Book 2: Falling from Grace

Chapter 8: The Mists

Falling From Grace

Chapter 8

The Mists

Tang's head hurt like hell. He opened his eyes to see that he was leaning against a rather large boulder. Bull had just poured water onto the fire and turned to him. He looked slightly amazed that he was awake but accepted it almost just as immediately.

"Alright Princess." Tang looked at the mist as it swirled and took the shape of someone he wished to see incredibly. Pigsy turned to look at him and smiled giving him a short wave. He jumped when Bull slapped him. Pigsy's form disbursed, he was unable to see him anymore. A fake? "Don't believe anything you see in that mist. It will try its best to get you lost in it. As long as we follow the blood stone...we'll be fine. Tang recoiled away from him. Just where was he going to get the blood? Bull pulled something out of a pouch dripping with blood.

"Oh guh..." Tang couldn't help it, he bent over the boulder and threw up whatever he could, which was just the water he had practically inhaled from the troth the day before. He was starving that was for sure. His stomach protested loudly as he wiped his mouth onto his sleeve.

"Quiet down Princess."

"My name is Tang." Okay he hated being called Princess, he wasn't a princess. He was Tang, the Tripitaka, the one who took the scrolls to...

"I don't care. You look high and mighty to me, and the Queen wants you...and you were in the bed with that other guy. Princess." Oh, OH! That was why he called him princess. It was a way to say he was Gay. Well it was true, he was gay. He and Pigsy had been together for a long long time in secret. Although he still didn't give him free noodles. Tang would most of the time repay him by cooking for him. They enjoyed the playful show of banter in the restaurant. He wouldn't actually throw him out of the building. He played along, and they would laugh about it later. It was a game for them. Tang missed Pigsy, how he wished he could have one of his bowls of n...A bowl of noodles appeared in the mist. Bull chuckled as he saw it.

"Now only if we could really eat it." He chuckled, Tang had to agree, he wouldn't mind eating a bowl of noodles the size of Bull. Pigsy wouldn't make one that big anyways. Bull stopped and glared at the thing ahead of them. Tang gasped and backed into him. Bull patted his shoulder.

"Naw its okay Princess. Just a dead body. One of the things the mist does is turn friend against friend." They walked by the bodies. Both of which seemed to be dead for a few days with arrows and swords in them. "Good thing is, I ain't your friend, and I don't have many fears, or likes...save for that bowl of noodles." He chuckled slapping Tangs back.

"I do...lots of them." Bull turned to glare at him, he rolled his eyes and let it go. There wasn't much out there that they could talk to anyways.

"Not long now. Thats the halfway point." He pointed his stubby finger at the rock that looked like a head.

"Bull! Did you bring him!?" Bull flinched and glared at the mist.

"Who...?"

"The queen and all her glory. She wants you, plans to gain immortality. She's a very lovely person once you get to know her. Too bad you won't last long enough to worry about that. Probably three bites." He roared with laughter. Tang closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

'Pigsy...where are you?' He thought looking behind him, the mist forming Pigsy who looked scared at him.

(0)

Pigsy looked around feeling like someone was calling his name. He didn't see anyone in the snow so he kept walking. The town wasn't too big, actually it looked like they had seen better harvests.

"Hey kid, uh...have you seen this guy?" Pigsy held up a picture to the kids who shook her head and kept walking with the arm loads of firewood. The cart said they were selling it. Selling firewood? MK looked down at Tyla who looked around. She looked up at MK who turned away from her gaze and went over to an old grandma with a child running a comb through her hair.

"Pigsy?"

"MKs family used to live in a place like this. He said they got sick, and forced him to leave before he caught it too. They never called him back, so he assumes they died. He's been working at the noodle shop ever since. Been lookin out for him, but hey...he's got a new family now so that's good for him." Pigsy said. Tyla jumped when her tiger skin jacket was tugged. She turned to see the boy who got Tang out of the ropes and ran.

"He ran that way." He pointed to the barn. Tyla gave him a coin and watched him run. She spotted him moments later giving the coin to a shop owner who gave him bread and cheese. He was probably starving. She has seen so many places like this in her wanderings.

"Pigsy!" MKs frantic voice called. Lu sniffed the air as they walked into the barn. He looked around at Pigsy and looked at the mess of wood. The blood that caught the edges. He motioned to the troth where Tang held onto the sides for a moment. He must have hurt his hand in the fall.

"He got beat up real good." Lu's gruff voice said as he walked out into the yard and motioned to a few more drops of blood. "Real good..." Lu repeated. "This way...be easier to follow since he's drippin a bit." Lu sniffed the air and kept going.