Élan: A Youngblood World

CHAPTER 16 Repose

       AS soon as their eyes caught sight of an opening ahead through the gap of the fringe of trees and outlandish plants along their earthy path, the five children paced up their stride. Below the dusk-approaching sky, they stepped out of the shadows of the woodland, when the waiting surprise struck them like a great flash of light; it was what they thought it was.

       "A village? In the middle of this forest?" Kayne said, their entranced eyes glued, touring over the fresh scenery ahead.

       Bolting each of their gazes towards the different angles: the row of small, wooden, or stone-built houses shingled with only a few choices of colors such as blue, green, and vermin lined up at the sides of the central cobblestone street that stretched out before them like a red carpet parade where they are the long-awaited guests; the sets of vibrant, colorful stalls that sell the most outlandish clothes in parallel to the small building, bizarre fruits and confections, twinkling gemstones and other sorts of rainbow goodies apparently unseen from anywhere else; traveling wooden carts driven by men in rugged sleeves, and a lively performance of minstrels playing a jovial beat of medieval music that fits well with the mood of the wee but busy village even under the nighing sunset. A testament to one of the gems untouched by modern influences.

       A gurgling sound set their distraction off. "Are we done sightseeing? My gut's acting up," said Hiro, taking the initiative.

       "A'ight. Let's go." Kayne led the file.

       Treading forward as they scout for an abode to spend the night, the young visitors kept themselves low, eluding any eye contact with the folks everywhere. Cazzie, however, like a child gaping in an amusement park, non-stop drilled her awe at the chromatic things her eyes would land upon, filling herself with curiosity over each unaccustomed object before quickly moving on with another to get snoopy about.

       "It's like being in an RPG game," mentioned Hiro.

       From the left of the village, the receding sunrays are casting a warm amber gleam against the awnings and high surfaces of the buildings, leaving a chilly shadow beneath the lit-up region it touches. The neolithic music played in the background.

       "You think they're aware of the commotion?" Ryeld asked.

       Kayne shrugged. "Maybe not... yet."

       "Hey, Caz," Hiro called for the wonderstruck girl, "wanna check stuff out?"

       "Sure!," replied Cazzie, suppressing the excitement within her response.

       "Don't go wandering off too far," Ryeld spoke before the two could stride away.

       "Yes, mother." Walking their way through, Hiro and Cazzie went for the stalls, which were still open at this time of the day.

       "So, see something interesting?" asked Cazzie, looking at Hiro who was deeply engrossed in the bazaar.

       "I smell something... scrumptious and..." Hiro whiffed the delish aroma over the mixture of other sweet odors floating in the air. "Spicy."

       "Where?!" For her, Cazzie always thought Hiro was gifted with a strange uniqueness himself: the ability to possess an extraordinary sense of smell. A bit more antic than his iron-like skin, another of his odd traits, which spared him from any bleeding scars inflicted by the thorn fences back at the province where they played nearby as children not even Zakuro had such among his Nyrhaean capabilities. A small yet sublime thing to admire about her longtime friend.

       Intaking the redolence once more, his nozzle guided his head to turn, directing out. "There. Come on." Hiro dashed through the throng with snappy haste, too craving for food that he forgot about Cazzie's slow small legs.