Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 29• The Future

"Where are you going?" The young man questioned. The girl in front of him licked her lips and looked at him with dreamy eyes. "Darling?" He said. The girl was slightly shorter than him. Her hair was a dirty blonde color, almost brown, and her eyes were bright blue. She pulled Erix along with her behind some buildings. "Why won't you tell me where we're going?" The young Erix questioned. The girl continued to walk into a small alleyway. Erix followed her, keeping their fingers locked. Suddenly, she stopped. Erix frowned at her as she let go of his hand. She kneeled and pushed some of the rocks aside from the wall, revealing a small gap. "Come on, let's go." She whispered. Erix shook his head. "We're not allowed to go beyond the wall," he said. The girl rolled her eyes and groaned. "Fine, I'll go without you." She said. Before she could squeeze herself through, Erix protectively grabbed her and pulled her back. "No, don't do that it's not safe," he tells her. The blonde girl turned her head to look at him. "You're scared, aren't you?" She questioned. Erix didn't answer her question. "Aw, don't worry, I'll protect you." She teased him. "It's cute that you want to protect me, but you're like a foot shorter than me and-" he started. The girl rolled her eyes again. "You're just scared. Come on, let's go." She said. Erix pulled her back once again. This time, he turned them around so he was standing in front of the small gap so she could no longer escape. "It's not safe out there. We are not sneaking out." He tells her. The girl groaned in response. "Hey," Erix started. He gently grabbed her chin between his fingers. "Promise me." He ordered. "Rachel," Serena spoke up. Erix snapped out of his thoughts. He looked up at the she-elf. "Don't say her name." He ordered. Serena's eyes focused on the emperor. "She's the reason why you're doing this. Isn't it?" She questioned. Erix jumped up from his seat. "Don't talk about her, creature. You have no right to say her name!" He exclaimed. Serena slightly tilted her head. "Why not? You loved her, right?" She questioned.

Erix balded his fist, digging his fingernails into the palms of his hands. "Most humans would want to talk about their loved ones," Serena added. "I'm not like other humans. And I don't want to talk about her." Erix replied sternly. Serena shook her head. "No, you're wrong," She said, "You are like others. You think you're different because your actions are almost inhuman. But you have emotions like everyone else." She continued. Erix turned away from Serena. "Yeah? And what about you? Your people? You don't have any emotions so you're not human? So you're better than us? More advanced?" He questioned. "Our emotions make us human. Yes, we are more advanced as a species. But we do not claim to be better than your kind. You are the ones that did that. Not us." Serena replied. "You're wrong." He tells her. Serena chuckled. "I'm never wrong, Sweetheart." She replied, "I see the future." She added. "Rachel is in the past. How could you possibly know about her if you can only see the future?" The emperor questioned. He looked at Serena. His stern expression softened slightly. "Unless-" He started. "She's in your future?" Serena cut him off. Erix stepped closer to her. "Is she?" He asked. Serena glanced up at the chains that held her hands up and tied up. "If you release me I might tell you." She tried to bargain. To her surprise, Erix raised his arms. His hands went straight to her restraints. But instead of releasing her, he only tightened the restraint. The emperor looked straight into Serena's eyes. "For a second I believed you," Serena admitted. Erix tightened the restraints again, making Serena whine slightly. "Rachel." He ordered. "She died a long time ago. You're willing to do anything to get her back." Serena said. "How do you know that?" Erix asked her. "My brother had this vision the day you became the emperor," Serena tells him. "But what about Rachel? Will I see her again?" Erix questioned. Serena gulped slightly, realizing how much she had already given away. "It doesn't matter." Serena started, "We know what you want. I know why I'm here. But you're not going to get through that door." She added. The tension was high between the two. Anyone could've seen that. Serena took a step forward. "If I were you... I would secure your walls. Because my father knows where I am. And these days we have security dogs." She warned him.

Callodir followed his son through the forest. Hayes ignored his father calling out to him many, many times. As soon as he stepped onto a path, he bumped into Asher. The two young men looked at each other. And their fathers met eyes too. "Dog," Callodir said. "Antlers," Remus replied. Hayes looked at Asher awkwardly. "Your dad followed you too huh?" He asked. The young werewolf nodded in response. The two leaders glared at each other angrily. "What are you doing here? Was your treehouse too small for you?" Remus questioned. Callodir grasped onto his sword. "Have of how you speak." He said. Remus let out an animal-like grow. His eyes lit up, turning the bright golden color that most werewolves had. The two sons were pushed aside by their fathers. The leaders attacked each other. One using his sword, the other his claws. They both had incredible strengths and also used that. "Dad!" Asher exclaimed. Hayes pulled on his father's shoulders, trying to pull him away from the fight. "Father, stop!" Hayes called out. Almost yelling at him.

A/n: my apologies for the short chapter. I had no inspiration for this chapter and I didn't really have time to write it either. I really had to rush this chapter. So my apologies for that. I will try to improve the next chapter in both word count and quality. Anyway, I hope you still liked the chapter!
-Jay25211💜💜