Later that day. Derek and Aesir thought it necessary to go buy food. It was the remaining money on hand and would probably not be enough but Tiny said she had been considering selling off their comic books and the duo swore that they would bring back food one way or another.
Derek and Aesir sat under the shade of a stall. Aesir pondered what to do to get money, while Derek on the other hand was more concerned about the family history of the Bahitis.
"You still thinking about that stuff?" Aesir asked. Derek had told his companions about the troubling issue with the Bahiti family. Tiny had advised them not to mingle with the issue since it was not their business While Madeline had been bugging about how he was able to see the other Kreem and they couldn't.
"No, not really. Okay, a little bit. I know that there is nothing we can do, but it is quite troubling don't you agree?"
"Ya, it is. I have heard of generational curses but this is the first time ever seen one. Am sure the Bahiti ancestor is probably rotting in hell right now. Am sure the souls of his children won't let him off so easily."
While there conversed, Derek noticed a black cat at the corner of the street. For some reason, he felt the need to approach it. Like it was calling to him. He told Aesir that he was coming back and needed to check out something. He followed it through an alley through curves and bends. Every time he felt he had lost sight of it, it would usually suddenly appear. it was more like it was leading him in by the nose.
Derek was still following the cat but after another bend, his eyes caught sight of a most unpleasant person and he immediately hid behind a wall. It was an old acquaintance. One that was unbearable to see. It was Ellen.
Questions ran through his head. He could not believe that that monster finally found them. He looked again and discovered she was the only one. If he could remember correctly and he did, the last time she came after them, She was with other people. He checked on her again, she looked to be asking questions to the stall owner.
She was dressed like any of the locals here, but that peaceful smile she was giving the stall owner could not deceive him. This was a nightmare from hell.
He immediately turned around in a dash, back to Aesir. He had totally forgotten what he was doing and the only thing that screamed in his mind was to run.
He got to the ever slacking Aesir and told him who he saw. Without dilly-dallying, they both hurried back to the house.
Madeline and Tiny were talking about something that seemed of relevance when the duo stormed into the room.
"We have to leave now," Derek said that one statement and proceeded to pack the comic books scattered on the floor.
Tiny was surprised and tried to ask Why, but Derek did not stop to explain and Madeline just kept on complaining of how they returned without food.
Aesir finally answered her and told her who Derek said he saw. She wanted to first doubt it. But then there was a knock on the door. It was Mrs Bahiti. She said a friend of there's was at the door waiting for them.
"Friend?"
Nobody remembered having any friends.
Without the need for more advice, the ever self-preserving Madeline packed up her tins in panic. She even wanted to go through the door, but Aesir pulled her back and the four of them left through the window.
Mrs Bahiti waited at the door for some time but nobody came to open the door. She knocked again and then opened it, but the room was totally empty.
There went through the bends of the alleys running in the opposite direction Derek had seen Ellen.
"Wait, where are we going?"
"Away from the maniac that wants our life," Aesir answered wondering why Madeline stopped.
"We can't go that way."
"Why?" They all looked at Madeline in puzzlement.
"Because I think I know who bast is."
Madeline had searched the internet and even hacked a few websites here and there. All to find any or everybody named bast that might tally with Derek's pendant. When Aesir and Derek ran into the room earlier on, She was and Tiny was talking about how it was disappointing nobody fit the description. But just now as the 'flight or fight' hormone kicked in, her ever zealousness for survival helped make speedy calculations in her head.
"You guys will not believe it if I tell you but it might be true. It might also explain Why we appeared in the museum when we first came here. There is no time to explain just follow me."
But as there did, two turns in their advance for the museum and they met a guest. Just waiting for them at the other end of the street. It was Ellen.
"Oh no! Run!" Derek screamed and pushed the slow Madeline out the way, just in time for Ellen's fire Whip to snake past her head.
Madeline looked behind her, to the wall that had crumbled to the sting of the whip and swallowed hard. Her life just flashed before her eyes. That brick wall should have been her head.
"Hey! You! the brat that keeps messing with my wavelength lantern. Where is Levinack?" The angry Ellen shouted as she threw her whip again after them.
They ran through different corners all the while trying to escape that whip that looked like it had a homing device.
Mean While...
back in the dungeons of the Fort behind the Kalandula Falls. Deep within the ground. The two guards assigned to watch after Maria were in the midst of gossip. There was nothing much to do here aside look after a heavily beaten woman and these guys were already suffocating with boredom. The older looking guard thought it necessary to update his colleague on the happenings.
"Did you hear? I heard that prisoner is noble."
"Yes! I did, They say she is of House Thembeka. Isn't that family the one that betrayed the Jade throne? The ones responsible for the 'War of Salvation."
"Correct, that same one. See let me tell you, I was there during the war. Those Thembekas were ruthless. The number of people that died was in the thousands..."
Maria on the other hand listened to their story as she lay silently on the spot. She too remembered the war. How could she not, her own elder brother started it. It was a bloody one. And his reason for doing it, just like any other in history was a woman. But that was not the problem. The problem was that the Thembeka family was nearly exterminated because of that rebellion.
She listened more in silence until a particular subject topic caught her interest and she suddenly moved. Her mind spun in realization. Earlier Erugard came together with her uncle Aaron to ask for her brother. She was too out of it realise then, but Erugard did say something about finding him.
She immediately called for the guards. They did not want to answer her at first but she immediately told them she knew where Levinack was.
A few minutes after a guard reported to Erugard through a rune on the wall, Erugard and Aaron came down to see her.
"So you are finally ready to talk?" Aaron asked, "So where is your brother?"
"It's not him." She muttered.
"Hmm... Do you take us for fools? You asked to see me and NOW! you say 'it's not him'? Do you really think I can't kill you and imprison your soul rune for the pleasure of torture?"
She pretended not to hear his threat, "You don't understand, It's not him. It's not Levinack. It's his son."
The moment Aaron heard what she said, he and Erugard looked at each other in surprise. "That's a lie. The wavelength says it is him. Are you trying to deceive us?"
"No, I am not. The wavelength lantern is wrong. It reads as Levinack because the boy is... human."