Cervato - Girl On Fire (Part 1 of Cervato's Saga)

Guilty

It had taken her hours to stagger through the Divinity's Reach as darkness fell upon Kryta. The gleaming moon and twinkling stars lit her path as she trudged through the Queensdale countryside. The alcohol in her system had lost its grip upon her mind, instead replacing itself with a dull aching pain that settled at the base of her neck.

Plaguing thoughts would not relent as her feet carried the woman down the dirt road.

Why had he asked her? Why did she even care? Why was this important? Why did she feel like she had lost a battle without even wielding her sword?

The blood boiled in her veins as anger seeped into her mind. Suspicion. Secrets. Jealousy.

Was she already losing him?

Cervato's feet pounded harder along the worn path picking up speed. Eventually bringing her to the small one story farmhouse that sat out in the open fields of the plain. Thankfully, no soul saw her stand before the home for several minutes with arm raised, as if the woman was hesitant to knock. Then three prominent pounds against the heavy door sounded out. After another minute of waiting, she raised her fist again to knock once more when the door finally swung open.

Rhett stared down at her with a nearly spent cigarette delicately placed between his lips. The long greasy hair was undone, running just past his bare collarbone. The lanky Shining Blade hunched over in the doorway, leaning a forearm to press against the frame of the door as his dark eyes studied the inebriated woman. She couldn't help but stare at the tattoo precariously placed above the hem of his pants near his left hip, a large shield adorned with a tree, that one could mistake for a family crest of some noble house. Though the rest of his form bore scars of all shapes and sizes.

"Red, you're drunk. Go home." Were the first words that came out of his mouth as he exhaled a plume of smoke from the dying tobacco he was trying to nurse back to life. A frown had already settled on her features yet she stood firm, looking back up at him with a hard gaze.

"Have you figured out where he is, yet?" Determination sounded in her groggy voice. Rhett returned her stare with a blank look before he sighed and turned in the doorway, lazily waving her along to follow him into his hideout.

The farmhouse exploded in a burst of flames.

Pain tore at her right side as she pressed her palm against it while running. Raven tresses stuck to her face, slick with blood. Her own.

There was no time to think as she ran off for the direction of Claypool. Towards home.