Chapter 216: Elva’s Choice

Riding along, Elva stared into the sky, her attention split between staring at empty space to keep her mind clear and being alert to any danger they may encounter. Although she knew she should have kept her full attention on the surroundings, the roads to Last Hope, even if the least travelled, were the safest. There was nothing special about them, no additional patrols or artefacts to keep them clean. If anything, it was because Last Hope itself existed. To all the creatures of the Deadlands, they had their separate territories, steering clear of other predators; it was only natural they stayed away from the den of the most dangerous.

"Rnadolf." Calling out to him, his horse inched closer towards pulling alongside. Turning toward his back and seeing Alice leaning against him, writing in a small journal, constructing and deconstructing numerous runes, making notes based on her findings, Elva’s eyes flashed with anger. "What’s the plan?"

"What do you mean? Hand her to lord Raven and go home, Elva. What else is there to do?"

"Do you seriously think that will be all?" Her gaze changed, questioning him, wondering if he could be so stupid. "You heard how Lord Halls spoke. Something is going to happen, Randolf. Do you honestly want to be stuck travelling the open road if it does?" Randolf sighed and looked down, the reality of the situation dawning on him.

"We can’t remain in Last Hope if that is the case." Elva nodded in agreement. "I doubt Lord Halls will wish for us to return to Last Feast, but we also can’t go north without Lord Raven’s approval."

"I will not go North. If she is going to cause something to happen, it will likely start there." Her hand instinctively reached down towards the crossbow, stopping at the final moment, a hard glare from Rabdolf showing he saw her actions.

"Don’t, Elva." Rolling her eyes, it did nothing to ease Randolf’s worries as he continued to stare at her.

"I’m not going to touch her. I have received Lord Raven’s orders."

"Mhh." Randolf made a noise and turned away. "I guess the only place we can reach with ease is Dreamscape. You alright with that?" Elva thought for a moment and nodded. Looking ahead, Randolf looked to the sky and yawned. "It will be getting dark soon. We should rest."

"Want me to take first watch?" Elva asked.

"If you don’t mind." Nodding in reply, they carried on for a few more hours until the sky turned dark and the grey moonlight blanketed the ground. Creating the fire and setting up his point of rest, Randolf finally dragged over a nearby log left by the side of the road, likely from a previous group that travelled and threw it down nearby, giving Elva a seat. Tapping his shoulder in thanks, she plaid down the animals’ furs atop it and sat, placing the bag of arrows next to her and the crossbow.

It took Randolf only a few minutes to fall into a light sleep, his sword lying next to him. Looking away from Randolf, Elva closed her eyes and took a deep breath, grabbing the first of her normal arrows. Grabbing a whetstone and a small amount of water set aside for maintenance, Elva got to work, the slow, methodical sound of metal dragging across the rock echoing across the open grey plain.

Her gaze never left Alice, even as she brought the arrow to blow it clean. As if feeling her penetrating stare, Alice furrowed her brows and looked away from her journal, turning and staring back at Elva. "What? You’re being annoying."

Dragging the arrow across the stone, Elva smirked, brought it to her mouth and blew before speaking, "What would you do for your dream?" Elva asked, needing to understand the creature before her. She could see the childish innocence that Randolf saw; she had seen the loneliness she was in. But even when she saw it all, she couldn’t feel pity. Her loneliness was self-inflicted, from a disconnect from the entire world. Her childish innocence was destructive, and she was unable to see things as real. Any pity she could afford was tarnished by reality and by what Alice was.

Alice stared at Elva, and for once, Elva could see Alice actually seeing her, not as a subject to be studied nor a character that existed for her. Although her gaze wasn’t wholly normal, there was a look of genuine engagement as she treated Elva like a Magi she had debated and studied with many times before.

"Everything," Alice said, leaving only the fire’s crackle to answer. "My dream is destined to happen. Nothing can stop it, so I will do everything." The arrow she was sharpening paused, and Elva looked into Alice’s eyes.

"You wish to open the Old One’s Resting?"

"Of course." An excited smile that was normal for Alice returned. "They are pretenders, but they are also the most likely cause for the strangeness of this land. Everything they know I will learn, and when I have learnt it, I will find the Eldest One. I shall comprehend what everyone says cannot be done. The world will be mine, and that means nothing within this world can be left undiscovered."

"You’re mad." Alice chuckled, "You would do this, even if meant..." Elva paused and took a deep breath. Dragging the arrow across the wet stone harder than she should have, she opened her eyes and stared deep into Alice’s own. "Putting everyone within this land at risk. If it meant killing every Lord within this land."

"You wanted to kill me," Alice said, unbothered, surprising Elva. "What, did you think I didn’t hear you two. I know you don’t like me, but your opinion is irrelevant to me. I know you are tempted to shoot your arrows, but it’s meaningless. I would survive, because my journey doesn’t end here."

Elva gulped and ground her teeth. "You didn’t answer my question."

"Sure." Alice said once again without care, "If you tried to stop me, I would."

"Just going there will cause it. What then?" Elva snapped, making Alice fall into thought for a moment. After what felt like an eternity to Elva, she saw the girl shrug.

"I still would. I need to, after all." Elva shook her head. Reaching down, her hand inched towards the crossbow. Alice didn’t pay attention, unbothered, even after admitting she knew Elva wanted to kill her.

Elva took a weak breath, unable to believe Alice. It wasn’t even a lack of confidence in her own strength that made her doubt Elva would do it; rather, it was such absurd confidence in her own worldview that she couldn’t accept Elva might even attack, despite having said she knew.

’She’s too dangerous. Our lives. She doesn’t care about a single one of us. Lord Raven. She can’t be allowed to live. I know your orders, and even now they are stopping me, but this creature isn’t human. She is a disaster that should be purged. If there is even a minuscule chance of her entering the resting, I need to end it.’

A shaky hand moved to load an arrow. Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she saw Randolf, lying on his back, staring at the sky, taking shallow breaths. ’He will never forgive me, but he is blinded. He is too good a person.’

Looking at Alice, she silently slipped the arrow into place and carefully pulled back, making sure to not make a single sound, knowing Randolf would wake easily. Alice continued to write in the book, and Elva saw her chance when she grabbed her eyes, trying to think. Lifting the crossbow, it trembled with how hard she was shaking. Small, rapid breaths escaped her lips, and her fingers steadily moved towards the trigger.