Terra X Oc

P3: No strangers here

You were sat on your bed reading a book on battle strategies whilst mindlessly twirling a small dagger in your right hand. A rushed series of knocks disrupted your concentration and you quickly clamped your hand around the dagger's handle to stop it from falling. Without even getting a chance to invite them in, a familiar blonde fairy burst through your door. "Oh thank god your here!" Stella's panicked look and wind swept hair was enough to kick your specialist training into action. You jump up and hastily make your way across the room to Stella, pulling your father's sword onto your back on the way. "Stella...what are you doing here?" Your were surprised to see her again and all the memories of you clutching her to your chest, whilst she sobbed about her mother's horrifying ways of getting her magic to work, came rushing back. Your protective instincts also came back as Stella stumbled into your arms mumbling about a ring between gasps for air. "Woah woah I got you. What is it?" You murmured into her hair, the muscles in your body tensing for fight or flight at her response. But you knew flight wasn't an option; not for you.

Once Stella had stopped shaking she told you about her suite mate Bloom and her ring. Of course you knew what she had done was a mistake, but you were in no position to judge Stella as you knew how bad role models, could misguide your judgement.
You ran with her towards the gateway she said was in the cemetery. Going through the barrier left you on edge and every snap of a twig under foot sounded ten times louder in the shadowy forest. By the time you got there you were greeted with the earth fairy from earlier and two other fairies who you guessed were Stella's other suite-mates. Out the corner of your eye you saw the others give Stella a resentful glance, but your attention rested on the earth fairy. Even in a situation like this the small crease in her brow and the anxious flush to her face only made you admire her more; her beauty, her loyalty to her friends, her selfless bravery, the list could go on.

A loud roar ripped through the forest, springing you into action. Without hesitation you turned to the doorway to see a red headed girl scrambling to get away from a burned one. Images of the burned one that gave you your scar fought to get to the surface but you didn't have time to think about that as you unsheathed your sword and with a slight bend of the knees prepared yourself before racing in front of the creature.

The ponderous thumps of its feet slowed as it spotted you. "Go!" You yelled at the girl as she almost slid to a stop at the sight of you and your scarred face full of determination. She narrowly missed the creature's long claws as she sprinted to her escape back into the forest. Swinging your sword like an extension of yourself you meticulously brought your blade down onto the weak charred joint in its arm. With a snarl the beast grabbed it's injured arm back and lunged forward with the other spindly and singed talon. Holding your ground as you heard the friends reunited beyond the gateway, you swung your weapon towards its odd shaped head. Yet, as the steel caught the light it cast the reflection of your face back at you. The reflection showed a young figure staring with sad, scared eyes, one streaked with blood coming from the gaping wound above it. Suddenly you were back there, the day you felt true loss and true weakness, unable to defend yourself or your loved ones. Fear of the monster infront of you clawed at your stomach and your throat. The small moment where your fearless facade collapsed prevented your sword from meeting its target as intended and you failed to avoid the claws from ripping into your side.

The breathe came rushing back into your lungs and the side of your body that was hit gave way as the muscles seized due to the toxins. Out of nowhere headmistress Dowling appeared behind you and you felt two people support you as you all made for the exit. The door slammed shut behind you before a bright light revealed that Farah had managed to kill the burned one. At least the poison in your cut was now rendered harmless but you still had four wide lacerations in your armour, some deep enough that they cut into your skin and leaked blood onto the leather. Stella held your side with shaking hands whilst the earth fairy looked panicked at the red staining through your armour. "I'm ok. It's not that deep nor is it the first." You hissed through your teeth not only to ease the blame you knew Stella was putting on herself but for some reason you felt desperate to remove the distressed look from the earth fairy's face.