Barbara's Book of Fire

Chapter 7

The grim, hard ground comforted the sore and throbbing spot on my body that was spent lying down, which felt like eons to my already broken spirit.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could still see the remnants of our camp that stayed the same. To our cause, it appeared that Lance had left the majority of the camp intact.

"Fil," I called weakly to the side. "Let's have some breakfast."

Filtiarn stretched out his body and followed me meekly into the river's shallow part. With the help of the summoned Ferrisa, we made short work of finding their breakfast on the river. 

Having little to no energy nor the desire to sweeten my palate, I search for some berries and fruits to sate the hunger in my stomach instead.

We tidied up the camp—Well, I did most of the tidying while they helped bring whatever they could—And soon, a strange nauseating silence filled the air. I knew then that I had to move my body to do something, anything. Thus, I began training to keep my distressed mind at bay.

When the dispersing morning fog began to swim into the cloudless sky, Filtiarn, followed closely by Ferrisa, growled toward a particular tree. A faint silhouette of a person came out beside the robust tree.

'Fil, no magic,' Filtiarn stayed, heeding my warning to boot. 'And Risa too.'

I didn't dare to let my guard down and reached out slowly to the dagger strapped on the side of the bag, waiting for the other party to show themselves. The outline of a person soon turned vivid among the thick forest, strolling as the wind grew restless. The steps were slow, but strangely I could hear them echoing just fine.

The closer they got, the more turbulent the breeze around us got—As though it was answering to a living storm that was walking on the ground.

'Beautiful...' In that split instant, I couldn't help but exclaim dazedly.

She was like a holy fairy that only existed in Ma and Pa's bedtime stories. Her blonde hair was tied recklessly behind her head; it was kind of messy but nevertheless didn't manage to hinder her alluring charms.

Her sleek tanned face really did justice to her wild image whilst her hair fluttered along with the rhythm of her confident gait. The high and sharp bridge of her nose and the handsome lines from her jaw daubed a sharp yet mesmerizing sight that blended all but too well with her rosy-colored lips.

"Are ya lost?" Her brown eyes bore deeply into mine, staring as if wanting to uncover every shallow secret I had within. "Where're your parents, little sun?"

'Little sun?' I mused quizzically at both the question and her peculiar accent.

The woman strolled forward slowly as she looked around—searching for something. "Ya parents...where are they? Did they go somewhere?"

To her querying, I tightened the grip and pointed out the menacing dagger to her. "They'll be here in a moment." Bluffing straight into her face.

Color me rude or whatnot, but telling a complete stranger in the middle of nowhere that you were just a little girl without the care of an adult was beyond stupid. It was akin to confessing that you were a runaway orphan or a slave; worse yet, you might as well deliver yourself kindly to the slavers. 

And I would hate to be such a mindless idiot...Not then, not never.

She pinched her glabella and frowned. "Look here, lil sun."

'Again, with the little sun...Why does she keep calling me that?' My expression flinched in wonder.

"There are a lot of cases where children like ya livin' in Thessia. The lucky ones would have their parents to teach 'em as they grew up, but for the unfortunate...Let's just say death could be their comfort sometimes."