Chapter Ten.

More than half way through the journey, Ourine fell asleep Rishio couldn't blame gur, the journey was the longest the child had ever taken. Besides, it was actually better that way as the more Ourine does not know the way to where they are going the better for both of them.

What Rishio did not account for when traveling with a child are the many stops they had to make due to the child's whining, as a result they did not arrive at their destination at dawn as planned but at mid-day much to Rishio's disapproval.

Adjusting the child's position on Ryok so that gur would be facing yey'r thus laying against yey'r stomach with gur's back towards Ryok's head, Rishio slowed Ryok to a trot as they approached the edge of a forest. If yey was right the hidden passage would be right infront of them unless it was moved, again. It had been a couple of years since yey visted the place.

After scanning the area for some minutes, Rishio released a defeated sigh,

It wasn't called the Lost Village for nothing, Rishio thought to yey'r self as yey continued to look for the hidden passage.

The Lost Village was known to quite a chosen few, to the public it does not exist and the inhabitants would very much like to keep it that way. After the fore alphas and omegas decided to live together, a few omegas did not agree with that idea therefore they separated themselves from the others and went in hiding in the forests of what was the previous land of Myra, there they formed a village which was called the Lost Village as it could not be found by the alphas who went looking for the "lost omegas" as they called them.

It was not lost per say as those who inhabitants did not want to find it would never find it but those who were welcomed by the omegas especially other omegas always found it.

Rishio found it as a courtesy of yey'r fighting instructor and teacher from the pits, an older alpha who on the other hand was accepted into the village because gur partnered with an omega from the Lost Village. They met each other in the Pits where they both met Rishio and as thanks to yey'r for not killing the omega and helping yey'r escape, they provided sanctuary for Rishio when yey needed to lay low after yey'r life in the Pits. They assured yey'r yey was always welcomed back when yey decided to leave, Rishio hopes that offer still stands especially now yey has company.

As yey'r eyes were scanning the forest before yey'r, yey noticed something quite peculiar. There was a shrub that was blooming, however that particular shrub cannot survive in these forests, it only survives near the sea which was quite literally on the other side of the land from where they presently are. Directing Ryok to the direction of the shrub they slowly and cautiously approached it, Rishio knew that it can be their way in or a trap set up for nosy alphas, either way there was one way to find out.

Rishio could sense Ryok's confusion as he could not understand why his master was urging him forward while there was no way before him, did yey want him to go into the forest?

But by receiving a reassuring pat on his back from his master made him go forward. Rishio held on tight to Ourine with one hand while the other was on Ryok's reins, ready to move back on the appearance of danger.

With each heartbeat that seemed to match with Ryok's steps, they continued forward, in silence as the midday sun mercilessly beat down them and a distant shriek of a creature was heard by them coming from the barren lands that lay behind them.

When Ryok's muzzle made first contact with the vegetation near the shrub, it went through. Not through the vegetation bit through what seemed like a screen of the vegetation. This made Ryok jump back with a surprised whine rocking Rishio and Ourine back and forth making Ourine mutter something but not enough to wake gur.

" Hey calm down boy, you are not hurt see," Rishio said to Ryok trying to calm him down seeing he was quite startled. After a few seconds of Rishio's gentle shushing he calmed down but was not oh so eager to go near the forest again.

Casting a long and calculated look at where spooked Ryok, Rishio now understood what was going on.

It was a hologram, well not the whole forest but the passage was hidden by a hologram of vegetation that imitated those near it. The only clue to where the passage was, was the tiny shrub that did not belong.

Excited that they found the passage, yey urged Ryok forward but Ryok did not share yey'r excitement, for all he knew he could have died.

Seeing Ryok's uneasiness Rishio tried to coax him in by a bribe,

"Once we get there, I will feed you only the best chicken meat available."

Now you see,Ryok was a simple creature, as he thought of himself, once promised a good meal he will do anything. Do not be confused his loyalty lies with his master that's why he believed yey'r running towards the forest in the and jumped direction his master directed knowing his life was in perfect hands, that and the meal he was promised.

As the crossed the hologram, a bright light flashes in their eyes to the point it temporary blinded them, making Rishio think that the hologram was not just for decorative and camouflage purposes, but it was gone in a flash as Ryok made it to the other side landing on a stone path.

As their sight adjusted with a shake of their heads, Rishio blinked a few times as yey examined their surroundings.

Infront of them was a straight stone path that was bordered by the forests on both sides, where it lead to Rishio could not see as the light was quite dim thanks to the heavy canopy above them, even at midday.

On the trees that bordered the path, there were lights that were off, probably they get turned on at night when total darkness dominated the forest.

The air was damp and warm and the forest was quiet. Not believing that they were alone Rishio knew that there must be someone watching them, the passage cannot be unguarded.

Ryok seemed to have gained his senses back with the way he was sniffing the air, a thing beasts did to check whether there were in other beasts territory. With a slight jab on his side Rishio urged him forward but this time a slow walk was initiated.

"Rishy?" Ourine called out to Rishio, the silence seemed to have woke gur.

"Are we there yet?" Ourine asked, a question which Rishio had heard over a million times on there way. Honestly yey loathed those four words that were put together to form that sentence.

Smiling down at the still sleepy child who was rubbing gur's eyes trying to open them, Rishio gave gur a nod that answered gur's question. Ourine's now wide opened eyes gleamed as gur quickly whipped gur's head around and excitedly look at where they were.

Gur's excitement died as all gur saw was trees.

" Are you sure?" The child asked the omega as gur looked at Rishio full of skepticism.

Rishio chuckled and went to answer the child as movement a short distance before them caught yey'r eyes.

Yey quickly closed yey'r mouth, yey'r eyes turning to steel and yey'r body tightening up preparing for a confrontation, if need be.

Ourine saw the change in the omega's demeanor and quickly looked behind to see what or who could possibly be the cause of Rishio's change.

As they approached what caused the disturbance, Ourine could see a blurry figure of a human before them. As the got closer, gur saw that it was not just any human but an alpha was before them, standing legs slightly apart with what looked like a spear in one hand with gur's wings tucked in.

What made Ourine even more confused was the colour of gur's tucked wings, it was the same as gur's. Ourine saw few alphas around gur, Orish was an alpha but gur had black wings so did all the other alpha kids around gur. This was the only alpha who had the same colour of wings as gur.

As a child finally finding someone similar to gur, Ourine was excited and gur wanted to share gur's excitement with Rishy.

Gur looked up to yey'r, almost bursting out of gur's seams with excitement, to share gur's discovery with Rishy bit quickly stopped when gur saw that Rishio's demanour become even more stiffer than it already was.

Ourine cast a look at Rishio then back at the alpha as Ryok stopped almost a metre from gur. The tense atmosphere between them clearly told Ourine that then was not the best time to share gur's discovery.

Something was wrong, something was very wrong. Rishio thought as yey looked at the alpha before yey'r. Yey could not see gur's face because of the helmet gur had won.

The alpha was dressed in the commander's attire, the highest rank that existed in the army of the Lost Village.

Which made no sense as no alpha was ever given such a rank in the village, most alpha children did not even want to go in the army and when they did they were just normal shoulders never in a position of power. This only meant one thing, Rishio concluded that alphas had overthrown the Lost Village.

They could turn back, but where would they go? They cannot go back to the capital as it's not safe especially now that Ebmiram would come back for Ourine. They cannot survive the barren lands another night as all their food and water was finished and Ryok and the child were too tired from traveling overnight, yey could not do that to them.

" Omega identify yourself!" The alpha barked out the order wrenching Rishio out of yey'r thoughts.

Rishio cast a look at the confident alpha and yey knew that the only way out of what ever was going on, was to get in the Lost Village and see it's state for yey'r self then plan for a way out from there.

"Maastriel Rishio," yey started with false confidence startled at the look of recognition the alpha gave yey'r after hearing yey'r name. Putting that aside as a a trick of the light yey continued,

" This is my child Maastriel Ourine." Rishio gestured at the alpha child who looked confused as to what was happening,

"We have come to pay a visit to my old Teacher, alpha..."

" Ejana." Rishio looked confused with the alpha's knowledge of yey'r previous fighting instructor's name.

A short silence prevailed which was broken by the alpha as gur removed gur's helmet revealing the signature amber yellow eyes of alpha's that were almost hidden by a curtain of long dreadlocks adorned gur's head.

With a small shake of gur head to completely free gur's hair from the position it had taken when it was confined by the helmet, the alpha looked up at a very confused Rishio and introduced gurself,

" I am Esiana Layieni, a pleasure to finally meet you Number 15."

Right then at the mention of yey'r past name, terror seized Rishio's whole body making yey'r a slave to its menacing claws.