463: The Strangeness In The Swamp

The Strangeness In The Swamp

A few days later, outside the forbidden swamp Kana and her family stood there holding their noses. "Mama, are we really going in there?" Yana asked, she really couldn't take the smell!1

"I know it is bad, honey, but we will still need to go in there. We will get used to the smell the further we go in. One of Mama's friends went missing here, so I need to at least try to find some clues to her whereabouts." Kana did not want to enter this place either. But she had no choice. She could not leave Kiliffia alone after being friends with her for so long. Kana was not one to just leave things as is. But she also would not let her babies go missing either, which was why they all now had a tracker inside them created by Eie and Tri'an using ley lines. So if anything happened, they would know their exact location. They had also already talked to Sei and Yuthia who were still not able to find any clues.

"Since it is Mama's friend, I will deal." Yana pursed her lips and held her nose. After a few seconds, the other Yana came out. She walked over and hugged Kana. "Mama..."

"Yana?" Kana was confused by the sudden change because she had never witnessed it herself.

"Mama, that is the other Yana now. It seems shy Yana decided to hide away…. Kinda unfair if you ask me." Angelica explained. 

"Oh?" Kana turned and wrapped her arms around Yana. "It doesn't matter which personality you are. You are still my daughter no matter what. I will love you just the same."

Yana had tears well up in her eyes. This was the first time she got to hug her mama with this personality, so she was very happy that her mama embraced her and accepted her. "Mmm… Yana loves mama too."

After a few minutes, Kana broke her embrace with Yana and asked: "Everyone ready?"

"Yes!" Everyone answered at once. Kana nodded her head before saying: "If you get split up from the group, stay in one spot unless you're in danger, but no matter what, we can find you. So stay alive, and Mama will bring you home." 

The group entered the forbidden swamp and began their search. The temperature inside and outside the swamp was completely different. The humidity was much higher, causing the area to be thick with moisture.  Yana and Rain held on to Kana's hands while Angelica held on to Creige's hand. Kana did not want to let her children walk around freely while in the swamp. This was the one thing she was not going to compromise on.  Luckily there was one more person around that was helping keep an eye on things. Aruya was also with them as she would be wherever Kana was as she had promised to protect Kana. 

With a group of six, they pushed deeper and deeper into the swamp. Things were normal the first few days as they traveled. That was until they came upon an old run down shack covered in moss. "This place is pretty far out here… And it seems to have a strange feeling about it."

"Mmm, it does… Kana, let me wrap everyone in holy element before you go in. It may help ward off anything that might be a trap. As you have said, people go missing all the time. I find it funny how we just ended up at this small hut within this swamp. There was no trail leading here, yet we seemed to have stumbled upon it. I find this highly strange along with this strange feeling this place gives me." Aruya did not know why she felt this place was strange, but she did.

"Then please do." Kana took safety above all else. If this place was the cause of everyone's disappearances, then she would take every precaution possible. After giving it some more thought, she passed Yana and Rain to Creige. "I want you four to stay here just in case. If I do not come out in twenty minutes, break the door down but do not go inside."

"Mmm… I will watch the kids." Creige said. He also felt this was the best option. Between the two of them, he knew Kana had higher resistances than he did currently.

Kana gave everyone a kiss on the cheek before taking Aruya with her to the hut. When she reached the door, she asked: "If something happens and you are fine, drag me out if you can. If not, ask for help and switch places with Creige. He has time and space magic." 

"Okay, I will." Aruya nodded her head. It was lucky that one of them did because if they could not enter the hut, it was best to teleport them out, and she didn't have that capability with holy magic. 

Kana pushed the door open and slowly walked in with Aruya next to her, holding her hand. The room was completely empty besides a brown down bed and a small table. There was, however, a wooden slab on the table. Kana walked over to the table and picked up the wooden slab, and looked it over. "There are words carved into it, but I am not sure what the words mean..."

"Kana on the back!" Aruya shouted as she peaked at the back of it. Kana flipped it over and saw a tuft of golden hair was stuck in a sliver in the wood and the words 'Help' etched into it. It looked as if they were hastily carved. Kana took the hair out of the wood and sniffed it. Instantly her face turned black. "Something happened here to Kiliffia. I have no idea what since there is no sign of struggle, but it seems whatever happened here took both that pervert and Kiliffia away. And I think it is this room that is the cause of it. Come on. We should leave this place quickly." Kana did not wish to stay in the hut any longer. But she did take the wooden slab with her since she had no idea what the words were on it, and they might even be a clue to what is happening here in this swamp. 

pqdm.com