Onward

Chapter 13: The Curse

——————————🪄——————————

"We're back home." Ian said in disbelief.

"How is this possible?" (Y/n) asked.

"No, that doesn't make sense. We took the Path of Peril. We followed the ravens, we went to the end of the water...unless the x meant stay away from the water. Or it could be like, a campfire? It's ok, we can figure this out." Barley ranted.

"Figure out what? We're back where we started." Ian said.

"I mean it has to be here. There was a gauntlet. I mean unless that gauntlet was for, coincidentally some different quest...that's a possibility." Barley suddenly realized.

"What?"

"No, no, no. This has to be where the Phoenix Gem is. I followed my gut." Barley whispered.

"Oh no." Ian realized.

"What?"

"The gem is in the mountain. The mountain we could have been to hours ago if we just...if we just stayed on the expressway." Ian said.

"No the expressway is too obvious." Barley argued. "You can never take the obvious..."

"If I hadn't listened to you! Okay?" Ian shouted. "I can't believe this. You act like you know what you're doing, but you don't have a clue and that's because you are a screw up. And now you've screwed up my chance to have the one thing I never had!"

"Ian..." (Y/n) started.

"Don't (Y/n), just don't." He snapped, grabbing his dad by the leash.

"Where are you going?" Barley asked.

"To spend what little time we have left with dad." Ian shoved his staff into Barley's hand.

"Ian wait! We can still find the Phoenix Gem! We just have to keep looking! Ian! Ian!" Barley called after him.

Barley turned to (Y/n). "Your not gonna give up right (Y/n)?"

"Barley...even if the gem is here, it could've been buried under all of these buildings. It would take forever to find it." She reluctantly admitted. "I'm sorry."

...

Ian brought his dad over to the edge of a cliff looking out over the water. The sun was setting and soon they'd be out of time. His dad started feeling around for either Barley or (Y/n).

"No dad, they're not here." He and his dad sat down to watch the sunset.

...

"Come on. Where is it?" Barley asked himself. "Follow the water."

Barley suddenly turned to the old well that he had chained himself to. He rushed over to it and started splashing around.

"Barley, come on, get out of there." (Y/n) told him.

"No! It has to be here!" Barley argued.

The elf girl just looked at him sympathetically.

The construction workers noticed him and groaned in annoyance.

"Alright, come on. Out of the fountain." One worker said.

"No, I'm looking for an ancient gem." Barley argued.

"Oh, yeah, we know. The old days." The other worker said sarcastically.

The two workers grabbed Barley and dragged him out of the fountain, (Y/n) following them.