World Between: Chapter 3 part 1

Meisa yelped as Sofia hugged her from behind. “Traitor,” She glared at Ozzy as the giant, stuffed, panda lowered his head.

“Oh relax,” Sofia chuckled. “Misery loves company, right?”

“You sound rather confident for someone so miserable.”  Meisa rebutted as the wind blew several flowers past. Both girls sighed. “You didn’t even do anything.”

“I did more than you.” Sofia replied. “You wanted to stop them, and I made it that much harder.”
“You tried a solution.” Meisa said. “One that’s worked in the past, and no one stays here for this long without at least looking into using magic.”

“Well, they picked it up that much faster, because of me.” Sofia replied. “And they’re that much stronger, and potentially harder to track, because of me.”

“Those that play with fire get burned.” Lydria said while walking up, and spinning a flaming sword. “Even the trained professionals.” Meisa glared at Ozzy again.

“Don’t look at him like that.” Sofia said. “You know he’s a terrible watchdog, and an excellent landmark.”

“Also a symbol of peace and protection.” Lydria added. “Hardly the type to keep people away.” Hugging her sister from behind. “Why are you up here?”

“Was that not obvious?” Sofia said. “She thinks she’s wrong.” Lydria blinked before tilting her head. “The fifth time in 20 years? Can’t be easy on the girl who ran out on family.”

“Shut up!” Meisa shouted, and Lydria stepped back. “You weren’t any better.” She pouted.

“No one was.” Lydria said. “Which makes it all the more ridiculous that you, of all people, are doubting yourself,” Meisa looked back at her sister. “Do you know how many settlements I’ve helped build? How many of Sofia’s population we took in?”

“You always say that.” Meisa complained. “And there’s always people coming to take them back,”
“And there’s always someone teaching them magic, or hoping to reason with them.” Lydria looked to Sofia. “And as always, they’ll either give up and leave, or get kicked out.”

“Still confident that this place is wrong.” Meisa quietly asserted.

“And?” Sofia question leaning towards Meisa. “Do all the people still here suddenly count less?”
“You never did learn to let people be wrong.” Lydria said. “I only wish I realize you started teaching yourself sooner.”

“And what if I’m wrong, huh?” Meisa stood up with confidence. “What if i’m ruining everything?” Ozzy picked her up in response. “Wha?! Ozzy?!” 

Sofia climbed up Ozzy as he held Meisa up. “Does it look like you ruin everything?” She sat on one shoulder while Meisa reluctantly sat on the other. Meisa looked out into a bustling cityscape. Her gaze trailing up into the various mountain trails looking out at the world from the peak she had climbed about an hour ago. “People don’t leave a world they like, and don’t expand into one they don’t.”

Lydria walked up the wind like a stairway, and sat next to them. “Too many people like it here for you to be doubting yourself, and most of them are counting on you protecting it.”

“So maybe we’re the villains here, that doesn’t make us wrong.” Sofia concluded.

Meisa sighed and hoped down before rolling out a map. Shrinking Ozzy down as he climbed down his shoulders, and pinned a corner of the map. “So where are they heading?”

“They took out the Wind Gem.” Lydria said. “And went up the mountains, so they were maybe heading for the Earth Gem?”

“They were closer to the Shadow Gem.” Sofia said point to where the Wind Gem once was. “Traverse a roundabout path away for almost any city, so they probably skip over the Water Gem without even knowing it.”

“Wait.” Meisa traced several paths along the map. Lydria and Sofia look at each other as she did. “That can’t be right.”

“Where else would they go?” Lydria said, double checking the paths. “Avoiding all three gems would mean traversing the region.”

“It’s not that.” Sofia said, and Meisa nodded. “It’s been months. The routes they could take are a fortnight tops.”

“Stocking up on supplies makes sense.” Lydria said. “They can hide their faces forever.”
“But how much can you fit in a wagon packed with people?” Meisa said.

“Okay so…” Lydria looked over the map, and traced the routes again. “Swamp, no,.. Too rocky... Too open…”

“You would have to set camp either here, or just pasted where they were traveling.” Meisa circled two spots on the map. “Sofia’s group saw no indicators of a stockpile, which makes here unlikely.”

“This is not a camping spot.” Lydria said. “It's a horrible strategy, even if you can clear the animals out.”

 “Which means they set up in a town or city, and I wouldn’t exactly bet on the sewers.” Meisa replied. The girls looked over the map again and again, but no matter they were stumped. Tracing through cities, trying to find unexplored areas, or some kind of hidden cave. But no matter what something didn’t make sense, as everything surrounding them was either a city or trade route. Something was off. And whatever it was, finding it was top priority.