"This," Chet crouches down, checking Lucian's pulse, "his breathing is weak" he says, picking up Lucian's body which was cold to the touch.
"Let's go" Thane says, Chet nodded, and they ran towards the outer courtyard.
_______
A rustle of parchment filled the tent as the healer scanned his book, when two figures slipped in, the only trace of their arrival the tent flaps still fluttering.
"Your disturbing me" The healer said annoyed, wanting to complain further
"Not now" Thane interrupted, the healer surprised by this late unexpected visit, turned to face the two figures before spotting the body Chet was carrying.
"And where did you find this one?" The healer asked as he stepped forward, signalling for Chet to drop him unto one of the beds
"In a lake" Chet said, the healer paused, looking up at Chet to see whether he was joking. Unable to believe it.
"In?.There is no lake here even for two miles."
"He's not lying" Thane adds, the healer glanced at him before turning to the unconscious Lucian.
"There appears to be no water in his lungs" The healer said as used his power to scan his body, before proceeding to restore his vitality. Thane left during the process, appearing before the entrance of where the children slept. Stepping inside, footsteps unheard, walking past beds eventually stopping at Lucian's bed, which was arranged like nobody slept on it. He released some of his, spreading across the room like a blanket. When he felt no one aside, the children were the only one present, did he leave.
Returning to the tent, Chet stood at the entrance of the tent with another warrior.
"No one appeared within the vicinity, after instructor Ryven's dismissal, Sir" The warrior said respectfully.
"What of the children?" Chet asked,
"The children were all counted and guarded, none could have left without us noticing
"Then explain to me how a child could leave the courtyard under your nose and appear two miles from here?" They turned to see Thane approaching them. The warrior quickly bowed in salute.
"The whole courtyard had been thoroughly searched, no distinctive footprint was seen and no trace of spirit power fluctuations" Thane said to Chet as he stood beside him. Chet had his hands on top his chin, his finger partially over his lips as he was dragged into his thoughts before looking back up,
"You're dismissed" he said, the warrior bowed, leaving Chet and Thane before the entrance.
"what do you think?" Chet asked, "Something else is in play, To escape our radar"
"should we tell master?"
"No. we don't know anything yet, telling him now will just be trivial"
"Then I will check the area where the lake is"
"Tomorrow" Thane said, Chet didn't ague
"Chet do you recall that lake being there"
"I have no idea, I could have been there and we don't know"
"I will follow you there, if master doesn't assign me a task" Thane said, pulling the covers of the tent up, "Let's check what Famir has to say " he continued as he stepped in fully, Chet followed after.
________
Water dripped down his knuckles as Famir ringed out the cloths from a basin of water he had just used to wipe Lucian's body.
"How is he?" Thane asked, walking closer, the covers fell as soon as Chet stepped in
"His vitals are stable now..." Famir answers, then paused,
"What's wrong?" Thane asked, feeling that Famir wanted to say more
"He didn't drown. You said you found him in a lake, his body is barely wet except the hair. What's going on here"
"We are not sure of it yet" Chet replied
"Eoman?"
"No, there was no power fluctuations and I didn't sense his energy signature" Thane said,
"Well" he heaved a sigh, "nothing can be said of his soul form. It's dense, heavy one can say, I will need to keep an eye on him further" Famir turned away as he arranged the equipment he just used, Chet took a step closer,
"His body is still cold" Chet said as he touched Lucian's body
"Ah yes, that may be as a result of his weakened soul form, other than that, I have no other answers aside from them" Famir said as he finished dressing Lucian up
"We will need you to keep watch" Thane said,
"Am not going anywhere so is this kid, whatever he was submerged in surely did a number on him, I don't think he will be waking up anytime soon" Famir replied causally.
After all was said, Thane and Chet departed. Famir adjusted the bed covers over Lucian before retreating to rest.
Behind Famir's retreating figure, sickly grey mist seeped out from Lucian's body, coalescing into multiple skeletal hands that creaked and cracked like twigs in a fire. The air was heavy with the stench of decay as the hands scratched and clawed their way up Lucian's torso, their bony fingers flexing like vice grips. The hands closed around his neck, squeezing tight – Lucian's body stiffened. Veins bulged in his neck and forehead, his skin taking on a sickly sheen as his body fought for oxygen. His muscles spasmed desperately, his fingers clawing at the sheets, ripping them to shreds in a silent scream.
______
The smell of burning flesh roused Kira from her sleep, her eyelashes shuffled trying to open clearly and that's when the pain hit her, shooting up from too fast that she tripped in her bed covers, crashing onto the ground.
"Are you okay Kira" Sapphire's voice sounded beside her, Kira turned to look in his direction, he had a worried face, seeing as he was the only beside her bed, it seemed like he had been trying to wake her up. Kira nodded, Sapphire assisted her in getting up, standing on her feet, she met different pair of eyes starring at her from the doorway, then she realized, then looked round and saw that the beds were already empty. The others were already filling out to cleanup, she was the only one still near her bed.
"Lets go, we are already late" Sapphire said wincing as his pain shot through him but he still waited for Kira to finish dressing her bed while others left. Once she was done, they went to clean up and rushed to where they were going to train.