“Mia ! Mia are you alright? How did you… ” Lin exclaimed picking her up but he was shuttering, having problem articulating his speech “How are you even here? Is it really even possible. ”
“Lin. Its really you ” Mia whispered with her voice so feeble it was barely audible.
“Aaahhmmm! If we are all alright here, can somebody explain what is going on here” Xie demanded.
“Uummm, this is Lin’s wife” Boshu interrupted as he looked at Lin with a meaningful glare. Lin nodded. Boshu continued “But how she ended up here we have no clue, may be she can enlighten us about it. But let her catch her breath first. And we might as well give the couple a little bit space. ”
“Yeah! Right. Right. Brother, Birdie, let’s go take s look over there” Roe pulled the two of them away .
“Birdie? Who’s Birdie” Boshu was heard protesting as they went.
Lin kissed Mia on the forehead and pulled her close. “Tell me Mia what happened. How are you even out of the barrier. ”
Mia shifted a little bit into a sitting position to narrate the events that occured after he left. Lin listened attentively as she started talking about the injured person outside her barrier. How she forced herself out.
“But Mia, no mortal or immortal dares venture in that ridge. Who was that person you treated. ” He was really worried.
“I don’t know Lin but he was really weird. He said nobody could see him. I was the first one, he said when we met again couple of days later. In fact he even flew me to the Forbidden woods. Were you there Lin. He said he saw you go that direction. We searched for you but he said your scent vanished. I even meditated for help in the sacred lands but got thrown away. ” She complained playing with Lin’s hair.
“What are you saying Mia. Really? ” He looked at her with eyes that had too many expressions trying to come out at once.
“Really? Really what? ” Mia could not understand his question.
“Never mind. Tell me what happened next. How did you even get here. ” Lin supressed his anxiety for the time being trying to take in more information from Mia before others joined them.
“I.. ” Mia was going to explain how she came there when suddenly she remembered her visit to the dream realm “Lin”
“Yes”
“Do you have a someone in your family called Nanako? ” Mia asked.
“Yes. How do you know? ” Lin was really surprised as Nana had near to no outside contact .
“You won’t believe Lin but we met. In another realm. ” Mia said sitting up and reaching his ears, afraid somebody might overhear “Lin she has answers for our baby’s future. She asked me to visit her as soon as possible. We need to go see her. ” Lin could make out that Mia was very serious from the look on her face.
“Listen to me Mia. Do you know where we are right now? ” Lin asked.
“No”
“We are in the land of lakes beyond which is the land where there is the Tree of knowledge. I was headed there to find answers for us. I don’t know how you came here, but it took us a lot of trouble to get this far. We are so close Mia. Let’s get it done, and then I will take you to Nana. Alright? ” Lin tried to reason. But Mia was having a gut feeling that she was not able to explain. “I don’t know Lin. I hope we are not too late in reaching her. ” She said.
“What do you mean” Lin asked. But before she could answer Roe, Xie and Boshu returned.
“We should be going. The daylight will be fading soon. If we are not able to find a way of getting out of here by then, we need a place to spend the night. ” Boshu announced.
“Did you find out how she got here from the lake Lin? ” Roe asked sitting down beside Lin.
Mia looked up immediately. “Doesn’t it look too close” Her brain was wavering but she hit herself in the head and smiled.
“What happened? ” Roe asked puzzled.
“Oh! Nothing. Nothing” Mia smiled sheepishly again ” Ahh! How I got here you asked. Actually I can’t explain it much myself. But I will try to put it exactly like it happened ” Mia continued. She told then about the tiny creature. Her fall in the stream by the ridge. How she found out that she could breath underwater. Her thinking about finding Lin. And finally the creature escorting her here.
There was no reaction when she finished her part. Everybody looked at the other.
“Could you describe this creature? Can you like summon it? ” Roe finally broke the silence.
“Summon? No. It just came to my rescue by itself. Describe. Well, I will try ” She went on to make a rough sketch with her fingers on the ground as they hurdled to get a better look.
“Don’t you think this is the creature we were looking for to find our way out? ” Xie said. They all nodded.
“So how do we or rather what do we do now? ” Roe asked.
“Do you mean you need it to guide us out of here? Should I try to get in the water and see if it appears? ” Mia volunteered.
“No! No! It’s too risky. The undercurrents are really strange. I can’t let you go in there alone. ” Lin said.
“Like really? She came out of there all alone” Roe smirked.
“What if it doesn’t show up this time? ” Lin came up to Roe to answer her mockery.
“Do we have any better idea? ” Boshu intervened.
“I will go” Lin said as he unbuttoned his dress and jumped right in before anybody could react.
“Lin! Are you alright? ” Mia yelled running after him. He popped out of the surface and waved his had in the affirmative. They looked on as he dived and swam for awhile, but then all of a sudden Lin yelled. It was as if something was pulling him. He panicked gulping large amount of water as he fought to stay afloat. Boshu and Xie both started undressing for the rescue when they heard a loud splash. Mia had already jumped and was steadily swimming towards Lin. Whatever was affecting Lin, did not bother Mia. They looked amazed. But as soon as Mia reached Lin, she dived down under. They all expected her to resurface soon enough because she dived without any struggle. It was as of she was checking something out. But, it was talking too long for her to come up.
“Should we follow? ” Roe asked anxiously tapping her feet.
Just then they saw Mia, pulling Lin back on the shore. They all rushed to check on them .
“You guys alright? ” Boshu asked.
“Alright. Alright. We are alright. ” Mia was a little out of breath “The creature is there. It’s in the water. ” She said.
“That’s great then, we can finally get out” Roe chirped. But Mia looked up at her and nodded her head, as of saying no.
“What do you mean? ” Roe asked.
“It won’t help us” Mia said.
What? Why? ” They asked together.
“I don’t know. Give me a minute. I need to get back in the water. ” Mia said. Taking a deep breath as she prepared to make yet another dive.