Chapter Four

Elaine

I watched as the bus driver now named Eric sat down with a frown on his face the moment the wolf died. Uncle Alvin proceeded to pull it closer toward us probably afraid the body would disturb the barrier formation.

I took a deep breath and focused on my daughter. Luna was scared by the fight and she hadn't stopped crying ever since but she had to.

"Shhh..don't worry sweetheart.." I tried rubbing her back in a gentle way that always managed to make her relax enough to either sleep or stop crying. It usually worked but this situation was far from the usual we were used to. Her cries only intensified and I couldn't help but look at everyone with an aplogetic expression. This was going to cause a lot of problems for our group but there was no way I was leaving my child behind.

I sighed, shifted my attention towards Uncle Alvin. Like Eric he was also taking deep rugged breaths, but unlike him he wasn't as tired. I could guess he used his skill as well judging by the thin golden barrier that flared around him for a moment before he cleaved down with his axe.

I was slightly confused though, why wasn't I feeling as tired as they were? Was it because of my skill? Was it the way they used theirs or was it something else? I turned towards my second skill - Ocean Heart. I have yet to use this one but I guess it compensated for some of my stamina when I used my skills? was it a passive? That would be interesting in the long but i had to figure it our sooner or later.I wonder if Lisa has a similar skill as well.

I turn towards her and smile noting that she does look as tired as the other two. In fact she looks a bit more tired than Uncle Alvin even though she used less enegry than I did.

"Lisa. How many fire bullets can you cast?" Although Luna was still crying I was getting used to it, I was, afterall right next to her. My ears received all her bombardment but this was my angel. She could cry all she wants as long as - I frown turn towards my little bundle of joy with a helpless expression plastered on my face.

"I guess a little over ten before I need to rest. You can cast more water bullets right?" Lisa asked a few seconds later. I turn towards her with a smile on my face. I couldn't just tell her I think I can cast more than twenty right? Would that make our relationship strenuous?

Ugh.. that's why I don't have friends.

"Not sure but more than that I think.. I also think I know why Luna is crying." I turn towards the bag containing the baby diapers. She needs those changed and soon as well. I sigh and reach towards the bag to begin my set up. Been doing this for thirteen months already so it feels like a  routine by now. One that offers me a semblance of normalcy in this crazy world.

•••
Eric

Phew.. alright. Now I have enough energy again. I open my eyes and find the corpse of the white silver wolf beside me with old man Alvin on the other end. He, like me sat down with his eyes closed.

An unsavoury smell wafts towards my nose taking my attention away from the old man. I find myself feeling, well, both awe and respect. This woman was seriously changing baby diapers in the middle of a misty forest with wolves howling all around us?

Am I crazy fool that I found that attractive? Am stupid aren't I?

I couldn't help but chuckle slightly the situation managing to lessen the fear of the howls that sounded a lot more closer now. 

"Do you think they are tracking each other through the fog using their howls?" Animals grow to adapt to an environment and I doubted the wolves didn't find a way to adapt to this place.

"Yes and that means trouble for us since they can always track us. They might be getting closer as we speak." Lisa answered even though I was trying to spark a conversation with old man Alvin. She was closer to us now, her gaze narrowed on the wolf's

"That's not good.." I doubted me and old man Alvin could take another wolf attack. Perhaps joining a large group wasn't a good idea afterall? No use thinking about it now though.

"It isn't. We need to move." Old man Alvin's voice rang out as he lifted his large body from the ground. Now that I think about, this old coot is really tall isn't he? And whats woth the beard? His eyes seem a bit too cold at times as well. I wonder what life he lived until now.

I sigh, stand up and turn to Elaine. She was just about done changing her baby's diapers.

"Elaine. We need to move." She nodded , picked up her bag and looked at us. I nodded towards both her and old man Alvin who was now staring at the wolf with his eyes narrowed.

"You feel it too?" Lisa started. I stared, confused.

"Yeah. There's something in that body that's making me hungry." Old man Alvin answered a second later. I, on the other hand was frowning.  What does he mean by making him hungry? Wasn't he hungry because using skills took a way from your stamina? Heck,  I was hungry as well darn it.

"I think.." Lisa said no more immediately pushing her fingers into the large wound the axe had made on the beast head, within it she pulled out a small bead the size of her thumb. It as then that I felt their hunger. In fact, it wasn't just me. My barrier feel like it was shivering, excited and begging to feed it.

Something that confused me since I didn't see a mouth on this thing.

"Can we move now? Please?" I would rather they explore the crystal while he moved. I didn't want the other wolves to find us anytime today ,tomorrow or ever for that matter.

Seeing them all nod, I removed the barrier sighing the moment I felt the constant stamina siphoning halt. Taking one last deep breath I followed old man Alvin taking the same path he had come from. 

The fog, was, lack of a better word, irritating. It's thickness made it difficult to see a past my fingers if my arms were extended away from my body. Not just that but the trees and the rest of the forest around us felt as if they have been intentionally hidden by something, someone keeping us locked in this misty world that extended far beyond my senses.

But that wasn't all though, there seems to have been a path, a way made for us through the fog ridden forest. A path that had the least fog around it the more we walked forward.

My thoughts on this fog were quickly forgotten when growls echoed around our tiny group. I frowned narrowing my eyes a distance to my right. Old man Alvin slowed to a crawl and looked around as well. At first we both saw nothing then the mist parted pushed away by two bodies rushing towards us.

I couldn't cast a shield in time so I cast Jade Body my hands gaining that artificial transparent crystal skin layer a second before I punched towards the wolf heading toward me. The beasts claws sunk into my skin ignoring the jade skin.

I screamed, the pain a lot more visceral than I had expected. My left fist followed a second later sinking into the monsters eye. The wolf howled then two water bullets tore through the softness of its eyes into its skull. It fell quickly allowing me to pull many hand out from its teeth.

I groaned slightly seeing the blood trickling from the perforations on the jade skin. I ignored that for now and turned towards old man Alvin just in time to see a slight golden sheen on his skin before his axe blurred into motion sinking into the wolf's skull.

I sighed and turned to the wound only to frown a second later. The wound that I thought would take a few days to heal was already progressively healing as I looked at it. The holes were slowly closing shut, transparent jade skin rippling like waves to cover them. The bleeding stopped so quickly I wondered if it was just my mind playing tricks on me.

It heals as well huh. This was something I planned to abuse, or atleast that was the idea until I felt the all too familiar siphon of stamina that left my body feeling like a sack of rotten potatoes. I groaned slightly turning to look at the group.

Old man Alvin was a bit unstable but looked like he could still move. Lisa had already searched through the wolve corpses but didn't find the same crystal as last time. It was time to move. I doubted anyone of us wanted to spend a night in this fog.

"Let's move." I spoke first my voice low and deep. I was getting tired and that wasn't a good thing. Lucky for us Luna had decided to go back to sleep again, that or the wolves just didn't spark any fear within her after we killed the first one.

The next hours passed quickly but slowly at the same time. By the time the mist began lessening its hold on our visual senses, darkness was already beginning to creep on the forest.

"There's a road a short distance from here." Old man Alvin spoke a few moments later. With the mist decreasing he took the chance to scout forward knowing he was the only capable of that job since I had to defend the two and a half females behind me.

"We'll rest closer to the road and further from the forest. Please lead the way Uncle Alvin." Elaine was tired as well. Atleast I thought so judging by the lethargic tone in her voice.

Old man Alvin nodded then turned to lead us forward. The journey continued without any difficulties and we managed to reach our destination without issue but that's when the issues actually began.

Instead of finding an empty clearing we found three men each of them clad in old worn out leather armour sitting around a campfire. The moment old man Alvin stepped out of the clearing two of them stood up and turned toward us.

"Well.. shit.." Lisa muttered behind me.

"Poop indeed." My eyes narrowed towards the two men that stood with the relaxed gait of a warrior.

"You are finally here." The largest one of the three, still seated by the campsite spoke a moment later while wiping the oil on his lips with his sleeves. "You did a good job not making us wait too long you know." He shook his head rising from his seat and picking up the spear beside him.

This was about to get dirty.

I doubted anyone of us had ever killed a man before but that didn't apply to these guys. Their cold eyes and murderous expression spoke of experience. We were, simply put, fucked.

"Silence huh? Well, no matter. You won't be silent for too long. Zurga kill the two men and Zeros get the two ladies here. You can kill the child. We only need their Arcane Card afterall." The man shook his head and plunged his spear into the ground beside him. While his two goons, Zeros and Zurga walked towards out group.

Zeros was clad in the same worn leather armour as Zurga but he held a single long sword instead of the two swords like Zurga. Once they were close enough, both men's eyes narrowed then they blurred into motion.

I casted barrier the moment I saw their narrowed gaze which was the right time because I felt their sword clash against the barrier a second later. I groaned feeling the draw to my stamina increase.

"Any plans?" I asked through gritted teeth my arms wide open and faced towards our attackers.  It was an unnecessary action but it just happened without me noticing so I just kept it as such.

"I'll count down from three. When I say one let the Barrier go. Well kill one of them and wait to see what the other does." Old man Alvin spoke with a frigid tone that made me pause for a moment before I nodded my head. No need thinking too much. They would defintely kill us if we don't do anything.