" Liora… "
" Stay with me— "
The wind fiercely rustled through Sen's gray robe. Its intensity only increased as he picked up more speed.
" How did it end up like this ? "
" Liora… Dym sir— "
His thoughts were cut short by the sound of the swiftly advancing arrows, all aimed at him.
Whoosh !
The arrows flew past him as he ducked and dove across the street before taking a left turn into another street. He could hear the intensity of the arrows as they struck and got pinned on the wooden walls of the village houses.
" Faster! faster !" he thought as a silver hue encased his body.
" There he is . " a shout came from behind him.
Behind him five people rushed towards him. Each was draped in thin dark green clothes that flung loosely in the wind and had a bow in hand. They each had a deranged look in their eyes as they took aim at the running boy. They released their bows sending their runed arrows slicing through the air towards the him.
" They're fast, " Sen thought as he dodged the first arrow.
The second came in faster. But none like the first its trajectory was completely different.
In Sen's hands lied Liora. Her eyes were slowly opening as the second arrow shot past by them missing her by a hair. She blinked rapidly as she tried to adjust to the speed Sen was in.
" Finally. " Sen cried as Liora came to.
" Behind you. " Liora shouted, eyes wide, pointing at the incoming arrows.
" I can hear them. " Sen replied as he jumped to the side.
The arrows missed but the group was still hot on their trail.
" We need to find a way to lose them. "
" But how ? " Sen asked gritting his teeth ready to jump to the next rooftop.
Liora's eyes darted around trying to find an escape. Suddenly she heard a voice.
Her eyes shifted to the direction trying to pinpoint where the voice came from. To their right a bright yellow flower bloomed as its red center shot out red spores. Its green vines climbed up the wooden cottage spreading across the wooden roof.
" There. " Liora called out pointing to the flower.
" Are you sure ? " Sen asked.
" Trus… " Liora hesitated.
" … Trust me. "
Without a seconds thought Sen turned to the direction of the flower and at full blast accelerated to it.
" Now what ? " Sen asked as he turned to face the approaching assailants.
" Wait there . " the voice in Liora's head said.
" Wait ? " Sen ridiculed.
" Yeah. I don't know who but someone's trying to help us. " Liora answered.
" And they said we wait ! "
The roof top they were standing on had been completely covered by vines. Aside from the little green moss growing in between the roof shafts the rest were just streaming veins.
Sen gritted his teeth. The five assailants were a few steps away and we're circling them like predators. Arrows in their hands the five took aim.
" Cover your noses. " The voice screamed in Liora's head.
Suddenly more yellow flowers started to sprout off the vines shooting out their red spores all over the rooftop.
" What's this… " one of the assailants said.
" A trap ? " another said as another of the assailants fell of the roof.
The red spores flooded the roof top and one by one the assailants dropped down.
" Down here. " a voice called.
In the middle of the spore cloud Sen stood confused. His eyes shifted around looking at the falling assailants.
" What just happened ? " he asked. His voice was muffled, barely able to hear himself.
" Hey, isn't that ? " Liora asked her voice barely audible.
Standing to the side of the house was the Elder Lin . Her complexion had paled and seemed like she was having a hard time breathing. The spore cloud cleared as Sen and Liora dropped to the ground besides her.
" Great to see you two are okay. " the elder said looking at the two.
Liora was still in Sen's arms and her hand was still masking both her's and Sen's nose and mouth.
" You can let me down please. " Liora said, unmasking both of them.
" Come we're not safe here. " The elder said.
…
A few minutes later the three stood in a room. It was dimly lit with little light passing through small light small cracks in between the wooden walls.
The elder walked ahead of them feeling her way through the furniture. She seemed breathless and had panted almost the entire way there. Even in the dim light Sen could see her paled skin. Her kimono and robe were barely intact, tore up mostly around the lining. There was something wrong with the village and Sen could feel it.
" What happened back there ? " Liora asked her voice shaky.
" Why did the village guard turn on us ? "
The elder took a seat.
She let a deep breath out trying to catch her breath.
" I'm sure Dym told you already… " she said, a deep hoarse cough interrupting her.
" this village is not it seems. " she continued.
" Are you okay ? " Sen asked worried .
" Don't worry about me. My time is close but… "
" there are things I'd like to clarify to you first. "
" Like why the entire village guard tried to kill us ? " Liora snapped.
" Liora — " Sen tried to calm her down.
" No, no. I don't want to die here. " She said her finger frantically shaking.
The look in the elder's eyes softened.
" I understand your worries but that's why I need you two to help the village."
" Or Elren will kill everyone. " she said in a dire tone.
Sen turned to the elder.
The elder continued.
" Two years ago Elren and Ery lost their parents to the miasma event."
Sen felt his heart skip a beat.
" Their parents were just small time bakers in Salur and would do anything for their kids. So when they both showed an interest in studying arcane their parents could say no. They worked hard and finally got enough money to send the two of them to one of the imperial schools in the capital. "
There was an undisturbed silence for a while.
" Bakers? " Sen thought.
" They were gone for nearly ten years, a time which they only spoke to their parents through letters, "
" but letters can only convey as much. "
" Then two years ago the miasma event occurred and unluckily their parents were one of the victims. "
The elders eyes rose and turned to Sen. She could see the anguish he felt just from the tightly clenched fist in his hand.
" I know you understand Sen. " she said.
" I thought there was something familiar with how she talked. "
" What are you talking about ? " Liora asked surprised.
" I should have noticed it earlier. Then maybe Dym sir wouldn't have been caught. Then maybe I would have known who they were and.. "
" All the more reason we should get away from these crazy village. Let the other guild members handle this. "
Sen turned to Liora.
" You can if you want to but I'm done running. " Sen said as started walking towards the door.
" Wait a minute. " Liora said extending her hand to Sen.
" I won't let it happen again… "
" I won't let them die this time. "
The door hinges cricked as the door shut behind Sen. Liora stood admits the dark room her arm still extended out. It was cold possibly from the lingering humid of the fog.
As his footsteps grew softer Liora realized something she had been dreading.
" Don't leave… " she softly said.
Behind her the elder looked at her. Even through hazy vision she could see the light get sucked out from Liora's eyes. She could see the creeping darkness that she had barely stepped out of come back gradually.
" Liora, " she called out to her. Her voice was frail and was slowly fading with every thin breath she took.
Liora turned to her.
" Elder Lin, you're fading. " Liora said as she looked at the dimming light around the elder.
" Liora… your blade… " the elder said pointing at her two short blades.
Liora brandished one of her blades from its strap. The elder's hands rested on Liora's. They were cold, just like the room, and for a reason she didn't understand quiet yet, they were flickering.
A gentle green hue lit up from the elder's hands and flowed into the blade. The crystal on top of the blade glowed a dim green before finally settling.
" Listen to me Liora — the light exist outside of the dark world you run to… "
" No matter how much you want to run, the light is always with you, " she paused to cough, " you just need face it. "