They had only been in the fog for about twenty minutes, but the harrowing journey already seemed much longer. Asahi had taken to monitoring the sides and using one of the long oars to push away from the rocks.
After turning back to warn Nali of another small boulder ahead, he froze in shock. She was gone!
“Nali?” he called into the fog.
“It’s all your fault!” a man growled at him.
Asahi recoiled at the familiar voice.
“Father?” he said in a hushed whisper, shock evident on his face.
Hinata angrily stepped out of the fog as if he had been behind a curtain. Asahi stiffened in disbelief.
“If you hadn’t been born, I could have left without feeling guilty. I could’ve had a life!” his father shouted.
Asahi shook his head. “Whatever you are, you aren’t real,” he replied in a tense voice.
