The Bizarre Adventures of a Half-Elf

11. Slithery Situation

**Combat at the end of the chapter. Y'all know the drill by now. 

Asmoth was already relaying to the others what Lady Clara had told them by the time Charlotte exited the tavern. "So what do you guys think? Shall we take a vote?" The Kuesik asked them once he was finished. The others all agreed, and after a show of hands, the majority voted that they take the Serpent's Path.

"Good, I'd rather fight a snake than another tree-spirit at this point," Charlotte voiced, while she made sure that all of her gear was where it should be.

"You think we'll fight a snake?" Lola asked, her voice quivering a little.

"We're taking a road called the Serpent's Path. If it's the one with the monster, I'm pretty sure it's going to have something to do with a serpent," Timoré answered for her.

"Well I don't know; the whole name could be completely misleading. It could contain a bunch of fluffy bunnies that are actually rabid," the Half-Elf teased.

The mage gripped his chest as if he were having a heart attack. "Oh, the horror. I don't know if I could possibly continue if that were the case."

She shrugged, "You'd just have to do that sparky thing that you do." When he gave her a confused look, she held her hand up and started flexing it for emphasis. "You know. That electricity thing you do with your hands."

"You mean magic?"

"Aye, that. Hm. Sparky. I like that; I'm going to call you Sparky."

"Why?" He asked, unamused, before beginning to walk in the direction of the Ghost Wood.

The rogue quickly caught up to him, "Because I want to."

"I'm actually better with Life magic than I am with electricity."

"That's good. You'll be able to counteract the necromancer then, right, Sparky?" She asked, ignoring his obvious protest.

He gave a loud groan. "Fine. Then I'm going to keep calling you 'dear'."

She smirked at him. "Go ahead. It's not going to change anything."

Timoré turned his full attention to her, and plainly stated, "I hate you, Elf."

"Aw, how sweet. I hate you, too, Sparky. And again, I'm only half of an Elf."

"Whatever." He looked forwards again, and kept walking in silence.

Charlotte continued to walk alongside him a while longer until she realized that she wasn't likely to get another rise out of him, and so she dropped back to walk by Elric. "Where's Red today?" She asked him, just now noticing the lack of the long-haired Human's presence.

"I don't believe that he was feeling well. He opted to remain in the inn today."

"He had a hangover, didn't he?"

The Nephilim regarded her curiously. "What is that?"

"It's what happens when you drink a lot of alcohol and you don't flush it out of your system with water or magic. You get a severe headache and everything makes you grumpy. Have you never had alcohol before?"

He shook his head. "Never. Alcohol is a poison that clouds the mind."

She gave half a smirk. "You must be loads of fun at parties."