Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Twenty-five ~

Emy fidgeted beside me and I looked at her, she gestured with her head towards the window. A dark grey cloud had appeared out of nowhere, it looked menacing and I hoped it wasn't some kind of Dark Horror mobile. We waited and waited, Blaike was watching out of the window like a hawk and strangely that made me curious for more lessons about the animals in Nentarli.

I was letting my mind wander when Blaike suddenly made a beeline for the door.

"Everything is alright," he called to us over his shoulder. "Stay here and keep them inside," he said to Kaleb before running off and slamming the door behind him.

We were left confused, Kaleb didn't seem to know what was going on either but he did as he was told. He stayed by the door and kept an eye on us, I huffed as I leaned against the base of the armchair.

"What could possibly be happening out there if everything is alright?"

Emy shrugged, "I don't know but this is getting annoying."

I smiled at her honesty and I had to agree, it felt like we were being treated like children again. I understood that we weren't experienced and we were supposed to be very important but so were Kaleb, Blaike and Kayle, yet they fought and faced everything. Just then, the image of the Dark Horror seared into my mind and I wondered for a split second if maybe it was better we didn't do and see everything.

I turned suddenly when Kaleb reacted to something outside, he opened the door before anyone could knock and five figures came barrelling in. The first three were Kayle, Blaike and Merkell, and to my surprise and relief, the other two were my dad and Emy's. They ran to us and we hugged our dad's, mine made sure I was okay before he stood up again, he looked dishevelled but he wasn't hurt from what I could see.

"What happened out there?" I asked before they could change the subject and try to avoid telling us.

My dad looked back at me, "Nothing, you'll find out all about it soon."

I could have sworn he gave Kayle a brief, meaningful glance but it was gone within the blink of an eye.

"Dumair is secure, the entire village has been swept thoroughly from top to bottom, twice. There was only one Dark Horror, with a little persuading we found out its intentions and a few other details."

I got the impression that I didn't want to know what the persuasion or the details were, and from the look on my dad's face, I wasn't going to find out either.

My dad and Alacor asked Merkell to join them in the next room and the minute they were gone, we turned on Blaike and Kayle.

"What really happened out there?"

"Yeah, and why does everyone keep looking at you when we try to ask more about this place?" Emy asked Kayle directly.

We had both sensed that there was more to it and after what had just occurred, we deserved an answer.

Kayle inhaled deeply and Kaleb placed a hand on his shoulder, "Just tell them, they are your family."

Emy's frown matched my own and we watched Kayle walk back over to the window, staring out while he spoke.

"The reason my attitude and behaviour have been a little different around here... why the guys have been covering for me... why Kaleb and I went out this morning, is because this is where my mum lives."

His announcement didn't help relieve my confusion, it just made it worse and the look on his face made me think there was something he was holding back.

It took him a good five minutes before he spoke again, "Remember when I said the people here had their own problems to deal with? That is because they're all sick, not with an illness exactly but they all suffer from a side effect of magic. A curse or a spell gone wrong, or in my mother's case it was Dark magic that got to her and made her ill. She can't perform her own magic and her mind is frayed. Some of the other people here can't control their magic and they have little... outbursts.