The Prophecy in the Forest

Chapter Five: The Assassin, The Enchantress, and The Prince

Keena was preparing to cast a spell to freeze the wolves, but she was surprised when the ice magic she was summoning was interrupted by a sudden blast of fire. The wolves were chasing Opal and Rafael, and Keena had been trying to conjure up the spell quickly. However, the magic was boiling and she couldn't control it in time to cast the spell before the fire blast shot past her towards the wolves.

Keena had enough time to quickly pull Olympus out of the way before the blast hit Rafael directly in the back, knocking him off his horse and into a nearby tree. Keena let out a piercing scream and was unable to move. Opal galloped deeper into the forest, no doubt terrified and confused by the chaos.

"Stay where you are, I'll take care of the wolves," a voice hissed behind her. She turned and saw a small hooded figure standing on a bluff above her.

The figure brought their hands together, conjuring amber magic that vibrated around them. They unleashed another blast at the snarling pack of wolves. The canines were engulfed in flames, howling with rage as they retreated deeper into the forest. Keena sprinted towards Rafael. She sank to the ground beside her injured friend and felt for a pulse. Relief washed over her as she realized he was still alive.

"Who are you?" She shouted at the figure.

"My name is Kallie Rose, and I'm an assassin," she announced as she hopped down from the bluff and began stalking toward the pair.

"Clearly. You nearly killed Rafael."

"I saved his life. We both know your ice wouldn't have made it past your fingers in time to save the horse and the man," Kallie said as she approached them. Keena wasn't sure of her intentions.

Kallie raised her hand and pulled down her hood, revealing her skin, which was as dark as a night sky, and her eyes that sparkled like dangerous stars. She smiled and extended her hand toward Keena. "It's a pleasure to meet you, enchantress."

Keena shook Kallie's hand. "What do you need?"

"Cutting to the chase. I appreciate it," Kallie said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I want to join you both on your quest to defeat the blight. I've been following you two since the night you met at the pub - you know, the one in Badaxe?"

"So you eavesdropped on us and followed us? How did the wolves not get you?"

"I think they're scared of me," Kallie said, shrugging her shoulders. "I stayed up there to keep a lookout for any potential danger. That's why you should consider letting me join you on your journey. Think about it. It's always safer to have a skilled assassin on your side, especially one who can control fire."

Kallie dramatically spread her arms, and flames ignited behind her. Keena groaned. The assassin made a valid point, theatrics aside. Kallie had already proven herself useful, though Rafael had been a casualty of it.

"Fine. But how do we know that you're not just trying to kill us both?"

"I would have done it already. I had enough opportunities to do it, but I won't be getting paid to murder you. Besides, my destiny is intertwined with all this as well," Kallie said with a deep sigh, her shoulders slumping. "I belong to the realm of Loversport, where the blight has completely drained magic. It has left families starving and dying. Infants, even newborns are dying because of the lack of resources."

Keena was torn between believing the tiny assassin and telling her to get lost. This information about the blight's destruction of Loversport was compelling, though.

Kallie was eager to share her story. "Let me tell you why I became an assassin. My mama passed away when I was a child, and as the eldest of my four sisters, I had to take care of them. Daddy wasn't around. So, at the age of thirteen, I joined the local guild as an assassin. The pay was good, and it helped me support my family. However, due to the blight that eats up magic from the area it infects, I couldn't work there anymore. The guild sent me to Badaxe, but since I'm a woman, no one would hire me."