Lucidity

Chapter Twenty-Two: Questions and Finally Some Answers

In order to find Kilian faster, the group had split up. This was quickly proven to have been unnecessary.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find Kilian Opsworth?", Hjalmar asked the first person he came across. It was a weary looking woman, dressed in loose garments with a basket resting on her hip; she was collecting herbs. Axworth was an agricultural town, the jungle had transitioned into a standard forest and the actual living area was filled with trees. Occasionally, one would come across a proper tree house, a work of art itself with its beautiful and narrative carvings. Slightly further away from the houses, however, the trees had been felled, both to be used as timber for various construction projects and to clear space for growing crops.

The woman frowned and spoke, "He left. Vanished."

"What, like in the middle of the night?", Hjalmar sceptically asked.

"Yes, exactly like that," the woman replied, putting her hands on her hips. "You got a problem with that?"

"No, of course not," said Hjalmar, "But did he tell anyone where he was going or what was up?"

"He didn't say a word to anyone, he just vanished one day. Lilian Reddings called by and said his house was deserted and there wasn't a sign of him - no food or anything," the woman replied. She was having a bit of a kick out of this, telling slightly spooky stories.

"Thanks, I guess," grumbled Hjalmar. It seemed they had seriously just spent three days travelling only to find out that the man they'd been searching for was dead. He was genuinely starting to doubt whether they could trust Mentirix. Maybe Junior had been right all along.

Once all of them had regrouped in the town centre - which was basically a tree next to a well - it became evident that all of them had recieved the same information. The man they needed was gone.

Kosa kicked the tree. "I swear, if he suddenly shows up, I will throw a frog at him!"

"Are there any frogs here?", asked Hazhil.

Kosa smiled darkly, "Who says I don't already have one ready?"

Hazhil stared at her, unable to comprehend what Kosa was suggesting. Hjalmar rolled his eyes. "The real question is what now?"

"We need the solution," said Caitlyn, crossing Oburon's arms, "If we can't find Kilian, we at least need to find that."

To everyone's surprise, Junior was the voice of reason. "It's late and we don't know this place. We should go to bed and search his lodgings and whatever else we can find in the morning. That way we'll be refreshed and don't need to worry about any night monsters or getting home too late."

Everybody agreed, some more willingly than others. Again, Caitlyn volunteered to pay, but Junior refused to accept it, saying he could buy his own way. She shrugged and headed inside with the others. Before Hjalmar and Anwyn could enter, Junior held them back.

"Let's go to Kilian Opsworth's house."

"What? Isn't that what you literally just said not to do? You're sending mixed messages here, sir, if you weren't sure, maybe you-", Anwyn rambled, but she was interrupted by Junior, "I told them not to so that they wouldn't get in our way. Besides, a small group'll be more efficient and all of us have at least some combat skills."

"But 'they' are our friends," Hjalmar reminded Junior. Anwyn also added something about it being unfair to leave out the others.

Junior shook his head. "I don't mind Hazhil and Yaz, not even Kosa, even though she's, uh... Not my kind of person, really. But Caitlyn can't be trusted and neither can Oburon anymore."