CHAPTER 19 - The Land Of Reager

As Peter saw those group of words, he paused and gave a puzzling stare;

'Reager? — magic academy?'

What the hell was the ethereal voice talking about?

While he lay there in ponder, the sound of footsteps was heard.

"W–who's there? — show yourself?"

A feminine voice spoke out in agitation — as Peter struggled out of the bundle of hay.

Standing on his feet — he rested his eyes on a young girl who held a pitchfork with both hands — which was pointed threateningly at him.

In contrast with her threatening posture — her gaze held no hostility — but was filled with deep curiosity.

She was about the same height and age with him — with a seemingly long curly blond hair that was packed in a ponytail — and most noticeably, her blue eyes.

Peter stared at those azure colored eyes — as he couldn't help but be entranced.

He had seen a lot of girls — but none that made him freeze and gape stupidly.

In return, the girl also froze and stared — her azure colored eyes moved up and down — as she seemed to take in his full appearance.

"Hi" Peter managed to say — after almost two minutes of a stare down contest.

"Uh...hi" the girl replied — as her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Did you just fall from the sky?"

"Uh....something like that" Peter replied awkwardly as he glanced at the sky.

"Whoa....how did you that?!" The girl had seem to let go of her caution — as she relaxed her threatening posture and held her pitchfork with one hand to the side.

"Uh..." Peter was not sure how he should reply.

But he wouldn't have to — as the voice of another female sounded out from a distance;

"Lyra! — Lyra where are you? — it's time for lunch!"

"Coming!" The girl yelled back her reply as she returned her gaze to Peter.

"What's your name?"

"Peter"

"Peter? — what kind of a name is 'Peter'?" She asked with a frown.

"Where are you–"

"Lyra!" The distant female voice called out again.

"Coming mum! — Why don't you come have lunch with us?"

Lyra asked — as her azure eyes flashed with great interest.

"Uh.."

"Come on — mom is waiting!"

Turning around and running ahead — she left Peter standing there — while his gaze was filled with confusion.

'Okay what the heck is going on?'

His environment felt and looked quite strange — which made him wonder where he was.

From the way the girl — Lyra — dressed, gave her the look of a medieval-type peasant.

Peter was not so much into history — in fact, he was not so much into anything — an average guy you'll say.

But what he loved most was taking pictures and painting.

And because of this, he was able to develop a sort of photographic talent — for anything concerning pictures and painting.

And from Lyra's dressing — to his current surroundings — he was beginning to have the photographic image of something that would only help to scare and confuse him.

While he was about to get a fright from his speculations — Lyra returned back with a surprised look on her face.

"What are you still standing around for? — come on!"

"Oh...uh...okay" Peter unwittingly moved and followed her.

***************

Master Chang sat and stared at the calm Mocheda — as his eyes were wide open in surprise.

"So you're saying that among these worlds out there, you actually come from the one that has magic as it's life force?"

"Yes" Mocheda replied.

"Unlike your world — mine thrives on magic — it's people and creatures, we all breathe and live in it"

"That's quite amazing" master Chang's eyes flashed with great interest.

Magic was mainly believed to exist in fairy tales — so to actually find a world full of such was beyond belief!

"Yes it is — that's why I really need to see the land you spoke of"

"You mean Agatha?"

"Yes" Mocheda nodded with a solemn stare.

"Master I've also been meaning to ask you — how did you find this world Agatha?"

Sighing and staring into nothingness — master Chang began his recollective tale.

"It was twelve years into my practice of martial arts — I had not yet discovered the art of Tai Chi

"I had just visited a close friend of mine — who lived in Tibet at the time

"Returning back from my visit — I decided to explore the Himalaya mountains a bit and also find a good spot to practice and meditate — when all of a sudden I found myself face to face with a strange creature

"This creature looked much like a lion — but possessing the size of a car and six legs

"Apart from it's strange appearance — I also felt a pressure from it that was just too terrifying

"So I ran — further into the Himalayas than I had planned

"The creature chased me while roaring in it's horrifying tone — which made me to run even further

"Until I saw a tunnel — that was carved into a mountain — the tunnel seemed very peculiar but safe enough to be an avenue of escape from the horrific creature"

He coughed and paused.

"And then?" Mocheda inquired — with curiosity laced in her gaze.

"Obviously I ran into the tunnel — only to have it close shut behind me

"As if that wasn't all — the tunnel suddenly developed a suction force — which pulled me deeper and deeper through a large cavernous space

"As I was about to lose my mind from being pulled through the air with no form of resistance whatsoever — I was thrown into what looked like a large body of water

~Ring~

Mocheda swore as she pulled out her smartphone and stared at the screen in annoyance.

Only to have her annoyed expression changed to one of warmth as he glanced at master Chang and apologized;

"Master am sorry but I need to take this"

"No problem" master Chang waved his hand dismissively.

"Hello"

**Hello lady M-mocheda?** The feminine voice from the phone called out.

"Yes Carla — what is it?"

**You have a visitor**

"Who is it?"

**It's Mr Larry — he said it's concerning the task you gave to him**

"He found the boy?!"

Mocheda unconsciously raised her voice — as her beautiful eyes widened in excitement.

**Yes my lady — but he also said he needed to meet with you**

"Very well — am on my way" Mocheda replied after sometime.

****************

Peter followed Lyra to the front of what looked like a cottage — with a chimney at a side of the roof.

He was quite shook because — due to the books he had read and the pictures he had seen — he never expected that such a house still existed in modern civilization.

While he stopped and gazed — the door to the cottage opened up — as a young woman with slightly above average looks and body features came out.

"Hey mom!" Lyra greeted in her lively voice.

"Lyra I have been calling you to join me in setting up the table for food"

"Oh sorry mom — by the way this is Peter"

Lyra quickly said as she gestured towards Peter.

"Oh" Lyra's mother slightly widened her eyes which stared at Peter in slight surprise.

"How do you do?"

"Am fine ma'am" Peter replied in the best way he could — while trying to make a good impression.

"Why don't you join us for lunch?"

"I already invited him mom — and he even agreed to help wash the dishes after we finish eating"

Lyra quickly said as she gave Peter a mischievous smile.

'Is she for real? — when did I agree to that?!'

Peter couldn't believe he was being hoodwinked on his first day in such a strange place.

"That's wonderful" Lyra's mother said with a broad smile.

"In that case — why don't you come on in? — you can help us set the table"

**************

South Park Forest area.....

Catherine was seething in anger as she glared at a fellow police officer whom cowered in fear — as he apologized for the umpteenth time.

"Miss Catherine am sorry — I truly am — I just got carried away for a few seconds–"

"Looks more more like 'a few seconds' to me!" Catherine interrupted his apology as she raised her voice.

"Because if it had truly been for just a few seconds then you would have still been able to still catch up to him before he escaped"

"Miss Catherine" a man called out as he approached her.

Turning around — Catherine rested her eyes on Geoffrey.

"Any news?" She asked — with slight hope in her voice.

"Am sorry miss Catherine" Geoffrey shook his head.

"We tracked his trail deep in the woods — but found a dead end"

Noticing the peculiar frown on Geoffrey's face, Catherine couldn't help but ask;

"There's something you're not telling me — spill it"

Taking a deep breath, Geoffrey replied with a confused look on his face;

"It's like he just vanished into thin air — and also we found scorched marks at the point of his disappearance"

"Like that which is caused by fire?" Catherine asked as a frown formed on her face — but the frown became deeper due to what Geoffrey said next.

"No — these scorched marks were not made by fire — and I know this is gonna sound crazy but these scorched marks were actually caused by lightning.... highly concentrated lightning"