Arc 22: Memories in the Mist, Chapter 164, Blue Lagoon City

We had just arrived in Blue Lagoon City, the breeze was gentle and cool, the sky was a clear blue hue with puffy white clouds here and there.

"So, this is Blue Lagoon City." Touya who stepped off the bus said as he looked at the clear blue waters surrounded homes.

"It's really beautiful." Alexis smiled.

"Yeah." I answered. "It's even better than when we first came here, right Will?"

"Huh? Ah... Yeah." Will answered a bit absent mindedly.

Ever since they announced the trip to this place, Will has been acting weird. What could be going on in his head?

"Are you alright, William-san?" Hinako asked.

"It fine." Will answered and grabs my arm. "Arata, don't stray too far from me."

"Why?" I asked.

"... No reason... just don't leave my line of sight." He says and I nodded.

We are brought to our hotel rooms and I share my room with Ethan, Liam and Reinhardt. We get ready to take to the beach, when Touya knocks at the door.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I opened the door.

"Let's hit the beach!" Mai cheers.

We come out of our room and we hit the beach, Will and the others are already here, Alexis is chasing after Alistar with a water gun.

"Oh! Let's go join them, Arata!" Mao takes me by the hand and drags me to join the water fight.

----

"William-san, would you like something to drink?" Hinako asks Will who sat on the beach towel, his eyes focused on Arata.

"Will, you still here?" Hiro asked as he stuck a cold drink to Will's neck.

"Gah! What was that for?!" Will exclaimed.

"Hinako-chan was asking if you wanted something to drink." Hiro answered.

"Um, William-san, is something bothering you?" Hinako asked him.

"It's nothing." Will answers and gets up, taking of his shirt. "Andrew, I'm going for a swim, watch Arata and don't let him wander too far from your sight."

"Okay~. " I answered.

He goes off into the water and my eyes fall on Arata who seems to be enjoying himself, soaking the others.

"So, what do you think is going on?" Lucas who sat down asked.

"No idea." I answered. "If anything, Arata seems to be fine while Will is anxious about something."

"Should I try to learn about it?" Van asked as he sat beside us.

"Nah. I'm sure they'll tell us." Theo says. "Let's just watch over the two.

-----

'Arata. Arata.' A hear a voice calling me and I stop and instinctively turn to where the call is coming from.

"What's wrong? You'll get soaked if you stay still!" Adonis throws a water balloon my way.

'Arata. Arata.' The voice that is calling to menis coming from deep within the waters. It's calling me.

Before I even reakize it, my feet have sifted and are beginning to move towards the water. Just as my feet meet the waves, a throbbing sensation fills my head.

"Ugh..." I can't think clearly.

"Arata?" I can vaguely hear someone's voice calling to me.

"Arata!" William suddenly picks me up and I snap back into reality. "Oi! Are you alright?!"

"Will...?" I answer and suddenly something flashes before my eyes. "Ahhhh!!!!"

What are these?! I break free from Will's embrace and find myself on the waters, the waves gently lapping against my hands. A terrible headache persists and my hands dig into the soft sandy water.

"Ahhhh!!!" My scream leaves my mouth.

Suddenly, before I can do anything else, I collapse. My world falls dark but an image flashes before my eyes. A dark cloudly sky, a faint silhouette, a voice calling my name is overlapped by the sound of thunder and roaring wings.

----

Arata has collapsed, I find myself unable to move, my body frozen.

"Arata!" Andrew picks him up and takes him to the sandy beach.

"Oi! You alright?!" Hiro says as he runs by me.

Finally, after what feels like ages, I move my body and I find myself running to Arata's side.

"He's fine, he just fainted." Licht says. "But why did he scream like that suddenly?"

"Will, you okay?" Andrew asked.

"It's fine... everything will be fine..." I muttered as I tried to calm down.

That thing won't happen again... Arata... something like that... won't repeat itself.

I feel cold, very cold, I'm unable to move my body at all. Before I realize it, I'm falling and I collapse right beside Arata.

-----

"Will?!" I'm taken by surpise as William collapses beside Arata.

"What's going on?!" Lia exclaimed.

"I don't know." I answered. "But let's get these two dried up and back to the hotel for now."

With Dino's help we manage to dry the two up and bring them back to the hotel. We were hoping that we could get them back to their respective rooms but Lucas stops us.

"Why?" I asked.

"There's something, a thin string that seems to tied to the two of them." He answered. "I'm not sure what will happen but I'm sure that if you seperate the two the string will snap."

"So they need to stay in the same room?" Alistar asked and he nodded.

"They can stay in our room." Reinhardt stated.

We bring the two into their room, the moment we set them on the bed, we hear something.

"Will..." Arata is talking in his sleep. "Julian..."

"Andrew, any idea who this Julian is?" Angie asked.

"I don't know." I answered.

"Arata..." Will is also muttering Arata's name.

What is going on exactly? As we wondered, we suddenly hear the sound of strong wind blowing. We look outside the window and find a storm brewing, the clear blue sky is covered by dark ominous storm clouds, the sound of distant can be heard, the calm waters of the lake are starting to swell. Is a storm about to strike?

Could there be a connection between these two and the storm? Well, we can't any answers if the two are dead to the world. We'll let them rest for now, but we're going nowhere in that storm.