Without hesitation, Deniz and I rushed toward him. As we drew closer, peering through the foliage, the fallen stranger's appearance gradually came into focus. He bore the distinct features of an Arab, but it was evident that he didn't belong to this island. His clothing was tattered and torn. Scars and bruises marred his body, telling a silent tale of struggle and survival.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have any water," I regretfully responded. It was painful to deny him for something so basic.

"I think he might be one of the victims of those disappearances," Deniz speculated

Nodding in agreement, I added, "It's possible. Our first priority should be to get him to the hakima."

"But what about the cost of treatment?" Deniz's worry was palpable.

"I'm familiar with her," I assured him. "She's the kind of person who would treat a wounded person without expecting payment."

With our course of action decided, we carefully lifted the injured man, supporting him as we began our journey.

In the dark dense forest, Deniz and I walked, our steps meandering without a clear sense of direction. Birds chirped in the distance, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves above us. As we continued, Deniz abruptly came to a stop, his brows knitted in thought.

"Hey, Aries," he began "Do you have any idea where we're actually going?"

I looked around, realizing that I had been so engrossed in my thoughts that I hadn't bothered to keep track of our path.

"Huh," I muttered, my gaze sweeping over the trees and underbrush. "I honestly haven't been paying attention to the direction."

I exchanged a puzzled glance with Deniz.

"Wait a second," I said"Do we even know in which direction we are heading?"

"What, shouldn't you have kept track of that."

"We might be... lost?" I ventured, the words sounding almost comical as they left my lips.

Deniz's eyebrows shot up "You serious? We're carrying a guy here, what if the bramevaria guards catch us out here? This time we'll surely get executed."

I paused

"Wait a second, give me some time to think." I turned on the spot, surveying our surroundings. The forest canopy above dappled the ground with patches of sunlight.

I noticed a faint shimmer of light emanating from a particular direction. The gentle play of light suggested that the dawn was breaking in that quadrant.

"I've got an idea," I announced

"See that shimmer over there? That's where the light is coming from. Which means..." I paused for dramatic effect

"That's the east. And if we know east, we can navigate our way out of here."

Deniz's expression transformed from concern to admiration. "That's right, Woah didn't know you were that smart, Aries."

"Well, it's all about making the best out of a lost situation," I replied with a grin. "Let's head east and find our way back before the guards or anyone else gets a chance to notice."

As we resumed, the strange mist once again began to weave its tendrils around us. My unease grew palpable, and I exchanged a glance with Deniz.

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"Not this again," I muttered

"Come on, let's get out of here. This is bad." I motioned to Deniz, and we quickened our pace, the weight of the injured man slowing us down.

We pressed on for a distance and suddenly, the world ahead blurred, and before we knew it, we collided with someone amid the haze.

Stunned by the unexpected impact, Deniz and I stumbled back slightly, but the figure we collided with seemed even more taken aback. He stumbled, losing his balance and falling onto his back with a thud.

Deniz and I exchanged bewildered glances before cautiously approaching the fallen figure. As the mist gradually cleared, we recognized him, it was Cairo, the same person who had left us a while ago.

"Cairo?" Our voices synchronized in surprise. The mist had concealed his presence until the moment of impact, leaving us all startled.

Cairo groaned as he lay on the ground "Well, isn't this a reunion of sorts,"

"What are you doing here? I thought you went back home," I inquired, genuinely surprised to see Cairo.

"I did go back, but your ridiculous sorcery caused all this commotion," Cairo replied

I couldn't help but smirk. "So, you finally acknowledged my powers."

He rolled his eyes, his annoyance not diminishing. "This is not the time for that. And who's that person?" Cairo pointed towards the injured man we were carrying with us.

"We found him in the forest, but that's a long story. We need to head back to town first, he's injured," I explained.

"But where should we go now? In which direction?" Cairo's confusion was palpable.

I repeated the trick from earlier, using the dim light coming from the sun. "This way," I stated.

Cairo seemed taken aback for a moment but quickly recovered. "How, what... Ah well, I knew that."

With Cairo joining our group, the three of us began to make our way out of the forest, heading towards the town gate. However, as we approached, it became apparent that the guards had been deployed to secure the entrance. If we tried to enter now, we would likely be interrogated and face even more trouble.

"We're going to have to seek out a different entry point," I murmured, my eyes locked onto the entrance swarmed guards "Let's get going, otherwise it would be really boring to make it a cliched forest escape chapter wouldn't it."

"That's right, we gotta keep the story interesting for the reader. What if we try using the opening by the lake? That could take us into the town." Deniz suggested.

"An excellent suggestion. Let's head towards that opening and make our way in from there."

Ringsheer's rainy season typically occurs from June to September, so October was within the warmer months of the island and some occasional cooler nights. That's why the lake was still dry just wet because of occasional showers.

Navigating our way along the deep trail beside the lake, we finally managed to make our entrance into the town. As the terrain gradually elevated, we carefully ascended and gained and entered the town without further ado. we were not far from the hakima's residence, So we moved cautiously, meticulously scanning each corner of the path. With silent steps, we maneuvered through the streets.

In the midst of our walking, a group of guards emerged from an adjacent alleyway, their attention absorbed in conversation. Quickly, We slipped into a narrow crevice formed between two adjacent houses, concealed from their view.

As the two guards passed by us, we discreetly eavesdropped on their conversation. "Master Zayd is planning some random visits around the town today," one of them mentioned. "I've heard the same. His main focus is that troublesome Aries, always managing to slip away. It's all because of that lackadaisical Jerich," the other guard replied. "It's unfortunate that he's crossed paths with a duke's son. In the upcoming recruitment, he'll finally pay for his actions."

As they walked away, I muttered to myself, "He never seems to relent, does he?"

With the echoing footsteps of the guards fading into the distance, we cautiously proceeded toward the hakima's house. The path was silent. Upon arriving at our destination, we stood before the hakima's door.

The front of the old doctor's house bore the marks of time, its timeworn walls constructed from a mix of stones and aged wood. Climbing vines adorned the exterior, their resilient tendrils clinging to the walls and windowsills, while colorful flowers burst forth from every crevice. A heavy wooden door, smoothed by countless hands.

I knicked my knuckles against the door three times. We stood in anticipation, our eyes fixed on the entrance. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing the familiar figure of the old lady, her wrinkled eyes narrowing as they focused on our faces before recognition set in.

"Ah, it's you three," she croaked.

"What mischief again brings you to me? I didn't expect you'd still be injuring yourselves playing around at this age."