I flew straight into the air and continued towards the other side of the mountains positioning myself in the migrators way.
I landed gently and began to walk slowly.
'Are you sure it was them'? Ava asked me.
'I am sure, I recognize the mana signature'.
She had never met them so she wouldn't know.
'Are you sure we should meet up with them... what if they find me'?
'I'm not worried about that'.
'I'm more worried about getting west' I said thinking about the risk to reward ratio.
I don't know how these caravans got here, but they seem to know the way out.
'This means we don't have to deal with flying beasts' I told Ava.
The terrain is preferable for us with small hiding spots in between crevices and I was sure to get away if I met any beasts.
But they are few, the valley and waters to the east offer a fresher and plentiful land in comparison to the dry and cracked mountain peaks, whos only use was to collect sunlight and burn whoever stood on it.
I hear hooves galloping behind me and I shift moving out of the way to let them pass.
"Stop"! two riders unhooked their Skiles and are galloping towards me.
The scaled horse got close and when it sniffed me it slowed and turned its head towards the mountain side.
I smelled of grime and death.
I turned my head placing a hand on the hilt of my dagger.
The two are also equipped with some rope and chains.
They are both mixed race like me and when they slowed down I could see both men inspecting me carefully.
"Do we have a problem"? I asked not realizing how dry my throat was.
They didn't answer and continued to inspect me even going so far as to try and flank me to my right.
I walked up towards the Skile with the intention of killing it and it's master the moment it let me get close enough.
"No reason boy, we mistook you for another" the man whos skile was standing still nodded his head and they headed back.
'What was that about'? Ava asked.
'They probably thought I was beast-kin'.
I gave them a wide birth for passage and continued to linger slowly.
As long as I kept following the passing caravans I would run into Rumi and Alia.
***
"I can't believe it" Rumi turned his head southwest towards the end of the fleeing merchants of Undia.
Alia also turned her head abruptly leaving all the children confused and afraid as they are traveling over the mountain side to save time and catch up with the rest of the group.
The children did not know that if they lost the migraters, they would more than likely be lost in the mountain the ones they where travelling with where killed by the Cro as they travelled through the trail to get to this maze.
Alia and Rumi had no idea where they are going and wouldn't stick around if they lost the migrating group, more than likely flying out once they found the situation to be unsalvageable.
The body of a young boy walking slowly with the group of migraters came into view when they reached the top of the side mountain.
It has been five months since they have all left the Village and three months since they had seen the boy once thought to be dead in an Um's belly.
Alias stunned expression turned into anger when she noticed the clothes he was wearing came from House Inka.
She leaned forward jumping down the mountain side and sliding down using thick pulses of mana to move the sharp rocks out of her way.
"Uh-oh" Rumi chuckled as he watched her go and gestured for the others to follow him down in a much more controlled pace.
A wide smile was plastered on Rumis face as he thought of the Runt that had the most potential in the group.
***
I played it cool and went over the story in my head.
If they spot me while I am walking it would be best, if they choose to ignore me I will ignore them and continue west.
If they stop me I have my story ready.
Hopefully they stop me when we reach the mountain pass that way I can build some relationships with the travelers and make my story seem legitimate.
But all the travelers are weary of strangers and giving me a wide birth when coming around me, not even one stopped to make conversation.
When I tried to approach a wagon carried by six skiles the people around it drew blades and stared me down as they continued walking.
I heard the steps first, turning my head I jump backwards missing the hand that was extending out like a claw to grab me.
Alia clicked her tongue and began to walk towards me with a look on her face that demanded I draw my blade.
'What in the fuck, if I knew she wanted to kill me I wouldn't have stopped and kept flying west' I thought to myself while taking more steps back.
"That's right little traitor, run" she said as her scowl turned into a face of rage.
She began to collect her mana I could feel pulses coming from her until Rumi appeared and stood right in front of her.
"We don't know his story yet" he said placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Look at his robes, obviously he is serving another House" Alia said while pointing at me.
"We don't know that yet" he replied.
He turned his head and looked at me with my daggers unsheathed and narrow eyes and gave me the same goofy smile he gave me when we first me.
"How did you survive"? Rumi asked.
"Am I supposed to apologies for living"? I asked while taking another step back.
"How did you survive"? Rumi and Alia asked at the same time.
I stayed silent, I wasn't going to be sucker punched.
"Seriously kid how did you get out of that mess" Rumi stared at me while clasping Alias's shoulder a little tighter.
"Luck, I got sucked into the whirlpool, but an Um picked me up it didn't seem like it was trying to eat me but was escaping".
"I hung on as it dragged me under the sand".
"I held on for my life until it rose out from the sand and shot me a good distance south but not before leaving me half dead".
I paused for dramatic affect and looked at Alia making sure she knew the Um wasn't the only thing that left me for dead.
"I used the rest of the mana liquid and after healing condensed this" I shot a thumb size hazy mana core out of my chest.
It looked exactly like it was when I was a baby.
When I condensed my mana to accumulate my aura the energy from my outer mana core would seep into my inner core leaving the outer one looking empty and hazy.
"Well I'll be…" Rumi said he shook his head and laughed loud enough to startle the passerby's some of which had stopped a good distance away to take a look at the squabble.
He walked over to me and clasped my shoulder oblivious to my discomfort with physical contact.
I shrug him off and sheath my daggers that he keenly inspects.
"How old are you kid"? he asked me.
"Thirteen winters" I lied calmly before adding "May I have some water"?
He tossed me his full water skin "How did you make it last"? he pointed at my empty water skin attached to my small pack.
"I moved the water into it when it rained" I replied.
"Resourceful, lucky and talented" he nodded in approval.
Rumi was unexpectedly overjoyed at having me back and so was everyone else.
I was a little taken aback especially when I saw Yuit looking at me with wet eyes.
"You okay? I don't remember hurting your feelings" I said to him as his tears rolled down making him laugh as they do.
"Thank you" he said after wiping his eyes.
"Glad your okay" I smiled while Alia stared at me with suspicion.