our fun killing any other humans that are out here!"
A third voice spoke, "How do you know there are other humans out here?"
"A human would not be so foolish to wander out here alone!"
"But none of us sense the presence of other humans."
"That is because they must not be nearby."
Once again, Airian made a move to get away, but when lightning crackled for yet the umpteenth time from the Theeder-replicas' bodies, she changed her mind. The young woman pressed her back against the trunk, putting all the distance she could between herself and the strange things.
God, help me. Please, please help me. She sent a silent prayer. This is too far! What's going on? What the freaking crap is going on?!
The Seru look-alikes continued to bicker over whether to kill her or not.
"Kill her!" the first said.
The second voice from before exclaimed, "No! I wish to have this one."
"Why? She is weak. She is a worthless host." The particular Theeder raised its skinny arms. Airian squeezed her eyes shut and her breath quickened even more so than before. Her body tensed itself for the oncoming pain.
Am I really going to die due to some kind of freak accident from a Seru replica? Airian thought. Jesus, please let it be quick and painless. Will Grandma and Grandad find my body somewhere out in their woods?
"There's another human here," one of the three Seru said.
A loud sound-like the call of a horn- sounded. Airian knew it was just her imagination. She thought she heard three thunks! A moment later, she imagined she heard a voice-a much less evil sounding voice-ask, "Are you alright?"
She didn't want to open her eyes. But then she heard feet pounding against the grass and felt a presence near her. "Come on, I'll get you back to Rim Elm."
Hearing a voice so near, she immediately opened her eyes and attempted to scramble away. Airian didn't want anyone or anything touching her-she wanted to get back to her grandparents. But a strong grip wrapped around her wrist, keeping her from getting up and running like she so desperately wanted to.
"It's alright! Please believe me when I say I won't hurt you," the voice soothed.
Looking back, Airian saw one of the men from the spring-the man with the gray eyes. The young woman attempted to speak, to ask questions, to demand what was going on. But instead her voice trembled out, "I-I-I don't know what's going on!"
"It's alright. I'll get you to safety," he reassured her. Airian struggled to free herself from his grasp, but she was held fast. The man leaned down and set his bow upon the ground before reaching for the hunting horn hanging from his shoulder with his now free hand. The man blew into the hunting three times-two short calls followed by one long one. "As soon as we meet Esto at the spring, we'll leave." He set his horn back over his shoulder and picked up the bow and arrow, all the while keeping a grip upon her wrist.
Airian stiffened as she heard more sounds-the sounds of several somethings gliding upon air. There were sounds of crackling and the feel of heat from behind her. Airian just had time to glimpse a glow of fiery colors and blue flashes a short distance away. "Get down!" Next thing she knew, the hand around her wrist was gone and she had been thrown to the ground hard. A heavy weight was on top of her. Seconds later, the weight on top of her disappeared. "Run!" the man shouted at her. "To the spring!"
Airian didn't hesitate. She was up on her feet and running like her life depended on it-but in this case, that statement was true. Airian heard another blow from the man's horn behind her. Glancing back behind her, the woman's blue eyes widened. The man was several yards behind her by the sound of his footfalls, the Seru quickly gaining judging by the flashes of fire and electricity she could see lighting through the fog. She could barely make out anything behind her. Airian slowed her pace enough so that she could just discern the shape of the man in the thick mist.
Another tornado of electricity could be seen-it lit up the man's silhouette, casting the front of his body in shadow. "Watch out!" Her words came too late. Airian heard the man's cry of anguish-two or three more of the spinning lightning bolts were now traveling towards him.
"Kill him!"
'Kill the humans!" the Seru replicas cried.
The man's cry transformed into a haunting scream as the next several bolts came into contact with his body. Airian immediately skidded in her attempt to turn around. Dashing back towards the man just a few paces behind her, she found his body lying on the ground, twitching from the electricity. His bow had landed beside him. Then the male's body went still. He was unconscious-or at least until Airian quickly felt for a pulse. She didn't feel anything. He wasn't breathing. Was he dead?
Acting upon instinct, the female grabbed the man's arms and began trying to half-carry, half-drag him. Airian left the bow behind. The Seru were advancing fast. Airian felt herself upon the brink of panicking. She could barely run with the man's weight added. "Help! Please, someone help!" she screamed. She had to get help, and if she wanted the man to live, then she had to call 911-what if his heart had stopped? I won't get a freaking chance to perform CPR! "Help! Help!" Airian was running out of breath and strength quickly. She didn't know how far they were from the spring.
"Where are you?!" a male voice cried. The voice was close by.
"Over here! Please, help us!"
Airian could hear many sticks snapping and bushes rustling. Airian quickly saw a man-Esto, if she recalled right-fall in beside her out of the white mist. "What happened to Juno?!"
"He got electrocuted!" Airian exclaimed. Struggling to suck in a deep enough breath, she added, "There's a bunch of those things back there!"
"I'll hold these Seru off and get Juno. Get to the spring!" he instructed her. Without another word, Esto turned around and began shooting arrows into fog behind him where he saw the flashing lightning and the glow of fireballs.
Airian didn't do as the man told her to. God, protect me, protect me please! She laid the unconscious man down. Airian couldn't bring herself to abandon the man, and she knew she couldn't carry him. She tried to calm her quaking body. Her lungs burned and her legs ached and her throat was dry. Airian turned her attention to the man on the ground.
Spotting a knife sheathed in his belt, she grabbed it. It would take too long to get the armor off in order to check his heart. Grabbing the top of his armor near his chest, as well as the shirt under it, Airian began slicing through the thick leather and the shirt. The knife was sharp, and with a bit of effort, Airian managed to cut through the materials enough to reveal his chest. Airian set the knife down.
The woman put her hands over his chest and felt for a heartbeat. There was none. She put her head down on his so she could listen for one. There was no thudding in his chest. How long had it been since he'd been electrocuted? One minute? Two? His body still felt fairly warm-there could still be a chance to save him.
Esto quickly put his one hand over Juno's chest. "He's dead."
"No he's not!" She took out her phone. "Call 911!" She thrust the phone into Esto's hand. The woman made her hand into a fist, and concentrating, tried to figure out where to hit. The female had never done a cardiopulmonary thump-she had only seen the technique used by her mom. Hoping that she was accurate, she drove her fist down upon Juno's heart. After a few seconds, Airian then placed her hands upon Juno's chest and began trying to perform CPR. Again and again, she thrust her hands down into his chest.
"What are you doing?! We have to go!" He dropped the phone and grabbed Airian's upperarm.
"Stop it! If we can pump his heart until the medics get here, then he might live!" she shrieked.
A young voice called, "Esto! Juno! Are you there?!"
"Yell if you can hear us!" another shouted.
Esto let go of Airian and cried back, "We are here! Over here!"
More footsteps could be heard now. "We found them!" The man who had been addressed as Jacob earlier was the first to be seen. "Are you alright?! What's wrong with Juno?"
"No time to explain," Esto immediately said. "There's Seru right on our tails. I managed to take down the ones that attacked Juno, but there's more on the way. Juno is dead."
Esto's last sentence shocked all of the men. "Damn it! Call 911 one of you!" The four men glanced down at the woman who kneeled upon the ground. With that, she then resumed what she had been doing. Once again, Airian was thrusting her hands into Juno's chest. "Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight…" they could hear her counting quietly. "Twenty-nine, thirty."
The woman tilted Juno's head back, squeezed his nose shut, and then did something that shocked the males-putting her mouth over his.
"Why are you kissing him?!" Jacob exclaimed.
Airian ignored him. She turned her head to the side, drew in a lungful of air, then put her mouth back over Juno's. Airian just heard someone say, "No, look…his chest is rising."
"She's making him breathe…" Esto said. More crackling noises could be heard in the distance. "There's more on the way. We have to go!"
"No! If we move him, I can't perform CPR! Call the police! Get them here! They can deal with those-whatever they are," Airian ordered them again, all the while starting to perform chest compressions for a second round. Her arms were burning from all of the prior running around and then dragging Juno. But still she made herself continue. He might be psycho, but I don't want him to die!
It was too late to run. The Seru-replicas had caught up enough that they were within range of attacking the group. Airian didn't care-she was too focused upon the fact that the man's-Juno's-heart wasn't beating. "Please, one of you call one 911! He needs an ambulance! Or come take over for me and I'll dial!" she begged.
"There's no time! Jacob, Dai, Haddon, get ready!" Esto commanded. "We have to keep firing-there can't be more than several Seru!"
The four men positioned themselves, taking cover behind trees and readying their bows and arrows. There were four twangs as four arrows were loosed. Airian finished another round and breathed into Juno's mouth a second time, pushing two deep breaths of air into his lungs. The brunette began a third round of compressions. The sounds of whistling arrows, shrieks of pain from the creatures pierced by the weapons, and crackling lightening and burning fires filled the air around her. All Airian focused upon was the man in front of her. Eventually she gave a third set of breaths, followed by a fourth set of compressions and breaths, then a fifth.
Airian was ready to give up when she was beginning upon the sixth round of CPR. God, please! Save him! Get one of the stupid idiots over there to dial 911! the young woman prayed desperately. Tears pricked at her eyes. There was no point in continuing to do CPR if an ambulance didn't arrive in just a few minutes-and that wasn't going to happen, since no one had dialed 911. There wouldn't be any trained medics or medicines to restart the man's heart-not even an AED.
The man was going to die.
That was when it happened-it was a violent cough and sucking in of air that made her stop. Airian looked down in amazement-the man's eyes had fluttered open for just a few seconds in shock before he went limp again. But Juno's chest was rising and falling ever so faintly in an irregular pattern as his lungs filled with oxygen.
It was a miracle-the absolute near impossible had happened. Thank you! she praised. Jerking herself out of her amazed stupor, Airian checked the man's pulse and heartbeat. There was a faint pulse and she could barely hear a heartbeat inside his chest-but both were there nonetheless. Remembering her first aid training, the woman struggled to turn Juno onto his side-it would help him to breathe easier. She tilted his head back as well, and held it until he had had a chance to inhale several times. I can't believe it…the CPR alone managed to revive him….
Now she just had to get him to a doctor. Airian reached for her phone where Esto had dropped it in the grass. The woman then realized that it was still wet. Gently setting Juno's head down, she was about to slide open the back and check the condition of the battery-however, the four men had with much luck managed to take down the seven or eight Seru that had been upon them. They turned back to Airian and their companion.
When Esto saw Juno breathing, his eyes widened. He quickly kneeled and felt for a pulse. Feeling it, he turned his eyes upon Airian. "What did you do? His heartbeat was gone-he was dead."
"It doesn't matter Esto-now, we need to go. We can get help for Juno back at the village," the youngest man said.
"Dai is right," another man said-it was the only other man whose name Airian didn't know. "We don't know when more Seru will turn up. We shouldn't hang about."
Esto nodded. "Haddon, you're strongest. Will you carry Juno? I think we can spare a few moments at the spring to give Juno Drake Water and make a litter."
The man who had spoken previously nodded. Airian moved out of the way as Haddon moved. The man placed his bow over his shoulders and gently hoisting Juno up, placed the unconscious man over his left shoulder. With the other hand he drew out a knife similar to the one Airian had taken from Juno's belt.
Suddenly thinking about that fact, Airian quickly grabbed the knife lying on the ground and placed it back in Juno's sheath. "That's his," Airian said.
"We're going then. Now, are you going to come with us this time?" Esto asked her. "Or do you want to run off and be killed?"
"I ran off because I didn't like being around five armed men!" she snapped at him. "What just happened doesn't usually happen!"
"Juno nearly died because of you. Everyone knows not to run off alone due to the Mist and Seru."
"Will you shut up already about the stupid Mist and Seru crap?! I don't know what that was back there-probably stupid mechanical look-alikes you guys somehow managed to make. As for the Mist, a fog machine isn't exactly hard to find. I don't know that I feel all that much safer with you guys than I do out here alone!"
"Enough!" Jacob broke in. "Esto, leave her be. We can find everything out when we get back. As for you," he addressed Airian. "We won't force you to come with us if you truly don't want to. But there is no doubt you will be killed otherwise-you saw what just happened. The choice is yours-personally, we would like for you to come back with us. You're the first human we've seen in over ten years outside Rim Elm."
I don't know that I should…Airian switched her gaze from Jacob to Juno's body. But I still want to make sure that he gets the help he needs…and they might have a phone. Probably be better than getting lost out here in the woods by myself… After a moment, Airian said, "How far is it? To the town?"
"Two miles away from the spring," Jacob replied. "Are you coming with us?"
"I guess so."
"Then let's go. Esto, lead the way.
Esto held his weapons and said to Airian, "Stay close to us. Danger can come at any moment." Airian jammed her phone into her pocket. Esto took the lead, followed by Haddon hoisting Juno's body, then the youngest member-Dai, she remembered-and then finally Jacob. Airian followed reluctantly after the men. Everyone broke into a light jog, and Airian had recovered to where she was able to keep up with the pace.
It was only a few minutes before they came upon the water source Airian had randomly surfaced in. "Haddon, lay Juno down. I'll get him some Drake Water. Dai, Jacob, can you both find some branches long enough to make a litter for Juno?"
"We'll get them. Be back in a few," Dai answered. Jacob and Dai went off to the trees nearby, searching for limbs. Haddon had gently laid Juno upon the ground. Airian saw Esto go to fill a canteen at the fountain.
Glancing around, Airian felt her eyes widen in surprise. The spring looked shockingly similar to the Hunter's Spring from Legend of Legaia. There's no way. No freaking way. The scene looked too similar for her tastes.
The spring was in the same place, as was the fountain. There were blue and yellow flowers growing all over the clearing. All around them were woods, leaving the spring in a circular clearing. Near the fountain, a wooden chest with red peeling paint stood. There were a few differences, such as the woods surrounding the clearing, as well as the fact there were no trees in the clearing itself-only bushes and flowers. There was no hedging. Nonetheless, the location seemed uncannily alike to what Airian recalled from the game.
Esto was now pouring some of the water into Juno's mouth. Haddon was squeezing Juno's nose shut, forcing Juno to breathe through the mouth. The water trickled down Juno's throat as he gasped for air. Between Juno's coughing and needing to breathe, Esto managed to get Juno to drink most of the container, although the process took a few minutes.
Eventually Dai and Jacob were back, carrying two long tree limbs. The two branches had been stripped of their bark. Setting his limb down, Jacob went to the chest and opened it. From it he took a blanket-apparently the chest held supplies. Jacob and Dai together managed to fasten a reasonably sturdy stretcher long enough for Juno to lie on.
"Alright, Esto, help me get Juno on the stretcher," Haddon said. Setting the canteen over his shoulder, Esto helped to lift the limp man onto the stretcher gently. A strip of fabric from the blanket had been cut and was being used to strap Juno securely around his waist as a safety precaution.
"Dai," Esto instructed, "will you help Haddon carry Juno? Jacob and I will take front and rear guard." Dai and Haddon lifted the stretcher without question.
"Do you want me to take front or back?" Jacob inquired.
"I will take rear. You take front," Esto directed. "As for you…we do not know your name," Esto realized, speaking to the only female.
"You haven't introduced yourselves yet. And I don't want to share my name with people I don't know."
"Fair enough. Anyhow, stay near the middle with Juno. That way you are protected from both directions." Airian nodded.
"Alright, let us go." It seemed to be much easier traveling with the litter. Once more everyone broke into a light sprint. Airian groaned inwardly. I don't know how long I'll last at this rate. Her legs already felt like jelly.
"Humans! I sense humans!"
"Several of them!"
The inhuman voices made everyone stop. Oh crap. Not again. Airian turned to see several Seru-replications a short distance away. This time they were Gimards. Airian was already backing away, not wanting a repeat of last time.
"Run!" Haddon shouted. Everyone did just that. Airian's speed quickly put her at the head of the group. Behind her she heard the pounding feet of the men.
"Just a little further! We should be able to make it out of the Mist in a mile or so!" Esto shouted.
For a few minutes, Airian managed to keep ahead of the males. But her breathing was quickly becoming ragged gasps as she tried to suck in air. Her lungs once more were burning and her throat became parched. Her legs ached. Already she could feel herself beginning to be outpaced by Jacob and the men bearing the stretcher. The woman stumbled in her attempt to keep up-she fell.
Swiftly she scrambled to her feet. An arm quickly wrapped around her waist. Airian let out a yelp of surprise as she was hauled over a hard shoulder-Esto's shoulder. Then she was bouncing along as Esto ran. Her added weight didn't even falter his pace. She had difficulty sucking in air with her stomach right over his shoulder.
This time, they managed to stay well ahead of the Seru look-alikes, despite the Serus' much quicker pace. Airian managed to place her elbows upon Esto's back and struggled to glimpse what was in front of the group. Up ahead, the fog was beginning to clear from what she could see-it didn't seem as dense as before.
Eventually the Seru were forced to stop pursuit. Airian could finally see sunlight above her, along with blue sky. More distance was put behind them, and Airian could make out what seemed to be a thick cloud around the woods they had left behind just a few minutes ago. Just about everyone plopped to the ground. Juno's stretcher was set down before Haddon and Dai collapsed as well. Everyone took several minutes to get their breath, along with a few gulps of water. Airian had been freed from Esto's grasp and was lying face down in the grass a few feet away.
Her back was moving rapidly as she breathed. It was awfully hard to breathe with a shoulder jammed into one's stomach. Airian's body just felt exhausted. She was perfectly fine to just lie in the grass for the rest of her life. The female was trying to ease the pain in her throat and get some saliva flowing in her dry mouth. Airian managed to get her bag off her shoulders and take out a bright green water bottle. Rolling onto her back, she pulled the cap open then took several deep gulps. Satisfied, she let herself fall back and resume taking in air.
Airian's sides took a good several minutes before the stiches in them started to ease. Above her, the men were already getting up. They had regained their breath. She was still panting. Seeing them get up, Airian wearily reached for her water bottle and stuck it inside her cinch pack. It was a struggle to push herself to her legs when they shook so badly from exhaustion. And here I thought P.E. was hard. Only a few gym classes had ever been that rigorous-but the workouts had never exhausted her this much.
However, she got up and followed after the men. The woman had to practically jog to keep up with the men's fast walks and long strides. It was only a few minutes later that she let herself fall to her knees. Again she was out of breath, wheezing almost. The stitch in her side had returned. The four men stopped and looked back at her in concern.
Esto turned to her. "You do not have much stamina, do you?" Esto asked her. Airian just shook her head no. "You are not going to be able to keep up." He went straight up to Airian and just scooped her up before she could protest. "I do not want you slowing us down."
Airian had enough energy to roll her eyes in an irritated way, but was too tired to argue. Her breath even now was still recovering. In the short distance she could see a large, towering wall. She didn't care to get a better look.
"We're only a few minutes away from the village now," Haddon informed.
At this point, Airian truly didn't care. I just hope the poor guy's okay, she thought, turning her head to look at Juno. God, let him recover completely. I pray there aren't any side effects, the brunette prayed yet again.
Airian added as an afterthought, And please help me to figure just what the heck happened today. The day had been beyond crazy. At least things can't get any crazier…only until then did Airian realize what she had thought.
Oh crap. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.
So, is there any chance that you're now done with my chapter readers, that you'd become my reveiwers? :D I don't care if it's compliments, critiques or flames. At least it lets me know that people are reading my story and actually finding it worth reviewing. XD I can see the views...but is there anyone actually nice enough to let me know how I'm doing or let me know how to improve? Pretty Please? Anyway, until next chapter...Au revoir!