As the team disembarked onto the deserted land, a wave of heat hit them, the sun's golden rays beating down relentlessly. Sparse, twisted trees that looked dead than alive loomed from a distance. Tall rocky mountains loomed in the background, casting long shadows across the barren land.
Henry grimaced at the sight. "So the south is nothing but desert," he remarked, his voice filled with disappointment. "And I thought the sea sickness was bad."
Diana, however, remained optimistic. "Not entirely. The south isn't just desert. Mistol is not far from here; we just need to trek a few miles inland."
Zack, squinting in the harsh sunlight, voiced a more immediate concern. "We should get some water... A lot of water."
Aspens, nodding in agreement, turned back towards the boat to retrieve the jar of water.
✨🌙✨
The team arrived at a stream of water, a bridge crossing over it and leading to a forest nearby.
"We're almost there," Diana announced, gesturing for the team to follow the bridge over the water.
"So, what will the Lord of Mistol do to help with the crisis?" Zack inquired as they crossed the bridge, following the pathways into the forest.
"I don't know... We just need to break the news to him. I'm afraid of his reaction, though, considering magic is deemed evil and punishable," Diana replied calmly.
"So, he will not take a liking to Aspens?" Zack's brows furrowed in concern.
Aspens pressed her lips into a thin line, her gaze fixed ahead, trying to avoid the conversation.
"Lucas said something about them being killed for it... Shouldn't she have stayed back?" Henry's voice raised in volume, showing his worry.
"There's no need to worry. Individuals without powers lack the ability to sense a magic user," Diana assured them. "As long as Aspens doesn't use her powers, she's safe... But I will try to convince him to see from a different perspective."
Aspens sighed, adjusting her bag around her shoulders. "So I shouldn't bring out my potion, then," she said.
"Yes," Diana confirmed.
✨🌙✨
The team finally emerged from the forest, their eyes widening at the sight of the deserted and destroyed village. Pillars lay on the ground, roofs were dismantled, windows shattered, and crops trampled in the fields. The grass and farmland lay pure black and stale, resembling ashes scattered on the ground.
"That's not good," Henry remarked, his brow furrowed in concern.
"Not at all," Zack agreed, his expression mirroring Henry's.
Aspens dashed into the village, her eyes scanning every corner, the others trailing behind her.
"There's no one here," Aspens reported, her voice filled with worry.
"We have to figure out what happened here," Diana declared, taking charge of the situation.
"Aspens, go with Zack and search that side of the village," Diana instructed, pointing to the left. "Henry and I will take this side."
Zack and Aspens nodded, quickly heading to the other side of the village.
"This village is huge. It will take a while to search," Henry observed, noting the vastness of the area.
"That won't be a problem. It's obvious the organization caused this," Diana remarked confidently as she began searching the village, with Henry assisting her.
Aspens and Zack stepped cautiously through the wreckage inside one of the cottages, carefully navigating the debris and shattered glass. Aspens's sharp eyes caught sight of a broken glass bottle on the ground, surrounded by a pool of green liquid.
"I found something," Aspens called out to Zack, beckoning him over.
Zack hurried to her side and examined the spilt bottle. "I have no idea what this is."
"It's a potion," Aspens stated confidently, recognizing the liquid.
"What kind of potion is this?" Diana inquired, joined by Henry and Zack as they examined the spilt liquid.
"It's a sleeping potion, similar to the one Thalia and I used on those people in the forest," Aspens explained, recognizing the potion's properties.
"So, it's likely that an Alans was here," Diana deduced, frustration evident in her voice. "Probably sent by the organization."
"If it's a sleeping potion, then the villagers must not be dead, right?" Henry asked, seeking reassurance.
"That's probably right," Zack agreed, nodding in understanding.
"Aspens, we need one of your potions," Diana requested, turning to Aspens for assistance.
Aspens nodded, making her way to sit by a corner on the ground. She opened her bag and began searching through it, looking for the necessary potion.
"All this is useless," Aspens sighed, frustration evident in her voice, as she rummaged through her bag. "I don't think I have the time or materials to make another potion." She joined the team as they left the run-down cottage, her eyes scanning the desolate surroundings.
"And this environment is not suitable for potion-making," Aspens grimaced, taking in the broken cottages, barren farmland, and twisted trees.
"So what are we going to do now?" Henry sighed, voicing the team's collective concern.
Suddenly, a figure darted into a broken cottage at the corner of Zack's eye, causing him to shift his gaze in that direction.
"Huh? Did you all see that?" Zack questioned, his eyes scanning the area.
"What did you see?" Henry asked, his hand instinctively moving towards his swords.
Zack didn't respond verbally but walked towards the broken cottage, his movements deliberate and focused. As he reached the cottage, he let out a sigh of relief.
"I guess it was just... me," Zack said, turning back to the group with a grin.
"No... I can sense an extra energy source," Aspens said urgently, her eyes closed as she concentrated.
Aspens's words put the team on high alert. Diana quickly assessed the situation, her eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. Henry stood at the ready, his swords drawn and his muscles tense, ready to defend his team. Zack froze before he also drew his swords.
"They are still in the cottage," Aspens said to Zack, her eyes opened.
"It will be my pleasure," Zack said smiling, preparing to enter the cottage.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the run-down cottage, his hand up and his face down as he shook and shivered in fear. Dirt was smudged on his face and clothes.
"I'm out! Please don't hurt me," the young boy said in fear, avoiding eye contact.
Zack dropped his smile and swords as he stared at the boy in concern.
"Sorry...We are not here to hurt you," Zack assured him, making the boy raise his face slowly as he dropped his hand down gently.
"Do you know what happened here?" Diana asked the young boy as she walked toward him, with others trailing behind.
"Some people...with these powers....some were lifting objects and people in the sky, some held glasses filled with strange liquids and others used these green-like veins to trap us," the young boy choked.
"And your Lord and the remaining villagers?" Diana said.
"We are safe...They took some people away though," the boy said, whispering the last bit softly.
Aspens handed the boy the jar of water, noticing his dry throat. "Here, drink," she said gently as her eyes narrowed at him in deep concentration. The boy collected the jar drinking it with no hesitation.
"I need to speak with your Lord. Take me to him," Diana said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
The boy hesitated, shifting nervously on his feet. "I-I, what if your intentions..."
"We're not here to harm anyone. We know what's happening. Just trust us. I'm Diana, the Lord of Lunaria from the east region," Diana said, her smile soft and reassuring.
"Okay... if you say so," the boy replied, his expression still wary but more open. He turned his back, leading them away from the decaying village.
✨🌙✨
The team arrived at a tall brown rocky mountain, surrounded by tall black trees they all stared at it in confusion.
"This is a mountain," Henry said, staring at the mountain in a blank expression.
The young boy walked towards the mountain as he tried to pull away a big boulder, grunting in agony.
"H-help." The boy pleaded.
Henry walked towards him pulling the boulder with him revealing a big dark hole.
"Oh, nice." Zack grinned
"A big dark hole," Aspens said, her eyes squinted.
"We should start heading in." Diana drew their attention as they all entered the hole.
✨🌙✨
As they embarked into the dark hole, the team noticed a ray of light slipping from the ends, as they arrived at the ending of the long dark hole, Stepping into the light, their eyes adjusted to the brightness as they finally noticed the bustling scene in front of them.
The cave was large in height and weight, lanterns hung from the ceilings casting a warm glow. Wooden posts were scattered everywhere, and crates were arranged in the far corners filled with fruits, pastries and food. Villagers sat on the benches as they tended to their injuries.
"Interesting," Diana stated observing the villagers chatting and sitting in front of her.
A young woman noticed the team, her eyes widening in shock. "We have impostors here!" she cried out, drawing the villagers' attention.
"They are with me," the young man interjected, stepping forward to calm the panicked villagers.
"Why would you bring strangers here to our cave?" a voice bellowed in anger.
"I-I..." the young boy stuttered, as the angry villagers began hurling insults.
"Enough!" a commanding voice echoed from the far end of the cave, silencing the villagers instantly.
"Step aside and let me see our guests," the voice commanded again. Diana grinned as the villagers parted, creating a path for the voice to approach.
"Diana, it's great to have you here," chuckled an elderly man, drawing curious stares from the villagers.
The man rushed to Diana, engulfing her in a tight hug. Diana winced in discomfort at the embrace, which elicited a chuckle from Henry.
"It's good to see you, Talmai," Diana replied, patting his back to signal for him to release her.
"Good job you brought back something valuable," Talmai said to the young boy making him smile in relief.
Talmai shifted his gaze to Henry, Zack and Aspens behind Diana making him furrow his brows in question.
"Whose the guest? Talmai asked curious about their presence.
"Henry, Zack and Aspens." Diana introduced them, gesturing to them respectively. "They are here with me...We need to discuss an urgent matter."
"I was hoping the same thing. You're a fast thinker." Talmai said to Diana.
"Please young boy lead them to the private lounge and accompany them. I will be there soon." Talmai said to the young boy, his hands on his shoulders.
"Yes," the young boy said, gesturing for the team to follow him as Talmai turned to continue his previous task.
"So, what's your name?" Aspens asked.
"Richard," he said softly, leading them towards the far corner of the cave where a long curtain hung on the stony walls.
Richard held the curtains, opening them for the team to enter. The small cave had wooden chairs in front of a desk filled with papers and scrolls, with a chair behind it.
"You can sit... if you want," Richard said, watching them stare at the room.
"Thank you, Richard," Diana said to him with a soft smile as she sat in one of the chairs.
The team and Richard sat and stood there in silence, waiting for Talmai to arrive.
"I'm here. What would you like to discuss?" Talmai said quickly as he entered, going to sit in the chair behind the desk.
"Villagers across the regions are being attacked, your village clearly being part of it," Diana said, getting straight to the point. Richard shivered at the revelation as he stood close to the exit, staring at the scene.
"Oh... I know. That's why this cave system was built. I was preparing for this day," Talmai said.
"Preparing? Were you aware this would happen, sir?" Aspens asked.
"Yes... Well, months ago, an anonymous letter was left in my lounge telling me about an attack on the village," Talmai said.
"And you believed... What if it was a prank?" Henry questioned.
"Usually, I wouldn't believe such letters. But the content piqued my interest. It spoke of people controlling plants, and the moon, and breaking bottles filled with various coloured and textured liquids... Alan was planning to attack the village," Talmai said, his expression grave, capturing everyone's attention in the room.
"In this day and age, few know of individuals with such magical abilities, which means—" Talmai began, only to be interrupted by Henry.
"It wasn't a prank or a ploy," Henry stated firmly.
"Exactly. So, for months, I hired specialists to build these caves in case such events occurred. The letter didn't specify when it would happen, so we weren't completely prepared," Talmai explained, a tinge of sadness in his voice.
"That makes sense. But my question is, how did the anonymous person know about this?" Diana asked, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"Perhaps they overheard their plans, maybe even worked for them," Talmai speculated with a shrug.
"The initial plan wasn't to attack villagers using magic. It was to cause gradual damage in the targeted village," Diana added.
"The region of the South," Aspens spoke up, garnering everyone's attention. "The Crossroads. These individuals can see various paths of possibilities, predicting major events through different paths."
"So, you're saying the writer of the anonymous letter has the powers of the Crossroads?" Zack inquired, turning towards Aspens.
"Yes," Aspens confirmed, her gaze briefly flickering towards Richard, whose head was bowed.
"A magic user in my village!" Talmai exclaimed, jumping up from his chair.
"Talmai, calm down—" Diana began, but she was immediately cut off.
"And what if there was a magic user in your village? Aren't they the reason why you built these refugee caves for your people?" Aspens retorted, standing up to face him directly.
"You dare speak to your elders in such a way? My hatred towards them is justified," Talmai countered.
"With all due respect, a lord is meant to act rational and logical, not let petty emotions cloud his reasoning," Aspens hissed, her tone sharp.
"They attacked my village," Talmai stated firmly.
"They also helped you," Aspens reminded him.
The room fell silent, tension thick between the two parties. Diana cleared her throat anxiously, drawing their attention back to her.
"We shouldn't dwell on who the anonymous person is. Let's focus on our plan," Diana suggested, her gaze softening as she looked at Aspens.
Aspens groaned in frustration, leaving the lounge immediately, casting a knowing glance at Richard, who quickly averted his gaze.
Talmai sank back into his chair, rubbing his eyes. "Teenagers," he muttered.
"She doesn't understand. We should discuss these magic users to make the youths understand their abomination," Talmai suggested aloud.
Henry scoffed loudly at his words, and Zack stood up, leaving the room quietly.
"Anyway," Diana continued after Zack's departure, "we think it's best if we move to the North. They haven't been affected for some mysterious reason."
"You mean surrender? No. Let's make a plan of attack," Talmai suggested with a wicked grin.
"Attacking won't help," Diana replied, her brows furrowed.
"It will. These events occurred because we didn't do anything about those people roaming freely," Talmai argued bluntly.
"Didn't do anything? You mean the decades of killing, hunting, and segregating them was us doing nothing?" Henry retorted, his anger rising.
"With them now having the mind to attack us, yes, it did nothing," Talmai insisted.
"Talmai, all those years of pain and suffering those people endured caused all this. You shouldn't have this mindset," Diana admonished, her voice rising.
"Not you too, Diana. I trained you better," Talmai said.
"I... I..." Richard stammered, drawing their attention to him.
"Attacking them would be futile, sir," Richard said shyly, causing Henry and Diana to smile at him.
"And how would you know? You're just a child, an orphan child. Leave at once," Talmai dismissed him, his frustration evident.
"Attacking them would lead to the genocide of the village and the destruction of nature in various regions," Richard explained before leaving the room.
"I'm guessing that's our anonymous person," Henry remarked.
"And he can predict various outcomes," Diana added, addressing Talmai.
"Will you kill him, now that you know he has such an ability?" Diana confronted Talmai.
"Magic corrupts people, making them violent and reckless," Talmai stated.
"And the young boy is violent in your eyes?" Diana asked.
"They caused damage to my—" Talmai began.
"We also caused years of damage. I watched as my parents banned magic users from Lunaria and did nothing but watch. The hangings, burnings, the orphans being created. But we don't hold ourselves accountable," Diana said passionately.
"We will take the boy with us. If you don't want a magic user in your village, Lord Talmai," Diana declared, standing up with Henry following her lead.
"But you can never avoid them, Talmai, because there are magic users in these caves. They just haven't realized it yet," Diana added before leaving the room, leaving Talmai alone to contemplate her words.
✨🌙✨
Aspens sits on the far corners of the caves, her gaze distant as she watches the villagers tending to their daily lives. Her face is drawn, showing signs of sadness. Zack stands afar, his head turning each second, his eyes focused as he searches for someone. Finally, he notices Aspens walking towards her slowly before sitting beside her quietly.
"How are you doing, kid?" Zack jokes, trying to lighten the mood.
"Why do you insist on calling me kid? I'm 13, that's like an adult," Aspens protests with a pout, though her voice carries a hint of melancholy.
"Sure, sure," Zack grins, but his expression softens as he sees the sadness in Aspens' eyes.
"I miss Thalia," Aspens whispers softly, her voice tinged with longing. "I feel so isolated and alone now... No one to relate to."
"Because of the magic thing, huh?" Zack asks, his brows furrowed in thought.
Aspens nods, her sadness palpable. "She stuck by my side. I wasn't really harmed or hunted by anyone. Well, my parents did abandon me once they realized my power," she chuckles bitterly.
"Didn't they have powers too?" Zack asks, trying to understand.
"Apparently not, seems like it's not hereditary, just regional-based and luck," Aspen answers, her voice filled with resignation.
"I'm sure Thalia misses you... I mean, she's going to feel strange in enemy territory now," Zack assures Aspens, trying to comfort her.
"I hope she's doing well... But if we do figure out their plan, what's next? For people like me," Aspens asks, seeking reassurance from Zack.
"You will be fine. You have Thalia, Diana, Henry, and me. And we are going to fight for your freedom no matter the cost," Zack says, giving her a warm smile before getting up and offering his hand to her.
"Come on, Kid," Zack calls out, eliciting a chuckle from Aspens before she takes his hand and gets up. Zack playfully ruffles her hair, making Aspens groan in annoyance at the act.
"Are you okay?" Richard's voice calls out to them, interrupting their moment.
Zack and Aspens turn their attention to him as he speaks.
"I'm fine," Aspens answers Richard's question. "You're the anonymous person, right?"
Zack furrows his brows in confusion, coughing to gain Aspens' attention. "He's the one or...?"
"He has an aura of the south and especially of the powers of the crossroads," Aspens answers, noting Richard's aura.
"Yes, but don't say it loudly for everyone to hear!" Richard warns her frantically, looking around to see if anyone heard.
"Richard," Diana's voice calls out, and the three turn their attention to her and Henry as they approach.
"Your help is needed... I need you to tell me all the paths you have come across," Diana asks urgently.