Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 19• A New Enemy

The she-elf bend down to get a closer look at the plant. She pulled out her dagger, carefully cutting it, and putting it in her small bag. She started to walk further in the small field. "So, this is where you ran off to." Asher's voice sounded behind her. Serena jumped slightly at his voice. "Don't sneak up to me like that." She tells him. Asher walked up to her. "So, you just run off as if you're some kind of hero? Saving your brother, how heroic." Asher tells her. Serena ignored him and continues to walk around the small field. "I bet you think you're such a good person now, don't you?" Asher asked her. "You poisoned my brother," Serena replied emotionless. "He deserved it." Asher shrugged. Serena decided to ignore him again. She bend down to gather another plant she had been searching for. "Shouldn't you be with Misty? Being her guard dog or something like that?" She asked him. "She can take care of herself for a while. I just came out here to see where you were going." Asher replied, "I almost thought you were going to run off to get some of your elf friends and betray us." He added. The she-elf didn't respond. Asher tilted his head slightly. "Isn't that what you elves do?" He asked. Serena rolls her eyes. "I honestly don't care what you think, Dog. You could've killed him. I'm trying to save him." Serena said. The tone in her voice was annoyed and filled with hatred. Asher suddenly grabbed Serena's wrist harshly. He pulled her closer to him. "Don't call me that." He ordered. Serena narrowed her eyes. "I don't take orders from you," She said, "Dog," She added with a smirk. Asher's dark eyes took on a golden glow. He pushed her against a tree nearby. Before he could say anything, Serena stopped him by putting her hand over his mouth. The golden glow in Asher's eyes only got brighter. Serena grasped onto his collar and dragged him along with her. "What on earth are you doing?!" Asher exclaimed. Serena pointed into the distance. Asher turned his head to see men in shining armor riding towards them. Together they ran off as fast as they could. "Search for the boy!" One of the men called out. The armored men didn't see Serena or Asher. The two stayed quiet, also holding their breaths. They waited a few seconds before the men rode off into the distance again.

"What are they doing here?" Asher questioned. "They're looking for Orlando," Serena replied. "No, I mean what are they doing here? We're deep in the forest, near the coast, how did they get past the elves?" Asher asked her. Serena thought for a few seconds. "I have no idea. They must've slipped past the guards for some reason." She said. The she-elf continued to think. Asher smirked at her as he looked down at her. "I don't know about you but I'm getting more comfortable by the second here." He said. Serena glared at him. Her eyes traveled down to see how close they were. "You disgust me." She tells him. "Do I?" Asher asked her. Serena pushed him away. The young werewolf walked after her. "I'm kidding." He tells her. Serena rolls her eyes. "Let's just get back to the others before those men find Orlando," Serena said. The two made their way back to the group. As they were walking, Serena started to mash the plants she had gathered together. She whispered some Elvish words. "You're not gonna curse me with that, are you?" Asher asked her. Serena shook her head. "I couldn't, even if I wanted to." She assured him. She put the plants in her little bag that hung on her belt. "Those plants only contain healing powers. They're not poisonous." Serena explained to him. "You sure you're not just saying that so you can sneak up on me at night and kill me?" Asher asked her. Serena stopped to look at him. "If I truly wanted to kill you, I would've done it already. And I would've done it myself." Serena tells him. Asher smirked at her. "I'll admit it, I like it when you're being feisty." The young werewolf tells her. Serena rolls her eyes again. She turned and started to walk again. Asher walked after her. 

When they returned, Hayes was drinking some water Orlando had given him. The young man sat beside the elf and kept a close eye on him. Serena walked up to her brother. She reached into her bag, pulling out the plants from earlier. "Rub these on the wounds. They will lift your fever." Serena ordered him. Hayes' eyes fell on the young wolf behind Serena. "Where did you two run off to?" He asked her. "Just do as I tell you, please? You cannot get any worse, we'll lose part of our strength." She tells him. Serena turned to Orlando. "We have to leave." She tells him. He frowns at her. "What, why?" He asked. "There are people here. In the forest. They're looking for you." She explained. Misty walked up to them. "We can take them." She said. Asher walked up to them as well. He put his hand on Misty's back. "No, you won't. There must be a dozen of them out there." He warned her. "So what? I can take them." She snapped back at him. "Not until it is absolutely necessary. If we attack now, we'll all be dead." Serena tells her. Misty groaned and opened her mouth to protest. Asher pulled her away to talk with her. Serena looked at Orlando. "I think the emperor changed the rules of going beyond the wall," she said. Orlando nodded slowly. "Erix must be really desperate to find you if he sends those guards all the way out here," Serena added. Hayes glanced up at the two. "Do you think he might know you're an Adelio?" He questions. Orlando shook his head. "No, I don't think he does. I mean, no one even knew Adelio had a child." He replied, "And even if he did, what could possibly be so important that he wants me?" He asked. "If he knows you're an Adelio, he might want you dead," Hayes replied. Serena nodded slowly. "Or he needs you to retrieve some sort of object." She said quietly. Orlando frowns at her. "Object? What like magic?" he questions. "It's not impossible," Hayes replied. Orlando shook his head again. "No, the emperor thinks magic is dangerous. That it doesn't belong in this world." He explained. Serena let out a sigh and thought deeply. Why would they come here? But most importantly, how did they come here? The she-elf looked at the young man. "Do you know how they might've gotten here?" She asked him. Orlando shook his head quickly. He kept shaking his head until a picture of a man appeared in his mind. The man without eyes. "Antonio." He said quietly, "He must've told them." He added.