Deadlands

Chapter 14 - Village of Towen

"So what's the name of this town?" I blurt to the front of the line.

"Towen." Aehrith said. Isabelle kicks her head up in front of her. She slows down and has an odd, shocked look on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly. "Isabelle?"

"It's uh.." She said snapping out of it. "It's nothing..."

I look over to the rest of the group who was going around a curve in the path.

"We have to catch up." I said, out of fear of losing the group. I start walking ahead and notice Isabelle has come to a complete stop, bending over in the middle of the path. I attempt to call out to the rest of the group but I get no reply. I go back to Isabelle and put her arm around my shoulder to help carry her along the way. I heard her whisper "Stop.." repeatedly but we needed to catch up. I don't want to become lost here. 

I finally gave into her pleading and laid her down on the ground. It was obvious she was ill or something. I sat down next to her and called out again, getting no reply. Isabelle shook her head side to side slightly every once in a while. She held her stomach and I suggested for her to lay on her side. However she just reached out to me with one arm and held her palm out. I grab her hand and she becomes relaxed. I saw as her constantly blinking eyes just closed and her hyperventilating turned into soft, deep breaths. As I held her hand I felt it get oddly warmer. I look down to see our hands glowing a dark cyan colored light. I went to let go but she clung on with a mighty grasp. My eyes widened in surprise as I saw her body regain energy again. She finally let go and slowly got up.

"What was that?!" I asked all tense.

"What was what, foreigner?" She said, clueless to what just happened. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about. For a moment I felt ill with the group here, then all of a sudden they are gone and you were holding my hand."

"I- I-"

"Ferrin! Isabelle!" Meridale called out with her mask on.

"Crow!" I said.

"Ah, they must have told you my name, I assume?" Isabelle said. "Sorry, for a moment I felt odd, I believe I am okay now, if not better. May we continue?"

"Uh- Yes, very well." Meridale said. We went onward around a few more bends and eventually caught up with the group. We had a brief moment of just them staring at us with their hands on their hips, with some having their arms crossed. They seemed impatient and disappointed. I just let it go and we continued back in our single file line. As we continued the day flew by. Quite the large forest. Although, I should be used to traversing these foul places... not to mention getting lost in them.

We came to a sudden halt. Aehrith and Meridale were now back at the front, figuring out where to go next, as there was another division but with three ways to go, rather than just two. I shoved my way to the front of the line, now broken out of single file so the others could chat about, and talk to Meridale and Aehrith.

"Maybe we should go through the one that's displaced! Seeing as it's the most awkward!" Meridale argued.

"Well maybe you should take your mask off and see the giant webs bordering it off!" Aehrith exclaimed.

"Well maybe we should use your powders." I suggested. The two looked at me.

"Someone doesn't believe in the use of said powders.." Meridale said through her teeth while looking at Aehrith.

"All I'm saying is it got us out of a sticky situation before, it can work again." I stated. I saw Meridale take off her pack and take out the sack of powder. She placed it on the ground and went to light it but her stick still couldn't produce it's flame so she pulled out some of the black gas from earlier and simply let it drain into the stick. She tried again and it worked, creating the orange ellipse from before.