(Subchapter)(Phantom Threats)
Before too long,Grayson had recovered enough to resume fleeing the parties of manhunters that began to dispatch out onto open land,searching in random patterns..
The cat and mouse game began,and with increasing accuracy of Grayson's waking position.
Miles upon miles,for 3 days straight of nothing but hiding,running and even avoiding the general population just to avoid drama and conflict.
Grayson collapsed...having been unable to rest for such time...
Kupa was snoozing away in a tree,as they had finally found a place in which no ender could cross. A lake with a slightly large,livable island that was separated from the mainland,and deep.
Enders were severely hydrophobic,thankfully.
And so they would take a shift each to rest,with Grayson on first watch..
For now he was laid in a comfortable canopy,one with a good view of the sky and stars. Something began to fly amongst the stars...It suddenly dove down,pausing in front of Grayson...
It was the Phantom that had stalked him but a while ago.
"Rest....Please..." It beckons.
"You cannot stay awake like this. It is dangerous now more than ever to remain awake." It said...
"Ahh buzz off...youre screwing with my view..." Grayson said tiredly.
"You are safe,are you not?" The creature questions.
"Yes...But I cannot sleep..Ive become a total insomniac out here...Cant Gladya track me in my sleep?"
"Not over a body of water. Much like the rest of her lackeys,water is like acid to her. It burns them hotter than the Nether's very core to remotely compare. A curse cast onto Gladya and any of her corrupted,successors and even students under her rule. You must rest." The creature insisted.
He blinks groggily..
"Fine...But only if you go away..." He mutters..
The creature flies away...but circles him loosely,like a vulture awaited a dying animal for the promise of meat...
Grayson clambers down below,out of the canopy to join Kupa,who was quaintly sleeping. He kneels...
"Kupa...Hey..." He gently said,putting a hand on her shoulder and shaking her lightly.
Nothing, Not even an irritated groan..
The phantom returns.
"Rest. Please." She pleads,aggression beginning to lace her voice.
"I cannot. I have a responsibility." Grayson said as he points to Kupa.
"I....said...REST!!" She roars,getting in his face,her darkened eyes staring into his as she pinned him to the tree.
"I cannot. I have a responsibility." He said,almost monotonous.
She snarls.
"You have 12 hours to rest. If you do not rest I WILL take your head and present it to Gladya." The being threatened,flying through him before taking off and disappearing into the night sky..
Grayson returns to his perch.
The Phantom was still circling overhead,now more intently,as her prey refused to respond to her warnings. Now it was time for action.
The night hazed by,and as the sun began to dawn over the horizon,Kupa was waking.
Grayson drops down from the tree,stirring her more..
Kupa leans up,looks to Grayson-
"HOLY SHI-Uh- I mean....Good morning.....You alright there buddy..?"
A grunt was all he could manage was a grunt..
He looked short of dead,his eyebags heavy,his sight narrowed from the daylight. "Dude....You need to sleep." Kupa said.
"Couldn't if I wanted...Its daylight..." He said,sounding short of blowing a fuse. Kupa sighs softly...
"All right,I suppose if we can keep moving. But you look beat to shit...And probably cannot fight.."
Grayson looks to her,drawing his sword.
"Let us NOT waste time then." He said warily,starting to walk. Kupa scrambled to follow.
For the moment,the Enders were not on their trail,the day was thankfully sunny.
Being the creature she was,Kupa practically frolicked in the daylight in joyous bounds and outbursts. Though despite the adorable act playing out,it seemed even Kupa couldnt put a shine on Grayson's darkened mood..
At least for a few hours they traveled in a single direction,with little rest to be had,though much ground was covered. They eventually came to a beautiful clearing,with a very old 2 story house in it's center,It was large,seeming enough to house 10,and consisted of Oak and Spruce. It was a good omen to be had as they entered the house.
It was vacant,ransacked to high heaven,but secure enough to stay for a while as it seemed quite remote. The structure was mostly intact,save for damage from creepers on the ground floor.
"Feels like a dream home..." Grayson said dreamily,setting his bag in a corner. He cracks his knuckles,pops loud enough to echo through the home. "Time to get to work."
He rushed out of the home again,taking down the first tree he saw with remarkable speed.
Kupa followed about,watching the male work. It seemed to come natural to him,stripping logs with his bare hands into the form of oak plank.
As Grayson worked,he made sure that the patches were superficial and easy to replace. It wasn't pretty,but could function in sheltering the remains of the house from the wild.
A lot of damage was covered,and the day passed quickly enough to assume the haze of work done...
Finally as the sun set,Grayson could relax on a sleeping bag..
Kupa was patrolling about outside...late into the night.
Grayson was stuck in a half haze of sleep...before finally falling under...
He was home...
Everything was fine....
then there was terrified screaming...
A loud roar...crashing and the sounds of houses being blown to splinters ..
Then darkness..
He woke again,sometime in the early morning..
An eerie silence hung on his empty bedroom...
Sunlight was lowly shining into the room,the breeze gently pushing leaves around allowing for the quiet applause of life. For now life seemed quiet here,though many secrets now surround the home...
Kupa was bathing in the early morning sun like she usually would,breakfast cold,but well made. The echoes of deathly familiar dreams clung to his mind...
He absentmindedly ate some scrambled eggs as he could finally let his mind wander....
The house warps for a moment...
Turning to a blueprint. Furniture placed itself...
It was odd,until he noticed it,and it faded.
"Well...That was strange.." Grayson mutters softly
Grayson heads out the front door to meet up with Kupa. "Well guess who's up early! Had a good rest?" She asked warmly.
"For now..Im uncertain of sleeping while a threat is about...But I'll make it..." Grayson said,his eyes still heavily bagged..
"I hope it'll blow over.." Kupa agrees..
For now,it was quiet enough to start from scratch...It's better than nothing,that's for sure.