The Black Cat

Chapter 45 Duo of the Damned

"...and ember."

I exhaled one long time.

"Build."

I took in one deep breath.

"And blaze."

A burst of sharp piece of ice stabbed the roof of my mouth and tongue. With it a cruel burn shot through me.

My eyes opened to a star filled sky of blackness.

"Are you okay Miss Erilye?"

I shook before I felt the warm feeling of a fire. By then I even felt as if the fire was too close. I sat up and felt a lick of flame leave my back. My eyes widened as I turned back to what was underneath me.

"Were you trying to cook me?!" I shouted. I glared at Rionar, but even his calm amber eyes overpowered mine.

"It was a difficult process to bring you back Lye. Please just let me rest. You should too." Rionar sighed and laid over into the small fire pit. Its flames didn't burn him at all.

"I'm good," I sighed surveying the scene. "Where are we?"

"South of Blue Cross, Alicross territory."

I turned back to the shut eyed Rionar. "Well! Alicross is friendly right? Let's go!"

Rionar sighed and rolled over three times. He stopped at my feet and pointed to a large rock next to my other foot.

I just watched his strange display coldly.

"See that rock right there?"

"Yeah."

"Well then," Rionar yawned. "That rock marks the edge of Blue Cross city."

I looked from the rock pitifully. "There's nothing here Rionae."

Rionae looked at me angrily. "Exactly." He rolled back to his warm fire and sighed.

Past Rionae sat another fireplace with everyone else sitting there. I looked back and compared the two. Possible communication or a dead Rionae.

I quickly left Rionar.

As I approached the fire, I began to notice a dizziness in my head as I struggled to remain balanced. It was like fighting a heavy object falling down on me. It was coming all the way down, but I had to try to stop it.

"Lye," Oliver stood up and guided me to a seat by the fire. "I know you're hungry."

Everyone else at the fire held a forlorn or tired face on them. All of them were tired obviously, but none looked like they had any emotion.

Their silence stopped any words I could have said.

"We all went hunting earlier and well..." Oliver brought to the opposite side of me a dried grass basket weave cradling heaps of food. "Hey Rionar! Come on! Help us."

The tired Rionar forcefully rose up from his dying pit and strolled toward the one used. "I am very tired Oliver. You know I can't just overexert myself."

"All we need is to cook the food."

Rionar growled and sighed. "You better be lucky that the princess is here."

I chose a warm place by the fire next to no one. I found comfort in being alone with my thoughts. I needed to right now.

Crystal Lloyd and Marcilo are here. The ultimate duo.

Crystal isn't wake like Alex and me. He's not the pacifist like before and just where is Marcilo.

Everyone is here then. Everyone except Leo and his followers, the Vellies. They were the only ones not here.

I watched the fire flames creep toward the sky and multiply. "Coyote, I need Alex here with us. We need the help."

"No."

I straightened at the decline. "What do you mean?"

"This is your quest and you have to do it. If he is with you, he will hide what you seek."

"It would be a whole lot easier if you just told me."

Coyote laughed. "If I did it wouldn't be any fun. Plus, you never wished for me to just tell you.

I sighed and shut my eyes.