It was too quiet. The occupants of the cart, those who were awake anyways, turned and glanced at Mikhael as he hopped off to keep watch of their surroundings. The sound of Ezekial's king clacking onto the wooden chessboard echoed quietly, catching the large knights attention. Lucas glared at the board for a few seconds before he'd realized what had happened.

"Checkmate," Ezekial groaned tiredly, "That makes 5 to 0. I think I'll take after Mikhael, Lucas." Lucas looked down in disbelief, rested his armored shoulder on the barrel and held his head. "Reset the board, in case somebody else wants to play." Lucas begrudgingly nodded before raising his left index finger to his kings crown, and gently knocking it over.

"Right," Lucas whispered as Ezekial made his way out of the cart. Joshua turned to Lucas and snapped his book shut.

"I'm good for a game."



Before long, Mikhael was dangerously far from the cart that held his compatriots. Not that he couldn't defend himself if something decided to pounce. There was a thickness in the air though, something familiar, yet uncommon. The closer he inched towards the forest, the thicker it became. Even after only several meters, it felt like he was surrounded by a dense fog. Lillian might've noticed it before getting too close to the forest, or perhaps she'd just lucked out?

"Don't wander off too far, Mikhael," Ezekial called out, jogging quietly to catch up to the Mikhael, "This silence is making me uneasy." Even when not at the Queens side, Ezekial carried himself with the utmost refinement. His posture was perfect despite the atmosphere, and his hair was still styled perfectly to frame his face, without a shred of hay or dirt trapped between his sleek, black locks. Even his apparel was in perfect order, despite not wearing his silvered helmet. From Ezekials breastplate to his shining pauldrons, he was a definitive paragon of order, unlike his mirror guard Joshua, who unlike many other knights, did not wear armor to protect his body. Although still not as tall as Lucas or Rajaka, the knight towered over Ezekial as he grew closer. "Unfortunately, crushing Lucas in Chess has done little to calm my nerves."

He looked carefully back when he heard pattering footsteps from behind, tensing his body to jerk any which way he needed, but upon seeing Ezekiel, his gaze softened and he spoke with a quietness. He had a stoicism that reminded him of himself, though he was much less flamboyant than the royal knight.

"You shouldn't have come..." he started, but eventually shrugged, "But I suppose it's dangerous out here alone. And I should be thankful it is you out of them all. If I'm to spend hours out here with someone, I'd have to pick you at this point. Ezekiel, you seem to be the only one who respects our Queen as I also do and doesn't hate me for bearing that admiration." turning his dark eyes around at the comment of restlessness, "I see I'm not the only one who felt disturbed. I've been thinking that our journey so far doesn't make sense to me... where are all the beasts? All of the times we've been forced to repel attacks, hordes of the wretched creatures throwing themselves at our walls, should they not be jumping at a chance at a few stragglers like us?" blinking suddenly, "And where did all of this dastardly mist come from? How am I supposed to keep a look-out if I can't see anything?" waving his hand around trying to disperse the heavy gray veil, stopping once he quickly understood it was a useless effort.

He squatted beside a nearby hill with a lone tree atop, leaning against the rough bark, "Well... I can't go too far, even if I want to get a better vantage point. Lilith already wants to strangle me as it is..."

Ezekial smiled and nodded, but frowned when Mikhael brought up the topic of mist. "I have a fondness for our Queen and her methods that cannot be circumvented by mere error. It is only human to err, after all, and despite objections, our Queen is still very much... A human, at her core. I suspect this silence has something to do with Rajaka's presence, that man looked as if he could shake the very earth with his footsteps. Perhaps he'd scared off the wildlife while trudging through Kale's surroundings.." Ezekial paused and stood at Mikhael's side, watching the crimson forest's edge carefully. "I do not see this mist you speak of though, Mikhael. Are you feeling alright?"

Despite Ezekials blindness, the mist grew thicker. It became clearer over time that its origin was from within the forest before them, but just as quickly as the mist had thickened, it began to disperse, clearing up in a matter of moments.

"If not, I suggest you get some rest. I can keep watch in your stead. Lily will not bother you while she is also asleep."

"Yes, I still view her as a human, after all, if I did not..."

His sentence trailed off when Ezekiel stated his lack of awareness to the blooming fog. Mikhael tilted his head slightly, blinking quickly to make sure the swirling wispy body was in fact there and he was not simply a trick of his stressed mind, "You... you do not see any of this?" reaching out and batting at one of the thick masses, tracing his eyes towards the forest where the form was leaking out from. A shiver rolled down his spine as he stared into the obscurity and seeing nothing but vague spindled shapes. He could only hope they were just the wilted trees from a moment ago.

"It seems like it's coming from deeper in the woods..."

He turned his eyes to Ezekiel seriously, "No, I don't need rest. I'm perfectly awake. If this is what I think it might be... I must investigate this matter. What I see and what you don't, this must be the work of a foul spell."

...

"Arcana?" Ezekial murmured, glancing out at the woods, "How could this be? You were with us until just recently. If something has placed a spell on you, they must be nearby, unless.." Ezekial spun around 180 degrees, slowly scanning every bit of rugged terrain he could. There were plenty of small hills and withered trees to hide behind, but with enough diligence, nothing would be able to keep from the eyes of two knights. If this presence were truly casting such a hex from within the woods however, there was no telling what kind of beast they would be dealing with. "If you plan on heading into the woods, you cannot do so alone. Allow me to fetch Henry to aid our search. He should be well rested enough after our trip."

As Ezekial spoke, the mist bloomed up once again. This time however, it streamed past Mikhael like a snake, and headed straight for the cart where Joshua, Lillian, Henry, and Lucas were stationed. A faint hissing noise sounded as it darted past the two knights, but once again, the mist vanished without a trace as quickly as it had appeared. Ezekial began making his way towards the cart without waiting for a response from Mikhael.

The scowl-faced boy canted his head at the uncomfortable noise, making sure to watch carefully the movement of the temporal tides of the wispy gray smoke. His heart tightened when he saw it go in the direction of the cart in a phantom-like trace, vanishing once more. It was certain that this was no natural occurance now. What could this strange entity be doing? Was this the work of some crazed hag or witch? It could be what Ezekiel had said, that this was a kind of hex used to influence their minds. Or was this power from some new breed of monster they've never encountered before? It wouldn't be the first time these desolate plains have ushered out a new terrible creature. He could only make wild guesses, but the only possibilities out this far into the wastelands were nothing short of grim. His body has already been set in motion the moment he found reason to dread, his time as both urchin and squire having taught him to never take any chances when it came to life and death.

Reaching down and pulling out the thin dagger in his boot, Mikhael called out to Ezekiel, legs kicking up in a sprint as he pushed after the fleeting figure.
"I think we should hurry." he pressed, "The others might be in danger."

...

Ezekial waved his hand gently and strode towards the cart, still calm. "I'm sure everything will be fine. The five of us were not chosen without careful thought. Maya was sure-" Ezekial paused as he turned his head towards the back of the cart and glared at one of the three bunks on the right hand side. "Henry?" He called quickly, peering even further into the cart. Lucas turned his head towards Ezekial, and then to Henry's bunk. What remained was shocking to say the least. Nothing at all.

"He was there just a minute ago," Lucas said, looking awfully unfazed by the situation. Joshua leaned forward and looked at where Henry had been sleeping as well. "Did he sneak out?

"We did not see him, and he couldn't have gotten far without being spotted in these flattened lands," Ezekial assured Lucas. The large knight pulled his body up and scanned the entirety of the cart to no avail. "Where could he have gotten to?" Joshua stood up, casually knocked Lucas' king over as he passed by, and moved to the front of the cart.

"Checkmate, by the way," He muttered, flicking Lucas' helmet with one finger. Lucas glared at the board and sighed. It really was checkmate again. Joshua turned back immediately and shook his head. "He's not out front, not that he could've snuck past us either way."

"Damn it!" Ezekial cursed and spun to face Mikhael, "There's no trace of Henry at all!"

Mikhael nearly bit his tongue trying to stop from screaming a curse, "I knew there was something wrong here..." looking over to Lucas and Joshua, "Make with haste, we need to find the lad. He won't last long alone out there." he muttered, turning to look out to the surrounding woodlands once more in case they might have missed something.

He might not be able to see properly, but from what he accounted from Ezekiel, not all of them were blinded by the unknown fog.

He made sure to remain calm despite knowing how dire the situation had gotten, remembering how easily moral can break when the only place of hope and safety is hours away from where they are. Henry had a kind heart, but that probably made him the worst warrior. There was not much difference their age in reality, but Henry was like a little child compared to his comrades. Out of the small circle of those who Mikhael had any semblance of amiable relationship with, Henry was the most understanding of other people's emotions, coming to comfort any one of them whenever they felt unhappy or distressed. Speaking of which, why had he been chosen to accompany them on this journey of all things? This was not some care-free field trip. They were tasked with saving the village and their Queen from destruction. The boy can barely stab at humans during practice without squealing or closing his eyes in fear, let alone fighting off hordes of vile and horrific beasts. Did he volunteer, or forced to go? If so, on what basis?

Whatever the case, he is missing from the company and they needed to find him quickly.

"Get ready, we have little time to be standing around!" he said, immediately moving over to where Lilith had laid herself, tapping her bunk with his hand, "Hey, wake up." once more with urgency powering his voice, "Wake up!"

...

Lillian immediately swatted Mikhael's hand away and spun around with her fist clenched tightly, ready to knock whoever dared to disturb her. But when she caught a glimpse of the distress in Mikhael's face, she lowered her hand and frantically searched the cabin, quick to notice that Henry was missing. "What is it? Where's Henry?" Lucas stood up quickly and marched past the two, follow Ezekial as he nodded and strode towards the forest.

"Missing," Lucas grunted, hopping off of the cart. Lillian looked shocked, shaken from her usual demeanor. She rolled down, pushed her was past Mikhael, and rushed out of the Cart, but not before grabbing her short sword. She paused for a moment and glanced at Henry's bunk though. His spear was still there, neatly hidden beneath the hay.

"He left his spear behind?" Lillian asked, hopping off the cart with Joshua following closely behind.

"That's unusual of him. He might not like it, but Henry always carries that thing around. Heck, he practically hugs it as if it were his child," Joshua commented, hopping down as well. "He was here less mere minutes ago as well, how the hell did he get off of the cart so quickly, and quietly? Did you see anything Mikhael?"

Mikhael didn't mind her nearly smacking him in the face, actually grateful the girl had her nerves about her when it mattered. There was a good reason why he sought her out first. Despite his orderly outlook, he didn't really know what to do. When it came to plans that involved more than just himself, he was completely clueless. It was just how he was hardwired, having been forced to fend for himself practically his entire waking life. Lilith is good at being bossy, so to speak, knowing where to assign groups of people and how to make them work as a single unit. This was one of the many polarities they shared. She was often chosen as leader when group activities came around, and he was just the hard-headed loner.

The young knight quickly went for the spear as he answered her question, slinging it across his back and making a face trying to recount what he saw.

"I think I saw some sort of spell... coming from there." pointing over to the darkened forest, "There was a fog... and then a shape... whether it was an entity controlling mist or a conjured illusion, I'm not very sure." shaking his head, "It happened so briefly, I didn't get a proper look. But it was definitely not a type of arcana I've accounted before." following her back to the outside, "All I can say for in absolute is that I didn't see Henry while going back to the cart."

His eyes narrowed, "Maybe the fog was to help cloak the kidnapper? But then again..." looking over to Ezekiel, "I was the only one able to see it apparently..."

"That's odd," Joshua mumbled. "Without Henry around we won't even be able to track the source." Lillian turned back to Joshua, but kept walking toward Ezekial.

"Henry could track Arcana?"

"Those glasses of his," Joshua started, urging Mikhael forward, "They were enchanted by Maya before we set out. It was solely to avoid things like this mist that Mikhael saw. Whatever was responsible for kidnapping him must have sensed it somehow. Either that, or it had no prejudice in selecting a victim. At any rate..." Joshua patted Mikhael on the pack as the group finally lumped together several yards away from the forest's edge. "Mikhael can see this mist. Maybe he should lead us into the woods."

"We can't leave the horses unattended," Ezekial cut in, "Two of us should stay behind and stand watch while two accompany Mikhael. Until we know what we're up against, we should be careful about how we approach."

"I'll accompany Mikhael," Lucas insisted, stepping to the boy's side, "Though if we cannot see what he sees, I'm afraid we may be at an awful disadvantage while in the woods."

Mikhael nodded at the new information regarding the arcane detection enchantment, a little surprised he didn't hear about this important detail until now. It also just hit him now that he was also able to do so too, unaided of all things. Such was a rare and powerful trait to possess, even among those very few born gifted with arcana. Ezekiel and Joshua didn't seem to have that ability, and they were members of the esteemed Royal Guard. When did he learn to do so? He had never practiced anything of the sort at all. He frowned slightly at the notion of being the one to lead the searching party. He didn't like that kind of responsibility. But he can't really say no, when he was the only one capable of seeing the mist, could he?

That thought then brought him to another dark reality. Maybe there was another reason why Henry had disappeared? But he didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet.

He grinned when the large man stepped to his side, who almost instantly volunteered to join in on the figurative 'blind' hunt. Lucas was always the type of man who ignored any sort of danger if it meant protecting someone. Mikhael didn't know whether to call it bravery or lack of respect, but he respected it nonetheless.

He pointed his head at the signature claymore, "Don't worry too much. I'm sure if you swing that thing around enough you're bound to hit something, even if it was invisible. Besides, if anything, I'll be the weak link here..." glancing down at his single arm, "I'm not sure how well I can hold my own if we get in a fight. I've no idea how much skill I've lost without my primary arm. Hell, I might just be sending myself on a suicidal run here..." Mikhael then look up towards the woods with a cold fury, staring into the pitch black darkness of spines and leaves, his fingers balling up into a fist at the thought of the pitiful boy being alone in there. "But I don't care. Even if I wasn't able to see this wretched magic, I still would've insisted on going. This witch or monster or whatever wants to threaten anyone in this company, I'll find and kill it, no matter what."

Something deep in his chest stirred at those words.

He seemed unaware of this, too intent on the goal at hand, turning eyes to the remaining three, "That leaves one more. Which of you wants to come too?"

...

Lucas nodded at Mikhael's last comment and turned to Lillian, who shook her head. "I'm not going in there with you two. It would be foolish. My specialty lies in arms alone, and my magic is weak, much like Lucas'. If anything, it would be optimal to take one of the Queen's guards with you," Lillian insisted. Ezekial nodded and looked to Joshua.

"It would be wise to split our strongest knights between the groups. I will accompany Lucas and Mikhael, then, Joshua. I have the suspicion that my magic will be of more use in the woods than yours," Ezekial added, stepping closer to Mikhael and Lucas. Joshua agreed with a curt nod and turned to the horses.

"Then we will stay here and watch Killion and Raltz, as well as guard the supplies... Don't let yourselves fall into any traps. If you need to retreat and regroup, do so with haste," Joshua said, walking towards the cart without delay. Lillian turned to her brother, and then to Mikhael, and then to her brother once more. She looked onto to Lucas, and he nodded, waving her off with one hand.

"Don't worry, Mikhael," Lucas started, as Lillian finally joined Joshua by the cart, "I'm sure you retain quite a bit of combat prowess. If not, Ezekial and I will protect you with our lives as well."

"Are we ready, then?" Ezekial asked, with one last status check.

"Same with you two." looking at Joshua and Lilith with a unusual tenderness, "If this place were to get overwhelmed by a horde, don't wait for us. Run away."

Mikhael tried not to frown as he hoisted the spear from the holster across his back into his hand, feeling the uneven weight twist the shaft in his hand awkwardly as he tried to find a balance point. It felt unwieldy and he is not expert at the use of such a weapon, but he didn't doubt his training. All squires at the very least undergo formal training in simple arms. He brought it along for Henry, since the lad didn't really know much else, but he might as well make use of it in the meantime. He would be slowed down, but he would at least have more room for mistake while fighting at a distance from enemies. Since the time he was burned by the flames of his relentless arcana and sustained by Maya's magic, his body has not acted quite the same way as it did before. It hasn't happened past Kale, but his muscles could falter at any moment nonetheless.

"No, no, I'm much too old to be toted and carried around like a baby." he chuckled grimly, resting the spear on his shoulder, "Well, I'm as ready as I can ever be."

The black-haired knight stepped up to the edge of the woods, his metal boots depressing into a pile of fallen leaves. His dark red eyes glared into the darkness, staring at the mangled outline for a long time, the young man taking the moment to settle his nerves before finally stepping forth. While he elbowed through the light underbrush, Mikhael made sure to pay extra attention to anything strange, his head pivoting side to side with a vigilance.

...

Ezekial and Lucas followed closely behind. The Royal knight had not taken a moment to equip his helmet, but his hand did just find keeping the stray branches from smacking into his face. Lucas felt the clang of wood against his mask, but didn't mind it. The three were well on their way to finding Henry within the Crimson woods.

From beyond their perception, a tiny pink flower peeked down from the foliage above them, just barely out of sight. Where pollen should have rested however, there sat a single green eye that glared at them with ill intent. Somewhere in the forest, a creature grinned and padded at his stomach.

Mikhael, Lucas, and Ezekial made their way through the treacherous forest carefully. There wasn't much danger to be seen just yet, but the endless rows of bent trees and twisted bushes gave the place an air of disaster. Several unique flowers had sprouted at random, apparently, littering the forest floor and occasionally hanging from above. But They didn't seem to pose any immediate threats. Lucas stepped upon a purple mushroom with pointed edges, and it released a low-hanging gas, but nobody was in danger of breathing it in.

"Eugh. This is not a place for knights to be prowling," Lucas quipped.

"Quiet, Lucas. You do not even share our rank, technically speaking," Ezekial said, cutting deep into Lucas' pride. The royal knight barely dodged a low hanging branch as he followed after Mikhael. "Well, Mikhael? Anything?" He asked.

Unfortunately, everything looked the same. The flowers showed no patterns, the trees were lined with paralleled precision, and the sky was hidden from view. They were essentially lost in the endless maze of trees, as far as anyone could tell.

The woods seemed to grow thicker as soon as they entered, the wrinkled tree branches almost intertwined above the three knights like a make-shift cage. The moonlight was barely visible anymore where they were. Mikhael let out an irritated grunt when he nearly tripped over yet another set of gnarled overgrown roots because of the lack of vision, having to use the spear like a pole and lift his legs over them because of his lack of usable arms. He could understand the frustrations. None of the training or drills has properly prepared them for this kind of terrain, and there was no tell when something might just jump out at them. He also felt annoyed by all of this shambling, but didn't voice them as Lucas did. He didn't mind much, but Ezekiel seemed to find problem with the bouts.

He shook his head sternly when he heard the comment made to Lucas, turning back slightly. "We are all bothers and sisters in the same order and on the same journey. The beasts see no difference, so neither should we. Set aside our pride for now. Focus on finding the boy, he is important, so are his spectacles blessed by Maya."

Mikhael tried to find a place where there was still some moonlight, searching once again for any trace of the mist.

...

There wasn't a shred of light soaking through the treetops. Instead, a red glow burned through the leaves, barely lighting the darkened forest floor. Lucas kissed his teeth, nearly tripping over the same gnarled roots that Mikhael has just stumbled through. "Curses!" He hissed. Ezekial looked to Mikhael again for guidance, but waited patiently, knowing that rushing the boy would lead them nowhere.

Suddenly, the mist from earlier began to flood their surroundings, looking somewhat thinner than usual. Was this the same mist? It couldn't be, because a moment afterwards, Ezekial spoke out against it.

"I see it!" Ezekial whispered. Lucas nodded and looked around.

"Is this the mist you spoke of, Mikhael?" Another flower spied upon the group from behind, dropping down like a reverse spyglass and gazing at the three knights with its bulbous human-like eyeball. The mist started to grow thicker, and within seconds, the knights were starting to feel its effect. "Wait a moment, I feel light headed," Lucas murmured, slowing to a halt behind the other two knights. Ezekial turned in confusion and grasped Lucas' shoulders.

"I feel fine, what's happening to you?" He asked. But Lucas could not speak. From behind him, another stream of mist shot forward, but this one was invisible to both Lucas and Ezekial. Mikhael could see it though, and it mimicked the movements of the mist that went for Henry all to accurately.

Mikhael spiraled his body around cautiously at the fluttering gray matter quickly surrounding them, resting his spear forward, ready to lunge at anything that seemed even remotely threatening. This mist felt different though. His face crunched in confusion when Lucas and Ezekiel declared they had spotted it too. "This is not right..." he said, stepping closer to the two as soon as Lucas started to falter suddenly. This was definitely the work of another strange magic. Lucas had the endurance of a seasoned ox, so it was unlikely he would be this tired from this trekking. It had been an incredibly annoying effort, but the activity had been a relatively short one. He gazed at the man with a worry, moving to help defend Ezekiel as he carried the heavy body. He would help carry Lucas too, but that meant sacrificing his only armed hand. There was no way he could notice the strange flower spying on them, too occupied with trying to find the source of the mist to notice such a minor detail.

Seeing a snake-like apparition of smoke forming from behind the large man, "There is the real one!" Mikhael shouted, thrusting the spear at it immediately.

...

Lucas clutched his head and wobbled from side to side, unable to hear Mikhael's call. But Ezekial took the boy's warning with absolute credibility and dived after Lucas, toppling the boy to the floor. Mikhael's used Henry's spear to stab at the smoke, which initially seemed to do nothing, but as it missed Lucas' body, the stream retracted and disappeared. Ezekial stood up and pulled Lucas to his feet as well, but the man was still awfully woozy, and the smoke around them showed no signs of fading. "What in blazes was that?" Ezekial hissed, turning to Mikhael, "I couldn't see it, but I felt devilish intent over my shoulder!" Lucas stumbled past Ezekial toward Mikhael, but tripped over a nearby root, and fell face-first to the forest floor, unconscious. "What.."

Lucas was overcome by the mist, whatever it was. But it didn't affect Mikhael or Ezekial. It had to be some sort of magic that affected one based on some kind of resistance, but what was Lucas lacking in that Ezekial and Mikhael excelled at?

"Mikhael, is the mist still here?" Ezekial asked calmly, darting his eyes from left to right in a slight panic. The eye above them retreated into the trees once more, turning back into a normal flower, and the snake-like mist was nowhere to be seen.