Chapter 10

Zane stood a little behind the rest of the group as always. Only this time, he was pacing. Down at the foot of the hill was a small encampment, which, according to Archer, was quickly growing. That is, if you believed Archer. And maybe it was. Then again, maybe it wasn't. Still, it was a pretty good size, he supposed, for a rebellion against a kingdom with hundreds of men. Thousands, if you will. There were about fifty long tents staked out. Okay, maybe not such a good size.

That wasn't what he was really worried about right now though. What he really wanted to do, was to get a phone of some sort, he didn't care if it was older than the hills so long as it worked, and call Yukito. It had been about two and a half weeks now since he'd gone 'missing' from town. Yukito was probably freaked out. His phone had been confiscated by the blasted Ice King. He really didn't like that guy.

"Zane, are you coming or would you rather stay there for the night?" Archer called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

The rest of them had started downhill, but he hadn't noticed. With an irritated look on his face, he proceeded to follow the others down. People, mostly men, but women too, came out and began greeting them. He hung back, well out of the way.

Zane was surprised to see a few scrawny children running around. A small boy being chased was sprinting quickly towards him. His head was down and he didn't notice until the last moment when he tried to stop but slammed into Zane. The speed he'd built up and the impact caused Zane to stumble, but he caught himself and didn't fall. The boy was rubbing his head and moaning slightly.

One of the boys chasing him, a much bigger boy, grabbed him and twisted his arm. Isn't this a familiar sight. Bullies, Zane thought. Two more boys came up, but they were so focused on their prey they didn't pay any attention to Zane. He was used to that. Most of the time he was so quiet nobody realized he was even in the same room as them. It was a habit he'd picked up when he was a kid. At every opportunity he'd had, he'd go into the woods just outside the city and try stalking an old hare that lived there. He never did catch him.

"Lugh, poo! Why're you so blue?" one of them sneered.

I've heard better, worse actually. That's really the best he can come up with? Zane watched to see how the victim would react. He wasn't doing anything. The three bigger boys continued teasing him, but he didn't do anything. Sighing in frustration, Zane yanked on one of the boys' shirt collar. He shoved him off balance and gave the smaller boy a sharp look.

"You're just gonna stand there?" he asked. The kid looked up but wouldn't meet his eyes. He frowned.

"Stay out of it! This doesn't got anything to do with you!" the boy he'd shoved out of the way yelled.

"Are you just going to stand there?" he demanded of the smaller boy again, completely ignoring the others.

"What's it matter to you?" the boy asked.

"Nothing. I just can't stand people who let themselves get run over without putting up a fight," Zane replied.

"Who are you? I ain't seen you here before," big boy number two said.

Zane watched the smaller boy, Lugh, for another minute before answering. "No, you haven't. Just so you know, I also don't like people who try to prove something by picking on someone who can't stand up to them. All they prove is that they're cowards. That's just what you are. Cowards."

The boys' faces flushed.

"Who're you calling a coward?" boy number one asked angrily.

"You, you, and you," Zane said, pointing at each of them in turn.

They rushed him, but didn't even score a hit. He just clocked one over the ear and he went out cold. One of the others got a broken nose, and the third didn't even try.

"Like I said, cowards," he muttered as he turned and followed after Archer and the others who saw the entire thing. "What?" he asked them as he got close.

"Nothing. You just seem to like to help people is all," Archer replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Zane snorted and walked off to find a more secluded spot.

"If I know anything about him, I'd say he's getting softer. What do you think?" Archer asked the others happily.

Lystra waved her hand in a hopeless gesture and said, "Not even close."

"It's going to take a lot longer than that," Gordon answered.

"I doubt it," Killian replied.

"Aw, come on! Be optimistic people!" Archer said. "Speaking of optimistic, I'm starving." He dashed off into the camp where the scent of rabbit stew was beginning to rise.

"Dad! It's been two and a half weeks! How can they not have found anything?" Yukito asked in total disbelief.

Mr. Kagami rubbed his temples with his knuckles. "It's not that easy, son. I know you're frustrated, but Zane's not the only thing their looking into. There was that man who was murdered in the park among other things."

At the mention of the dead man, Yukito stilled. He was positive the men he and Zane had fought were the ones who'd taken him, but where was the proof? Nobody involved was going to tell the cops what had happened. What was he supposed to do?

Yukito wasn't paying attention as he tromped down the street. His mind was on Zane. Was he okay? Where was he? Why hadn't he contacted him? Or was he unable to?

"Wish I knew the answers to those questions," he muttered.

"What questions?"

Yukito started.

"Oh. Harmony, it's just you. Don't scare me like that," he scolded.

"Yukito, I was standing right in front of you. In fact, I started walking towards you a few seconds ago. You should have spotted me," Harmony said, concern in her voice. She was right. He wasn't paying any attention at all. He was just so worried. He and Zane had been best buds for a long time, and they'd always looked out for each other. But now, he didn't have anyone to watch his back. Did Zane?

What was going on?

"So what questions?" Harmony asked again.

"Nothing. It's just . . . I'm worried about Zane. He's been missing for nearly three weeks now," Yukito said.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Yukito? What's going on? I saw you and Zane by the river that day," Harmony said.

"What do you mean?" Yukito asked. This was so not good. Not good at all.

"That man, when he shot at Zane, a wall of ice just appeared. How could that have happened?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Yukito asked, trying to sound skeptical, and failing miserably. Harmony's eyes hardened and her chin lifted.

"Something's happening. And all of it seems to be revolving around Zane. I don't know what else has happened, but there was the wall of ice stopping the bullet, then a man tried to kill him at the circus! Next thing you know Zane's gone missing! Come on, Yukito, I'm not stupid! Just what is going on? I'm worried."

Yukito couldn't take it. He'd been keeping it secret for nearly three weeks now, and that was pretty good considering how big the secret was. So he told Harmony everything. She didn't interrupt, just listened. When he'd finished, she looked up at him, determination in her eyes.

"Then we have to find this man who pretty much framed Zane for killing that other guy," Harmony said matter-of-factly. "Okay, he was at the park so let's try there first. Who knows, maybe he'll come to us." She turned to go and Yukito gawped at her.

"You can't be serious! You're coming? Aren't you in the least bit scared? Harmony, don't you want to think about this? What about your parents?" he said, trying to find a way to convince her not to go.

She smiled teasingly at him but didn't stop walking. "What's the matter? Scared? Come on, Yukito, otherwise I'm going to find Zane first!"

Despite himself, Yukito couldn't help grinning back. She had guts, he'd give her that. Scratch that, he'd probably give her a lot more than that.

They reached the park, their breaths coming out in white puffs of cloud. They both moved forward cautiously. Soon, they saw the yellow caution tape and, after a quick look around, went under it. Luckily, no cops were out right now.

"I suppose you're looking for Zane correct?" called a voice.

Yukito and Harmony turned quickly.

How did he sneak up on me? Yukito asked himself. He hadn't let his guard down for a minute.

"By the looks on your faces, you are. Even though most of your features show shock, or even fear, it's easy to tell really." Two gray eyes peered out at them from under the man's hat brim.

"He looks like a detective from an old movie," Harmony whispered, unaware that she was voicing Zane's very thoughts. Yukito nodded. He had to agree.

"Where is he?" Yukito asked.

"Hmm. Is he east, or is he west? Is he north or is he south? In the ground or up a tree? It's quite a puzzle don't you see? Well, enough with the ridiculous rhymes. Semi-rhymes anyway. You want to find your friend, the question is, where do you start looking?"

Yukito and Harmony glanced at each other. Where did they start looking?

"I think the important question though, is whether or not you'll find him in the world you currently know. I can assure you, he isn't here anymore."

"What? How is that possible? What do you even mean?" Harmony asked.

"I mean exactly what I said, little girl. I don't remember your involvement in any of this," the man said.

Harmony flushed angrily. "I'm trying to find my friend!" she protested.

"Ah, your friend. Is he really? What do you know about him? Next to nothing right?"

"I know him, he's my friend," Yukito said, "and since Harmony's also my friend, she's trying to help me find Zane."

The man's gray eyes glittered under his hat and he smiled. It was the kind of smile that made you wonder if he knew something you didn't, which he did.

"Really? And what do you know about Zane? Do you really know him as well as you think you do?" he asked.

Angry, Yukito balled his hands into fists. "What do you mean?"

"For example, why was, and quite possibly still is, Zane being targeted? By whom? Most importantly, why? Who is Zane Richmond? How come strange things have been happening around him lately? Such as the wall of ice both of you witnessed."

"He's still being targeted? But . . . they've already caught him haven't they?" Yukito asked.

"Where is he?" Harmony asked quietly.

"And why would I tell you?" the man asked.

"Harmony, he has a point, why would he tell us?" Yukito asked. He and Harmony lowered their voices so the man wouldn't hear.

"I have a feeling that he's not really involved in this. He seems to be the type of person to enjoy watching and maybe adding something to whatever's going on without really getting involved," Harmony said. "Please Yukito, trust me."

He bit his lip and looked back at the man, trying to see him from Harmony's point of view, which, he had to admit, seemed solid. He looked back at her, the determined set of her jaw, her eyes that always caught his breath, so strong, yet kind. He nodded once, agreeing to let her handle it.

"Are you done whispering among yourselves? It's not good to keep secrets," the man tsked at them.

"Speak for yourself," Yukito muttered irritably.

"Again, please tell us where Zane is," Harmony demanded.

"Again," the man mimicked, "why would I tell you?"

"For the thrill," Harmony said calmly although she was slightly pale.

The man studied her shrewdly. "What gave you that idea?"

"The way you spoke to us. You repeated the questions that were in our minds but never answered them. You enjoyed playing with us that way didn't you? In fact, you enjoy watching this whole thing play out, whatever it is. To you, it's just something exciting to help pass the time isn't it?"

The man was laughing. "Clever girl. I see it as exactly that. A way to pass the time when I'm bored. Well then, if you really want to find Zane, I'll show you where he is," he said grinning like a wolf.

Yukito let out a breath and heard Harmony do the same. They were going to find Zane. Then, maybe they would also find the answers to so many of their other questions. But there was something that still bugged him.

"What did you mean? That Zane wasn't in the world we currently know?" he asked.

"Ah yes. As I said earlier, I mean exactly what I said. Zane has entered a world that everyone believes a fairy tale. I don't mean another planet if that's what you're thinking, but in this world lies another."

"What?" Yukito asked, confused.

"You'll see soon. Well then, shall we get going?"

Before Yukito or Harmony could say anything, they were swept up in a whirlwind that didn't affect anything other than themselves and the strange man. Even when Yukito looked out, the branches of the trees did not stir at all. But then he looked again and nothing was there! The man laughed at their expressions.

"Relax, this is an enclosed space. Nothing can harm us, but at the same time, we can't harm anything. You'll see the world Zane has entered shortly."

Something about the way he said it made Yukito feel uneasy. A shiver ran down his spine and he was reminded of the saying that when that happened it meant someone had stepped on your grave. He looked down in surprise as Harmony slipped her hand into his, and he realized that she was even more afraid than he probably was. He squeezed her hand gently. No matter what, he'd protect her. He'd dragged her into this, so he would protect her.

Little did they know that they were about to enter a world plagued with war, and where nobody was safe for long.