Elevate

To Her Hideout

I couldn’t think straight as I felt myself attached in the exact place. It was chilling outside. I brushed my hands on my arms enough to keep me warm. It was just a couple of minutes ago when Macky and Hannah have disappeared together with him on the cliff. The others ogled as they sat on the ground, silent and flabbergasted.

The moment I saw those eyes, I knew that it was him. Sending those shudders down my spine, as if I have observed a dead rose from his grave, I shook my head to refocus. Even if I wanted to think that it’s just my imagination toying with me, I knew that it was real.

I decided to speak up from what I have seen and said firmly, “They didn’t plunge to the cliff …They were taken by someone.”

Uncle William slowly hoisted his head and watched at me. His voice was coarse from weeping. “What do you mean by that? We saw with our own eyes that our kids fell off the edge.”

“Do you think Hannah and Macky would take their lives so easily like that?” I asked him.

It made him take the silence and thought for a while. A great rueful sigh came out from him. He was in total devastation together with his wife. Aunt Liech doesn’t know how to respond after they have seen such horrendous scenery a while ago.

“Cody was right. The kids…it was true, that they don’t want to die. We know about it.” Guilbert commented.

He glanced over the cliff, trying to see the end of it, but it was pitch black. The whiff had s*****d on us as the trees swayed by it and their leaves brushed around. Ravens have flown as witnesses of our dismay.

“So, did you see who it was who took the children? And how did they vanish?” He asked me.

I looked at everyone who’s obviously waiting for my response. I bit my lip and answered. “It was Jack…Jack Rush.”

Their faces became pale and marveling. They preferred not to accept of what I said to them, just like how I wanted it to myself.

“W-What? But, he’s finished. We saw him getting himself burned in the fire.” Vixen snooped out.

I glared the other way around. I don’t want to give them false hope, so it’s better to lay the truth.

“I saw it with my own eyes and I’m quite convinced that it was him.” I added.

“How? How can you tell that it was really him?” Miguel queried.

“His eyes were glowing just like how those onyx ones that Jack have. His size was also the same as his.” I promptly said.

Guilbert scraped his chin, trying to recall the scene back in the third ground. Yes, surely we have watched him burnt himself, but we didn’t see his body turned into ashes. Even the slightest hope he can have that time, he’ll surely take it to save himself from avoiding his death. He eyed on me and uttered, “If that’s the case, then the hunter is still alive and someone had made him like that.”

“God…W-What are we going to do now? W-We need to find my dear children.” Aunt Liech’s voice cracked as her eyes were slowly filled again with her tears.

Vixen stroked her back and tried to calm her. It was only a few months before when they’re able to be together again with their kids, and now they were taken again away from them. Vixen peered at me. “I think we need to include Carmilla now.”

Loshiana nodded. “That’s right. The lady might have something to lead us to the hunter, thinking that she’s also reaching out Mr. Elikai’s demise.”

“Would it be hard for her to come with us, since Mr. Zyrender still requested her to do a quest?” Miguel asked.

I grabbed my bag and remembered that I have found a thing in that spring. Opening it, I slowly took the necklace and showed it to them. Ian suddenly shifted near to me when he saw it. His eyes were narrowed to the pendant itself.

“Where did you find this thing?” He inquisitively asked.

“In the spring. Somehow, Quinten had written something about a spring and when I heard that there’s one in here, I went a while ago to check on it. I didn’t even know how Quinten knew about this. Is there anything we need to know about this necklace?” I spoke.

He slowly took it and examined the pendant. “It’s Devina’s. We were searching for this the whole time, yet you’re the only one who has discovered it.” He chuckled.

I felt my cheeks suddenly flushed into red. Scratching the back of my head in reluctance, I answered him, “I just found it because I have followed what was written on his pad. I guessed the person who contributed the most was Quinten. He loved to travel around the city and would rather have himself alone during those junctures. Quinten was quite a bookworm too.”

“Yes. Now, we don’t want to put his efforts in vain.” Guilbert said.

“Is there something we have to do with the necklace?” Miguel implored.

“It might be an ordinary one when we look at it, but this thing is a pointer to a path. But first, we need to find the children as soon as possible and have this checked. For now, I want you to keep this with you, Cody and don’t let it be taken away.” He gave it back to me, lying it on my palm.

I attentively nodded to Ian and put it back on my gear, making sure that it was inside one of its pockets. Ian dried his throat and darted over the way leading back to the neighborhood. He caught a quick breath as he wasn’t foreseeing such a thing to happen. He looked at Aunt Liech who’s still gawking out of nowhere. He slightly placed his hand over her wrist, pressing it slowly. The woman raised her face to meet his gaze. Offering her a smile for reassurance, the man had told her a promise to find both Hannah and Macky.

Aunt Liech shed a tear when she heard the man and she knew that he’s the person who doesn’t break a thing that he already professed. He was a leader himself - a good one.

We decided to get Carmilla first with us, so we needed to go back inside the city. Even so that Embreal had opened its gates to those who’re living in the Forest; they’re free to roam around, there’s still a gap between those who lived inside the domed community and the forest itself. To think that it's separated, people have built distrust among themselves, yet they’re not hoping that it will cause chaos again.

Guilbert took off his jacket and wrapped it around Aunt Liech. He smiled earnestly at her. He knew how painful it is for a person, especially to a mother, to lose someone she loves. Because even he and Era have lost their loved ones. But to Aunt Liech, there’s still a chance for her to be with her kids again, even if it’s going to be the third time around.

Uncle William had fastened his hand on her waist and pulled her near him. Together, they led the way back into the office. All of us slowly followed them. The moon had already set itself on top of us, shining its greatness. I was kicking those stones and silently walked at my own pace. I was the last one in the line as we walked, not until Vixen decided to slow down for me to catch up on her.

I sauntered beside her. Her hands were inside her compartments. “Is it really him?” She asked in her feeble voice.

I simply bowed at her as a reply. “I should have come with you.” She added.

“No. I think it was better that I was alone in meeting him. I could see the fury in his eyes, yet he’s also reluctant for some reason. I never thought that the man would have doubts about something.” I uttered.

“He’s going for retaliation.”

“Yeah…Just like us.”

When we arrived at Ian’s place, we saw the result of the fire. The side of his house was severely burnt, but the man didn’t flinch about it. Instead, he moved to his people and asked them if they’re okay and they responded as well. When he was done securing them, he told the guards to take a grip of their security and secure each end of the forest. He intently wanted everyone not to feel weary about it. It’s not the prime time to have an intruder in their place, but making a ruckus was their first.

Ian closed his watch on us and said, “I’ll keep you on guard when you’re inside the city. My men will be on the watch. Just make sure you’ll be okay too.”

Ian might be an average man to some, but he had kept his connections good. He had maintained his people for so long and protected them at all cost, in return for their loyalty. Even inside the city, he has the eyes around to observe carefully what’s going on.

Guilbert agreed with him and responded. “Okay, we surely will. We’ll come back here anytime soon and take the kids with us.”

“I’ll be looking forward to that. If you need help, be sure to be around near the market in either one of the levels. I have some in that places.” He added.

“Okay. We got it.”

We asked for our leave and thanked the people for helping us out. Still, the exploration is not yet ceasing. The bounty for such a person is still on the top and they’re willing to help us out. We promised Ian that we will do our best to find them. Uncle William and Aunt Liech decided to come with us and it's the time they have finally joined Era.

They’re now our new members and we welcomed them.

___

“Do you know where she is right now?” Guilbert interrogated Miguel over the couch.

It has been twenty-five minutes since we entered at the base. He kept massaging his head, telling us that he’s getting a headache all of a sudden. Loshiana came from the kitchen and went in our direction, bringing with her a tea she had prepared for him. The couple was outside, in the backyard, discussing some things too about the hunter. They have known Jack and have information about him for years and they’re trying to find a way to locate the man.

Miguel shook his head and took a sip of his cup. I fiddled my fingers as I sat across them. A question suddenly hit my thoughts when I glanced over Vixen who had just come out from her room to shift her clothing. I looked at them and enunciated, “Why would he take the children with him when the Highburn Laboratory has completely shut down already?”

“Maybe because he wanted to take them as hostages to threaten us.” Loshiana mentioned.

“No. That would be too low for him to do that.” Vixen said and crouched beside me. She crossed her arms and speculated for a while. Her eyes were tricky. “Maybe…the kids have or noticed something he doesn't want us to know...”

“That’s possible. But, Hannah had been with us since the time we looked for her brother and Macky had been sleeping when he’s still in that laboratory.” Loshiana said again.

“What if…” I watched them. “What if the boy wasn’t sleeping at all that time? What if he’s just observing as well? What if he really does know crucial things about them?”

“But we understood that Macky’s memories were totally blocked for some reasons-”

Miguel cut her off immediately and said, “No. The boy decided to block them for certain motives. Maybe, he’s just trying to run away from what he had seen or heard that time…”

In a couple of minutes, Aunt Liech and Uncle William have gone back inside. It was clearly seen that Aunt had cried, making her eyes sagged. The man went in our spots and communicated, “I think we know where we are going to find the Invisible Girl.”

I looked at him and queried, “And where is Carmilla supposedly right now, Uncle?”

“Well, there’s a specific place where she used to go back then. So, I was hoping that she’s still coming there until now. Is she with the kids right now too? I heard she got some subordinates.” He added.

Miguel bounced and admitted, “Yes. I remembered she had mentioned that the kids will meet her up in a specific location. So, I think it’s better if we try to look at it now.”

Guilbert had also agreed with him. The man asked if we could use Guilbert’s power to go to the place. But, he still hasn't got there so it’s going to be hard for us. So, Uncle William found a way for everyone. He requested sending all near the Old Mill instead, since Carmilla’s hideout was near to it, as he was factual about it.

We assembled around in the middle and gripped our hands together. Guilbert eyed on us and recited, “Are you ready?”

Everyone inclined and in a swift, we perished. When we open our eyes, all we notice was the barred Old Mill. The wind was somehow drier here and it became taciturn. The hedges wailed with the waft. Uncle William didn’t waste time and started to walk in the cold, opaque street. We decided to follow him. Aunt was comforted by Uncle.

It’s been a while when we visited here and as time goes by, I could say that the Old Mill is getting worse. Suddenly, we caught several darting steps from the gap as if someone was pushing something or being chased. We looked at each other and recklessly went where the sound was coming from. The path was getting duskier and abominable as we paraded through it. We perceived a certain corner where a small corridor is fixed.

It was leading to another street which is straight to the market itself.

“Is this the place?” Vixen whispered to him.

The man made her hush and stopped his walk when we heard the steps getting clearer and louder. And in a beat, there was a loud smack coming in front of us, then came a rushing girl with her black hood on. She bumped on Aunt Liech. She was all covered with effort and distress can be seen straight in her care. She was catching up her own calm as she kept peering over the span as if she was being stalked.

She swiftly lifted her head to discern us and we realized who it was. It was Trixie, one of Mr. Zyrender’s kids. Her face was so pale and was covered with fresh scratches, that at any moment she could collapse on the ground. Loshiana worriedly went to her and encircled her arms around the child.

“What happened, Trixie?” She asked her with concern.

The child didn’t answer us and instead, she dragged Loshiana into the small alley. She called us too to follow her. She kept glancing over the other side of the road as if she’s anticipating someone to be revealed.

When she was certain that it was empty, she gawked at us and clearly said, “It’s not safe for us to talk here. Let’s go inside.”

She walked to the side and led the way for us. And in a minute, after she took a few steps away, she faced the right side of the wall. We didn’t imagine that there was a secret door, unobtrusive.

She knocked it slowly several times and waited for it to be unclosed. Slowly, a woman in her black lashed coat and a red scarf opened the door for her. She slowly pinched her head and there we conceived who she was. Her eyes went tremendous when she beheld us with the child and stuttered, “W-What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.” Guilbert announced and motioned inside instantly without waiting for her reply.