Chapter 2: Spirit
"Wha-what did you say?" I stuttered. My heart thumped wildly in my chest, nearly knocking me off balance as I tripped backward over a root hidden beneath the leaves and dirt.
The younger boy stepped forward, preparing to charge. But before he could reach me, a Reinhardt grabbed hold of his shirt collar, pulled him back, and threw him into the nearest bush.
"Shoo, shoo, little kids," he muttered under his breath, waving them away. "Go home to your mommies and daddies."
They hesitated briefly, glancing back and forth between him and me, but eventually, they gave up and ran off toward their homes.
"Now, now, don't get scared," Reinhardt chuckled. "He ain't gonna hurt ya. Probably not."
"What are you talking about? Who's he supposed to be?"
"Have you heard of spirits? Ya know, like, uhh... the spirit of fire, or the spirit of time. Something like that, right?"
I shook my head, confused by his sudden change in tone. "I thought the only spirit that exists is the spirit of water that created the oceans?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot you've probably been lied to or something 'cause you're an elf. Well, sorry to burst yer bubble, but other spirits exist too."
I narrowed my eyes skeptically, studying his face carefully. "Lied to?"
"Maybe brainwashed would be a better word? You're from a tribe, right? Like most other elves?"
"Yeah…"
He signed. "I don't know what situation you're in, but generally, elven tribe elders keep a bunch of things hidden from their people. Things that will keep their tradition untainted prevent them from learning certain skills and knowledge. So they can continue living their lives as they were intended to. It makes sense, I guess. They can live in their little bubble of ignorance, safe and sound, free from anything bad happening to them."
I furrowed my brows, thinking hard. "But wouldn't it be easier to just teach everyone everything they need to survive? Wouldn't it make more sense for them to learn all these things instead of keeping such important facts locked away?"
"Don't ask me; ask your elders. That's none of my business, anyway. I'm only here to keep this village safe, and that monster of yours... proves troublesome," Reinhardt added, glaring at me with piercing eyes. "Either I kill you, or you leave, thought I prefer the latter. Just so you know."
My mouth fell open in surprise. What kind of nonsense was he spewing? Was he serious? How could he possibly threaten someone like me, an unarmed child who has nothing worth stealing anyway? If there truly was a monster within me, then there was nowhere for me to go.
"Hey, wait, at least tell me where I can find something to eat," I pleaded desperately, desperate for any sort of help.
"Fine, fine." He sighed, taking another swig from his bottle. "Follow me, but don't expect the village head to give you anything. He's super selfish, and not to mention cowardly too."
"It's better than nothing."
He led me deeper into the forest, further away from the villagers' homes and the children's playground. We walked for a while, eventually arriving at a few cottages surrounded by trees. They were constructed of wood and adorned with colorful buds or lush flora lining their front doors and walls. On the top of the roofs rested a circular window, allowing light to stream into the building's interior, and despite their rustic appearance, they seemed well-kept and maintained.
The villagers began peeking behind the walls, all of them scared of me yet curious about my presence. A few of them had swords strapped to their waists, and they stared warily at my movement.
Reinhardt stopped in front of one of the larger buildings. He knocked at the door, calling out their leader. "Hey, old man! Gramps! Are you there?"
A few seconds later, an elderly man emerged from his house, wearing a white robe with a thick brown beard and matching eyebrows. His dark eyes scanned me from head to toe, and then he spat on the ground.
"Why you here?" he asked coldly. "What do you want?"
Reinhardt shrugged, lowering his head. "This pretty lady over here is hungry as hell and wants something to eat. Can you help her? She'll leave after she eats, she promises."
The old man frowned, glaring at me suspiciously. Suddenly he fell to his knees in terror, screaming and crying out in fear. The others surrounding him jumped and followed suit, some of them even falling to their stomachs.
"A-are you okay?" I asked, stepping forward cautiously.
"Do-don't come closer! Don't touch me!" he screamed. "Reinhardt! Kill this monster now! This is what I hired you for!"
"Calm down, old man," Reinhardt said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "Look, she's just a girl with long ears and some funny horns, I think. She isn't going to hurt you."
The old man flailed about, struggling against Reinhardt's grip. "Get away from me! Get away from my house! I'm firing you if you don't get her away!"
Reinhardt sighed, pushing the old man aside. "I knew this would happen. You heard him. I can't risk my job for someone I barely know. I don't want to kill a kid, so go. Shoo, shoo."
"But I—"
"Argghhhh!!" sounded a roar from behind. Two men were charging at me with their swords, eyes ablaze with fear.
Shit, they're really trying to kill me.
I quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding their attacks. For some reason, they continued to pursue me, attacking my every move. I needed a moment to think—to consider my next course of action.
Quickly, I leaped into the air, spinning around in the process and landing behind them. The two men turned to see me, wide-eyed and ready to attack.
"Woah, jumping on land feels weird," I commented, barely able to keep my balance.
"I got you!" shouted a man behind me.
The next moment, I saw the tip of a blade poke out between my chest and the blood gushing down my side.
"Aaaand she's dead," Reinhardt sighed. "What a shame."
The man twisted his sword through and pulled it out. Immediately, I felt the life drained from my body like a waterfall. I collapsed onto the ground, feeling utterly powerless.
I wasn't dead…yet.
I didn't feel any pain from my wound, nor did I feel any sensation from my limbs. I could hear the slow and steady beat of my heart, and I saw the red liquid oozing out from my bloodied torso, pooling on the ground.
And then there was a flame in the darkness kindled from the very essence of my core, commanding me to stand up.
"Incinerate them all, Aleratha."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone