A World With/Out Home

Chapter 36: Breaking through. (Part 2)

Lillia's eyes became dangerously passionate, "Anything?"

"W-within reason," he couldn't help back away a little.

She grabbed his hand, "Then what are we waiting for!" and with that they, for the first time, crossed the boundary of the world.

Stepping through the barrier was an odd sensation. To Kyle it felt like leaving a part of him behind, a part he never knew was there and one that had always protected him. If he were still the same as before he would have turned back immediately. Holding Lillia's hand and knowing who he was however, the next step was much easier.

"You've never done this before right?" he asked, letting out a shiver as the temperature in the fog had dropped drastically.

"Nope, I would have told you if I had." She continued to walk with him, talking to ease any nervousness that remained. "Though Valandus did tell me a story about when he did."

"Really, Valandus passed the boundary?" Kyle couldn't help but snigger.

"Yeah, the Captain always made him do all the odd jobs. Thinking back I think it was his way of forcing him to experience what he needed to."

"True, unlike Reina, Valandus isn't as self-motivated. Anyway what did he say?"

"The thickest part is the first hundred metres. You can't see anything but fog and even the ground doesn't feel right. But when you pass it, the world suddenly changes." Whether it was well timed or by pure luck, they hit the point Valandus had spoken of. The world opened and the fog receded to a lighter mist. The view before them was still shrouded but on top a hill they could see the stretches of trees beyond as wisps of white floated between, and in the distance the shadows of a mountain sat barely seen. Though they had entered at night it had suddenly become day.

Kyle blinked and drawing a deep breath felt a pang of nostalgia, "This is Keg Vally isn't it?" He pointed to the mountain. "It's hard to see from here but that odd shape, I remember us laughing at it when we first came."

"Oh you're right," Lillia nodded. "This is where we fought that horde of frenzy bears. Do you remember the one we fought after we first met?"

"How could I forget, back then we both almost died. If the Captain and Reina hadn't made it our story may have ended then and there."

"Yeah... that feels like so long ago now. So much has changed," she smiled sweetly and squeezed his hand. "There's no time like the present. Go do your thing and if it doesn't work we're turning around."

Though he was curious, Kyle forced the urge to explore down, he had come here for a reason after all. With a soft mumble he prepped himself and then taking a deep breath he let out his voice into the valley, "KALVARA!"

The world shook from the force of his call as not just sound but magic leapt through the air. As the seconds passed and the echo faded however, no reaction replied.

"What now?" Lillia asked.

"We wait," Kyle sat down on the spot and patted the ground for Lillia to join him.

She sat down and leaned into him, "Did your call work?"

"I'm not sure," he sighed. "If it was back then he would have definitely at least felt it, assuming he's alive. With the fog disrupting magic, let's just say my hopes aren't high. If we move further in and tried in a few places then-."