Destiny Of Fire

Chapter 2

As they reached the house Rosea and Charl relaxed and gave the energy back to nature. “Thank you, Charl it has been a long time since someone had listened” Rosea looked toward her house.

Charl smiled.

“I will not lie that was intense but I am glad to have heard your side.”

Rosea smiled back then as she turned to walk back to the house she noticed it looked as if someone else was inside. Rosea lifted her arm in front of Charl to stop him. He looked a bit confused but as he looked in the same direction as Rosea he immediately placed his hand on the grip of his sword realizing they were not alone. Rosea could hear them rummaging through the house, they are looking for something. Rosea waved her hand down telling Charl to wait while she investigates. Still, in her armor, she could sneak ever so quiet. She made her way to the window and peered through the window. She saw the intruder with his back turned to throw everything out of the drawers. She could see he was a Flamma with the same markings and light coming from his armor but the light was grey which meant he was a Smoc. He was tall and slightly muscular.

Rosea turned her back to the wall.

“Great it had to be this Flamma”.

She signaled to Charl to go to the back of the house. He took a deep breath and faded as though he was part of the wind. He made his way to the door and waited for Rosea’s signal. Keeping low Rosea snuck to the back of the house to meet Charl. She slowly stood up as she saw the Smoc holding Charl’s hands behind his back and a dagger to his throat.

“Why are you here?” Rosea demanded to know. Charl was trying to break free but this Smoc had a good grip on him and with every move, his grip became tighter.

“Charl, don’t struggle he will kill you” Rosea cautioned.

With a hoarse in his throat, the Smoc responded

“You know what you have to do, the King has been looking for you for a long time and it is time to come home.”

Rosea placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. The Smoc sneered as he watched her movements.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you or your friend will make an awful mess on the floor.”

Rosea’s heart was pounding louder with every second, she took a deep breath and knew what she had to do.

“Close your eyes Charl” she calmly asked as she bent down keeping her eye on the Smoc.

There was a rush of heat that passed Charl and he felt a slight sting from the dagger as Rosea rammed the Smoc from the back porch onto the grass. Charl ran out to see where they had landed. The Smoc jumped up gripping his longsword from the scabbard on his side. Rosea stood with her feet apart and her sword was at an eye-level waiting for the next moment to strike. The Smoc’s right hand became engulfed with flames and a ball of fire began to emerge from his palm. He threw the ball toward Rosea, she dodged as she lifted off the ground in a cartwheel. Becoming frustrated both of the Smoc’s hands set on fire and shot out multiple fireballs with Rosea expertly dodging every shot. A fireball came toward Charl, he disappeared into the air. The fireball landed in the cabin dining room which set the curtain alight eventually leading to the entire cabin becoming engulfed with flames.

Rosea turned her head back as she heard the roar of the flames.

“No” she gasped but she could hear the Smoc’s sword cutting through the air on its way to cut her diaphragm.

She countered the strike with her sword and a clang could be heard as the two swords made contact. They pushed against each other locking eyes with one another. The Smoc had his strength as an advantage as he thrusts Rosea to the ground. Her sword flew a few meters away from the blow. She lost her breath as she hit the ground lying there trying to get her breath back.

The Smoc walked over to her and pointed his sword to her throat.

“That was fun but I have a job to do” as he smirked feeling triumphant.

Charl knew her fate if this Smoc were to take her now he had to do something. Rosea pushed herself up trying to get over the feeling of shame from being so rusty in battle. She could feel the wind slowly building up from behind her and she had a feeling to step aside for a moment. A gush of wind rushed passed Rosea and thrusts the Smoc into the air leaving him to fall to the ground. Rosea knew this was Charl. She quickly grabbed her sword and flew over to the Smoc. He struggled to get up and was knocked over as Rosea forced him onto the ground crouching over him. The temptation to slice his throat was growing as the tip of her sword lingered over his neck.

Rosea for a moment thought to herself.

“This is not right.”

Charl shouted from a distance.

“What are you doing? Kill him!”

Rosea rose to leave the Smoc on the ground. As she turned she could hear the Smoc getting up and slowly taking his sword to strike her in the back. Rosea’s stomach dropped as she knew what she had to do. The Smoc lunged towards her leaving his torso exposed. Rosea stepped aside piercing his stomach. She felt his weight on her arm. Blood spurted on Rosea’s shoulder as he coughed. She let him fall to the ground as she pulled her sword out from his body.

With the little bit of life still in the Smoc, he spat out the few words he had.

“He found you.”

Rosea watched the light fade away in his eyes. Charl ran to Rosea’s side.

“That took longer than expected, why you hesitated?”

Rosea turned away and made her way to her destroyed cabin. As she walked through the ash and balancing on the burnt-out wood she realized that the time for hiding was over but she knew she could not do it alone. She had to revisit her past which means having to meet old friends and enemies.

As she walked her foot bumped into a wooden box. It was burnt but not enough to fall apart. She opened it and her eyes began to well up as she saw the small red velvet bag. It brought back so many happy memories of her past life. She pulled the bag open from the gap and brought out a small black rock that had an engraving of a star. She could still remember her grandmother’s sweet smile as she gave it as a gift to Rosea during the Ceremony of Luminesce. It was a glorious time for all the young adult Flammas to unlock their connection with nature. They all had a birthmark on their left wrist which during their childhood was lit dim and the color of the light revealed which Flamma they were. Once they reached adulthood they attended the Ceremony of Luminesce. They placed their hand in the sacred fire prepared by the Lunite Flammas. Their birthmark will glow brightly as the fire releases their power and unlocks their connection to nature. This connection would allow them to absorb nature’s energy, use it, and return it. This process was vital to maintain balance within the world and this was what all elementra had to know and understand. Rosea could still remember the searing pain as the fire burnt her hand. That was another mark that you were a Flamma.

“Ignatious… are you alright?” as Charl cautiously nudged her wondering where her mind had gone.

Rosea could hear a voice in the distance and realized she was daydreaming and snapped back. She turned to Charl and looked up with a sense of calm.

“I guess I don’t have a choice now, I will go with you and find out what this rogue wants and be rid of it, no one should ever have to deal with that kind of cruelty towards others and nature itself”.

Her armor faded into her clothes and skin revealing her bright yellow blonde hair, her meadow green eyes, and her skin rose beige skin. Charl for a moment forgot about her aggressive and forward attitude he encountered from her earlier that day.