Claimed By Zodiacs

Chapter 5

From this point onward, the story will not be focused on each kingdom, but on the character.

Endless Woods

#Braeden Wildfire#

I slid down a branch and hugged the tree the way one hugs one's wife.

"Dang it!" I curse under my breath. This witch is proving to be slicker than I thought.

She laughed, her voice echoing through the woods. "Foolish boy! This is the Endless Woods! You will die here!"

Yeah right. I reached for an arrow.. It's empty. I hissed and pulled the string of my bow. An arrow made of fire materialized in it.

She made another cackle. To the right! I raised my bow and fired. It hit empty air.

"You missed!"
A gust of wind knocked me off the tree. I fell on the ground with a resounding crack. The witch cackled again.

I tried to get up. Pain shot up my body. My leg was twisted in a painful angle.

"Shit!" I cursed. Not this time. Not when I'm so close.

FLASHBACK

"Scout leader!" I greeted as Aiden Fireblaze went out of my mother's tent.

"I cannot cure her," he said. "She's cursed. I do not know the nature of her curse..just yet."

I sniffed, unable to keep my tears on bay. "How can I heal her?"

His gold eyes saw through me. "A witch's curse can only be reversed by a witch's blood. As the saying goes, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

END OF FLASHBACK

My eyesight grew sharper, my limbs stronger. I reached for my twisted leg and straightened it in one move. I bit my lip to prevent my scream.

I scanned the trees. Nothing.

Then improvise, Aria's voice rang in  my head.

I shot a flame arrow, in different directions.

"What are you doing!" The witch's voice rang around me. I shot some more.

"Stop it! STOP!!" she screeched.

Another gust of wind. I jumped for cover, almost losing my balance. Then I fired. She screeched.

Did I hit her?

I slumped on the tree. A faint crackling of leaves to the left.

Fire!

She emitted a howl this time. Gaining confidence. I fired two, three flame arrows. The witch was shouting obscenities too foul for mortal mouths. I stood and limped to find the witch rolling around the ground. The dry leaves caught on fire, fueling the fire.

"Foolish witch," I said when I stood over her. "This may be the Endless Woods. But I have fire."

She spat at my hunting boots. "Don't get so cocky Chosen One! Once the dark one co-"

She gurgled, my knife buried under her neck. Brackish blood flowed freely down her throat. I caught the flowing blood in my water container.

Once she breathed her last breath, I stood up. I opened my unarmed hand and sucked back the fire I caused. I belched afterwards.

Everything was still. I shuddered, limping as I walked back the way I came. Aria will be waiting for me.

Pyro Scouting Troops