4 Los (2/2)

Kurtis shook his head.

”Let us know if you pick up any traces! We'll search the waterfall area!” they called back and headed back into the forest.

Kurtis nodded. His staff was extremely dedicated, still managing to call out with so much energy even after so long into their search.

Coming to think of it…he hadn't even tried calling this whole time. If he could send a signal first, then Lyra could probably take hint to respond.

He still wasn't used to saying her name when the one he pictured was definitely Angela, but it didn't hurt to start practicing now.

”Lyra!” Kurtis called in a medium volume. He repeated a few more times every few minutes. And before he knew it. ”Lyra” rolled off his tongue as easily as ”Angela” did.

Lyra, who unconsciously fell asleep in the little cave blending in with the pile of rocks, was awoken by the beautiful sound of her name. Upon opening her eyes lazily, she was greeted by the same blurred scenery of tiny water tides crashing against the rock she was sitting on.

'So it was a dream,' she thought to herself. Kurtis never called her by her name, but if he did, she'd hope that it would sound like that.

”LYRA!”

Lyra felt a strong shake from her arm and looked up in a daze. A man with dark hair was saying something she couldn't really hear.

”LYRA CADES, STAY WITH ME!” the angelic voice she imagined earlier came back.

'Yes…this must be a dream,' the fevered girl convinced herself before falling back weakly against something hard, but not the same cold rock she was leaning on thus far. This support felt much more comfortable.

Then the rock beneath her seemed to disappear altogether and she felt as if she was floating on air besides the throbbing pain in her ankle. It was also suddenly much warmer and so she leaned closer to the source of her regained security.

”Why are you out here?”

[Hm? So I'm still dreaming.]

”Why'd you come all the way out here?” the mellow voice in her dreams asked.

Lyra sniffled. ”I wanted to find it…I couldn't find it…” Lyra grew quiet and began to cry in her delusion.

Kurtis looked down at the feverish girl in his arms and then despicably at his right leg.

”Find what?” he asked, trying to distract himself from the recurring pain.

”I couldn't find it…”

He grimaced, but continued to walk.