Visara, with both centaurs, Mer and Sirens on her side, set up camp in the Westland Woodlands. The great home of the Centaurs was vast and almost empty. It was easy to hide great military camps in the endless miles of Woodlands. Woodlands that were well known by the centaurs and not by those who were their enemies. The Camp was called the Queen's Camp. The Sirens and Mer left Tarlon also and lived with the centaurs in the safety of the camps. As the centaurs were back to their full force with hundreds of free and powerful Mer and Sirens on their side, to attack would be stupid. They were safe.

Visara alone left the safety of the Queen's camp. Against the wishes of those who followed her. She, however, insisted that she must undertake the next part of her journey alone. Visara travelled out of the Westlands and toward Northern Lupine Territory. Knowing she could not survive the desert to get their capital city of Talson where their leader the Solavar lived, she got herself captured. The Lupine were known not to take prisoners. Prisoners meant extra mouths to feed. However, Visara had a reputation and the Lupine were curious to hear what she had to say. So they lead her through the deserts and into their city. Visara knew that if she had marched with an army, it would have been completely different.

The Lupine were different from the other races. They were not being taken as slaves and they were safe from all other forces in their home. However, the Northern Deserts are a harsh environment where not much grows. What they were desperate for, was food. Food with more flavour than the red potatoes and dry weed they would feast on. The only two edible plants that would grow and thrive in such dry and hot environments. They weren't nice foods. They were dry and tasted of mud. Though it kept them from starving. That and the animals they would hunt and farm. So they did not need Visara's help as much as the other three races. For though they longed for nicer food, if it meant giving up their freedoms, they would deny it. They would not follow just anyone.

~ The History of Visara

Flying over Tarlon is incredible. The mountains rise from bright blue lakes. The towering grey cliffs go on for as far as I can see. Rich green plants grow along the stone and banks of the sparkling waters. Small sprinkles of snow dust the peaks of the mountains. They glitter in the sunlight. Though all the lakes and mountains are beautiful, it does present one major problem. How are we going to find the Mer and the Sirens? For three days, we've been flying over Tarlon and there has been no sign of them. Sometimes, Nianzu would transform into some sort of water creature and dive around some of the lakes but he would find nothing. It would take years to search every single body of water in this place.
"Try that one," I sigh. Nianzu sweeps down and lands on one of the banks. I slide off his body and he transforms back into his human form. I see the book. It pokes out of his coat pocket. When he transforms into his animal form, his clothes disappear. They reappear when he transforms into his human body. Nianzu thinks that they are in some magic bubble around him, though that is only a theory. The book in his pocket obviously joins the place where his clothes are during animal form. Meaning he is still carrying it.
"Keep an eye out," Nianzu warns with a frown. I roll my eyes. He's been very worried since the centaurs. He looks into the woods around me before he walks to the water.
"Go," I sigh "They can't track us from the sky. They can only track where we land. If they find us this quick, then it is an accident and there is nothing we could have done to stop it. Plus, if they do find us, you have to leave me and hide the book. Remember?" I ask. He glares at me before letting out a soft sigh and walking to the water. Tensions have been high between us ever since I made him promise to take the book. He thinks I'm making a stupid decision and being paranoid. He thinks I don't trust him to protect me. It's not that and I've tried to explain it to him. But I can't explain it properly. I can't even understand it myself. All I know is that I cannot let my father get hold of that book. That I know that what I saw was far more than a dream.

I am knocked from my thoughts by a splash. Nianzu disappears beneath the water and I am left alone on the bank. I sigh and sit down and lean against a tree. For about ten minutes a throw sticks into the water and watch them float on the surface. I quickly get bored and with a sigh, I stand up. I look around the woodland frowning when I notice a small raft leaning against a tree. I smile and grab it. Next to it is an oar. I drag the raft toward the water and step onto it. It's not as big as the one Iwan had. In fact, this one is only suitable for one person. I stand up onto it. It takes a few seconds to find my balance, but when I find the right spot to stand I begin to row. It takes a few minutes before I stop going around in circles and begin to move. As I move, the water causes the little raft to rock, but I find it a pleasant feeling. It takes about half an hour to get to the centre of the lake but when I do, I come to a stop. My muscles ache and I am out of breath. Rowing was harder than I thought. I sit down slowly and allow the raft to rock and float on its own. I let out a long, deep breath and look around me. The mountains are so high. Towering above me with their jagged cliffs of stone. The little bank I rowed from looks tiny from here. I smile and dip my fingers into the water. The coldness of it is a little shocking to the skin, but soon I get used to it. I let out another sigh and allow myself to relax a little bit more. There is a pleasant quiet. No city noise of people and carts. There is just a soft breeze which carries the scent of flowers and earth. There are also birds. They sing from their nests on the rock faces. Sometimes, they dive into the water with little plopping sounds. A few seconds later, they resurface. Flying back out of the water with little fish in their mouths.

After about ten minutes of enjoying the peace, I slowly stand and start to row again. I make my way back toward the shore. It takes a little longer this time, but I enjoy doing it. It's better than sitting and doing nothing as I wait for Nianzu. Thinking about Nianzu, I realise he has gone for a lot longer than normal. Then again, this is one of the bigger lakes he has searched and I have no idea how deep it really is.

When I reach the shore, I pull the raft back to where I found it. I wonder why it's there and who made it. Perhaps there is a village nearby and it was made by a local man to fish on. If I find out who its owner is, I'll give them a few coins. As a thank you for my borrowing of it. I go back to my spot against the tree. Out of habit, I reach for my bag to get some food. I then remember that I don't have a bag. I groan and lean my head back against the tree, closing my eyes. We've been hunting for our food as usual over the last few days so we haven't been going hungry. There has been plenty to hunt and forage for. Unfortunately, as we have no bags, there is no way to carry food. Stupid Centaurs. Had to make things complicated.

A snapping sound behind me makes me jump. My heart leaps into my chest and my eyes are open instantly. I look into the forest behind me and stand up. For a few seconds, I see nothing. Then there is movement. A group of about fifteen people appear from behind trees. I frown. Luckily, I've been using the disguise that Nianzu gifted me with, so they shouldn't recognise me. I put on a nice smile.
"Hello," I say. They don't answer. They just glare at me. I notice that they all wear deep blue robes. Around their heads, they've painted their skin in dots of blues and greens. It surrounds their eyes and foreheads, almost looking like scales. I bite my lip nervously, thinking about the best way to go about this. I know they are human, yet why do they paint their faces like the scales of the Sirens and Mer? I gulp.
"Is everything okay?" I ask. "I'm sorry if I'm trespassing, I didn't realise this was private land," I tell them, holding up my palms. They don't say anything. They just carry on walking slowly toward me. I back away slowly, stopping when I feel the water at my feet. They begin to separate and surround me in a semi-circle. I feel adrenaline fill my veins as I ready to fight. I think about swimming, but I'm not sure where I'd be able to get out. This lake looks huge and the surrounds are mostly sheer rock faces. I lick my dry lips and think about calling for Nianzu. No. If these people are with my father, they can't get the book.
"I don't want any trouble," I say slowly. "I'm just a traveller, I'll leave if you don't want me here," I tell them, still holding up my hands. Their expressions stay completely neutral and unreadable. What the fuck is up with these people? One opens up his robe, pulling out a wooden baton. My mind starts to focus as I begin to realise that I am defiantly about to be in for a fight. I am so focused on the man with the weapon, that I jump when I feel a small sting in my neck. My hands rush to the spot. I gasp upon feeling a little needle. Quickly I pull it out and throw it away. My eyes dart to another who holds a small contraption. It is much like a crossbow, only smaller. He loads it with another small needle. I reach up to my neck, feeling blood there.

My eyes begin to feel heavy and I blink a few times. It must have been coated with something. The trees and people begin to blur. My hands shake and I'm not sure if it's with fear or because of what is happening to me. Maybe it is both. I manage to see the man aim the little crossbow again. He fires. I dodge it as it flies toward me. An angry snarl comes out of my mouth. I charge toward the nearest one as survival instincts kick in. I don't even think about it, I just act. They jump back, surprised. I am too fast, even with whatever they've poisoned me with pumping through my veins. My fist slams into their face and they are on the ground instantly. The others have begun to rush toward me. I am grabbed from behind. My head slams into their face and I hear them curse behind me. He stumbles away but I am grabbed again. My vision begins to disappear and my head feels heavy. I kick and swing as much as I can. Sometimes I connect and other times I don't. Something slams into my head. I stop moving, black taking over completely.