Onyx

Chapter 18: Barriers

Rigel awoke and found everybody packing. After his little "talk" with Cassius last night, he walked back with him to the campsite and fell asleep, anxiety clouding his thoughts.

Neo stood ordering everybody around...as usual.
"Enzo, gather up all the food and put it back in the packs. Reno, can you grab all the weapons? Cassius, you can just throw the extra firewood to the side." He looked to Rigel.

"Well, well, well, look who's awake now. Had a good sleep last night?"

Rigel scowled. "It was great actually thanks for asking." he answered with sarcasm. Neo rolled his eyes and turned away.

Rigel stood up and started packing his bags avoiding Cassius' gaze. He knew he needed to tell the group the truth, but his fear of the consequences held him back.

Once everyone packed everything up, Neo clapped his hands. "So. Let's figure out how to find Onyx." he turned to Cassius. "Is there any way you know, that those tracks could have disappeared like that?"

Cassius' eyes flicked to Rigel for a moment before he faced Neo. "My guess is she jumped into the branches of a tree with Onyx in tow. I did some thinking last night and I have an idea where they might be."

Reno cocked a brow. "And where is that?"

Cassius looked to him, a bit of annoyance flashing on his face. "There are stories of a hidden barrier in this part of the woods. Many men have tried to cross it, but have always been held back by an invisible force."

"What's that have to do with anything?" Questioned Enzo.

Cassius sighed. "Just think about it for a moment. If someone set up a barrier, they've done so for a reason."

Enzo looked at him blankly. "I don't get it."

Neo exhaled exasperated. "He means that they're trying to hide something there. Idiot."

Enzos brows furrowed. "How do we know that's where Onyx is?"

"Exactly. We don't. It's stupid, we can't trust him." Rigel snapped.

Everyone looked at him surprised with his sudden outburst.

Cassius looked at Rigel with soft eyes. Fake. "Rigel, I understand your frustration, I truly do. But this is our best option right now. Surely something as abnormal as the girl herself, can be associated with something as strange as an invisible barrier."

Rigel was furious. He hated how "kind" and "caring" Cassius made himself seem in front of everyone, when he was really a lying snake.

Neo looked around at everybody. "Well? I think we have a plan no? It's not solid but it's something." He looked at Cassius. "Please, lead the way."

He really has a chokehold on them. Never in a million years would Rigel have thought that Neo would ever let someone else lead.

Cassius nodded humbly—snake—and started walking in the direction towards the rock. Rigel reluctantly trailed behind them, frustrated with the entire situation. He wished he had told Cassius no, but at the same time they wouldn't have nearly gotten this far without his help. He had everybody wrapped around his twisted fingers.

Rigel looked to Reno and saw he held the same stormy expression as the night before. He slowed down to speak to him.

"Reno, you have the same expression you did yesterday. What's wrong?"

Reno's brows furrowed. "I don't trust this man. He smells strange."

"What do you mean he smells strange?"