The Haunting: Destiny (FF)

Chapter 68

Third Person POV:

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with... 'J'" Markus says in a jingle.

"J?! What- where-" Freya's voice squeaks in suspicion.

"Could be a jack-in-a-box." Armen jokes, eyes locked on the cliffs above.

"I- do you see a jack-in-the-box around here?! No! You're cheating-" Freya claims.

"That's not a guess." Despite finding this hilarious, Markus stifles his laughter to tease her further.

The two have been playing this game since exiting the cave as the group were met with another road block. Mia and Grayson are figuring out the best route whilst Armen's been on scouting duty, keeping a close eye on the sky and the kids sat behind him. They're nearing their destination after what's been three weeks of on and off walking, near misses with the empire and awkward silence. This cave would've taken them to the forest surrounding the hatchery's mountain. However, to get there first requires them to pass by a long chain of mountains that circle the forest.

"Thankfully, there's multiple tunnels down the path here." Mia's finger follows a dotted path that goes through the mountain as straight as a ruler.

"That's the path the Empire has been travelling down." Grayson points out key areas that they've encountered them, all lie next to the primary path.

"Well it's that or we go up the mountain." She points to a winding path that follows the curve of the mountain, slowly increasing in altitude. Before reaching a flat point that crosses the top and slowly winds down.

"Ignoring the time it'd take to traverse, the mountain would avoid the Empire, but we'd have a greater risk of injury. There's also a chance we run into... Y'know."

"So either way, we're screwed."

"Not necessarily." Mia points to a path that winds around the primary route, "There's foliage and trees that'll hide us from the main road, so if they're coming we can hide."

Grayson gives her a look before processing it, "I don't like it but I guess it's the best option."

Smiling, Mia folds up the map, "We can keep a formation if you want, I can be lookout, you can lead, Armen can be in the middle. Just in case."

Agreeing, Grayson takes the map, taking a quick look before calling to the others. A run down is given with the two kids listening attentively, Armen gives Mia a look of concern but she assures him with a smile. He's not convinced.

Starting at a casual pace, the group start heading down an overgrown path surrounded by shrubs and trees that sprout up in twists and turns never seen in the South. The magic has changed the habitat and the surrounding life has adapted to it. The wildlife is less expansive with smaller beings like birds and goats as the primary noise, there's also an extraordinary amount of berry bushes lining and consuming all other foliage.

"You can get a really nice juice from the berries up here, they stay ripe during winter." Freya claims, picking one off a bush.

"Or you pick a mimic." Mia jumps in, throwing it away.

"A mimic?" Markus asks as Freya wipes her hands.

" 'An item which takes on the same properties as another item.' Typically it hides like this because it's out to kill you." Freya explains.

"In that case, eating it could've swelled your throat and make you suffocate." Mia adds, leaving them with that cheerful note as she goes back to lookout.

"And you were going to eat it?" Markus voice squeaks in disbelief.

"Eh, what can I say? I'm a risk taker."