The Hunt for Aquatenite

Chapter - 8 Lucy

It was around noon when we reached our cabin. Olivia had sent her brother to take us to the dining hall in the fire continent for lunch.

The hall was huge, enough to fit all the havens. Tables were placed all around the hall. A buffet was set at the sides. I made sure to fill my plate with elphanals. Olivia suggested we try a dish called alma- a leafy spread with flavor inside.

We settled on a table at the corner, away from the crowd but people did stare at us.

"What exactly are havens?" Liza asked.

"Havens are exactly like humans. But the difference is the hexens, the first havens on Aresten, created them." Olivia answered.

"Hexens started the sorting into groups thing," Oliver said from behind. He dropped onto the seat beside me. "They put the brave in the fire group, the intelligent in water, the kind in air, and the selfless in the earth group."

Olivia seemed annoyed to see him. But I tried to ignore that. Tried. "Why do you look so annoyed?" I couldn't help but ask.

She grunted. Before she could say something, Oliver spoke up, "She must be stressed out keeping watch over havens. So tiring, right?" He taunted. Well, that was a new side of him.

"You try running around managing a whole continent." Olivia scoffed. "But, no. All you have to do is teach some teens how to use a dagger."

"What is happening?" Liza asked innocently.

"He is being the selfish, judgemental guy he is," Olivia said. Oliver rolled his eyes and pushed back his chair loudly to get out.

I grabbed his hand and showed him my puppy dog eyes asking him to stay. He sighed but sat down, crossing his arms.

I smiled inside. He stayed for me. A voice in my mind squealed.

"So," I said, placing my hands on the table. "What's between you two?"

Olivia raised her eyebrow like she was saying, You really wanna know?

I waited for one of them to say something when Oliver gave up.

"We don't talk much now." He said. Short and crisp answer.

"Why?" Liza asked, taking an interest now.

"As per the rules, a brother and sister have to marry each other." He looked at Olivia as if asking for help.

She glared at him but continued for him, "When we got to know that, we decided to ignore each other. I don't want to marry my brother."

"Like I'm dying to do that," Oliver said. He had to make that remark.

Before another war could break out, Liza saved us.

"Ew, you marry your sibling." She said, a disgusted look on her face.

I was going to get back to their sibling relationship therapy when a shrill sound of a bell rang. It sounded like a fire alarm, just more alarming. I thought the break was over but everyone stood and ran to their cabins. Oliver sat up too. "Olivia, take them to their cabin. You know what to do." With that, he ran off.

Olivia rushed us back to our cabin as Oliver had said. She pressed her palm on the floor under our bed. The tiles vanished before our feet. We trudged back and took a glance at what was lying there. There was a sword lying there. Its hilt was a blood-red color. The blade was stained which meant it had already been used. Olivia closed her eyes and whispered a word. A spear appeared and crackled with energy at her touch.

"Liza, take the sword," Olivia ordered.

Liza bent down to pick up the sword. When she touched the hilt, she gasped and closed her eyes for about a millisecond.

I heard a loud sound. Like the thud of a weapon.

"Lucy, you need to wait here," Olivia said. "There is a powerful thing out there."

Now, that was unfair. "But why Liza can go? She can get hurt. I'm not letting her get hurt. You have to let me go or don't take her."

A scream was heard.

"Lucy, Olivia will have my back. Don't worry." Liza said. For the first time, she had said something like that. Like she trusted Olivia or something. I wanted to go. To keep my sister safe. But she had just said something I was dying to hear from her. I couldn't argue.

I wished them luck with whatever was happening out there and they left.