The Fighter (Book 1)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The walk to the edge of the woods was quiet and awkward. The only noise that could be heard were the faint whispers coming from the back of the group. Selestia and that elf named Fabian have been talking the while entire time.

Felicity walked next to one of the elves, but she was quiet. And Emmaline well, she had to walk in front of Forest. He said he "didn't want her pulling any tricks" which was dumb because she didn't have any weapons.

"So you've been in the woods before then?" Said a voice next to me.

I turned my head towards the elf who had asked the question. At first I thought it was Fabian. He had the same dirt colored hair, and angular facial features.

"I thought you weren't suppose to talk to us." I replied.

"Well no one has said anything about those two." He said gesturing to Selestia and Fabian, "I'm Garry by the way, Garry the elf."

I stared at him for a moment.

"Octavia. Can I have my sword back?" I saw he had it in his right hand.

He laughed at my comment but I wasn't kidding. "You can have it back when we leave you."

"Do all elves look alike then?" I said wondering about his and Fabian's resemblance.

"Oh, no. Me and Fabian are twins." He commented.

That made a lot of sense. The two of them looked exactly alike. Although Garry did have brown eyes and I think Fabian's were green.

"Are you going to answer my question, or should I go talk with someone else." He said.

"Yes we've all been in the wo-."

I cut my sentence short because of the thick dark smoke that was rising just over the treetops. We were close to the village. That could be our house. That could be Emmaline and Felicity's house. I took off running, but Garry grabbed my arm.

"Don't you see the smoke?" I asked in a panicked tone.

"Forest!" Garry called, "there is a fire up ahead. We should pick up the pace."

"We will get there when we get there." Forest answered.

At this point I couldn't take waiting. I kept glancing back at Felicity.she had a worried expression on her face. Even Fabian and Selestia had stopped talking.

"Garry, please I have to go see if everyone is okay." I begged.

He just shook his head and didn't look at me.

After about two more minutes of walking Garry had stopped paying attention to me. I could not take it anymore. I took of running and before I knew it I was way ahead of the group. I looked back to see Forest running after me with his bow.

I stopped dead in my tracks. I had reached the edge of the woods now and there was so much ash it looked like snow.

Everything was burned. There was only the charred frames of houses.

Not paying attention to who was behind I ran through the village.

"Mother!" I yelled. My eyes started to become watery. "Nicolas!"

I ran up to our house. The place where I had grown up, taken my first steps, made so many memories was gone. I walked into where the kitchen used to be and I was to afraid to dig through the ashes terrified if what I would find.

Selestia came running over. "Wh-where's mother and Nicholas?" She said. I could tell she was trying not to cry.

"They're gone." I said walking over to her and pulling her into a tight hug, "We have each other, and Emmaline and Felicity. We can find somewhere else to live."

"Like where?" She cried into my shoulder.

I thought about for a moment. The only place that I could call home. The place that still held memories. The place no one could keep me away from.

"The woods."