The time stopped as the Spiritwalker took a step toward us. The human from stories told around a campfire was only wearing a simple long robe covering their entire body from knees up. My eyes were instantly drawn to how the Spiritwalker walked with complete grace on the half-beaten earth, regardless of the fact they were barefoot.
The Spiritwalker pulled down his hood and stood still while observing our tribe from behind the pure white mask encasing his entire head. The Spiritwalker's neck was densely covered in tattoos to the point they melted into one chaotic black mass disclosing that he was a powerful shaman before being chosen to remain with his spirit for the rest of eternity.
If not for the soft ethereal light of the cloudless sky and the ghostly flames burning coldly within the darkness of his mask, I would assume that the Spiritwalker was a banished from another tribe who had stumbled onto our festival by accident which would not fare well for him as banished are forbidden from interacting with any tribe no matter how much time had passed since they committed their crime. But why did the Spiritwalker wore such dishevelled clothes was beyond me. I know they are the spirits' champions but isn't that a little arrogant?
Heck, did I stare at him too much?
The two blueish flames lingered on me for far longer than anyone else before Bauha's figure stepped between us, replacing his gaze with my Bauha's subtle gesture made behind her back toward me.
Standing up, every move I made seemed to be as louder as an ogre's roar as everyone fell deathly quiet with the two outsiders being so fascinated by the Spiritwalker to hold their breath.
Quickly jogging to Bauha's side I was hit with an instant feeling coursing through my forearms as if my tattoos were reacting to the Spiritwalker's presence. I wish I could ask her about this feeling right now.
"It is a pleasure to have you as our guest. I humbly ask you to ask for anything you would need during your stay with us." Bauha bowed in courtesy. "...Nushi." My heart stopped as I heard my name being called in a calm voice which perfectly veiled Bauha's dissatisfaction. I quickly bow as low as I can as my cheeks burn from embarrassment
On the wyrm now I have done it! Hopefully, Bauha will be merciful to me tomorrow... Please, Wyrm, I don't want to die!
"If you say so..." The Spiritwalker's voice seemed disconnected from his body as he took a step toward me.
I didn't mean that I want to die today, Wyrm!
I suppressed a yelp as much as I could as the Spiritwalker grabbed my wrist and held it in the air. At least I would die with some honour. Goodbye Ba, hope I was a good older sister.
"What is her spirit?"
"I-I don't understand what you mean, Spiritwalker. She is an apprentice as you must already know." Bauha's confused voice reached my ear. "Can you elaborate on what you mean?"
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"I mean, what type is her spirit?"
"Her spirit has not yet revealed itself to anyone yet," Bauha said. "Why are you asking such a question?"
"This place reeks of death," The ethereal human let go of my hand before he snorted loudly. "And you smell the strongest."
"Wait, what!?" I can't believe this, who had I vexed to deserve this?
"Are you suggesting she was chosen by a spirit of death?" Bauha why do you sound scared? I never heard of such a spirit, hello? Was I chosen by something evil?
An eerie silence followed her question as not a single person dared to say utter a single whisper.
"Death spirits are not a thing but I'm wondering if she has not done something to corrupt or even kill her spirit guardian." A hollow voice hung above my head as I felt the world around me darkened.
"What? Wh- How?"
"Keep your spirit in check, shaman." The Spiritwalker said to my Bauha before turning toward me again. "Lift up your arm in front of you, like this.
"Mmmm, the more I look at you the more I notice that only one side of you is reeking of death with the addition to your hands and legs. The smell is overwhelming but I think this side of you is clean. Young one, did you find anything ominous? Like a skull or something like that?" His voice changed to a gentle and caring voice but the fire in his eyes shone so brightly I could barely look at him.
"No, Spiritwalker. I was in the camp the entire time, my Bauha can confirm it."
"It seems a powerful Lost has nestled itself in your camp it seems, then."
L-L-Lost? Here? I can't believe this. Losts are usually shambling corpses of restless dead who clung to life with such strength they willed their body to move again but since their soul was stuck between our world and the spirit world all of their humanity was stripped away and replaced by rage aimed toward the living who posses what they want beyond all reason but can never achieve. Most of the Lost are usually killed again by soul stealers or predators but powerful Lost have to be put down by Spiritwalkers since no mundane weapon can harm them enough to be vanquished. The thought of a Lost powerful enough of making the Spiritwalker describe it as overwhelming was terrifying.
"Could that be a reason my spirit didn't answer my summons?"
"Your spirit didn't answer your call? That is... bizarre. I have never heard of Lost having such an effect on a spirit. What type is your spirit?"
"Water."
"I could understand if it was a wind spirit not answering your call since they have a habit of being easily distracted but a water spirit should have answered to you regardless of what it found." Bauha looked troubled at the Spiritwalker's words.
I heard steps from behind me and I found Ruu had approached us. He greeted the Spiritwalker, bowing low to the emissary of the spirits alongside a few of the elders who had stayed behind him.
Further behind him, I noticed Siri's half-open golden and blue eyes watching us, she looked like she could doze off at any moment.
My eyes also met with the elf's eyes which looked like she was contemplating something.
The snow-pale girl's eyes opened as wide as they could as Iris had stood up with Siri in her arms and began to walk away from her seat into the darkness.
"...You are saying you agreed to an elf staying with your tribe?"
"I did, she had saved our caravan from an ogre ambushed before the old Tserei had even passed away," Ruu stood straight as a plank towering a head above everyone but even with that the Spiritwalker's aura equalled our Tserei. "She had also told me that she wasn't from the forest but instead she was from the same land as Men-in-Steel.
"And you believed her?" The Spiritwalker's head tilted forward in a rare expression of emotion.
"I would say I trusted her as far as I could throw her," Ruu stated. "But I don't think she is that heavy."
"Where did the elf go?" Everyone turned where Bauha had turned toward, finding two empty seats and a very confused Ba with the golem standing behind him. "That narrows the where and who parts of finding this Lost." Bauha said as she crossed her arms on her chest and glared at Ruu.
"That doesn't prove anything Kasheng and I rather keep a blood of an innocent on my blade."
"She is an elf," She retorted with a dismissive snort. "Do you really think that someone could have cured Ba from the Bloom? I bet all my limbs she had a finger in his sudden sickness."
"That couldn't be, right? Ruu tell her she is wrong!"
"I forbade anyone from my tribe from chasing them." Ruu ran his large hand through his hair before speaking with a heavy tone while ignoring me. "Don't glare at me like I am a furcoat, Kasheng, you know people will die and I don't want to waste lives."
"I don't know what type of Lost is that elf and what had she done to gain your trust or distrust but all Lost have to be killed, young chief." The ethereal hunter spoke, his voice carrying the volume of his long life before he started to run in the same direction Iris headed toward.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Tuk, an elder with a sparse silver mane beside me sighed quietly as shouts began to fill the air alongside squawks of terror birds being mounted.