Flame Heart

4_horrendous day continues

We walked together deeper into the forest. I mean he took up a residence on my shoulder as I walk aimlessly. Never really knowing where to go.

"So, girly, where are you from? and where are we headed?" He asked.

"Oh, me...?"

"Yes you, silly." He laughed. "I'm from... somewhere." I answered. "And, I'm not really sure? I'm kinda lost."

"What about you?" I changed the subject. I'm not ready to talk about the reality of my situation.

"Oh aren’t you cute and adorable, trying to change the subject. I’m from the land beyond… I don’t know what it's called now. Just there across the ocean. And I’m a dragon as you can see but apparently you are somewhat uninformed that we actually exist.”

It’s my turn to laugh. “You know, I always thought that they are mythical creatures –“

“Hey lady, we are not mythical, we are discreet and ancient.”

“Okay, okay. It’s just that I’ve never imagined that I’d actually meet one and “talk” with one. It's not like every girls bedtime stories becomes their reality." I scoffed.

"But what do you mean across the ocean?” Maybe he's from the other side.

“Well, across the Crystal Ocean. There’s this island there where your kind lives. I mean if you're an elemental then they are your kind.”

My hoped surged up to that information. Is it possible that it is where the ones who escaped the war?

Did they actually survived and went to the place where those who doesn’t want a life here in Henssy took refuge?

After all there’s this rumor that some of the royal guards and the King himself, survived the invasion. They are considered as the rebels that keeps on opposing the emperor but they never make themselves known for the reason that the emperor has his allies with the south and east.

“Well yes, of course I can control an element. Does it mean anything?”

“Nothing special that I know of. Besides, why do I have to care? It’s none of my business.”

“Right.” I don’t know what to do.

Everybody is after me and all of them is determined to kill me but am I doing here talking to a bird, err I mean dragon or so he says.

He sat down on the ground and a movement to my right caught The birds had gone quiet and the air feels different, I don’t know how I felt it but right exactly that moment I know something is off and I have to run.

I started to turn away but before I could, someone appeared in front of me.

A man with red hair and black coal eyes, with no whites in it. My blood runs cold. I know what he is.

“Well, well, what do we have here? A little girl lost in the middle of the woods. Surely, you have a reason for being this deep in the forest? You're either stupid or brazen. Care to enlighten me?” he stated bored.

I tried to move but my body was frozen into place. I smell the tang of magic coating me like a cocoon.

I can’t explain how I felt it, this is so new and weird to me but this man is not, I’ve heard of him before, a man with black coat decorated with black and green gems, a man who takes life for fun and food, the Xyph.

My knees started to wobble. This can’t be happening, what a freaking awesome day I have, I escaped possible death from the gallows, only to die as a meal.

No, I won’t let this happen. He started to advance towards me, his smile promise a gruesome horrific death to those who are too unlucky to cross his path and today, I was that person.

“Are you mute or something? Would you like me to introduce myself to you? I think that would be a common courtesy. Don’t you think? Answer me or I’ll make it a really slow death. Not that there's another way to die in my hands.”

I mustered my courage.

I need to buy some more time while I think for an escape plan. I won’t die here, not today.

“Hey lady, I think you should answer his question or at least move? Are you an i***t your life is in peril yet you stand there staring like the dumb person you ought to be?” the dragon is still here?

“Shut up you dimwit, Run or fly, I can’t move, a shroud is covering me.” He waved his broken wing at me. "And by the way genius, I'm invisible to others," he informs me.

"Oh good for you," I said sarcastically.

The Xyph look at me with interest.

“Ahh so it speaks, tell me, girl, what is your name?”

"None of your business." I tried to break free from the bond that's holding me but I just can't move nor break it.

"Oh really? Well, it doesn't matter anyway. You'll be dead before you know it."

The xyph laughed evilly. I can't die here. I've lost a lot of time now. I should ne running away now or else the guards chasing me will catch up to me.

Come on, Ice think. The xyph polished his nail to sharpen it. The sound of metal grinding each other sends chill to my bones.

"Hey, lady, what are you doing? fight him? I thought you said that you're an elemental. Don't you have a power? I thought you said you could do fire?"

FIRE. that's it. I felt the familiar heat in my blood. Circulating all throughout my body.

I focused my fire at my feet, dissolving the sticky shroud holding me in place. Finally, I can feel my feet relax and I gain my ability to move. The Xyph looked at me dumbfounded.

"Impossible!" He shrieked.

He swiped his sharp talons at me. Severing the sleeves of my dress.

I dropped into my fighting stance. I'm not much of a fighter but Paul thought it was for the best that I learn to fight an attacker.

I was never a match for Master Dan but I won't go down without a fight. I coated my body with blue fire. Increasing the heat on my first.

Giving every single hatred and strength that I have, I punched the xyph in his stomach. He staggered back. Growling at me, lashing out in a series of furious movements in retaliation.

I move swiftly tried to evade his slashing. I can feel myself running out of strength. The fire in me started waning. Finally in one moment of misstep, he slashed my side. I took a sharp breath. Everything hurts. I went down hard. Struggling to get up. all my will to fight and live thrown out of the window. I resigned myself to the cold faith that awaits me.

The Xyph laughed menacingly, slowly making his way to me. "You stupid child," he said. "I would enjoy skinning you alive. Every shout would be a music to my ears. One by one, I will cut off your pretty little fingers. You will pay for that blow," he promised darkly picking me up by my neck. He increased the pressure, choking me. My fire that burned so hot entinguished, turning to ice in my veins.

A tear of resignation and anguish left my eyes. I should've enjoyed my life. I should've explained that I had no involvement in the duke's death because maybe, just maybe, I would've been found innocent. Damn it, I am innocent.

The Xyph cried out in pain, releasing me from the choke hold. He swatted something at his back. The Black dragon clung at the xyph skinning him fast as he slid down his back.

The commotion drew the attention of several soldiers combing the forest. Shouts of nearby soldiers made the xyph stop his advances.

He hissed at me threateningly. "You b***h. I'll eat you the next time we face each other," he said and ran deeper into the forest.

I took my time crawling to a nervy fallen tree to help myself up. Picking up my new best friend, Drag, I ran at the opposite direction as there xyph and east of the soldiers, combing for any sign of the scuffle.