The Elementals

Chapter 13: Separated

The group cleaned their selves up quickly and changed out of their dirty clothes, gathering all of their belongings. With the sun still sleeping, they would have quite a while of walking in darkness. Elizabeth informed Jarvis, who seemed to be the one in charge of Hartlepool, to send a message to Narthwich as soon as possible, informing them of the attack. They said their farewells and continued south, giving their best wishes.

Candice lead the way for them with a bright ball of light in her hand. Elizabeth and Kyle kept together in the back while Noah and Brandon stayed at Alexis' sides. The atmosphere around them was tense as they walked along the path in silence, anticipating an attack.

"How far do you think they went?" Kyle suddenly yelled from the back, causing the others to jump at the sound of his voice. He held a smirk smugly at the reactions he got, but it also earned him a punch in the side from Elizabeth, the look quickly disappearing.

"If they reached Hartlepool, that means they could be everywhere out here," Alexis stated quietly. There was more silence after that, but then Candice suddenly stopped walking.

"So if they're already in the next few towns, why are we sticking to the trail out in the open?" she asked, turning to look at them. "If what Alexis says is right,-"

"Which it is."

"-then being on the trail is the most dangerous; they'll expect that, right? They'll be watching and waiting for us." There was a short pause, then Noah shrugged and cut into the surrounding forest, going right. The rest followed behind him without question, the crunch of leaves and small twigs the only sound around them. Candice pushed her ball of light ahead of the group and it hovered in front of them a couple yards away, lighting their path.

"We'll keep west for right now; if anything you could call this a shortcut," Noah said as he stayed in the lead. He looked back at Alexis briefly before putting his attention ahead of him. "Murkwell and the village Onryx; it's no question that they were attacked already."

"So we'll have to search the town before continuing on?" Brandon asked. Kyle, who was at his side now, nodded.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten our orders," he said, cocking his head to the side.

"I was only confirming what we're doing next." Alexis looked between the two of them, then glanced over her shoulder to make sure Elizabeth was still there. She didn't know why, but something felt off. Counting the ones around her, she raised an eyebrow.

"You guys..." she started, looking around, "where's Lily?" Everyone stopped walking and looked at each other, dumbfounded. A strange noise came from Elizabeth, something like a snort, as she just brushed it off and kept walking.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she ran off with her tail between her legs," she growled. "To think I was starting to trust her."

"She wasn't fighting back at Hartlepool?"

"I didn't see her in all of that chaos," Candice commented.

"But she is a shapeshifter," Brandon reminded them. "She could've been there, but then again that doesn't explain why she's not here now."

"She's not our problem anymore. Maybe she realized what she was getting herself into and ran back to Wanborne," Noah said with a shrug of his shoulders.