V2Ch121 New Fog

We stayed at the inn until it got dark. It took little effort to escape the city without being seen. After several days of travel, Babur and I came up to Aquila's grave. It was slightly overcast with a gentle breeze.

Babur kneeled before the slightly raised soil mound. She placed a hand over the top of it and lowered her head.

Without lifting her head, Babur spoke.

"Lake?"

"Yeah?"

"Does it always hurt like this?"

"Every time."

I saw a tear hit the soil below her. Without showing her face, she got up and started down the beaches once more with me in tow.

Returning here was my idea. The night we left Heiarch, I asked her. "Would you be willing... Would you want to go see Aquila one last time?" As sad as she looked at that moment, she said, "Yes." Not only for that reason, but this really was a quiet path.

When we got close to the spot where everything happened on the beach, Babur sped past the remnants of our fight. I walked slow and took in the sight of everything. Loose arrows, markings in the sand further away from the water as well as bloodstains where the anurans died. The spot where Aquila had died was washed away by high tide.

Several images flashed through my mind.

A collection.

One of the dead.

Images of those in my past that had died. The most prominent one being the half-elf woman that was sent to her death in Bastion. I didn't even know her name. I just remember the sight of her falling and reaching toward me.

I promised myself that I would remember her. I would bring my image of her to the end of time.

Now... Aquila was another person for me to bring along for the ride. Along with Mery, Delicia, and Riksa.

"Shit..."

Babur was too far ahead to see anything. I could feel my cheeks being eaten away again. I got a few blood stains on my shirt.

After I passed the morbid memory, I sped up to Babur's side. She heard me get close, but I was still several feet behind her. She slowed until I was at her side and she leaned on me while matching my pace. Her quiet demeanor was slightly bothersome but understandable.

The beaches came to an abrupt end where cliffs grew out over the ocean and swamps took over the land. Keeping true to what she had suggested in the past, we traveled at night and slept during the day. We spent several more nights fighting fauna and hunting food. During this time, Babur was still in her quiet mood.

I was starting to get worried.

One evening, my worries seemed unfounded. I woke up to the smell of good food. Babur was humming a tune while making our nightly "Breakfast."

I left the tent to find her even bouncing around to the tune she was humming.

"You seem to be in a good mood."

"We're close to the ForestLands. I can smell it. After we get out of the swamps, there will still be dangers but nyot like this place. Fewer and farther between. There are friendly villages all over the forestlands, too. Mostly up in the tallest of trees."

"You sound well acquainted."

"I went there with Leo a lot when I was younger. It's like a giant playground. The trees are so tall that nya can hardly see the sky. Nya can even see the trees from my hometown."

"Do you live far from the Forestlands?"

"My village is in the middle of the Beast Lands. It's a central village where other villages come for important matters. It's not large compared to the cities we've been to but, It's almost as important for the other villages around. It's called Oofo Village."

After we finished our food and packed up, Babur looked like she wanted to say something.

"Yes?"

I asked.

"Ny-nyo-nothing..."

She moved on ahead. I raised a brow. Her "nothing" sounded wrong. She moved on ahead. I wasn't about to let it drop.

"What was that?"

"What?"

She asked without turning around or stopping.

"That 'Nothing' that you said. It sounded forced. It sounded wrong."

She pushed past some brush and let go of it just in time to let it smack me.

"I don't n...no... know what nya are... Shit."

"What's going on with you? I never heard you say shit before either."

She leaned up against a tree.

"My parents. They hate my speech habits."

"Habits?"

"Nya, knyow, nyow. It's nyot nyormal. I don't knyow where I got it from."

"So, what? You're practicing for when you see your parents again?"

"Nya. Do... Do you think it's annoying? The way I nyormally speak."

"No. It sounds natural for you. It took a little bit to get used to but, It's just you. I like it, even. Honestly, I kinda thought all of your people spoke like that."

"Nyeh hehe. No. Just me... And our village leader."

Babur started forward again. She hopped over a large fallen log while I simply lifted it and went under. When I let go, the crashing down scared away several birds and animals in the area.

"Maybe you got it from the leader?"

"I don't think so. I've nyever spent much time with grandpa."

"Grandpa? Is your family high in the social order?"

"Nyo, Just him. He had to undergo special trials to become a leader, just like the others. He isn't allowed to give special treatment to my family because of his status. That's part of why... Uh... We are just more villagers to him. My father is just a hunter and my mother skins and tans hides for leather to sell."

"I see..."

She was still hiding something from me. I didn't want to pry too much. I let up on my interrogations for now.

About an hour later, I could smell a fresh forest scent. It was overpowering the stench of the swamp. It was pleasant. Was this how Babur could tell that we were close?

The humidity started to fade and a cool fog began to surround us.

"It's near!"

She started to rush forward. I almost instantly lost sight of her. I began to move forward with haste in order to keep up with the sounds of her movement. I nearly crashed into a few trees along the way.

Suddenly the fog got so thick that I couldn't see my own hand in front of my face. I thought it was just a saying but this was real. I had to slow down and feel my steps.

"Come on, Lake! We're here!"

She sounded so close.

I pushed through the white mist and found myself in a dimly lit forest, free of the all-encompassing fog. I marveled at the massive size of the trees in front of me. These things were as tall as skyscrapers. Some, almost as wide as a skyscraper. The ground was covered in green moss and fallen tree leaves as far as one could see.

Behind me, the wall of fog had not left. I looked in both directions. It was as if there was an invisible wall stopping the fog from coming nearer. I couldn't see any trace of the swamps we just came out of. Another amazing sight.

"Lake. I want to go on ahead. I need to... take care of some things at home. I'm sure nya can find Oofo village on your own. Give me at least a few days?"

I gave her a nod.

"Sure?"

As if she had left a stove on somewhere, she took off and was out of sight within seconds.

I let out a sigh. I was abruptly alone. I looked up at the trees once more. I almost felt like I would get vertigo from looking up.

"What now?"

I asked myself.

Without so much as a plan, I started moving forward into the forest.