Adventuresome

Chapter 23

"Perfect. Back in the marsh. Exactly where I wanted to be. This is really getting absurd. I hope it's worth it to come back here after we just left." Perrin kept up a running commentary under her breath while they walked. "It's not like this is the opposite direction of the desert region or anything. It's not like the marsh spirit didn't shout at us and freak out on us or anything. I mean what the hell, why not. Why don't we just live here in the marsh for the rest of our lives. We can't exactly escape it clearly."

"Enough already," Dominick finally said loudly. "I am trying to conserve my strength for the fight we will undoubtably be facing soon enough. I would rather not waste my energy killing you just so we can stop hearing your annoying mumbling."

Lilliana kept her eyes ahead of her, but she could just imagine Perrin making some kind of face towards her and Dominick. Though, she had a fair point or two in her diatribe. It had been three days since the airship crash and it seemed as if they would never end up leaving the marsh. After all, since leaving it Lilliana had already voluntarily reentered it twice.

At least Perrin was quiet though. Lilliana was getting worried about the marsh spirit. It had been quiet from her for several minutes.

Marsh spirit? Can you hear me?

"I can hear you just fine."

Lilliana flicked the crystal on her father's staff.

Not you Dominick I know you can hear me.

"Well fine then, I see how it is. Maybe I'll just be silent for a while and see if you even notice."

Wouldn't that be nice.

"Keep going your direction." The marsh spirit said, her voice faint and strained.

Lilliana felt even more nervous.

They were walking at a brisk pace, but Lilliana itched to go faster. She wanted to run until they reached the marsh spirit, even knowing that she herself was physically unable to run that far and for that long. It was almost an hour before Lilliana heard the marsh spirit speak again.

"Turn your direction. Head to the South-East direction."

"This way," Lilliana called to Perrin.

"Yeah yeah, we'll follow whatever is telling you directions." The desert wanderer said. Lilliana noticed Perrin was still holding her giant sword. While she walked, Perrin was swinging the sword effortlessly, even playing at doing attacks on some of the taller reeds.

"Isn't...isn't that sword heavy?"

"This?" Perrin looked in surprise from Lilliana to her sword, as if she had forgotten she was practicing while she walked. "This is Galandat. It's a Ravensword. Extremely light weight."

Lilliana recognized the word "Ravensword" as what Tancred had mentioned when they fought with him in the prison. Beyond that she felt the word sounded familiar, but could not remember anything specific about the type of weaponry.

Before Lilliana could decide if she wanted to pursue questions about the sword, Dominick spoke inside her head.

"Careful, stop here. There are people ahead."

Lilliana held up her hand, shushing Perrin before she could ask why they were stopping.

Then she heard the crashing and splashing of heavy boots in the marsh, and the rumble of voices. In the distance, she saw the shapes of men and women walking. No, not men and women.

Soldiers.

There were about ten soldiers walking through the marsh, and at their head was Captain Rill. He was too far away to see clearly, but Lilliana recognized the way he walked and his short, bulky figure.