Existence

Chapter 8

"This is where I met the Solquine," Byron said after a while, gray eyes searching the ground. He pointed at a dark, round stone barely visible among the roots and fallen leaves. Sarah noted how similar it looked to the stone Byron had given Alex last night when he needed something black.

"I asked him to drop his hunting stones at intervals on his way back... just as a precaution."

"Good thinking, Byron," Alex said. "Keep an eye out for more of these stones."

Byron nodded before turning to look down curiously at Sarah, who had sat down on the leafy ground in a huff. "Are you alright, Sarah Walkman?"

"No, I'm not alright," she began, panting slightly. "We've been walking nonstop for hours. Can't we take a quick break?"

Alex glanced down at his watch. "It's only been three hours... Are you sure you can't walk another hour?"

Sarah gave her cousin a look. "Unlike some people, Alex, I'm not used to this much walking without quick breaks." She leaned against the nearest tree trunk and closed her eyes, inhaling the damp earthy scent of the greenery surrounding them. A soft breeze whistled by her ear. "I didn't even get to drink water before we left the campsite."

Alex clicked his tongue and muttered, "Definitely should've trained her."

Sarah opened her eyes to glare at him, only to find a metal flask a few inches from her face.

"Here," Byron said, motioning for her to take it before turning to Alex. "I suppose we can spare a few minutes. Might give Casey and Azazel time to catch up to us."

"Um, thanks," Sarah said, slowly taking the flask. She raised it to her lips but hesitated at the last second, remembering something.

"Is this the water from last night?"

"That was a special water, Sar," Alex interjected, "saved for battle injuries and certain emergencies. This is just regular water... right, Byron?" He raised an eyebrow at the archer.

"Mm," Byron replied, distractedly looking up at the sky. "I filled it just this morning."

Satisfied, Sarah took a long drink before handing the flask back. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she turned to her cousin. "Why didn't we use the floating scooter thing Byron and I rode yesterday?"

"Ah, the GRIP," Alex scratched the back of his neck. Noticing Sarah's questioning look, he added, "It's the Gravity-Resistant Industrial Platform. It was kind of a rental. As soon as midnight came, it went back to where it belonged."

"Cinderella's perfect vehicle," Sarah commented.

"Uh-huh..." Alex said slowly, a slightly puzzled expression on his face.

"Cinderella?" Byron repeated inquisitively, taking his eyes off the sky. "Who's that?"

"A young maiden treated like a servant by her stepmother and stepsisters," Sarah explained. "She meets a prince with the help of a fairy godmother and falls in love with him, but she leaves before introducing herself because of her midnight curfew. The prince finds her in the end though and they live happily ever after."

"She fell in love with him before introducing herself?" The archer raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Clearly, they had no such stories in Adventia.

"Yeah, it's a sappy cliché story that young girls absolutely fall for." Sarah glanced up at the sky. A big white bird —a swan— was flying gracefully overhead like a passing airplane. Sarah had never seen one in person before and marveled at its grace and beauty.