Past: Run

Something was wrong!

Coolyala could feel it. She didn't see the man in the shadows. She didn't feel as if she was being watched, but she felt something was wrong.

She was at the field with Wong, Coomarrah, and Jin. Lofgun had taken the rest to see something they wouldn't explain. But she couldn't help but look around to see exactly what was bothering her.

Nothing…

"Butterfly?" Coomarrah asked softly.

"I think something is wrong."

Jin sat up and stared at her. "Why do you say that?"

"I don't know. I can feel it."

Wong stood and walked around, eyeing their surroundings. Coomarrah leaned towards her. "Do you want to go home?"

She shook her head. "No. I don't know if it's here or somewhere else."

Jin and Coomarrah glanced at each other, warily. But after ten minutes, nothing happened and Wong saw nothing. But she couldn't get the feeling to go away.

She had been with Lofgun for ten months now. She had peace ever since she received the photo and the pin, and had strengthened her body until she was prepared for anything. She had made friends among Lofgun's people. She had told a few her true name, even though they continued to call her Butterfly. The stones were still in the same spot: in the box that's in the satchel which was buried in Lofgun's chest in his basement. However she checked on them periodically no matter what.

She had gotten a note from the man though. A not three months ago demanding to meet to discuss a possible trade off, but she ignored it. Other than that, there was nothing.

Now, she supposed he was taking offense, because her instincts were usually correct in these situations.

"Where are Lofgun and the others?" she asked.

"Lofgun got a parcel he had ordered and they went to check it out," Jin said softly. "It's his to tell, Butterfly. He'll share if he wants."

"Is it something dangerous?"

All three males glanced at each other. It was Wong who said, "It depends on whose side they're on. If they are on Lofgun's, then the parcel is something to behold. But if you're an enemy, then it could be a weapon."

Her heart did a drop. "Does he plan on using it?"

Coomarrah laughed. "Lofgun doesn't plan on using any weapons until last minute, Butterfly." Coolyala foreword her brow. He explained, "Lofgun is a spur of the moment type. He will always have a weapon handy, but it is a last resort when he has other means of getting what he wants."

"What type of means?"

He shrugged. "He's a sly talker, and can talk his way into anything if he chooses."

"He also is good with the females," Wong said with a grin. Jin elbowed him harshly.

Coolyala didn't really think much about Lofgun's looks. Sure, she noticed his eyes, but he was just another male – albeit the only one who stopped everything to hell her – but still another male. She guessed he was good looking, but she also knew he had another form, a form that would reveal itself in time. They all did. The form they wore now were the ones for this world only. To blend in. But step out of this world, and they'd change. Hers was one she didn't like to think about. Her mind was the biggest asset in her family, but her looks were less than average.

Coolyala wasn't ugly – she didn't think, in her world – but those foreign would say otherwise. She had a feeling that if Lofgun would see her true form, he'd run. Most foreigners did when they caught sight of her. This was why she hadn't wanted to trust him, because in the end, she could be left alone. He could take one look at her and run, never seeing her again. It made her throat close and her stomach roil.

"Butterfly?" Wong was beside her now, eyes concerned. "I didn't mean to upset you."

She smiled at him, forcing her expression to reveal nothing of what she was thinking. "You didn't. I was just thinking of something else, like why I feel like something is wrong."

"What is it that you think is wrong?" Jin asked, sitting forward and focusing on her intently.

She shrugged. "Like someone might be hurt."

"Right now?"

"No. But soon." She looked at him with wide eyes. "Why am I getting this feeling? There's nothing around that could hurt us."

"Boom also gets feelings, Butterfly. It is how we figured out something was wrong when you got that photo. He felt something was wrong." Jin rubbed his face. "Don't discredit yourself. And don't dismiss these feelings until you know for certain all is well."

"How will I know?"

"Because you will not be glancing around all the time and you'll feel relief."

She nodded and they all stayed at the field, per her request. She didn't want to go home. And maybe that is what her instincts were telling her. Something at home was wrong. However, she knew the stones were hidden, so she didn't dwell.

Come dusk, Lofgun and the others returned, no one harmed and all smiling. She sat and half listened, but her focus was elsewhere.

Her parents were likely dead. From the photo, it seemed like they should be. The stones were safe, hidden away. Even if the man found the stones, he couldn't open the box. Only she and Lofgun knew how to open it. They would be safe inside the box as long as they never figured out the secrets to the box. Besides, it's not like they could feel the stones presence, right? If they could, they'd have stolen them by now.

"Butterfly, why are you so quiet?" Lofgun asked, sitting beside her.

She shrugged. "I can't stop worrying."

"About?"

"Something," she said in frustration.

He raised a brow then glanced around. "How long have you had this feeling?"

"Since this morning."

Lofgun frowned. Jin shrugged when he was given a questioning glance. "She can't define it, so I told her to not dismiss it until she was sure all was fine."

"But all is fine," she whispered.

"To the eye," Jin said.

She blinked. She didn't want to find out if her suspicions were true, but she turned to Lofgun anyways. "Can we?"

He knew what she asked and nodded. They went home. The closer they get, the worse she felt until they entered the house and she wanted to vomit. But the feeling was forgotten for a moment when she saw the wreckage inside. Glass was broken, furniture was tipped over with their stuffing bleeding out, items were thrown about, and some walls had holes in them.

Lofgun put an arm out to keep her from going further as he narrowed his eyes. "I think it's safe to assume your feelings were correct," he murmured.

"Lofgun-"

"I know." He swept her into his arms and carried her through the house, so she didn't hurt herself on anything. When they reached the basement door, it was open and off two of three hinges. She began to squirm.

"Let me go," she hissed.

"Butterfly, I'm not setting you down. Just hold on until we get down there."

He took slow careful steps into the dark basement, making her heart race. She was scared, panicked.

Lofgun finally reached the bottom and they looked to the chest. It was open with all his stuff spilled out. Coolyala couldn't take it. She fell out of his arms and crawled to the chest. A moment later, he was kneeling beside her, digging through the scrolls and nick-knacks. There was no sign of the satchel. "No!" she hissed, throwing stuff behind her. "No!"

"Butterfly!"

She looked up and saw Lofgun pointing deeper into the darkness. She crawled past him. And her heart calmed. It was here! The satchel had been thrown aside, and was laying in a corner. She fumbled to get it open. Found the box and wanted to cry. Lofgun went up behind her and reached around, murmuring a word. There was a click, then the box was open. Lofgun lifted the lid and pressed down slightly. Another sound, then the secret compartment opened, revealing all thirteen stones.

Coolyala sighed. Sitting back, she leaned against Lofgun with her eyes closed. They were safe!

"Everything is here," Lofgun whispered, and shut the box softly. "Everything is okay."

She just breathed. When she opened her eyes, however, she went still. It wasn't the man who stood before them, but a different one. This one had a crossbow aimed at her, the tip of the arrow gleaming. "Give me the box," he said.

Coolyala just stared at him, shocked she hadn't seen him until now.

"Give it to me and you will be spared."

She took the box out of Lofgun's hands and looked at it. "Butterfly?"

"Eh has ents heranot. Eh has a bowcross medai."

Lofgun seemed to translate the words in his brain. Then his body stiffened. "Erewh?"

"In ontfr of us. Nedpoiso."

Slowly, Lofgun stood, lifting her up as well. "He notcan ootsh, ghtri?"

She didn't know the answer to his question. Could the man shoot even though he seemed had transparent?

Seeming to read her mind, the man swung his bow down and fired. Pain shot through her leg and she screamed. Lofgun cursed and spun around, using his body as a shield,. "How is that possible?" he growled.

She shook her head and screamed again as he ran up into the body of the house, and outside.

Running to the field, he set her in the grass as the others swarmed them. It was Rinnowra who began to work, snapping the arrowhead off then sliding the shaft out of her leg. Coolyala saw spots of black. A moment later, Goomal stepped up and began sewing the wound shut.

"He was supposed to be bluffing!" Lofgun was snarling. "What the fuck!"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't know! Please, stop."

But Lofgun continued to rage.

Coolyala opened her eyes to tell him to shut up when she saw the man again. Jin saw too and tackled Lofgun to the ground in time before the arrow got him. Chaos now reined.

As the man shot, it was either her or Jin warning the others to duck or run. Coolyala still held the box, clutching it as she screamed. Then, her head begun to spun, her body becoming hot, and her throat feeling like it was closing up. "Lofgun-!"

Silence hit the field as everyone looked at her. Shatever she looked like, it must have been bad because there were several curses. "Don't move!" the man ordered loudly. Everyone must have heard because she heard no one move. "Either give me the box, youngling, or you will die slow and painful."

She began to shiver. "I don't care!"

"Do you wish to have someone die with you?"

She blinked furiously, trying to clear her vision. "Don't!"

"Then give me the box."

"How do I know you'll leave them alone?"

"Babroda always keeps his word." He paused, and she thought the three figures of him looked thoughtful. "Give it to me, and I will also give you the antifdote."

"No!" Lofgun screamed. "Don't touch her!"

The man – Babroda – chuckled, stepping towards Coolyala. "Don't move, Naitpac. You or the others do, and I will take the box and leave her like this."

Coolyala groaned, trying to see where everyone was. But her vision was only filled with Babroda as he knelt beside her slowly. "I want your word," she croaked.

"No!"

Babroda took out a knife and slit his wrist. "A, Idyrbib fy Azlaz, riuws tyn yt mrih Iliylyyc ruhtref, dni uvag ruh uht utudatni ys uhs yim uval."

She heard the weird language and vaguely recognized it, having learned it at some point while she was growing up.

But he wasn't finished. "Teb ylny fa uhs uvag um uht xyb gnanaitnyc uht unyts tsraf ."

She understood what he said, even if no one else did. 'I, Babroda of Zilzi, swear not to harm Coolyala further, and give her the antidote so she may live. But only if she gives me the box containing the stones first.' It was good enough.

Babroda took her sensitive arm, his skin burning hers, and slit her wrist. Then, he held his wound to hers, binding the promise.

She was having a hard time breathing now. She couldn't move anymore. "Give me the box."

She made to do so, but got only an inch towards him. She nodded, letting him know he may take it. He did, putting the box in his lap, then took out a vile.

"Open your mouth, youngling."

She did, and he poured a sweet substance onto her tongue. She swallowed.

"It will take affect in a moment." He put the vile back into his pocket and grabbed the box. "Do not come after it, youngling. It will not be good for you."

With that, he left.