Bound to the Abyss (37 page)

But there was something else. That shimmering effect was still slightly there, although it didn’t blur her appearance any longer. It was the same effect that Ean saw on Zin any time he became invisible.

“Well?” Azalea asked, lifting her arms up and slowly spinning around, “would I pass for human?”

“Yes absolutely, unless normal people can see that shimmering effect as well.”

She stopped spinning abruptly and turned to face him. “What shimmering effect?”

“I think I can see the spell or whatever it is that changes your appearance. The same thing happens when Zin tries to turn invisible.”

“Oh really? How peculiar." Shrugging, the Yulari spun one last time with a laugh before dropping her arms. “Well I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

Raising her arms again, the shimmering effect washed over her once more and in an instant she had returned to her pale blue skinned self. “All that spinning made me forget which way we need to go. I’ll be right back.”

Taking off into the air once more, Azalea was only gone for a moment before returning to the ground. With a casual wave of her hand she motioned for Zin and Ean to follow. The three of them walked on in silence again, with Zin shooting daggers with his eyes at the Yulari while Ean pretended not to notice.

"Here you are," she said, spreading her arms wide, "delivered from despair and starvation by your wonderful Yulari guide. Just a little bit further and we'll be out of these woods and hopefully to more populated areas.”
 

She flashed Ean a smile and patted him on the head.
 

"Not that I've found your presence boring, of course. It's just that
you stink of depression, and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth.”

Ean pulled away from her hand, making sure he kept his face and the scowl he wore clearly in her view. It was one thing to put up with all of her demeaning pet names for him, but he wasn't about to stand there while she patted him like a disobedient puppy.

“I’m not depressed. It’s just been a long journey.”

“You sure?” Tilting her head, Azalea gave him a quizzical look. “I’m pretty sure I’ve been smelling depression wafting off of someone, and it certainly isn’t the imp.”

“How do you know it isn’t Zin?”

She flashed Zin a wide grin. “The only emotion that I’ve been smelling from him is distaste, and I’m sure is directed at me.”

Returning her grin, the imp began making his way towards the end of the forest. “Finally something we agree on.”

Azalea followed after him, forcing Ean to have to follow along or be left behind. They both caught up to the imp as he cleared the forest.

What lay out before Ean was something he had never seen before. To the North and Northeast were rolling hills of dark green grass, a welcome change from the brown dirt of his home and the overgrowth of the forest. To the West he could see the Skyfall Mountains, not that far off in the distance. It was what he saw to the East though that made his eyes go wide.

A huge stone wall traveling from North to South towered over the land. It stretched up into the clouds and out of sight and seemed to travel in the horizon without end. When Ean was finally able to shake away his shock, he turned to his companions.

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