Battle of Lies

Chapter XXV

Chase stood in a flower grove, but these weren't just any flowers. They were his favorite. Awriells. Bending down, Chase picked one of the beautiful flowers. Some called the flower ghosts or phantoms. The flower was a silvery white with somewhat rounded petals with a point on the end of each. There could easily be fifty petals on one of these flowers, but quantity didn't matter. Quality did. These flowers could endure almost anything, harsh winters, burning summers. Chase loved the look of these flowers, the way they swayed in the wind, the way the sun reflected off the petals and warmed his skin. To Chase, everything about these flowers was perfect.

"I knew I would find you here."

Chase turned and smiled. "I was hoping you would."

"You told me to find you here."

"I did?"

"I guess it was dream you, but it might as well have been you."

"Why did you dream of me?"

"Because why not. Anyway did you know awriells are symbols of love?"

"No?"

"The ghostly look represents heartbreak. The fifty petals, how many times you could fall in love. The tip of each petal is said to represent the end of each relationship."

"That's not very reassuring."

"But it is, you see. Whenever someone finds one of these groves, it's typical for one to pick the flower and take it back to where they're from. Those people never see a change in the flower's first appearance as they are ignorant. Awriells are very special compared to most plants because they are the most magical. When elves or any magical being picks one up the flower will typically change its appearance to represent that being. Sometimes a human who falls in love with a magical being will also see a change and that change matches the change the magical being also sees."

"Interesting. Is it okay if I pick one?"

"Of course."

Chase bent down and carefully picked one of the awriells. Within an instant, the flower turned a bright seawater color and the amount of petals on the flower became five. He had never known the flower could look this way. Smiling, he gave it to Jordyn. Jordyn took the flower and carefully placed it in her hair.

Smiling childishly, the two walked back to the campsite.

"We have to get going," Jordyn claimed.

"Indeed the rain is upon us," Nym said.

Nadine nodded. Omsya smiled. Rodalya looked up at the sky. Leon held onto his pack. Chase looked at Jordyn. Ready to leave, the seven left the circle of trees and continued onto the nearby path.

Soon the group came upon a small village. Children played in the street and wives were tending to the laundry.

"We should buy some horses." Chase suggested.

"Agreed," everyone huffed. They had been walking for many miles and most of them were not used to it, that is except for Jordyn and Chase.

Omsya and Leon went to a nearby stable and asked for four horses. This was because Rodalya could fly and Jordyn was fine with walking. Chase had noted how she never got tired and sitting still for a while seemed to agitate her. Nym had disappeared as if into thin air. The two who had set off for horses came back with said horses. Nym reappeared.

"Where have you been?" Jordyn asked. She knew who he was and she wasn't a fan.

"I have mastered a technique you never will."

Jordyn rolled her eyes, but she knew what he meant. He could appear and disappear at will.

"So are you going to answer my question?" Jordyn asked.

"I've been scouting. The humans and halflings will have to find a way around."

"Around what?"

Nym sighed. "Around the Infected zone. The monsters there aren't friendly to humans or halflings."

"I'm not sure you understand how a team works."

"I know plenty well how a team works and unless you want to face certain death I suggest you find a way around."

"What way around is there! We can't take to the seas. I would rather take my chances with monsters I can see rather than those I can't."

"Fair enough. But I warn you, Kott, the blood of your comrades is on your hands. If anyone dies, I'm blaming you."

Jordyn rolled her eyes and walked over to where everyone was resting.

"Let's keep moving," Jordyn said. Nulla had reappeared after getting lost and padded alongside Jordyn, but Jordyn's horse had run in the most recent battle so she was horseless.

Everyone nodded and saddled up. The six trudged along and in a short amount of time they reached the edge of the Infected zone.

"What is this place?" Rodalya asked.

"The land in between; no man's land; blank space. It is infected with magical creatures mutated by the plague," Nym said. Jordyn's dislike for this tree elf was only growing.

"We have to trek carefully. Leon, I need you to bring up the rear, seeing as you are the only one other than myself who isn't a human or halfling."

Leon nodded and everyone fell into a line formation. Jordyn led with Chase behind her, then Nadine, then Omsya, and Leon at the back. Rodalya flew overhead and would signal them when there was danger.