Chapter 28: Eldren's Fault

While the group was leaving the village with the inhabitants who had decided to go, the scene in the destroyed hall was a different one.

Shavu came in first.

He stopped for a moment and looked around.

-What a mess. From the looks of it the fight was pretty intense.

Off to one side, several hooded figures were tending to Yusaro's wounds on the ground. Shavu passed them without stopping.

-Better take him to the recovery hall so he can be properly treated.

The hooded figures nodded and began moving him.

Shavu kept walking to the other end of the hall, where a group was already pulling rocks from the pile that had fallen on Kaosuru. The ones who had come with him joined in without anyone asking, moving stone after stone until there was enough room to get him out.

When they finally pulled him free, Shavu looked at his face.

-Well. That was a good hit.

He signaled the hooded figures to carry him.

But before they could, Kaosuru opened his eyes.

Full of rage.

-Those tiny beings... I'm going to crush them. I'll make them suffer in the worst way possible.

-Calm down -said Shavu with the same calm as always-. They're already gone. There's nothing you can do right now.

Kaosuru began getting to his feet slowly, the weight of the hits still on his body.

-What matters right now -Shavu continued- is letting Zaulan know. About everything you witnessed from them.

Kaosuru stopped.

A faint laugh escaped him.

-Right. I have to let him know. Tell him they have great potential. They're perfect for his invention. If I don't, the agreement we have will be broken.

He turned to Shavu.

-Send a messenger to Zaulan. Give him all the information.

Shavu didn't ask what the invention was.

He never did.

And he proceeded to carry out the order.

When they crossed out of the village, the inhabitants who had decided to leave were waiting outside.

One by one, they came up to the group.

There weren't enough words. But they tried.

Thank you.

Mozir looked at all of them.

-You're free now. What are you going to do?

One of them took a moment to answer.

-We don't know. We never thought we'd get out of there.

Another inhabitant looked up. His eyes were bright with an emotion he didn't quite know how to handle.

-We're going to start living! We have no memories of what it's like.

Yuzo, still leaning on Naiden, looked at them.

-Go. And live a life you'll remember forever. No regrets.

The inhabitant who had spoken looked at him for a moment.

-That's what we'll do.

And they started walking. All together, moving away from the village and the Shadow Territory, without looking back.

Yuzo watched them go.

This was what I wanted.

The group watched until the distance made them smaller and smaller.

Heliya had a smile she wasn't trying to hide.

-We did the right thing helping them. I hope they make the most of this.

-And now what? -said Eldren.

Renir looked at Yuzo and then at Joshido.

-Ideally we'd get out of this territory and find somewhere to spend the night. Yuzo and Joshido need to rest and recover.

They walked without rushing, looking for somewhere safer to spend the night.

Yuzo broke the silence.

-We have no idea where to start looking for our parents.

Heliya thought about it for a moment.

-Kaosuru probably had information. But since Mozir knocked him out...

-Sorry -said Mozir with a sheepish laugh-. I got carried away.

-There's only one place I can think of where we might find information -said Renir.

Joshido looked at him.

-Which one?

-It's called The Path of Peace.

Eldren frowned.

-The Path of Peace?

-That's what it's called -said Renir-. My father told me once that the place has different kinds of races and inhabitants from all four territories of Tanjō. It's called that because it's exclusively for negotiating and finding information. There are food stalls, medicine, everything. And the only rule is that fighting is forbidden there.

A brief pause.

-So far no living being has dared to break that rule.

Eldren raised his eyebrows.

-That actually sounds like an interesting place. Where exactly is it?

-According to my father, it's at the entrance of Mount Tanjō.

Naiden processed that for a moment.

-That means we have to pass through the Ghost Territory.

Eldren swallowed.

-Why don't we find another way to get information?

-It's the only way to find out anything about your parents -said Renir-. That's the place.

-Eldren, you don't have to worry -said Mozir-. We're just passing through the territory, we're not going into their village. And besides, their leader trained both Renir and Joshido.

-Mozir's right -said Heliya-. They won't attack us. Nothing to worry about.

Joshido looked at them.

-You're wrong about one thing. Everything will be fine if Draval is in the village when we pass through. But if by chance he's not there... they won't hesitate to come after us.

-Don't worry about something that hasn't happened yet -said Yuzo.

He stopped and looked at everyone.

-Let's stay here tonight. Naiden and I are exhausted. We want to rest. We've been walking for too long.

The next morning the group was ready.

Yuzo's wounds had been tended to and everyone had their energy back.

They started walking.

They had been moving for a while when something in the air changed. Slowly, without anyone announcing it, a fog began to appear between the trees. At first it was light. But the further they went, the thicker it got, until the visibility ahead of them shrank to just a few steps.

-This fog keeps getting denser -said Joshido-. We can barely see anything.

Mozir was walking with his eyes half closed, but it wasn't his sight he was using.

-I was trying to pick up any specific smell in case there were any living beings nearby.

A pause.

-Nothing.

-I can clear all this fog with my element -said Eldren.

-Don't -said Renir right away-. They'll think we're enemies.

Yuzo caught it immediately.

-I get it. So we've already reached the Ghost Territory.

-Correct -said Renir-. Best to keep walking carefully in case there are any traps along the way.

-Wouldn't it be better to wait for the fog to clear? -Naiden asked.

-That would be ideal. But this fog is always here. It's like a defense for the territory.

Joshido looked around.

-I see. That's why they'd see us as enemies if we cleared it. Looks like there's no choice but to keep walking.

Eldren let out a long sigh.

-I'm tired of always being in trouble. Of something always happening along the way.

Heliya looked at him.

-What's wrong, Eldren? Are you scared?

Eldren got a little nervous.

-Me, scared? Never!

-I'll prove I'm not a coward.

Before anyone could do anything, Eldren already had his hands moving.

-Eldren, don't! -Renir shouted.

Too late.

-Wind gust.

The fog cleared in seconds, opening up the visibility in every direction.

-Stay aler... -Renir started.

He didn't finish the sentence.

In an instant, warriors in white armor appeared from everywhere, moving with a precision that left no time to react. Before anyone could move, every member of the group had a sword pointed directly at their neck.

Nobody moved.

Joshido looked around calmly.

-I think it's too late.

Heliya closed her eyes for a second.

When she opened them, the look she gave Eldren said everything.

-Eldren. You really are an idiot.

Eldren let out a sheepish laugh. Then looked at the warrior holding a sword to his neck.

-Sorry?

The warrior didn't respond.

Footsteps.

Someone else was approaching. Without any hurry. With the calm of someone who already knows they have the situation under control.

A warrior different from the rest stopped in front of the group and looked at them one by one.

-Anyone who tries to attack... my warriors will cut your heads off without hesitation.