Chapter 12

Everything was cloudy, the winds increased steadily. Winds that you can barely stand up in; Palm trees are bending over, branches breaking off. Trees and plants pulled up out of the ground and some joined us in the hurricane.

Water was splashing everywhere. My eyes fluttered open. I was circling in the hurricane, not a very good place to be. I didn't know if I was floating or falling? It was pretty hard to tell, I was getting dizzier by the second.

I grabbed onto a floating or falling tree trunk. I know not the best of ideas; it's not like any of my ideas are good. I need to get on the ground pronto, but first, I need to find the rest of the group.

"Ryoko! Tatsuya! Kaida! Krios! Wyvern! Scylla! Dalinda?" I yelled off the top of my lungs. I know that they probably can't hear me. Abruptly the hurricane came apart in a matter of seconds; the next thing I know I am falling rapidly.

I landed in a very big pond, and it wasn't very soft. I grazed a few spots and might have broken my wrist, but it looks and feels just fine. Now, where am I? I stood up and looked around. I spotted my bag in the distance, and fish surrounded the bag.

I walked over and picked up my bag; the fish swam their separate ways. I made my way onto the land and once I did, I noticed a city in the distance; maybe the rest of the group is staying in an inn there for the time being.

I should head there too, and get a change of clothes. I thought as I looked down at my soaked clothes. I started my walk to the unknown city. Once I reached the city, I looked around for a bit. There were lots of market stands. I finally found an inn where I could stay while I am here.

......

Ow, my head . . . My eyes open immediately to see I am lying in bed. My head is bandaged and my arm is now in a sling. I sprung up and looked around the room. My necklace is on the desk beside me. I grabbed it with my stable arm and put it on. Where am I? Suddenly the door opened and a small girl came in.

"Oh you're awake," she said.

"Mommy, the guest is awake!" She yelled at her mother. The girl grabbed the chair by the desk, pulled it up next to the bed, and sat.

"I was worried you wouldn't wake up." She added.

"Yasmine! you shouldn't yell, you might scare our guests." Her mother said as she came into the room with a bowl in her hand.

"Sorry about the noise. Are you feeling alright?" She asked with genuine care.

"Yes, I'm feeling alright, thank you for helping me. But I do have a question," I say.

"Go ahead," she replied.

"What happened?" I asked.

"A few hours ago there was a flash hurricane which we don't get very often here." She explained as she unwrapped the bandage on my head. Oh yeah, I was swept into a hurricane and separated from the group, then blacked out from all the spinning.

"And then you fell out of the sky!" Yasmine yelled.

"Yasmine, stop yelling!" Her mother scolded her.

"Well, we heard a loud thud in our backyard," The lady continued as she disinfected the wound.

"I looked outside the window and found you dead," Yasmine explained.

"He was not dead, he was unconscious," her mother told her.

"And you were laying on the ground on your back," she added as she bandaged my head again.

"I found this," Yasmine said as she held up my bag.

"Thank you for all your help, madam," I told them as I got up from bed.

"Don't mention it, uhh" She paused.

"Ryoko," I say.

"I think I should get going, I don't want to over welcome my stay," I laughed as I walked over to Yasmine. She handed me my bag.

"Let me walk you out," Yasmine's mother suggested. We walked out the door, and Yasmine followed. We finally reached the front door.

"Thank you again," I grinned.

"No problem but just one question?" She smiled.

"Go ahead," I replied.

"How did you get up here," she asked.

"Pardon?" I said.

"I mean you don't look like you're from here." She answered.

"No, I am not from here, But can you please explain to me what you mean by 'up here'" I asked.

"I mean the Sky city," she explained. Just great if being swept up in a hurricane and separated from your group isn't bad enough; I AM UP IN THE SKY.

"I should get going but is there an inn anywhere nearby," I asked. She opened the door for me. "Yes, take that path and It should take 20 mins." She said as she pointed across the road.

"Thank you, goodbye," I waved, and Yasmine and her mother waved back.

......

THUD! What a hard hit, I landed on the ground. I stood up only to find myself on the ground again. I think I twisted my ankle, dislocated my shoulder, and I grazed a few places. I see my bag right next to me. I scurry to get to it. Most of my things were broken; unfortunately, my first aid kit was lost from the fall.

"Ugh I hate when I have to go fishing, why can't Yasmine do it." A voice mumbles, bringing me out of my thoughts. I looked around and found myself by a river. I scurry to find somewhere to hide. Only to trip on the root of a tree a few seconds later.

"Hello? Anyone here?" The voice of a boy asked. My legs were tucked into my chest. I glanced from behind the tree to see a 12-year-old boy. He had a fishing rod in hand and a bucket on his left. He looked around. I quickly hid.

"Hi, I am Kano, what about you!" The boy greeted me. I whipped my head around to see a boy with a curious face.

"Hi, name Kaida," I replied. I try to get up using the tree for support. I was able to stand this time. I lifted the leg with the twisted ankle up. The boy looked at me weirdly and tilted his head.

"Twisted ankle and dislocated shoulder," I told him quietly. He nodded his head. I bent down to get my bag, struggling to do so.

"Do you want help?" He asked, he grabbed my bag and handed it over. I'm sure he saw me struggling. I nodded, but after that, he quickly ran away. There was no point in helping if you're going to leave me here. I slumped back onto the ground, sighing.

"I am back," he gasped between breaths. Kano had a few bandages and an antibacterial spray.

"Give me your ankle," he said. I pushed my leg towards him. He sprayed my leg with disinfectant. I winced in pain. He wrapped my ankle in the bandages.

"I think that should hold for a few hours," Kano told me. He stood up and extended his hand,

"Grab on," he stated. I did as he said, and he pulled me up with my good arm.

"Thank you," I told him. I leaned back on the tree for support.

"No problem, But if you don't mind me asking how did you get here?" Kano questioned. He might think I am crazy if I told him.

"... It's a long story," I told him.

"Maybe you can tell me the story on our way back to the city," Kano exclaimed.

"What?" I asked.

"I mean you are hurt so the best thing to do is get you somewhere you can properly get healed," Kano expressed.

"Plus it's gonna take a while to get back to the city," he added, picking up his fishing pole from the ground and handing it to me.

"Use this to help you walk better," Kano conveyed. I took the stick from his hand and started walking around. It was sturdy enough for me to walk with.

"Hey wait up for me," Kano yelled. He ran off to go and get his bucket and fishing rod. "Follow me," he told me. He led me to a path.

"This is the fastest way back to the city but it takes at least 3 hours by foot." He spoke. I sighed deeply. This is going to be a very long journey.