Hiss of Deception & Protection(Leif x OC)

Chapter 41

Second person's POV

"...oi. Noi!"
Noi jumped up from the foliage he was laid on as he looked to find Asch with his expression quite fierce in speaking.

"Ugh , good riddance that you're still alive. We need to move now."
Asch said as Noi grunted while rubbing his temples before getting up from the ground , catching up to the others who have left without him.

"What's even with the rush?"
Leif claimed with his arms crossed as the group turned to him since he was following at the back. Noi finally catch up with the group as he was breathing sharply and also looking at Leif as that's what everyone is doing.

"No one's after us , nor do they know us have returned to Daemos , thanks to Zex. If that's the case , we have nothing to be worried about. We can just act like we've just went a long journey to rest our old rusty minds , and no need to worry with some out of nowhere trouble-"
"What are you even thinking about?!"
Asch shouted as Noi was legit jump-scared by Asch's enraged voice early morning , along with some feathered creatures who were still in their morning sleep , was startled by Asch as they flew from their nest.

"What do you mean 'no need to worry with trouble'?! Thanks to us , Ava was somewhere in Daemos , and we totally have no clue with her safety by now. And here you are , telling me that she was no need to be worried of?!"
"She was a sorceress and princess after all. She have magic access to protect herself. Even better , she can handle the situation herself-"
"This is Daemos! Not Ear-th! She can't handle over things! I know my prisoner's personality!"
Asch shouted as Noi quietly interrupted , correcting 'his prisoner' to 'our prisoner'. Immediately , Asch shouted at Noi in the face to shut him up and as the usual , Noi remained silent quickly before the prince turned back to continue his argument with Leif.

"I don't need you to teach me things. Don't forget that I'm the prince of Daemos. Hence , we do things according to my ways. Now , I demand you to follow me , as we shall find Ava , despite the obstacles ahead of us."
Asch grumbled as he looked at Leif's face of defeat and turned his body , urging his other knights to quickly move on. Yet their journey was once again interrupted by Leif.

"So , you don't trust Ava?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Asch turned his neck to Leif who's standing stiffly in position.

"You being in such a rush to save Princess Ava , who we known to have powers.  Hence , she have the ability to protect herself. Yet , here you are being a busy bee , just to save her , I wonder what's even the point , except that... you don't trust her having actual powers."
"Such nonsense you have there. We've seen everything she had done , she had magic-"
"And why was it such a rush , to save the powerful sorceress?"
Leif said with his arms crossed as Asch remained silence , stood there.

Leif let out a laugh as he stated , "Admit it , Prince Asch. Till this day , you have not trust Ava. Even that's what Rhys claimed when we returned to Daemos last sun ,  you have not trust him , yet still being the stubborn head you are."
Asch grunted as his hand glowed with flames and burned down a random tree next to him. Rhys tried to stop Asch from the magic using , but was stopped by the prince , claiming he knows what's he doing.

"Not I don't trust her... I was just being worried."
"Even I was worried , but she was a powerful sorceress as she claimed. I believe she can survive , don't you think so too , Noi?"
Noi jumped for being called out as he quickly agreed with what Leif said and was shouted at by Asch.

"Even if I trusted her , I knew I shouldn't put down my guard either! You were a clear example on what happened when you trusted someone!"
Leif widened his teal colour eyes as he was clear that Asch talking about Zinnex.

"That human betrayed us all with her kindness. She could've kill us if she had the chance!"
"And she did not , did she?! She let us go through alive , those who abused her alive! Except for that human who dared to touch her!"
"Yet she didn't trust you fully since she kept things from you , from Ava , from us!"
"We've done the same! We hid our true purposes from Ava! From Zinnex!"
Leif screamed as Asch froze in place while Rhys quickly come to calm down the situation.

"You two better stop , you guys were making a scene here. Imagine what will happen if someone , or some guards heard us-"
"Prince Asch!!"
The five froze when they heard those familiar calling from the guards of Rhal's.
Immediately , they ran away , with their minds filled with prays , hoping not being caught by those guards. They speedily ran through the  forest , hoping to get those guards off their tails.

"*gasp**inhale* D-Did we lose them?"
"I hope so..."
Rhys said as he breathed in and out quickly , catching his breath from all of that running from guards.

"W-Why are we even running when we have legitimately no clue with what's going on?"
"You seriously lost your god damn mind on that scoundrel! What other valid reasons could there possibly be to capture us?!"
Asch , once again , lit up the fuse of Leif's as Leif phased in front of Asch and grabbed him by the collar of his cape.

"Don't. You. EVEN THINK ABOUT LIGHTING UP MY ANGER YOU-!"
"Please! Leif! Now's not the time to fight! We're legit on a middle of a run-!"
As Rhys was about to stop them from creating another ruckus , those guards earlier shouted out loud , startling the birds in the forest , for they have found whoever they have been looking for.

Immediately , the knights pulled their weapons to protect Prince Asch , so is Leif , who decided to put Asch's insult towards his mate on the side and putting the prince's safety in first place. The guards who looked at the knights' in their defense position , immediately told them to put down their weapons while saying weird and confusing words.

"Prince Asch! We're Daemos knights! We're here to get you back to the palace since there's some witnesses who saw you."
Rhys raised his eyebrows on questioning with the specified mention of the nation's ground that they were standing on. Yet , Rhys didn't bulge much as he held his staff tight in his hand still. This small action was caught attention of the guards as they whispered loudly to each other.

"Do you think... they're frightened by the Medonax knights? After all , it was heard that they're disguised as one of us and they have feared and captured a lot of men from Daemos...."
Medonax?
What are those?
Foreign knights?
And what's with the capturing and etc of occasion?
What on the world of Daemos have happened when they're gone?

"What are you talking about-"
"Rhal and a human was heard to be captured. Along side some guards who's there defending and fighting. No survivors as I have heard..."
It's when the guards felt a huge gush of heat waves and they found Prince Asch who's approaching towards them with his eyes clearly burning in flames.

"A human...? Was taken... You said?"
Asch whispered with rage in his tone as the guards shivered by the prince's words and quickly agreed with him.

"Y-Yes , Prince Asch. Yet the information was unclear to be told. But the assumption made was not much doubted by his majesty..."
Even the King of Daemos was persuaded by this assumption?
What could happen to Rhal? Even worst by occasion , who dares to take Ava without the prince's permission? Asch's fist curled up tight as he bit his bottom lips , before saying ,

"Take us back."
The knights froze by the prince's words. The guards thanked the prince's cooperation as they first walked away. Once their figures vanished , Rhys questioned Asch's decision , claiming it to be dangerous since they have doubts on the guards' words.

"I don't care if this is a trap , or a fact. Ava was in danger , I must be there to protect her. You guys can either follow me , or be there and die."
Asch once again , threatened his knights as he walked off , towards the guards. Followed by Pierce , Rhys , Leif was about to keep up the team , until he noticed Noi's unusual actions.

He was staring at a random , normal looking bush that was just standing there lifelessly.
"Noi!"
Noi jumped by Leif's call , even being distracted to a plant? This was not really what a knight should have...

"Come on , we should keep up with Asch already."
"Y-Yeah , coming!"
Noi said before he turned back to give one last glance of the bush , catching up the group , leaving alone a glow shined in the bushes , before vanishing , giving the bush a quick shake before leaving the bush in peace.