Then, down below, hidden behind the shroud of bushes and trees, a figure stood. This one wore the same peculiar garb as the flying individual above, yet a grotesque cut marred the mask over their right ear, revealing not flesh, but a writhing tangle of threads where skin and cartilage should have been.
"What's the detail on the boy now?" Another person, similarly clad, asked, squatting low to the ground.
"Kacis said he's found him!" The voice, a young girl's, emanated from the figure with threads protruding from her right ear.
"Where is he then?" The squatted figure slowly rose, her voice also that of a girl, while a fourth, silent observer leaned quietly against a tree, watching the unsettling exchange.
"Hold on, Blutsatchel," the girl with the threaded ear said, a faint tug on the ethereal filament connecting her to Kacis above, subtly pulling her right ear in Kacis's hand above.
Kacis, with the wind now a caress against his body, flew towards them. He drew near, yet his feet remained suspended, never once gracing the earth.
"The carriage he's in is straying a little bit off course." Kacis stated, removing his mask to reveal a lightly chiseled face, clear skin, and short, wavy brown hair.
"Probably a shortcut." He added.
"What? Why aren't they going on the main course?! They should be following the map, right?" Blutsatchel demanded, her voice strained but vibrant with vigor.
"I don't know, that's why I said it's probably a shortcut, because I didn't see them being pursued or hijacked," Kacis replied, fanning himself idly with his mask.
"So that means our traps…" The girl with the threaded ear spoke, her voice tinged with dejection.
"It is a shortcut, you know how nobles and short patience are like five and six." The fourth person ceased leaning, stepping forward to join them.
"Leader…!" All three---Kacis, Blutsatchel, and the girl with the threaded ear bowed low, shouting in unison, while Kacis slowly drifted further into the air, yet holding himself firm, his feet still suspended.
The ear in Kacis's hand dropped to the ground. It was then drawn back to the girl, though she was not actively grasping the thread.
Gotta learn how to do this quicker, Acis!
She thought, as the ear slowly migrated back to her.
The thread, like a sentient serpent, writhed and gathered itself back onto Acis's right ear area, clustering to reform her skin and her ear, as if by some arcane mimicry.
"We need to move now. Our traps may be useless, but this is another opportunity," the leader stated in a stern voice, motioning with his hands.
"Which direction were they headed?" He faced Kacis, his fierce gaze piercing through the mask, its intensity palpable even unseen.
"They were on the main path, but just went to the right," Kacis answered, his head still bowed.
The leader walked closer, his gaze fixed on Kacis's bent head, his hand slowly rising. He placed it on Kacis's head, gently stroking his hair.
"How many times have I said that you should stop bowing to me?" The leader's voice became as chilled as the breeze before a storm.
"The same goes for all of you." He then pointed at both Blutsatchel and Acis.
"I wonder why you all give such authority to me." He huffed, bending his head, nodding. Kacis, Blutsatchel, and Acis all raised their heads to look at the leader.
"I'm a nobody." The leader chuckled, removing his mask to reveal a soft, feminine face. Long, wavy black hair framed the deep smudges beneath his lower lids, a tiny scar visible on his upper lip as he smiled.
"Yes, sir!..." Kacis exclaimed, then quickly reined in his tone.
"I mean… Yes, Marichi!" he corrected, shouting again.
Marichi merely looked at them, a faint chuckle escaping him before he replaced his mask, his tone immediately shifting back to cold.
"Let's not waste any more time, let's go!" Marichi said, turning his back to them, looking skyward.
The three of them simply nodded, with Acis then looking at Kacis and waving her hands, urging him to fly. Kacis then put his mask back on as well, nodding back at Acis.
"Finally, let's go, the nobles need to learn!" Blutsatchel declared, cracking her knuckles, tiny, frail red glass-like shards flaking from her hands.
"Yes, and they will, just be calm, they aren't beasts," Marichi replied, glancing over his shoulder at Blutsatchel.
Kacis moved closer to Acis. She rolled up her sleeves and stretched her hands forward. With a sickening, unnatural fluidity, her elbow joint transformed into a writhing tangle of threads, detaching her forearm and hand from her upper arm. The severed limb did not fall, but swayed, held suspended by the intricate, visceral network of threads that were once her joint.
Acis fixed her gaze on Kacis, who, with an almost ritualistic calm, took her dangling hand. The threads, which had originated from her elbow, instantly snaked up her upper arm, rapidly consuming it with an alien hunger.
Kacis then ascended, tying her hand securely around his waist. Acis's detached hand then gripped tightly onto him.
"Quick, everyone around Acis," Marichi commanded, moving towards her with Blutsatchel close behind. Acis then bound her other hand around them, her hand holding tight.
"You can go now, Kacis!" Acis shouted, slightly moving her shoulder, which tugged the threads around Kacis while he was lost in thought.
Huh…
Sometimes I never get comfortable with the feeling of air always beneath my feet.
But yet, it doesn't feel awful…
I don't know how to describe it.
Kacis floated in the air, slowly drifting with an aloof expression.
"What the… Kacis!" Acis grunted, her shoulder dipping further downwards.
Argh! This pain!
Acis let out a sharp breath for a split second, tugging her arm.
Kacis still floated above, then felt the slight movement around his waist.
"Wait… Wha…" He was jolted from his daydream, arranging himself and looking at his waist.
"Shit!" He then flew in the direction Jorel's carriage had taken, while Acis strained her voice below.
"And now we're airborne." Acis chuckled as they were lifted into the air, the threads straightening and emitting a faint, taut hum.
"I will never get used to this," Blutsatchel huffed, her feet kicking the air.
"Hope they haven't gone too far, can't even track them now that they're off course," she scoffed.
"We don't need to, we're airborne now,"
Marichi answered.
"There's nowhere that they can hide from us." He gently clenched his fist, his rubber gloves letting out a soft, squeezing sound.
---The end of chapter 21---