The silence that enveloped the group was thick with shock and disbelief, particularly for Layla, Max's admission of not recognizing anyone including himself, sent a wave of bewilderment and concern through everyone present.
Layla, her heart sinking could hardly comprehend the situation, the man she had dedicated so much to finding, her master, now looked upon her and the others as strangers, She stood there, frozen, her mind racing with questions and fear.
Marcus was the first to regain his composure, he knelt down bringing himself closer to Max's level "My lord, do you truly not recognize myself or them?" he asked pointing at Layla and Estelle, his voice laced with a mix of worry and apprehension.
Max's gaze lingered on Marcus for a moment longer before he responded in a flat, emotionless tone "No".
The group remained silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air, Max's confusion was apparent to them all as he brought a hand to his head, a gesture of bewilderment as the lack of facial expressions upon the dark mask meant that was their only way of noticing "I… I do not know… what is this feeling…" he murmured, his voice trailing off.
Then, looking at his hands as if seeing them for the first time, he voiced the profound uncertainty that seemed to engulf him "Who… what am I?" Max lifted his head, his eyes behind the mask meeting theirs and yet all they could see was their own silhouettes on the visor.
The uncertainty in the air was palpable as the group grappled with Max's unsettling revelation, Estelle taking the initiative voiced her concern "Master, what do you mean? What are you?" She looked at him, looking confused.
Max's response only deepened the mystery of his situation "Something doesn’t feel right… it’s like I’m not me" he confessed, his voice tinged with confusion, this statement only added to the group's distress, leaving them more perplexed about his condition.
Marcus, attempting to piece together the situation a little, probed him further "Do you remember who you are, sire?" he asked, hoping for some semblance of memory to emerge but Max's response, a slight shake of his head and a simple "no" was disheartening.
"What do you remember last?" Marcus persisted, looking for any thread they could follow.
Max's answer was both simple and direct "Nothing… just emptiness" he admitted, his words struck a chord with the group, It raised questions about what Max had experienced before being placed in the pod, and to no one more than Marcus who saw him last amongst the current group.
Amidst the swirling thoughts and emotions inside herself, Layla found the strength to break the silence, Max turned to her as she shed a tear, her eyes closed in a mix of sadness and determination, then, opening her eyes and offering a faint but genuine smile, she placed her hand on his mask once more "You’re my master… my lord. For now, that is enough" she said softly, her voice soothing and confident, after a brief pause, she continued "I will save you as you saved me before… for now, I'll only ask you to trust me for a moment".
Her words, spoken with such calm assurance, seemed to resonate with Max, although he was unsure and lost in the void of his missing memories, something in Layla's tone provided a moment of solace, it was as if her voice, harmonizing with the wind, offered a brief respite from his turmoil.
Max, feeling an inexplicable sense of trust in Layla's words, nodded in agreement "Alright, I will" he said, giving in to the sense of calm she provided.
She turned to her companions, her expression now one of determination "I don’t know what is going on, but right now, we need to get off these islands and back to the airship, We’ll see what to do later" she declared, her voice firm and commanding.
Estelle watched Layla, noting the renewed vigor in her eyes, it was the same resolute look that had marked the beginning of their journey together, a look that spoke of unwavering determination and an indomitable spirit directed upon a singular goal, any fear Estelle had harbored about Layla crumbling under the weight of the revelation was quickly dispelled, Seeing Layla's strength only bolstered Estelle's own resolve, filling her with pride and relief.
Turning back to Max, Layla took a deep breath and began to recount the events of the past few hours, she spoke clearly and patiently, ensuring Max understood the situation as best as he could, given his current state she needed him to work alongside her and trust her, she explained their escape from the ship, the battle they had encountered, and their current predicament on these floating islands, leaving his own past and what happened to him for the time being.
Once she finished the group moved out.
Their progress was steady but cautious, with Max’s condition adding a layer of complexity to their escape, his struggle with the physical demands of their trek was a stark contrast to his former capabilities, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the group.
Moreover, Max's apparent reliance on the mask for proper breathing was a source of concern, whether it was due to the altitude or some other underlying issue remained a question they kept to themselves for the time being.
As they navigated through the island's terrain, they realized they were not alone, several groups of armed men, similar in appearance to those they had encountered alongside the airship, were actively searching the area, it was evident that these groups were tracking them, and that the fight in the airship ended.
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The situation required stealth and agility, The elves with Estelle taking the lead, navigated through the island with expert precision, avoiding detection and leading the group through safer paths.
Marcus and his soldiers formed the rear guard, staying vigilant against any potential ambush or surprise attack, Layla, meanwhile walked beside Max, offering him support and keeping a close eye on his condition.
The group's journey through the island was fraught with danger at every turn as Estelle's sudden signal to halt was a clear indication of another imminent threat, up ahead a patrol of three people was spotted.
Estelle and the rest of the party knelt down, then she looked back at Layla, her nod of approval immediately pushed Estelle and the elves to move forward to neutralize the threat while the rest of the group stayed put, crouched low and alert.
As they waited, the unexpected rustle in the bushes to their left put everyone on edge, Layla instinctively taking a protective stance in front of Max, was prepared for confrontation.
However, she didn’t expect what happened next, without warning, the body of one of the pirates was hurled through the air, landing near them with a sickening crunch against the trees.
Then a familiar sound was heard.
Layla, reacting swiftly, pulled Max to the ground to dodge the projectiles that were flying their way.
Marcus's shout of "Ambush!" cut through the air just as a volley of arrows whizzed past them, as four masked assailants leaped from the trees, launching a direct attack, the situation escalated rapidly, with the group now caught in a two-front battle.
Marcus, with his quick reflexes, reacted fast and moved closer to Max, shielding him from the arrows that came from another side, the group although caught off guard, was quick to respond as the soldiers jumped to battle.
Marcus's combat skills were on full display as he faced the assailants head-on, with a powerful stance and a swift strike of his sword with both hands, he took down two of the attackers in one fluid motion.
However, the remaining two quickly closed in, coordinating their attack to exploit an opening left from his swing, one assailant's blade came swinging down from above but Marcus managed to parry it, which left his side wide open and the second attacker exploited the moment.
But in that critical moment, a knife whistled through the air, striking the second assailant in the head with deadly precision, the attacker crumpled to the ground neutralized by the unexpected intervention, this allowed him to break his opponent’s stance and stab him through the throat, as the blade tore flesh blade spilled upon his sword.
Marcus quickly turned to identify his savior and saw Layla, who had just dispatched two of her own assailants their blood on her sword as well, she was the one who had thrown the knife, saving him from a potentially lethal blow, and they exchanged brief nods of acknowledgment.
Marcus's attention then shifted to Max, who was standing protectively next to his men, despite the chaos and danger of the attack, Max remained eerily still and calm, his stillness could have been attributed to shock, experience, or something else entirely, unfortunately, the mask he wore concealed any expression that might have offered clues to his internal state.
The chaotic sounds of ongoing combat pulled Marcus and Layla back to the present crisis, and their brief moment of relief was cut short, they, along with the rest of the group, rushed towards the sounds, ready to aid their allies, however, the scene that unfolded before them was unexpected.
They arrived to find about a dozen enemies engaged in a fierce battle against six women clad in dark clothing, Marcus hesitated for a moment taking in the scene with new arrivals, but Layla reacted immediately and plunged into the fray without hesitation.
The battle was intense but brief, within a minute, Layla, Marcus, and their group, along with the six women, had successfully killed all enemies, and as the dust settled and they whipped their swords and sheathed them, the ground now a small grave for these men, Estelle approached one of the women and extended a bloodied arm.
"Thanks for the rescue, Zindah" Estelle said, acknowledging the woman's timely assistance.
Zindah, throwing the hood back and pulling down her mask, revealed her feline features, a tail, and cat ears that were hidden by the cloak both matching the chestnut color of her hair, her unique appearance caught the attention of Max, who observed discreetly from the side.
With a laugh and a broad grin that revealed a sharp tooth, Zindah responded in a light-hearted manner "You’re welcome, you’re welcome, I always love chasing prey" Her tone was jovial, with a hint of a warrior's thrill in her voice.
Layla, with a hint of playfulness in her tone, approached Zindah "I do hope you weren’t playing too much, Zindah?" she asked, her eyes holding a mixture of gratitude and gentle reprimand.
Zindah, with the characteristic of her feline nature, leaped slightly, her expression a blend of surprise and feigned indignation "Nya!" she exclaimed in a meow-like sound, her feline nature evident in her behavior "I would never, my lady!" she quickly replied, though her emotions betrayed her as indicated by her tail still holding up her cloak.
The other women chuckled at the exchange, as Layla continued to observe Zindah with an affectionate gaze, Zindah's ears flattened against her head in response, a clear sign of her familiarity and comfort with Layla.
From the sidelines Max watched the interaction, piecing together the dynamics of the group, it was evident that Layla, Estelle, and Zindah knew each other well, and the presence of the other feline women, all wearing similar attire, suggested that they were part of Layla's command.
As Max's gaze drifted to the fallen enemies, he felt a strange detachment, there was no recognition, no emotional response to the sight of the dead men, this lack of reaction was unsettling, yet it also offered a moment of clarity.
He was in a situation far beyond his current understanding, and trusting Layla seemed to be his best course of action, she was the only one who had sparked any sense of familiarity or reaction in him after all.
Max felt a shift in the atmosphere as the curious gazes of the newcomers settled on him, Zindah, with her characteristic feline expressiveness, let out another "nya" before turning to Layla with a pointed question “Is that?”.
Layla’s demeanor changed in response, her expression grew more solemn and serious "I’ll explain as we go" she said, her voice carrying a weight that commanded attention.
Zindah, catching the change in Layla’s tone, redirected her focus back to Layla, understanding that now was not the time for further inquiries.
Layla then addressed the group with a sense of urgency "Let’s find a safe place for a moment, far from here, the noise probably attracted attention" she stated firmly.
Everyone nodded and proceeded to take formation.