Feeling the weight of the world crash down onto his chest, Kota coughed while falling forward to the ground. He extended his hand, feeling the warmth of the light of the sun with the texture of the earth and grass beneath his fingertips. His eyes closed for a second, trying to focus before opening them to see the forest that surrounded him.
Kota lifted his head off the ground as he took a deep breath, feeling the coolness of the day's air. Glancing around, he saw the green grass and leaves overhead. He flipped onto his back, taking in the clean air and feeling the sun's warmth on his skin. He unexpectedly heard the cracking of leaves and twigs, and he lifted his body as he watched Lucinda stumble until she leaned against a tree, catching herself.
He turned away rapidly as she heaved behind the tree, coughing afterward, because of the effects of the R'tal stone. Trying to stand, he noticed Sonya with her knees against her chest a few feet from him. She buried her head into her knees, and her hands were over her head, with no steam coming off her skin.
Kota stumbled a bit as he stood, seeing in front of him the remnants of the other stone as it lay scattered across the ground. After a brief moment, he regained his composure and glanced at the two of them. "That stone is hell... Is everyone all right?"
Lucinda raised her right arm, giving him a thumbs-up as she still braced herself against the tree. Sonya lifted her head, and Kota saw the blood on her face again. He started walking to her slowly before he knelt, placing his hand on her chin. Tracing the line of blood to a spot on her scalp, he moved some of her dark brown hair. She kept her eyes closed as he looked, finding the broken skin.
"Lucinda! Sonya needs your calling. This is a decent cut."
"This is nothing, Kota. I just need time from that stone," said Sonya, smiling at him and regaining her composure. "I was not expecting that feeling... it is like my stomach is inside out."
Lucinda walked over and knelt beside Sonya to inspect the gash. Then she reached into the bag on her waist, grabbing three apples before handing one to each of them. She took a bite before handing her apple to Kota and then moved her hands to Sonya's head. "Make sure you eat," she instructed them. "Aria said it would help with the stones' travel, especially for a caller like yourself. Our bodies are a little different from non-callers."
Sonya winced in reaction to the feeling of Lucinda's mending powers reconnecting her skin, then took a bite of the apple and chewed. She put it on the ground and moved her hand over to Lucinda's left arm, tracing the blood up her arm. "Looks like you are hurt as well."
"It's nothing. Mine will need less attention than yours will. Unfortunately, my calling will not remove any scars. It just mends the wound shut and heals the inside to some extent," said Lucinda as she stayed focused on Sonya's injury.
Kota took a bite of his own apple, taking another deep breath of fresh air. He glanced around the area, seeing familiar trees and a smell in the air. Then he looked over at the others. "I am assuming you know where we are? It seems familiar, but Aria must have told you something about this location."
Sonya moved her head, but Lucinda forced her to stop. "Yes," she replied, "but it was not Aria who set up this stone. Now, stop moving. I am almost done."
Sonya took another bite of her apple as Lucinda replied to Kota. "I know our general whereabouts, not the specific location. Alexis was the one who set up the stone on this end. She is in the nearby townâ"
"I know where we are," said Sonya as she winced in pain. She took another bite of her apple as she felt the pain fade with each passing second. "We are just outside Elida."
Kota moved toward a tree that was a few feet away from him and pointed in its direction. "Can you tell from the trees and grass? Without looking at anything else? Impressive."
Sonya nodded, and Lucinda smacked her shoulder, trying to keep her still. "I wouldn't have been the best tracker in my tribe otherwise. I was also here recently."
"So, you are a Traveler, then? I thought Travelers stayed with their tribe from birth," asked Kota, kneeling next to Sonya. "Those seen outside are often outcasts."
She stared at her apple for a second before meeting his gaze. "Yes, that is true. I have my own motives for leaving my tribe. I was not outcasted."
Lucinda moved away from her as Sonya reached up, feeling only a slight irritation from the location of the gash. Lucinda sat down next to her and took in a deep breath. "That should be good enough."
Lucinda turned her attention toward Kota, noticing blood on his right arm, up near his shoulder. She bounced to her feet and walked over to him, moving his sleeve to look for a cut before he held out his hand. "This is not my blood. It is Sonya's, from her head. Not my own."
After putting his sleeve back, Lucinda moved away without looking at his face. "You need to be careful. Alexis will not appreciate any marks on you when she sees you."
The two watched as Sonya stood up and continued to eat her apple. She moved to a nearby stream, ready to clean herself up.
Kota turned his gaze toward Lucinda and laughed. "You broke me out of the most guarded prison in the land, and you are worried about a minor cut? I think us even getting out of there alive is a miracle. This curse might be more concerning than any cut."
Lucinda watched as he raised his left wrist and moved his fingers. The marks hid under the bandage, but not completely. She moved closer to him, grabbing his wrist lightly as she touched his fingers with hers, and she watched his reaction. "Can you feel my touch?"
"Barely, but not at my fingers."
Kota took a deep breath before sliding his hand away from hers. He walked toward the creek, and he stood next to Sonya. As she wiped the blood from her face, she glanced at him. With a slight head shake, he filled his hands with the stream's water and wiped away the blood behind his ear. With another cupping of his hands, he brought water up to his mouth, which was fresh and cold. With another drink, he relaxed on the grass and observed Sonya.
"So what is next for the Traveler Sonya? Will this be goodbye?"
Sonya froze at his question before cupping her hands, plunging them into the river, and splashing the water over her face, clearing off any other blood. Her hands washed the blood from her face before sitting next to him. She tightened the cord she used on her hair and looked at the bandage on his hand. "Do you really believe you are safe, Your Royal Highness?"
"As safe as I can be, I suppose," answered Kota, glancing at the blue sky above them. "Can I ever be safe again while she's out there? Not to mention this curse."
She laughed softly, and he felt her eyes on him. He sat up and glanced over at her, meeting her eye. "I promised you that when we were safe, I would answer any questions. Right now, you are safe. Let us meet up with the Princess, and we shall see how safe you are then."
After nodding at her, he shifted his gaze to find Lucinda peering around a tree, as if in search of something. She moved toward the tree and reached out, then began tracing the vines on the side of the tree until she could no longer reach them. She turned, facing sideways towards the two of them.
Sonya glanced over at Lucinda before getting Kota's attention. "A group of callers besieged Elida over a year ago, but suddenly left in the middle of the night. Would you know anything about that Princess?"
Lucinda raised her hands as if pointing in a direction, and she walked along a straight line, heading to another tree. She moved behind the tree as she spoke. "From what Alexis and I are aware of, it was one caller who caused all the problems for Kota and his friend. Not a group."
Kota shrugged as he sat there, and he took another bite of his apple before responding. "I am not so sure about that. I do not believe it was only her. The town lay empty suddenly, and she may be a monster for what she did to me, but I do not remember her having any claws to destroy that inn."
Sonya looked at Kota as Lucinda spoke again behind the tree. "You are right on that. We found next to nothing in the last year about this woman and any beast that would fit what happened that night. All the townsfolk knew was what they saw in the morning. The inn's workers remained silent."
"What about that man at the prison?" Sonya asked as she stood up, stretching her legs. "Surely, he was there that night."
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Kota glanced at the tree where Lucinda stood. "I do not remember seeing him or those puppets there during our fight, but he could have been used to spread panic and scare townsfolk into their homes. Any army of puppets that acted on their own would scare anyone," he said, moving toward Lucinda.
Sonya moved past Kota and peered behind the tree, looking straight at Lucinda as she moved some rocks away from the tree. "There is still some information we must tell him. Who will inform him about his sister's ordeal last year? You or me?"
After Sonya asked her questions, Kota could hear Lucinda stop behind the tree, giving a moment of silence. Lucinda briefly looked out from behind the tree to see Kota before retreating. Then the two whispered in quiet voices as Kota approached, and when he was within a few footsteps, Lucinda's voice reached his ears. "It is not a simple story. Where do I even begin?"
Puzzled, Kota moved behind the tree to observe their glances. Sonya added, "He needs to know. It might be better coming from you."
"What do I need to know? What happened to her?"
Lucinda remained crouched on the ground, facing Kota's concerned gaze, and responded calmly. "Your father has banished Alexis from the capital, set never to return to Baris. The events of the last year caused a rift for everyone involved in your disappearance."
Kota took a step back, trying to grasp the gravity of the words she had spoken. He rubbed both his temples with the thumb and index finger of his bandaged left hand. "She'd never do something so drastic... Why would the king banish his own daughter? For being there that night?"
Watching him pace back and forth, Sonya leaned against the tree with her arms crossed. "I know only that the king has been under great stress since your disappearance. It was the only way to stop a full-scale war between the kingdoms."
"War?" questioned Kota. "The kingdoms are at war now? All this because of my disappearance?"
Moving away from the rocks and dirt, Lucinda continued to distance herself from the tree trunk. She gazed into Kota's eyes and stated, "Not yet, but tensions are high. The defeat that Alexis suffered from that woman struck her hard and left a nasty scar on her heart. The next morning, I ran into Alexis, and we never stopped looking for you. When the royal family arranged a funeral in your name, she got desperate and did something drastic to find information on you. If she had told me, I wouldn't have let her leave. Something you two share."
Sonya looked at Kota's face, watching his expressions and thoughts change. Lucinda moved another rock as something appeared through the dirt, and she continued. "It was very difficult for her, as she had received new information about your whereabouts before the funeral. Someone we trusted gave her a clue about a small group involved in the kidnapping plan."
Lucinda moved another rock to reveal a large satchel and held it up. "Here it is. Alexis said she would leave supplies for us. Regrettably, we had intended for only two people, so upon arrival, we must purchase additional clothes and supplies for the traveler as well. You two look frightening, covered in blood."
Sonya looked down at her attire and shrugged. "I suppose I will need a proper outfit."
Lucinda was ready to open the satchel, but Kota stopped her. Placing his hand over hers, he asked a question timidly. "What did she do to deserve banishment? You are still avoiding the question."
With a deep breath, Lucinda searched the satchel and retrieved clothes for both of them to change into. "I want you to understand she was desperate. When a woman with cherry brown hair offered new information, she did not question it. When she encountered this small group that might have assisted that woman-" She paused. "Alexis lost control and killed a traveling diplomat from Mara... along with his entire family inside the caravan."
"What? Why would she do that?" asked Kota as he moved backward. He sat on a large tree root that stuck out of the ground a few feet behind them.
Sonya moved toward him, sitting on the branch next to him. "If not provoked, your sister would not have acted in such a manner. Someone gave her the news that made her believe they had something to do with that brown-haired lightning lady you mentioned. From the rumors I heard, she blamed your capture on herself," explained Sonya, fiddling with the half-eaten apple.
Lucinda walked over with the satchel and moved in front of Kota. "It was no one's fault except that woman's. Who could have predicted her actions? She manipulated us all from the beginning."
Kota sat there in silence as Lucinda rifled through the bag and grabbed a new set of clothes for Kota, then held them out to him. Kota did not reach for them. He just stared vacantly at the ground beneath Lucinda's feet.
"It was my fault," said Kota. "If I had just waited for her. Got her to come with me from the start, or not even gone in the first place..."
Sonya grabbed the clothes that Lucinda was still holding and placed them on the branch beside him. Then, she knelt in front of him to look into his eyes. "What's your plan from here?"
"What do you mean?" asked Kota, looking into her violet eyes.
"What you do now will determine whether what happened without you was for nothing. The past is already that, the past. I ask again, what will you do now?"
Kota smirked and glanced at Sonya, then turned to Lucinda, who weakly smiled and nodded in return. "Are you sure you will help me? I already got you into quite the mess," he asked, looking at the place where the scratch from their fight would have been.
They both nodded as Sonya answered, pointing at his tunic where her blood was drying. "Hell, I have already bled for you and even on you. What more can you ask of me?"
Kota looked at his clothes, seeing the red of the tunic, and rubbed his finger on the fabric, feeling its softness. "Sonya, I know it's a lot to ask, but are you willing to abandon your quest for me?"
Sonya stood up and reached out her hand for Kota's, and she pulled him onto his two feet. "All I heard were rumors of a man matching his description. Nothing more. It's been a while since he disappeared... My feelings about you and the Princess are good. I believe fate has something for me if I journey with you a little longer."
Kota watched as Lucinda agreed before he grabbed his new attire.
Moving behind a tree, Lucinda spoke from behind it. "I was by Alexis' side for most of the journey. Following my leads and helping her with some of her own. After we lost your trail a few miles out of town, I watched her struggle with what had happened. Seeing you will help bring everything back for her."
Kota glanced at his left hand, which he tightened into a fist. He remembered a fact she had mentioned earlier, and an image of a woman came into his mind as he tried to think of who she resembled. He thought back to when he had dreamed before escaping his cell. "Earlier, you mentioned that a woman gave Alexis information about the whereabouts of the diplomat from Mara, correct?"
Lucinda answered his question before Kota added, "I remember this woman with red lips, but I cannot remember anything from when I was locked inside that prison."
Sonya joined Lucinda behind the tree as she changed, and Kota pulled off his tunic, revealing more bandages around his chest. He let out a breath of fresh air, sighing.
Sonya stood leaning against the tree as Lucinda changed. Kota turned around, moving behind a tree as she asked him, "Do you know how your chains were broken? I was not the one to break them, and neither was Princess here..."
Putting on a long-sleeved, near-skintight black garment that covered most of his arms, Kota replied, "Unfortunately, no. My mind played tricks on me. Only Lucinda's face appeared before I stood up."
Kota maneuvered the cloth over his skin as he eyed the bandage. Then he placed a dark red tunic on as Sonya spoke. "You may regain those memories over time, but with that curse on your arm, I wouldn't know what type of calling was used on you. It could have caused the dream, but that would not explain how you escaped."
Tightening the straps on his tunic, Kota watched as his bandaged hand worked with his other on the piece of clothing. "Hopefully, time will provide answers to those questions. We just need to get a heading first," he said, nearly ready to move on from this place.
Finished, he hastily worked on his pants, which were black and barely loose on his legs. He tightened the straps around his waist. He reached down and began working on his brown leather boots, which came up to just below his knees.
He turned as he finished to see Lucinda rounding the tree, tightening her brown leather gloves, and checking them by flexing her hands. She now wore a long dark blue tunic that covered her body to the shoulders and split down the middle at her belt. She had a small metal plate covering her left shoulder, and the metal armor she had worn within the prison covered her legs. The design on her tunic made it both elegant and functional.
"I feel naked without my sword or any armor to protect me," said Sonya, who had taken most of her armor off. It was a mixture of leather and metal armor. She fixed what she could of her worn and mismatched armor to appear equal in representation to the others.
"Don't worry, I feel the same way," Kota told her. "I am not the type to be unarmed myself."
"Stop worrying, you two," snapped Lucinda as she finished tightening her belt with her sword strapped to her back on her waist. "We will get equipment in town. Alexis left us enough money to resupply. We may lack funds for extra food due to an additional person, but we will find a way."
Lucinda turned to Kota, watching him fiddle with the small leather armor that lay on his left shoulder. She then moved over to him. "Let me help you with that."
While she helped him tighten the laces and straps on the shoulder piece, he asked the two of them, "Did the event with Alexis cause this notion of war?"
Lucinda watched as Sonya's eyes followed hers, and she fixed the last of his armor as Sonya told Kota, "It started with your sister's attack on that caravan. Soon after, the story spread across the land. Banishing her from the royal family was the sole solution to appease Mara's king. Without an execution."
Lucinda tied her hair into a ponytail, using a bit of fabric left over from her previous clothing to keep it out of her face. "Then it is true that everyone knows this story. Rumors and actions spread quickly. Border towns retaliated, attacking neighboring towns across the kingdom's border, resulting in small skirmishes. The kingdoms eagerly await an excuse for all-out war."
Lucinda walked over to Sonya and fixed a loose shoulder piece on her left arm before Sonya once again continued. "The king of Damira does not want a war, from what I hear, but he will fight if necessary to protect his people. Any king would."
"I am sorry to have to displace you from your quest for your husband. I do not wish to burden you with these matters that do not concern you," Kota said as he looked at Sonya's face, seeing her identity in her armor being pushed aside for his good.
She gave a small chuckle. "I am, in fact, interested in where this will lead you. When the winds howl against you, will you stand and fight or fall to the gust? What will fate hold for you?" She made gestures as she spoke, and she paused for a second before smiling. "I also want to find out about that dark puppet master. He knew me. He wanted you alive, so his fate is intertwined with yours. I may get answers from him, so my fate is intertwined with yours, too."
"As worthy as that gesture is, are you two going to stand there talking? Or can we move to Elida and get the supplies and meet up with Alexis to figure out our next steps?" said Lucinda, moving away from them and making hand gestures back at them.
The two nodded in agreement before Kota reached out his arm, signaling Sonya to go ahead of him. She fleetingly moved past him as the two caught up to Lucinda and headed toward the town of Elida.