FicWad

We moved swiftly through the forest behind the house. People around us heaved in breaths at the hasty pace, but no one slowed. Kabir had jumped on the back of his Rapidash, Rebel, a white horse with cyan and pink mane and tail. It easily kept pace with the group, not struggling at all to move past the tangling bushes and branches scattered about the ground. Being the shortest, I struggled most, nearly jogging to move at the same speed as the others, but refusing to be left behind.

Mel had only sat down for a moment to see where the vision that Myron experienced came from before her eyes flew open in surprise. She’d pulled out a Pokèball and released her Delphox, as we exited the house. Myron stayed behind to recover from the event that led us into the chase, but someone needed to keep at the home for Himiko anyways.

We pulled up to a spot in the forest just behind Kabir’s home. I realized with a pang of surprise that it was the same patch of grass that had briefly pulled Mel’s attention on the day she went into a rage. I saw the woman’s green gaze sweep over the area as if she were searching for something that I couldn’t see. Her eyes fixed on a point and then I felt a solid rush of power from her.

The air shimmered like a wave of heat. Mel motioned for us to follow as she stepped forward, and then vanished. “What?” I drew back at the sight, or rather, lack thereof.

Kabir, unable to see the surprised faces of Athini and me, merely followed after his mom. Us two hesitated and glanced at each other briefly before moving on as well. I half expected to feel something as we passed through the barrier, but there was nothing, though the hair on my arms did stand up on end.

The scene before us changed. We were no longer by the lake, but in a separate forest with trees I didn’t recognize. Behind the scene, a shoreline stretched with a strange white sand that seemed to reflect the light of the sun unnaturally. A small, clear stream rushed past us and massive, unidentified green plants blocked the entrance to a little cave.

Mel and Kabir had wandered off behind the stone structure, following a path I couldn’t see. I set my steps in the same direction but wasn’t worried about being left behind anymore as the two had slowed down significantly. Athini realized the change in speed as well, for instead of joining us she drew near the mouth. I watched her carefully push the tall leaves aside.

She called loudly. “Anya, come quick!”

I leaped over a small bush and bolted towards her, my heart racing in my chest, the footsteps of Mel and Rebel pulling up quickly behind me. The tall blonde held the plants to the side so I could move past them more easily. The cave was small, the roof forcing Athini to duck so she wouldn’t knock her head on it.

I raked my eyes over what was before me and let out my own gasp of shock. A person was lying prone on the cave floor. Their fair skin was a deathly gray and their long hair was a greasy, tangled mess. Rips littered their clothing and stains of blood were smeared across nearly every portion of the fabric. Dirty strips of cloth made poor bandages over several wounds. Discarded, half-dried-up seaweed sat nearby as if someone had been recently trying to treat the damage.

The worst injury was on the person’s left arm. It was a grizzly slash that ran on the top from near the elbow to the start of the wrist. The flesh was swollen to disproportionate sizes, streaks of red running towards the shoulder. Dried blood barely stopped an ooze of sickly yellow pus from dripping down the edges. Their face was nearly white as the sand on the beach and drenched in a fever-induced sweat. I watched their chest and saw only the slightest hint of respirations. They were alive, but just barely

“It’s Sam,” I exclaimed, dropping to my knees and reaching for my bag only to pause in shock. I’d left it at the house in the room with Myron. I cursed loudly as the others drew near.

“Oh Arceus,” I heard Mel whisper in horror behind me.

I yanked my phone out of my pocket and handed it to her. “Call the hospital and have them send help. They’ll be able to pull my coordinates.”

“Kabir,” Mel delegated, “You should stand outside the barrier to show them where to go. Have Revel keep a Psychic link with me so if anything comes up, I’ll know right away.” I heard the horse that carried my brother-in-law gallop away.

I didn’t face the blonde behind me as I said, “Athini, get on your Pidgeot and hurry back to the house. I left my Go Bag in your bedroom.” I heard the sound of a Pokémon being released and then strong wing flaps as those two rushed off.

Mel was already on the phone, giving instructions to the people on the other line when her words cut out suddenly.

A deep voice stopped me in my tracks. My heart felt like it had dropped into my stomach at the sound.

“Anya?” It questioned in a near whisper.

I tore my eyes away from my patient and looked behind me. A man stood in the cave entrance. His bones stuck out sharply over stretched skin, making his form look almost skeletal in appearance. His blonde hair was a tattered mess that hung over his face, and every bit of skin was covered in a thick layer of grim, but there was no mistaking the deep blue eyes in the sunken sockets.

“Kai?”

To be continued.