Chapter 16

The gap between her and the men was becoming bigger with every step she made, however her self proclaimed future husband was never leaving her side, throwing her looks as they were moving behind the whole group.

"Are you doing it on purpose? Staying behind to be with me only?" He finally asked.

"You wish." Melody wasn't faking, she was really tired and that backpack started to be a huge burden. She tripped almost falling but Ilia grabbed her arm.

"Give me the rucksack, I'll carry it." He offered with a bright smile.

Melody wanted to say no need and keep being stubborn but she really had enough.

"I need to rest Jin, can we stop?" She looked at him giving him a puppy look.

He sighed and stopped. There were some rocks and Melody sat on one. The view here was splendid, they were moving along the ridge of a mountain. She could see it, the vast land. With rocky ground, few crooked trees and a dark forest in the distance. That was all partially covered by the everlasting mist. Melody closed her eyes for a moment and focused on the surroundings, she could feel some weak vibrations coming from the stone they were sitting on. She stood up abruptly.

"What's going on Melody?" Jin noticed her strange behavior.

"There is something inside this stone." She said looking at the solid rock.

"What?" He couldn't hide his surprise.

"I can feel it, it's calling me. Here in this stone." Melody pointed at the stone she was just sitting on.

"You really are a stone whisperer." Jin murmured.

"Take it out." Melody asked, knowing it will be a hassle.

Jin looked at her and then at the stone. He scratched his head and started to look for something in his bag. After a while he took out a small package.

"Melody, you need to move aside. Hide behind that huge rock. " He pointed in the direction of a stone that was a few steps away. Melody did that. Jin was so occupied with putting a small package into a crack in the rock that Melody simply quietly retreated further hiding behind rocks and trees. there was a loud bang but Melody was already running away from that place. Soon she heard Jin calling her name. Melody didn't stop. She kept running, she tripped and fell but immediately stood up. Her knee was hurt but she didn't stop. Limping a bit she was trying to create a distance between the kidnappers and herself. The explosion attracted the rest of the men and they were all after her now. She could hear them in the distance.

Her heart was pounding like crazy, she felt buzzing in her ears, she was short of breath. At this rate they will catch her soon. What should she do? She was close to the border and she could see the waste land. It took Melody only a moment to make up her mind. She crossed the border and headed for the nearest rock formation to hide. She will wait till the chase will lose her track and then find her way back.

As Melody was crossing the border she felt strange vibrations that made her body shiver for a moment. She kept running as fast as she could. She reached some rocks so she hid behind them and on her fours moved further. She still could be spotted from afar. Melody was in such stress that she kept crawling deeper into the wasteland. Finally she hid behind the huge rocks. She was breathing heavily, her knees and hands were scratched and they were bleeding. Melody leaned against a rock and hoped they would lose track of her and she would be able to go back and find Illia. The time almost stopped, she heard some loud voices but they were moving away. That was good. The whole tension started leaving her body. Melody relaxed a bit and then she noticed it. The air was practically vibrating around her. She hasn't noticed it earlier as she was in a rush running away from her kidnappers. Melody stood up and she heard a call deep inside it was so strong that she felt the urge to move in that direction. Melody was walking into the forest, all the trees there were crooked and twisted. Melody was bowing and trying to avoid the branches but a few hit her face. It was getting dark when she saw a small crack in a hill in front of her. The crack was big enough for a man to enter it and Melody went inside. The call was very strong right now, Melody behaved like in a dream she was unable to stop. The narrow passage soon opened into a quite big cave that was illuminating in bluish color. All around her were crystals sticking out of the walls. It looked so dazzling and enchanting that Melody spread her arms and started turning around as she allowed those deep vibrations fill her mind and body.

"Melody" Somebody even said her name but she wasn't willing to get out of this trans.

"Melody." there was a desperate urge in the voice, it was unpleasant and it bothered her. Some hands grabbed her arms and she felt a warm hug. Melody forced herself to look at the source of distraction.

She knew that face, those green and golden eyes that were looking with concern at her. It took Melody another moment to realize something.

'Illia?" Her lips formed this word before her brain even started to process the information surrounding her.

"Melody, I found you. What happened, I was running after you calling your name but you didn't turn back." He was looking at her with distress.

"The stones Illia, they keep calling me. It's so hard to stay focused on anything else but those stones." Melody eyesight was still hazy, she still felt kind of like in a dream.

"Melody, you found the barrier stones." Illia hugged her, there were hundreds of beautiful crystals here.