Changeling Witch

Unchosen

Eda looked up at the fog-filled, dilapidated village, her unease growing by the second. "Are you sure he came here?"

King sniffed the ground. "Can't mistake his smell. Like oranges and young, reckless confidence."

She narrowed her eyes and strode forward, picking up a catlike, doll creature sitting in a dried-up fountain. "Hey," she hissed, shaking it. "What have you done with Hunter? What's your endgame?"

The cat-doll slowly turned its head towards her. "To find your pupil and still your wrath," it said in a high-pitched, eerie voice, "look ahead, and follow the path."

It crumbled to dust in her hands, a wicked laughter piercing through the wind as it did.

"AH!" King yelped. "Cat man melted!"

"It's a trap," Eda realized with sickening dread. "They want me to follow Hunter."

"So... what do we do?"

She brushed the dust off of her dress. "Only thing we can."

.............

"I'm really glad that you weren't mad about the whole 'busting-into-your-place' thing," Hunter admitted to the little fairy with the bat-like wings. "And for what it's worth, you had good food. Tiny food, but good."

The fairy summoned two gold-and-red bracelets and handed them to him. "For you, Chosen One," she whispered.

He slid them on and gave her, Chris, and Nevareth a smile. "You guys are honestly the best. I'm kind of hoping that quest never ends up ending---"

"Your quest shall soon come at an end, for the staff you seek is around the bend," Chris interrupted.

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Thanks for ruining the mood, buddy."

"Go on, Lord Hunter," Nevareth told him. "The Bloodstone Staff is yours. You've earned it." He bowed. "Farewell."

Hunter paused. "And... you'll be here when I get back, right? Coffee date and all?"

"Of course."

"Cool." He ran off deeper into the woods, following the road until it finally ended.

At the end of the path, there was a lake.

And at the center of that lack was a twisted staff, with a glowing red stone embedded in it.

As Hunter stepped closer to the lake, a series of stones rose from the lake, creating a perfect pathway to the staff.

Eda and King were so wrong, he thought, making his way to the staff. There's wonder here---real wonder---and I know I came here for a reason.

When he finally reached the staff, Hunter took a deep breath. "Okay, Noceda," he told himself. "This is it. Moment of truth."

He grabbed the staff with both hands.

Almost immediately, he was engulfed in red light as the staff easily slid from its spot. The effect sent a shockwave throughout the lake, and the stone on the staff glowed so brightly, it was nearly white.

"I KNEW it!" Hunter crowed, thrusting the staff into the air. "I do have a destiny! I am the Chosen One! I always thought there was a reason I looked different and acted different than anyone else back home---now I have concrete proof!"

He looked back at the staff... just in time to see it crumble away in his hands.

"NO!"

All around him, the plant life wilted away, right down to the leaves on the trees.