Olive

Chapter 4

They had been walking for about three days when her uncle told her they were close to the entrance of the other dimension. As they began to near their destination, you could already begin to make out the the tall boulders that seem to reach for the sky and disappear into the clouds.

"We're here," her uncle stated.

"Wow," Olive gasped as she spun in a full circle trying to take the beauty of it all. The greenery that grew on the rocks and in between the cracks of the boulders was like a light glowing from an abandoned room

They walked through the entrance as Olive's uncle said with a slight smile on his face, "Mystical isn't it?"

"Of course, it's beautiful!! Its nothing like I've seen in the village or near our home," Olive exclaimed with wide green eyes full of wonder.

Aisyah was about to say something else when all of a sudden his body went rigid and his voice quieted to a whisper, "Even though this place is full of beauty it's also full of great dangers. You can't get to the rose without getting the thorns," he firmly said while shaking his finger making a point. " So stay close okay." Olive slowly nodded her head a little lost in thought but still fully aware of what Aisyah said.

"The entrance to the dimension is coming up. I'll go through first and then you follow close behind, okay?" Her uncle looked over at her questionably.

"Yeah. I'm right behind you." But Olive was not paying close attention and somehow between one moment and the next, she lost him.

A thick, milky white fog surrounded them so not only did it prevent them from seeing at least five feet in front of them, but also kept Aisyah and Olive from hearing each other. "Uncle Aisyah! Where are you?!"

She spun about trying to find him when she heard a twig snap. Her spirit practically leapped out of her skin, but she remained silent and calm remembering her training. She gripped her bow ready to fight. She felt her warrior's mark on her back begin to warm all the way up her spine. Danger is near. A black staff sliced through the thick fog, and like a curtain parting to reveal a stage, the fog was gone.

A tall built man about Olive's age, with skin as dark as the very soil they walked upon was charging at full speed towards Olive. She hit the ground with a thud. And before she knew it, he only thing separating the two was each other's weapons. Staff against bow. Their weapons pushing down on each other as it was the only thing keeping them from killing the other.

"Just give me a break!" she said in between breathes. "This has been the worst time of my life. I'm out here risking my life for someone who I despise! Someone who doesn't even believe in me! I don't have time for this!" Olive yelled up at him. Her arm was tiring, soon she would have to find another way around this situation.

His hardened expression immediately was replaced with one of hesitation. Olive took this moment to try knock him back and then replace her bow with something more appropriate to battle him. She looked around and out of the corner of her eye she spotted a long stick that could serve as a staff. He followed Olive's gaze and moved to intercept her, but Olive was quicker. Her Mark gave her the strength of her ancestors, enough power to get to the other weapon first. As she ran, her feet thudded against the ground towards the stick. She grabbed it with both hands and swung it around her like a baton. He walked slowly around her in a circle trying to find an opening.

"Who sent you?" she loudly exclaimed still out of breath. His body glowed with sweat, something that truly defined his chiseled physique. Olive shook those thoughts out of her head. Not a good time to be distracted, Olive. The man gradually grew closer and closer. She suddenly realized that she forgot about her uncle. She would have to find her own way to the portal now. Had the assassin gotten to him too? No, that would be impossible. He was a better fighter than Olive. There's no way Aisyah would have been defeated by someone who she was putting up a fight with. And besides, he probably already made it through. The thoughts of her uncle's safety were swarming her head, but she returned to the problem at hand when he lunged at her. She dodged him, while at the same time placing herself in a perfect position to give him a fatal blow, but thought of her father and how he died caused her to cease her actions.

"I am not my mother."

The assassin looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not going to kill you."

"Well it's either that or I'm going to kill you, because only one of us is leaving here alive." He had a cocky tone to his voice, something Olive found irritating and slightly attractive at the same time.

"We have no need to kill each other. Who even sent you?"

"The Gnome King. I have no choice but to take you to him. Dead or alive." He tightened his stance once again, his eyes watching her every move.

"I'm going there anyway. I will eventually face him. No need for you to waste your energy on me." Olive smirked.

"Why would you go to the one person who wants you dead?" The assassin relaxed his position, confused by her answer. Even though not five minutes ago, they were trying to kill one another, he found himself wanted to know more about this stunning woman with the Marks and skill of a warrior.

"Because I have to and it's not really any of your business. My mother is in trouble so I have to go save her from the King."

"Didn't you just imply that if you were your mother, you would have killed me? If she's such a bad person then why are you going to save her?" He asked.

"Because I have to." Olive paused. "Well, are you going to try to stop me or not?"

"Yes. I have my orders. If I don't bring you back-" The man stopped and Olive saw his cold expression slip for a moment, showing a flash of fear in his dark black eyes. It was gone in the next second. "I have no choice." He smiled crookedly, showing dimples. "You're coming with me."

"Well listen here you...-"

"Alaric."

"What?"

"My name. It's Alaric." The cocky tone was back.

"Good to know. Anyway, Alaric- Can I call you Ric for short?- I seriously got to get moving." Olive turned around, thinking that if she stared at him any longer she would lose her calm and become distracted.

"I can't let you." He made it as to step closer toward her.

"Good day Ric. Don't follow me." By the time she finished saying this, she was already walking away. The assassin stared at her back in utter confusion, but ran towards her anyways. Olive heard the man's feet and came to a halt. She didn't turn around until he was right behind her. As she began her words "I told you..." she quickly turned around, bringing the staff with her whacking him in the head with the staff, knocking him out at "...not to follow me." She glanced down at him. He really is pretty cute. His long eyelashes cast deep shadows on his already dark skin. It's a shame he was sent to kill me. Under other circumstances, she would have like to get to know him better. But as such, it was not meant to be. Olive looked back and saw that the portal was not ten feet away. Without any delay, she jumped into it, leaving the man behind her.