1
"Have you lost your mind?" Elizabeth asked me while we were flying.
This was my first flying lesson with a broom. I was going at a normal speed, about as fast as a bicycle at full throttle.
"No," I said, feeling the wind hit my face. "I just... I want to find him."
Behind me were my dad, my mom, Fuyumura, Lisa, Elias, Harold, and Carla. Elizabeth was flying on a broom just like me, and we were both keeping the same pace.
"Please, find Michael."
Lupin's voice echoed through my thoughts. I'm not doing it because he wants me to. I'm doing it because... why am I doing it?
"Just finding him?" Elizabeth said ironically. "Let his mom find him."
"Eli," I said. "Don't say that."
"Please, Dylan, nobody cares about that guy," Elizabeth snapped. "I know we should have empathy, but... nobody cares."
"...."
Elizabeth is really harsh...
We were flying above the others, who were traveling in a carriage pulled by a yellow rhinoceros named Barry. He's very talkative.
That rhinoceros is, in reality, a land dragon. Trabis was chatting with him. Poor guy, I feel grateful; otherwise, that red dragon would be telling me: "DYLAN, YOU'RE GOING TOO SLOOOOW."
I wanted to focus on improving my flight. I think I forgot to fill my mana mark for the Gravity Intelep, but that doesn't matter for now.
"What is Radiant Wild like?" I asked.
"Well... now we're heading north, and... we'll probably only find forest, brush, and if we're lucky, a coast," Elizabeth said.
"Ah, okay," I replied.
We continued through a forest; basically, it's the only thing we'll see for... I don't know, 15 hours?
"It's like a trip to Mérida," I remarked.
"Eh?"
"Nothing, just stuff from—"
"From the Nium world," Elizabeth finished.
"Yeah," I said.
They had pulled out a bunch of documents for me; I imagine they're passports.
"Alright, let's keep going," I said.
"..."
We flew for about five hours without any change in direction, other than a slight turn to the right. Riding a broom is very uncomfortable; your butt starts to itch, and to top it off, the two things you have hanging down there start to ache.
We landed about two hours later. It was already night (7:00 PM), and we stayed at a nearby inn.
"How much longer?" I asked, taking off my boots.
"About three hours," Carla replied.
"Well, they stink," Elias remarked.
2
I stepped out of the shower and sat on a wooden chair, lost in thought, watching the leaves on the trees.
"...."
Listening to the sound of cicadas and crickets, I wondered: Why am I doing this? Am I doing it for answers? Or not? Do I really want to save Michael?
"...."
"Dylan."
Lisa's voice broke through. I looked her up and down; she was wearing shorts that showed off her legs, which are quite large.
"Hey, Sweetheart," I said.
She approached and sat on my lap, leaning against me.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said.
"I don't think you are," she countered.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because whenever you move your leg that much, it's because something is bothering you."
It was true; my leg was twitching.
"Well, I have to go. Your mom asked me to see her," she kissed me on the cheek. "See ya."
"Bye."
She got up and left.
"Always so quiet."
My whisper faded away until the cicadas decided to sing even louder.
"Well, I should sle—"
"Refuge."
A man's words rang out, and suddenly, everything turned white until my consciousness faded away....