The Rainlands: Grand Delusion

Chapter 37: Something Wrong

"Hi, do you know if there's a girl here with a mask? It looks like a fox?" Levi asked. The doctor tried to leave but Levi stood in his way. With a grumpy harrumph, the man pointed to the back.

"Was here, her folks took custody after the operation was finished. Listen, I'm busy if you need help ask reception!" The doctor shoved past Levi and walked off with a dirty look. Levi was left scratching his head, a deep sense of unease filling his stomach as he tried to figure out what had happened. She's not here anymore? What? Did they have men take her? But if so, why bother treating her? This doesn't make sense! Without a sense of direction, Levi slowly walked to the exit, a little bit dazed. He stood out on the steps, overlooking the city. As the sun fell, the dark stone shined like some sort of icy glaze. I...I don't know where to look! It was all too overwhelming. He had gotten Jasmine to the city. Had survived the Direwolves alone, the Shatterstorm, even men in the woods trying to kill them. But somehow, even after all that, he had lost her.

"They went north. If that's what you're looking for." An unfamiliar voice jolted Levi out of his reverie. He turned his gaze and saw a woman by his side. Another man he didn't know was behind her. "I'm Mist. If you were wondering." She answered his question before it could form in his head. The man beside her said nothing but Levi didn't care.

"Who went north?" He asked and she gave him a look which made him feel silly.

"Whoever you were looking for." She replied and then squinted closely at him. Levi saw she had medium length tied auburn hair, blue eyes, and a short sword on her hip. "I thought you wanted to find her. The princess."

"You know she's...do you know who took her?" Levi asked, wondering if this was a trick. The woman laughed, poking the other man in his ribs.

"Isn't he cute? Honey, all I know is that the people who took her were definitely not family. Or at least, not the right kind of family, if you catch my drift. My family brings swords when we meet up but they usually don't send half a dozen men as well. They know it won't be enough." She winked as the man beside her grunted.

"Mist, you going to tell him your whole life story? We'll be here till the sun finishes setting. It's nice and warm, let's get out of here before nightfall." He said coldly, his voice deep and gravelly. Levi looked at him critically, noting several bulky spots under his clothing on key parts of his body. He's wearing armor under there...and that spear isn't for show!

"Who are you?" Levi asked. "Why are you telling me all this?" The man rolled his eyes annoyed, and the woman stepped up close to him.

"Do you always ask this many questions to people who offer to help? Listen, I like to help young men with such promise as yourself. I can see it in you. You have the look of greatness...well, you will. If you shut up and let me help you." The woman nodded to the man by her side. "This one's Illios. I helped him, and now he's all big and grown." At Levi's increasingly confused face, she grinned, tapping him on the shoulder. "Also, I'm a friend of Anton, and I wouldn't want to see his master get kidnapped on my watch."

"Wha-?" Levi's jaw dropped. A friend of Anton? Can I believe her? Do I have a choice? His brain overloaded, eventually, he just shut his mouth and let his hands drop. "Alright. Where'd they take her?"

"I'll show you!" Mist walked away and Levi took one look at the man named Illios before falling in behind. Together, they went to the opposite side of the city. When they arrived, Levi tensed as they passed the guards once more, but then remembered that they had been after Jasmine in Ceda, not him. While one of the guardsmen nodded to Mist and Illios as they passed by, Levi didn't even warrant more than a second glance. Gazing back at the dark stone city, Levi took one last look before heading deeper into the North. Will I ever get to spend some time in one place? I wanted excitement but I had no idea it would be like this.

"So, what are we going to do when we find Jas-errr Yujeon?" Levi asked Mist and Illios. Ugh, It's so hot I can't think. "Are you guys Warrior Reincarnations?" He didn't expect the two of them to laugh. They met eyes, and chuckled simultaneously, turning around to face Levi. "What? Did I say something funny?"

"We're not going to be fighting. I'm a mystic. Hardly a fighter, and this isn't my fight. As for Illios...well, there's no need for him to get involved when you're here! No, we're just your guides Levi." Mist explained, and Levi grew confused.

"How many men do you think they have?" He asked, slightly dreading the answer. Mist didn't miss a beat. While they entered the trees, she snapped back.

"Mmm, I'd say six when they left the hospital? Maybe there were more in the woods?" For a second Levi didn't think she was serious. Or that any second she would turn around and say "just kidding". However, when she didn't he became anxious.

"Wait, wait, you guys really aren't going to help me? I thought you owed Anton a favor!" He yelled indignantly. Mist clicked her tongue, her feet seeming almost ethereal against the plants. Something about her was just hard to place. Like she wasn't altogether completely there.

"Yes, and we're paying him back by showing you the way." She said casually. "Also, behind you!"

"What?" Levi turned more by reflex than anything and immediately ducked as something shot by his head. What was that?

"Keep moving! Follow us!" Mist shouted as she and Illios took off. Levi had barely a moment to straighten and lunge back into a run. "It's something from the storm! Don't stop!" Levi looked tried to get a good look at whatever it was that had attacked him, but all he saw were the leaves of the trees blurring as they ran. His boots gripped the sun-baked dirt as it cracked beneath his feet. Clods of it shot up behind him with each step. Up ahead, Illios turned, waving him onward, though Levi noticed that he didn't bother taking his spear off his back. Is he really just going to let me do all the fighting?! Or is he just that confident?

"Don't bother kid. You won't kill it." The brawny man warned Levi right as he was about to consider stopping to see what they were running from. Mist led them to something up ahead.

"There's a clearing! Should be able to rest there!" She exclaimed. Levi thanked his lucky stars. Even after growing incalculably more fit, he was beginning to run out of breath. Sucking in the warm moist air one last time, he put on a burst of speed to catch up, trying to see everywhere at once but never quite catching sight of any enemy. What is this thing, invisible? But it came at me earlier, something brown! When they finally arrived, Mist and Illios hardly seemed to have run at all. Levi was completely nonplussed at how casual they appeared, he had been able to keep up with Jasmine the past week, but now he had to stop and pant like a dog before these two strangers. Mist closed her eyes, as if meditating and Illios watched the trees with a mildly interested expression. When Levi had enough oxygen to focus on something besides breathing again, he followed Illios's gaze. At first, he saw nothing, just trees swaying. In the muggy heat, the lack of a breeze was starting to get to him. I wish there was a breeze at least. He was about to ask what Illios was looking at when a jolt ran through him.

There's no breeze.