Chapter 34 - Lost Kid

The day started with a strange feeling. Unable to see outside the group awoke a little groggy and confused. There were lights outside from the electricity the dwarves had produced with their generators.

That, mixed with the talk of the people outside, was the only indicator that it was daytime. Doric looked to his group and remembered the kid who had been lost for two days now. He felt a little bad that he did not immediately go rescue the kid, but he also had a lot on his mind.

"I think we should head to Cordo Creek first." was the first thing he said while everyone was stretching the tired out of their bones.

"What's at Cordo Creek?" Skia asked having never heard that name before.

"A boy went missing a few days ago and the ones looking for him said that was the last known location. I would feel bad if we waited any longer so I think we should head there first." Doric was rising in the air now cracking his jawbone as he yawned.

"Sounds good to me! Where is it?" Nyssa smiled as she stood up out of bed. She felt a lot better after a good night's sleep. Not 100% yet but she was getting there. 

Doric just realized that he was told the location's name but not where it was located at. He clicked his teeth and moved to the door of the room, opening it and looking for Felchio. 

"I actually don't know. Perhaps Felchio can tell us." 

Nyssa and Skia both looked at each other with confusion. They followed Doric and saw that Felchio was preparing breakfast. For those who could smell it, it made their mouths water instantly. 

Doric could tell the food was good because the food-obsessed Nyssa was already trying to prepare a plate for herself.

"Shouldn't you wait to be offered it before digging in, Nyssa?" Doric tried to scold her but Felchio laughed it away.

"Not at all, help yourselves to as much as you want. I made extra for all of you!" Felchio flipped a pancake in the air moving a plate to catch it as it landed. He slid the plate onto the table and Nyssa grabbed a few and started munching on them.

Skia bowed for a short moment "Thanks for the food." She would quickly say as she sat down and grabbed some of the scrambled eggs and bacon. She could almost not contain herself as she took a bite and felt excited. 

Doric looked back to Felchio who was busy cooking away with a huge grin on his face. He decided to ask the question now in order to start making a game plan.

"Where is Cordo Creek?"

Felcho raised an eyebrow and puckered his lips in contemplation. "Cordo Creek, oh you mean the creek near town. I heard the kids call it that a few times, probably due to the mushrooms that grow there."

He continued cooking and paused his thoughts for a moment. "It's a little dangerous to get there but if you follow the main street in town you should be able to reach it fairly easily."

He could look to Doric. "Is there any particular reason you want to know about it?"

Doric nodded and decided to pull a chair out for himself and float in it. "A kid went missing and the last known location was there. I was hoping to go check it out and bring the kid back safely."

Felchio frowned "I would be careful. If a kid went missing there. Then there is a good chance he was taken or killed by the Cordo."

"That would be terrible. We need to go find him quickly!" Skia stopped eating and looked to Doric.

Nyssa continued stuffing her face and responded. "We need to have good strength if we are going to fight those things again."

"If you are going down there be careful. It's only a recently controlled area of the Cordo so they are not as common there but that does not mean more won't be around the corner." Felchio warned.

Doric nodded and looked to his two companions. "We are heading out soon. Finish eating and meet me outside."

He was a little nervous even if it was less guarded he did not know what that really meant. It could be less than most areas but he was not sure if that meant there would be a couple or if there would be a dozen or more that would constitute less.

The two girls finished eating and joined Doric outside. Together they traveled to the entrance to the overcity and peered outside of the latch. It was quiet so far.

"Alright once we leave this area we will need to keep our guard up the enemy could appear at any time." Doric gave a warning that the two likely did not need to hear. They left the latch and proceeded to the main street, occasionally spotting a Cordo from time to time.

They decided not to intercept them if they could help it. They needed to conserve their energy if they were going to save the lost kid. After about an hour of wandering slowly down main street they found the creek. It had a fungal growth that seemed to stick to the water. 

They avoided touching the growths and continued following the stream. There were no signs of a struggle or any movement in the dirt and Doric wondered if the kid even made it this far. After a while, they decided to turn around and check the other side of the creek but as they were turning around they heard a moan of pain near the water itself. 

Turning around Doric saw something out of a nightmare. He saw the little boy who was lost. He was half submerged in the water and the parts of him they could see were covered in fungal growth.

He looked like he was becoming a mushroom.