Fallen Haven [Baneful] Book 1

A Planned Trip

"Will your brother be able to remove the vines?" Leroy asks curiously.

"He will. The vines are rather weak without my help. I just needed the guards to be subdued temporarily." Leroy nods and thinks back to what they did.

"I'm starting to wonder if leaving home was a smart idea." Even Ein had to admit he was scared to leave home but had to remind himself it was too late to turn back now. They might as well keep pushing forward.

"It may be scary, but I think it's a good opportunity to explore the world outside of Stitem beyond the walls." That was something they all agreed upon. Ein takes out a map of the surrounding area scanning it. "It says here we're on an island off of the coast of Puerto Rico."

"An island? Lovely. A bioluminescent island off of WHO KNOWS WHERE." Ein ignores Leroy's rant, thinking about their next best step. The trio waded through the shallow water off the coast of the island. Ein notices that with each step he takes, the water lights up with its bioluminescent flare, making Ein smile. Memories start to flood back to his times in Stitem with Nicolette by his side. Stitem was the most beautiful place he had ever known.

The refugees preferred places that were bioluminescent cause it brought a sense of peace. At night, you could see the entire area light up and thrive as the plant life grew to crazy sizes. He could see Nicolette standing beside one of the willow trees, smiling at him as she disappeared within the bioluminescent lance-shaped leaves. He would always try to find her again, and the two would lay in the grass staring at the lit-up trees.

She used to point out how every time she glided her hand through the grass, fireflies would appear and add a sense of wonder to the forest around them. They would always watch in awe as the fireflies flew around, and one occasionally landed on them, giving them a closer look. Ein craved a day when he would chase her through the forest once again, never too far behind. Leroy, noticing Ein was drifting off into his own thoughts, pinches his arm.

Ein pulls back, shocked by the rude awakening from Leroy. "Dude, what the hell was that for!?"

"You were in a daze like you were thinking about something long and hard," Leroy says casually, not caring that he caused Ein a bit of pain.

"Yeah, well, at least Charles wouldn't pinch me if he saw me like that! God, that hurt." He punches Leroy in the shoulder as payback.

"Oww! Fuck!" Ein starts to laugh, not feeling a single regret.

"That's what you get! Now, back to what I was doing. If I'm not mistaken, we are also connected to Mosquito Bay, whatever that is, and our island is called, well... actually, it doesn't have a name. It's not even here on the map."

"So what? We just go to the nearest town or city and try to get passports?" Charles takes a look at the map, spotting where Ein is talking about. "Don't people speak a different language here?"

"Yes, they speak Spanish mostly, and according to what my cell tells me, with the little connection I have, hardly anyone in Puerto Rico speaks English, or at least they aren't all too fluent in the language." That might pose a bit of a problem for the trio. They had to find someone fluent in English or learn Spanish in less than a day.

"So, in other words, we're fucked?" Both Charles and Ein glare at Leroy, and he goes quiet. "I was just asking."

"And I have half the nerve to wring you alive come here."

"Shit! Ah!" Charles chases after Leroy, who starts running, leaving Ein to figure things out alone. Ein starts forming directions to the nearest town on the island while the two idiots run in circles. Eventually, Charles gives up trying to catch the agile Leroy and joins Ein in locating the nearest town.