Spirit of the Woods

Alive

Alive

Nine years ago...

Firewatch sat around a campfire playing a harmonica as a slight breeze ruffled the trees beside her. She wasn't alone as silhouettes of two other figures sat beside her. Letting out the last note, she pocketed her instrument and glanced to her side. "Why are we out here again, Ryan?" she said to the person beside her.

The figure shrugged his shoulders. "Why not take a break from all the seriousness inside Greisha, Sofia? You're still young and everyone inside is always afraid to have fun with Ursus all over the place."

"It's alright to take a break sometimes." the other person spoke up, roasting a marshmallow over the fire, "take it from me. Working all across Kazdel, moments like this are a blessing."

"Says you." Firewatch retorted pointing at her, "we hired you to fight with us, Grace, not sit around a campfire and eat marshmallows"

"Hey! Your father hired me to protect you." She protested, "As I know, I'm doing my job. Want one?"

She rolled her eyes and took the offer. "Sure, but I can protect myself."

Ryan snickered beside her. "Oh really? If I remember right, you could barely leverage your arts in practice yesterday."

"Hey!" Firewatch protested as she tapped the long sheath on her side. "I'm trying to learn swordplay and the crossbow at the same time! I'm not like my father or uncle, but I think I'm pretty skilled for being 16!" Her two companions broke up into a chorus of laughs as Firewatch pouted. She couldn't help being caught in the moment and laughing as well, hoping it would never end.

???

A splash of cold water washed over Firewatch, breaking her from her slumber. Breathing heavily from the sudden temperature change, looked at her surroundings, trying to get her bearings before a voice spoke, "Looks like she's finally awake." Blinking twice, her vision cleared and she could see a man standing in front of her. Her eyes widened as she tried to raise her hands, but couldn't. Looking behind her, she could see that they bound her hands to the chair she was on. "Oh, don't be scared. I haven't even introduced myself." Mephisto said as he watched Firewatch glare at him.

"I know who you are, Mephisto. You're power tripping, psychotic murderer who could barely keep his eccentrics to himself," she hissed as she struggled against the binds.

Mephisto put a hand over his heart. "I'm hurt. Why would you say that to your savior? Without me, you would have bled out. Do you know how much effort I had to put forward to fix your wound?" she glanced down at herself observing the bloodstain on her shirt, but not feeling pain that should come from it. Firewatch spat towards him, falling short. "Tut. Tut. Tut. What an unthankful patient. Well, Faust, she's yours. I have better things to do." As Mephisto walked out the door, a man seemed to materialize from the corner and stood in front of her before grasping her hair.

Firewatch grunted in pain, as Faust came face to face with her, "I'll keep it nice and simple. You're a prisoner and you will spill every single piece of information you have. By your free will or by force."

"Fuck off." Firewatch's head was thrown back as Faust took a step back and walked towards a small table.

"I was never the one to interrogate prisoners," Faust explained as he donned a pair of latex gloves, "Mephisto was the one to usually do them, but considering how many of them went mad, you're pretty lucky he's busy." Out of nowhere, Faust turned around and struck Firewatch in the face. "That doesn't mean I'll be nice."

She spat some blood from her mouth. "Do your worst." And so the interrogation began.

"What was your aim in the city!" She said nothing and was punched in the cheek.