The first thing I notice is the frame of the children has changed and everyone moved effortlessly.
No one slouched or tarried, they didn't even look around focusing solely on Rumi and Alia.
They walked behind the two mages as if they are used to long travel because they are.
'Just like the humanoids from my rock life' I thought.
'Is this a universal mage training regimen'? Ava asked me.
'Who knows' I replied.
'I just hope they don't try and punish me for living, one can never truly know another's motive or intentions' I thought.
I glanced at the back of the two mages.
'Let's get through today first, one step at a time' Ava replied.
"What happened after you condensed your mana core"? Rumi asked.
The other two children one Terra and one Olim girl perked their ears.
"I walked, for as long as I could until I couldn't anymore"
"That's when a mage found me and took me to a sand river where we boarded something called a sand rider and she gave me new clothes".
I pointed at the robes I was wearing in comparison to their cloaks.
"I came to Undia and I am traveling west following these people" I gestured to the group of merchants moving around us.
"What did this mage look like" Rumi asked.
"Dark skin and yellow eyes" I replied.
Alia 'tsked' and turned around walking west and following the caravan of people.
Rumi nodded and pointed his finger upwards, the Zefria equivalent to a thumbs up.
"Your really brave, I would have been too scared to continue on the journey alone" Yuit said while walking next to me.
They are all still shocked at finding me alive and in the mountains non the less.
"It's even scarier back in Undia… did you see the size of that beast"? One of the girls spoke up.
I didn't know who as I kept my attention on the mages in front of us, but the mention of a beast caught my ear.
She continued to tell the story of how they arrived at Undia to find it being assaulted by a monster forcing them to run north west and climb the Jagged Edge side mountain.
"I don't believe a single word out of that filthy urchins mouth" Alia said as she followed the merchants.
She would have stopped one of them and interrogated them if she didn't want to scare them off.
"How many mages do you know that would help a half dead runt for nothing in return".
"If he is lying about the mage then he is deceiving us and if he is telling the truth he must have sworn his allegiance to another House besides Kiseson".
"Our goal is already met we have Yuit, any more mages are just a extras".
"Are you saying we should leave him behind"? Rumi asked while keeping stride next to her.
"No, we should nip it in the bud".
Rumi shook his head, "That isn't our decision to make".
Alia rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say but remember I will be letting the great mages know of this including your uncle Yumi".
"Do not mention that vile filth in my presence" he said all traces of his carefree attitude are gone.
Following the merchants gave the optical illusion that we are travelling through a sea of granite.
Bend after bend was glittered with different granite substances.
When the last embers of light begin to dwindle we stop for the night.
Rumi comes to me while I am huddled in a fire with the rest of the children.
He hands me a full bottle of mana liquid.
"Use this wisely".
"Thank you" I said and he shook his head.
"Thank whoever saved you, did they tell you their name or what house they come from"?
I shook my head and he continued to look into my eyes.
"Do you want to spar I can teach you a few things" he said suddenly.
I shake my head under the astonishment of Yuit and the two girls.
"No thank you" he looks at me surprised before grinning and walking off.
I do not need him poking around and getting suspicious when fighting me.
Old Bund's words echoing in my mind.
'Your kills are too clean'.
"Why did you say no"? The Terran girl name Leen asked.
"I'm really tired… and hungry" my stomach rumbled right on que making them all laugh.
"It wouldn't have been any different if you where with us… Romino died of thirst along the way" the Olim girl named Fooya said her brown hair falling and covering her eyes underneath the hood.
"You might have been better off..." Leen said.
I smiled letting her put together whatever story she wanted.
Any good lie was kept simple if they had more questions I would answer with a yes or no.
Their words turned the atmosphere heavy, it seems as if these kids went through a lot.
"How much further do we have to go"? I asked taking advantage of this new found comradery.
Before I was lost they treated me like a germ or a runt.
"Once we reach the mountain pass and cross it, it will be the beginning of our journey to the Boone Empire" Yuit said and continued on.
"We will pass another stretch of desert followed by the Forest of Two Kings, only then will we reach the Boone Empires borders" his words made the shoulders of the Leen and Fooya droop.
"You don't look worried at all" Yuit said with a crooked smile.
"I'm just glad I'm alive" I responded back with my own half smile.
They all nodded, as far as what Alia said it was impossible to stay alive once lost in the desert.
We closed our eyes one by one and got some rest while we could.
I closed my eyes and maintained my awareness grateful for the respite but also aware of the dangers that came in the form of my fellow man.
"Hey" Yuit came and sat next to the stone I was resting my head on.
I got up and he smiled, "I don't think I can thank you enough for saving my life".
'You can thank me with some food' is what I thought.
"I'm glad to see your still alive, I wasn't expecting things to be so tough" I said sitting cross legged.
He nodded with eyes wide.
"It's like they are trying to kill us" he whispered.
"What do you mean" I asked in an even lower tone.
"I've seen how powerful they are but they just make us guess though everything".
"They didn't even tell us how long we would be on the sand rider and Romino died of thirst because she didn't refill her water skin in Luca" he didn't mention how no one would share water.
I listened carefully as he listed off how one child after the other died along their journey.
"I mean it could all be prevented if we just knew about it" he said rubbing his temple.
'Well now you know' I thought but stayed quiet.
"We should get some rest; first light will come soon" Yuit said sounding exasperated after taking advantage of the free therapy.
I was going to respond with some positive reinforcement but a sound that I felt deep in my mind and in my eardrums resounded throughout the mountain ranges.
Oskana.