108 Mistand 10

What was there to do? Lia felt even more helpless now. The T family refused to help. They had no clue where the faction was based in the mist nor knew how to navigate through Mistand nor were strong enough.

Everything was out of their favour. If anything happened to Lily and Nana, Lia couldn't forgive herself. Susa already warned Lia not to get separated yet she suggested, insisting on still doing it.

The usual calm and unfazed Lia in Mika's eyes, paced up and down before the gate. Her face was overtaken by emotions. Mika has already noticed that Lia started to slightly change but it was still unusual to see her worrying about something.

He could still picture the Lia in front of him that day in the cave, could still feel the lifeless bodies and blood on him but right now he wanted to speak words of comfort to her.

Mika worked his brain to figure out what would be appropriate to say when Lia stopped and turned to him.

"We've no choice. We need to go ourselves."

"No," Mika held Lia back as she wanted to go into the mist. Lia also knew it was dangerous but what other option was there?

Lia remained still at the same spot as Mika said, "We can still ask Elder T."

"He wouldn't help, you heard his attendant. There's nothing to change his mind."

"You changed mine."

"What?"

Mika looked away with slight embarrassment, "You were able to change my mind…. About you, so… it's not impossible to convince him, you know…. If it's you."

Lia held her hand before her mouth and her eyes curved. She shouldn't laugh, not when it took Mika a lot of courage to say that.

Lia calmed down and took Mika's arm, "Thank you. You also helped me chang-"

"Go away!" Mika instantly removed his arm from Lia and took a few steps away from her. The tips of his ears were slightly red.

"What should we do now?" Lia decided to change the topic.

After a second, Mika walked to the gate and threw the heavy ball against door. A deep, cavernous sound rang in their ears and moments later another attendant opened the door.

"What can I do for you?"

"Bring us to Elder T."

"Elder T doesn't-"

"I don't care," Mika glared at the attendant whose head was also bowed.

Lia could basically hear the gears in the attendant's head working furiously as to how to answer Mika's sentence.

"I, erm, cannot help you then?"

"You can," Mika resolutely said and the attendant was confused again.

"How?"

"Let us see Elder T."

"I really can't!"

"You can!"

"No, I can't!"

"If you try, then you can."

"But-"

"No buts, believe in yourself."

"What?"

"Enough," Lia had a headache of the conversation that went in circles. She eyed Mika who steadfastly believed there was nothing wrong with what he said.

Lia sighed. This boy really needed more social contact, he was too awkward.

"Wait," Lia drew closer to the attendant, "You, raise your head please."

This attendant looked familiar. As he did what Lia asked, she could see the confusion on his face but there was no mistake. Even if it was brief, Lia immediately recognised it was the one who-

"You brought the news to Elder T about the faction, no?"

"I-I did, yes?"

"Really?" Mika caught on, "Bring us there."

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can. It's all a matter of belief."

"Good Sir, please stop troubling me! I'm only a poor servant, have some mercy!"

"Mercy will find you where you bring us," Mika pulled the servant out of the gate.

"No, no, no! That mercy will be death's mercy! Dangerous! Too dangerous! Please spare me! Oh Lord, what did I do?" the servant was about to cry and Lia pitied him, however, he was their only hope.

"Two choices. A- Let us see Elder T. B- You bring us to the faction."

"Magnanimous Sir! None of these are possible! It's unholy what you're doing! Pure blasphemy!" the servant knelt on the floor as Mika held on to him.

"You have any idea what he's saying?" Mika turned to Lia whose face blanked for a second, then she crouched down to match the servant's height.

"Do you know where the faction is located?"

Having Lia's face real close to his, the attendant was nervous and nodded hastily.

"Then do you know how to navigate in the mist? In Mistand?"

The servant nodded furiously again.

"Then please tell us how."

This time the accessible servant shook his head and spoke the all-familiar words, "I can't."

Mika was distressed, "Can you do anything?"

His stern face and scowl made the servant shrink back and cower in self-consciousness, "I'm just a lowly servant! You're asking too much of me!"

He mumbled over and over again, almost crying at the injustice he was experiencing. Even Lia had no idea anymore how to deal with him. He really didn't want to say or do anything, apart from the fact he couldn't do anything.

With the servant on the ground, Mika standing next to him and Lia still crouching in front of him, time slowly ticked away until the servant's eyes brightened and he shouted, "Young Master!"

Lia spun around and saw out of the mist Xavi and Susa coming. However, the figure behind them was what astonished Lia.

Time seemed to stand still and the world stopped spinning. Nothing mattered anymore. Everything was in slow motion, the distance far, far away yet it was only a short range.

The surrounding quieted down and Lia couldn't see anything but the person in front of her. Her heart beat faster and unbelievable joy sprang from it and seeped into every part of her body.

Her steps felt light as her feet carried her forwards before stopping and jumping into the perplexed yet smirking person's arms.

Warmth spread and a pair of strong and familiar arms tightened around Lia and the nostalgic yet once infuriating voice sounded like a beautiful melody in her ears, "Wow, you missed me so much. Should I feel honoured?"

Noel's eyes twinkled as he stared into Lia's eyes and his confident smug was now pleasing to her. He didn't want to admit it but she did miss him and for some reason, seeing him here made all of her worries disappear in an instant.

Because she was sure of one thing and that was, if it was Noel, everything would be alright. Noel could do it. Because Lia believed in Noel. Because she trusted him. Even with her life.

If it was Noel, then anything was possible, this was the utter confidence she had in him.