Back at the dunes everyone had paired up. Lea with Caspian, Eleana and Romey, Neeson with Jena. Pixie was sent back to Sierra to keep them updated on the developments there. Caspian had given her a tele-tracker, a two way communication device that worked telepathically.

"The reason we paired up is to be able to face both sides at the same time. We go back to back"

"Any small little mistake, I repeat small little mistake is enough to take our lives"

They hopped on the sneaker jets that Romey had brought along. Caspian helped Lea in one and held her tight as they started zip zapping over the beautiful landscape. After crossing the dunes there came a place beyond the mountains, filled with thick mist. One could barely see an inch ahead.

"Romey, Eleana, Neeson, Jena? " Caspian yelled trying to head count.

"Yes your highness" Echoed Romey, Neeson and jena.

"Still alive" Reported Eleana"how's our little guest doing"

"I'm fine. I'm fine" Lea pit in.

"The mist is harmless. Even though we cannot see clearly, we just need to keep heading north"

"Got it"

Once more they started zip zapping but at a slower pace now .Lea was streching her hand out, feeling the cool mist, as if it were waves on the river surface.

Suddenly she could feel Caspian s hands tighten around her hips as he pulled her close and whispered "shhhh! Lea some things not right"

"At that very moment a bloodied hand reached Leas neck

" Axiom. Run... "were the two words that a badly mutilated Jena uttered before collapsing below.

" Jee -n... "Caspian shut Lea with his mouth as she trembled with shock.They blasted off in an whirlwind. Lea was freaking out. She could feel her whole body tremble as Caspian held her tightly. Must have been half an hour in that situation before they could clear out of the mist. In front of them was a valley filled with green and white just like the one she had seen in the protection. Caspian

immediately tried contacting Pixie but in vain. Just them Romey appeared. Lea jumped in him and hugged him, still crying from the shock of seeing Jena in such a state. "I thought you had died too"

Romey however immediately turned to Caspian "Eleana and Neeson? " He asked.

"They will be fine" Caspian sounded like he was reassuring himself.

"Pixie isn't reachable"

"Should we be going in without them, then? "

"Not a chance, " came Eleanas voice from the mist aa she and Neeson appeared together.

Caspian heaved a sigh.

"Since we cannot pair up anymore, let's make a 360°"

"Caspian! They deployed the Axiom. They have been banned since ages"

"Says how desperate Capitol must be"

They formed a human ring and stepped inside the mush .

They meandered through the now dark valley, mostly covered with dense vegetation. Lea saw the most spectacular bio-luminesant plants she had ever seen or imagined. There were little luminous baby animals grazing by. Almost angelic. As Lea stretched her hands out to touchone, Eleana hit her hard with her mini-whip

"OUCH" it was bleeding

"You touch that and you will be plant food in a beat"

"ELEANA! " growled Caspian

"What? "

"She's bleeding" as he immediately tried wrapping her hand with his cloth belt, small serpent like heads started emerging from the spots where her blood had been spilled. In split of a moment huge vicious branches started attacking them. The group fell apart as Caspian yelled "Everyone towards the east" Dodging and running away from the attacks, Lea tucked in his arms.leas was petrified. The branches were like huge mythical serpants slithering after them. As they ran a branch caught Caspian left leg and pulled him up upside down. He immediately let Lea go and shouted "Run"

Lea kicked and pulled at the branches tightening around Caspians hands ,totally ignoring his instruction to run as she sobbed inconsolably. At that very moment she saw Romey coming from a distance.

"Romey, Romey" She yelled with hope"Caspians stuck"but something was off. He wasn't looking at Lea. He was staring blank, as he slowly approached Lea.

There was a clearing in front of which was a land slide that caved in. At the bottom of that was water. Not normal it appeared heavenly full of sparkle and glitter.

"We need to slide down"

"Shouldn't we wait for the others? " Lea asked softly.

"Ahh! Let's wait for some beats but we can't wait longer" Caspian was very restless by then and quite agitated too.

But right after a few secs

"Lea.we need to go Now! " Caspian jumped from his squatting position, grabbed Lea by the waist and diveddived. Lea was certain she heard some footsteps though.

"Romey! Romey" Lea kept pleading

"LEA" Caspian yelled as he fell from above after freeing himself with a herbicide hid in his cuff pin. He fell directly over Lea and rolled right over behind rock.

"Caspian, Romey" pleaded Lea but Caspian held her mother shut with his hand and whispered in her ears"he's gone. Look in his eyes".

As Lea observed carefully, she saw mushroom like fungii growing out of Romeys eyes as he sniffed like a dog before walking away, like a lifeless corpse, zombie. Lea couldn't hold back her tears

"Is he, is he , dead" She sobbed into Caspians ear

"Worse" Caspian tried comforting her but he himself was visibly disturbed. They picked themselves up and carefully started heading east after checking Caspians pendant which was also a compass.