Breathing Fire

Chapter Three ---Cretto

Cretto

The savage rampage against the water village had started and the death and destruction were worse than he ever could have imagined. Cretto walked the line of the woods and use the darkness to hide, because this is not a war he wanted to be involved in, and at that moment he knew he was just as weak as his dad always says he was. Cretto could feel the anger and sadness colliding inside of him creating a whirlwind of emotions that made him scared to be what his dad wanted and scared not to be. Cretto knew to end this war he has to learn how to be brave, and not how to keep hiding behind masks just to make his life easier.

Cretto walked through the village that was slowly burning to the ground walking over warriors from both sides of this battle. He has not had to strike a blow yet and he was ok with this, and if anyone asked, he just decided to do as the king does and says he don't need to fight unless he has too that is why he has warriors.

In the darkness with the light of the flames Cretto could see the shadows of two elementals running. He could make out one was a girl and the other a guy, and he could see the icy blue stripes in her hair shining in the little light and like a moth to a flame, he had to get closer, he wanted to see this woman in a way he felt a pull to her. He crossed from where he was between the trees hiding in the dark and found shielding behind a house. He knew they were on the other side of this house and he didn't know what he was doing, you can't just go have a conversation when your elementals are attacking. Cretto started slowly to turn around the corner in hopes of getting a better glimpse at that women. As he rounded the house the two shadows were no longer shadows but people standing in front of him, a tall good looking man with the women with the black and blue hair and Cretto felt the pull to her even stronger, and he didn't know what to do or even have time to think.

He panicked and shot a fire strike, it looks like a lighting bolt made from fire, hitting the man and as he fell to the ground the women fell backwards hitting the ground at the same time. Cretto raised his hand to do what he was trained to what he was supposed to do, but looking into this women's blue eyes and seeing the tears falling from her face, seeing her fear he froze, it was like being ten years old again and seeing the fear in his mother's eyes. Then she took that moment not to attack Cretto, she did not run, but she scooted back towards the man that Cretto injured and she was checking on him. All Cretto could think is she had to be crazy to do that, or she had to make decisions with her heart, and he knew in battle that was a weakness. Cretto could not understand why she did not choose to attack or kill him; she had the opportunity and every reason to want to kill a fire warrior.

The moaning of her friend snapped him out of his train of thought, and he could hear Devine and the others getting closer. Cretto did something he never thought he would do, he made a choice with his heart, and in that moment, he picked the women up under her arms. She turned towards him fear taking the place of the surprise as he lifted her effortlessly up from the ground. Cretto told her to take her friend and run, she looked confused and he told her to go again as he went and helped her friend to his feet. Cretto watched and she helped the injured man to the far tree line as their shapes became shadows and then just darkness, and Cretto felt something besides emptiness.

Cretto could hear Divines voice trailing closer, but he had to take a moment to be both happy and angry at himself. Then all of a sudden, she was a shadow crossing from the wood line back to him. Cretto cursed under his breath, why was she coming back, what is worth that. Her shadow became the petite women with the darkest hair and icy blue stripes running through it. He had to lean down to talk to her for she was a good foot shorter than him. As Cretto asked why she came back, she took him by surprise and reached her hands laying them on the sides of his face. She gave him a quick peck making him feel something that he has not felt in ten years, and it made his scar tingle and she whispered a thank you to him. As quick as it all happened, she turned and ran back in to being nothing but a shadow, then just blackness. Cretto was in his own mind replaying her face over and over again until a voice in the darkness called to him.