The Graveyard (4)

The Forbidden Lands really want me to fall from great heights, huh... I didn't know how long we fell for. All I could hear was the wind from the air resistance of my body, and all I could feel was the coolness of the fog.

It was difficult to brace for an impact that never seemed to come. I kept my body tense and didn't dare to relax, fearing that if I did, the ground would suddenly appear and crash all my bones.

Time fleeted by as we fell in peace when Fiona stirred in my arms. I didn't know how, but my body relaxed as I saw her rubbing her eyes. I tightened my hug around her as she stared blankly back at me.

"You all right, Fiona?" I asked, giving her kisses on her cheeks. Mhmm, it's great that she's awake and not in pain. She squirmed in my arms, trying to avoid the kisses.

"Where are we, daddy? Why are we falling again?"

"Entering the Graveyard, the place where Lura and Rajah needed our help," I answered, looking downwards. Oh, thank god! The fog cleared up as we could see the ground now, growing larger and larger by the second.

"Use a protective talisman, Fiona. Let's be safe and not get injured from the fall."

She nodded in agreement and reached into her spiritual ring, grabbing a wooden slab and throwing it below us. A translucent sphere, almost like a barrier, surrounded us as I maneuvered my body to an upright position.

The landing was smooth. The talisman absorbed the impact of the fall with no problems before disappearing. Fiona hopped out of my arms and onto the ground and stretched her body. She pouted as I scooped her into an embrace again as soon as she finished.

"Daddy... stop—"

"Nope," I answered, rubbing my head against hers shamelessly. "What did you remember?"

Fiona tried to stop me and my actions but froze at my question. Her face held a frown as she lowered her head onto my shoulders. "The last time we came to the Forbidden Lands, and the party. It was me, my old daddy, and a bunch of subordinates from the palace, as well as members of Mishadow."

"The assassination organization that your old daddy started and notifies you of information?"

"Mhmm."

"Then... why were your memories of them sealed?" I pondered, feeling that something else was behind all this. Something mysterious, something powerful... and we don't know their intentions.

I shook my head and patted her back. "Don't think too much of this, Fiona. The answers will come the more we know about the Forbidden Lands. Maybe you'll recognize some things and that'll trigger your memories again. For now, let's work hard to help Lura and Rajah do whatever they need to do here."

Speaking of the devil, as soon as I mentioned them, the two dropped out of the sky and landed on the ground with a light tap. Their cultivation base is much higher than ours, to absorb the impact of the fall like that without the help of a talisman. We'd better stay on their good sides.

Rajah's eyes widened as he stared at us, before he laughed out loud. "Not bad, human. You're able to take the sudden fall. Did I scare you too much?"

"I didn't know that falling off the bridge was the entrance to the Graveyard," I answered, tightening my fists. He truly gave me a fright, I almost dropped Fiona and even hit my head as I fell. At least give me a warning before this damn kitty. I'll get back at him.

"Little Fiona, you're awake now," Lura noted as she greeted her with a smile. The smile still felt mysterious to me, almost as if she was hiding something behind it. Whatever it is, it relates to Fiona... and that means I must be wary of her.

"Yes, elf sister Lura! Sorry, I dunno what came over me and fell asleep," Fiona replied cheerfully, climbing down from my body. I wanted to stop her, but since she's cute and trying to probe them, I'll let it slide this time.

Fiona turned to Rajah. "Handsome tiger sir Rajah, tell me more about this place so we can help you and elf sister Lura!"

"Haha, you've already done us a great help, little girl. Your handsome tiger sir will tell you more, anyway."

"Yes!"

Rajah cleared his throat. "Our lord has tasked us to, erm, kill all of the ghosts that spawn in the Graveyard. They are scaring away the beasts in the forests, and the wails of the ghosts are scaring the people at night. We throw human prisoners that wander into the Forbidden Lands here, but recently, some elves have also fallen in with them. So we need to rescue them."