Ellera

Vittoria

Zuleima

We have spent the whole day walking around. It's tiring but Scarlett promise to let us settle once we come across the stream. That was a half an hour walk. Throughout the walk we also encounter animals and had no choice but to slay them.

Once we reach the stream, we rest ourselves. Duvessa drops her backpack and went ahead to drink the water. Since Scarlett extracted the darkness out of us, there has been no signs of it so it's good. I look at the ground and sigh. That's because it's going to be hard to sleep.

"Never slept on the ground before?" Scarlett asks with a smirk.

"Never hurt to try," I sit down and sigh again.

"Duvessa, could you go collect firewood?" She asks my Second. Duvessa looks at her. I can tell she doesn't like to be boss around and I know this.

"Fine, I'll take my time so you two can bond together," Duvessa's attitude made me tilt my head. Does she expect something to happen between Scarlett and I?

"She's such a fun person to toy with," Scarlett compliments.

"She's an amazing friend," I say.

"What's your Councils plan to do with my sister?"

I look over to Scarlett after Duvessa is out of my sight. "I don't know. We weren't the first to be assigned to the quest,"

"I know. I saw what the other two did. They were naive and probably dead by now,"

"What do you mean?"

"They're infected. It's been a little over a week so they will spread the infection and soon their district will be incurable,"

"You have to help then. You're the only antidote,"

"I know but I rather not."

I stop talking to her and lay down. I use my bag at a head rest. What if Vittoria ambushes us?

"Ha, so you're a sensitive fire user!" She laughs. I turn my head to look at her.

"Everyone is. Anyways, I'm tired. See you tomorrow," I turn my back to her and close my eyes. Ugh, it's so uncomfortable laying on bunch of little pebbles.

"Duvessa! Welcome back," I hear Scarlett then a loud pop. It must be the fireworks Scarlett requested. "Fire girl, I know you aren't asleep yet, so would you kindly light the woods up?"

Fire girl? Oh my god.

I sit up and points at the firework. Suddenly it burst into fire.

Scarlett gasp, "Not all of it!"

"Zuleima, are you okay?" Duvessa asks.

"I'm okay, just uncomfortable," I answer.

"Lucky for you, I brought a blanket," Duvessa search into her bag and after a minute pass by she looks at me. "It seems like I left it out,"

Scarlett laughs out loud."Poor you, but let her suffer."

I roll my eyes before going back to laying down.

Once the moon and the stars replace the sun in the sky, I look at them. Maybe sleeping outside isn't so bad. I like how lively the wild animals are. It's like they're singing me to sleep but I can't sleep. I'm choosing not to when there's a threat out there. Yet, I should believe Scarlett when she claims Vittoria isn't anywhere near us. Duvessa and I just met her, we shouldn't trust her that easy.

I thought I would stay up but then sleep took me by surprise. The next morning, Duvessa woke me up. I went to the stream to wash my face and then we had breakfast. Scarlett brought along some food, which is good because I don't want to eat anything that may be infected.

"Okay, give me a minute," she say and stare staring into the four directions.

What is she doing?

I quietly laugh with Duvessa as we wear our backpacks.

"She's up that mountain," Scarlett points ahead.

No way. How could she travel so fast?

The journey up the mountain took us from morning to the evening, around five. When we reach up there, Scarlett lost the connection with her twin.

"What should we do now?" Duvessa ask as she leans against a tree.

"Scarlett?" I ask for her opinion. She ignores me and gasp. A black mist flies itself over to us. I shoot my bright flame at it and like before, it was swallow. I grab Scarlett by the hand and pull her away before the mist can touch her. Quickly, she summons her element and it overpower the dark mist.

"She's here," Scarlett whisper.

All three of us look around and Duvessa yells 'over there'. We look at where she's pointing then Scarlett burst out her light.

Her light scares the black mist. It's afraid to come near us yet it won't go away.

"Come out, Vittoria!" Scarlett yells. "There's nowhere to run,"

"You are correct!" A voice answer hers then Vittoria appears, right beside me.

My heart jump and I quickly build a fire ball in my right hand. I launch it to her but she grabs my hand and I feel a blow to my stomach. I hunch over and stumble back.

"Zuleima!" Above me, I can hear her metals flying. I stand back straight and stop Duvessa from touching me. She then proceeds to shoot her metal shards at Vittoria who I think go hurt because I heard a yelp.

"Give me your hand," Scarlett demands.

"Not yet!" I pull away from her then see a dark figure. I sent my fire towards that direction and then Duvessa fell to the ground. "Duvessa, are you okay?!" I yell.

The sun is setting which makes things hard to see. Maybe this was her plan, to draw us up here.

"I just got punched in the face," Duvessa holds her jaw as she gets up.

"Over there!" Scarlett yells before abandoning us. We follow her and see Vittoria ahead, running.

Suddenly she trips, I take the chance to trap her in my fire though it would not help.

"Leave me alone!" Vittoria yells as she looks at the flame. She raise her hands up and turn my red flame to black but Scarlett hit her with her element. It locked Vittoria out. I kill my fire and look at the evil twin, I suppose.

"What now?" I ask.

"You wanted her. You have her now," Scarlett tells me.

Since I'm already infected, I grab a nature vine and tie Vittoria. The entire night, Duvessa and I take turns dragging her down the mountain. Once we got back to the village, I went to call the council. Around noon, they came and pick us up, even Scarlett.