Orchestrate to Fytó

Chapter 9

"I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity." —Rockefeller Quotes

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Catherine went home and left the two boys bickering at one another. Apparently, Solaris has been bugging Ezio to train with him since they first met and he also invited the little girl yo join them. Solaris was persistent even though he was being rejected, so Catherine left the two there alone to escape from further trouble. Well, it's almost time for dinner, anyway. The little girl was going down her path home, kicking pebbles she sees in front of her while she ponders on the words Solaris told her. She wondered why she only noticed just now her ability and whether her father knew.

Catherine's thoughts continue to drift somewhere else until suddenly, she saw a figure that appeared at her peripheral vision. She looked at it and met eyes with an old lady, wearing a black cloak and was grinning at her. It was the lady who Solaris told was the rumoured sorceress. The sorceress' face was shadowed by her black hood, but it is not dim enough to cover her face. The little girl shivered at the sorceress' creepy face and her vicious grin is enough to give the little girl goosebumps.

The old lady stepped forward towards her whilst her smile spreading wider; then, a wicked laugh escaped past her lips. Catherine froze in fright. The girl's face was pale white and her heartbeats faster from uneasiness. Somehow, she recognized that face, but they haven't met each other yet besides there in the library.

"How fascinating. I never imagined that you will have such an adorable odd beauty in a human form, grace," the sorceress said as she slowly closes their distance which terrifies the child even more. "Though, you're better with no face just like before," the enchantress continued. Still, before she can get near her, Catherine screamed in fear. As a result, her power flowed uncontrollably. Her magic moved the vines, grass, and branches around her in a rampage. The dense roots of trees grew and wrapped around the sorceress' body, but her face remained her unpleasant evil grin. The old lady laughed in delight as she saw the little girl scream and cry in fright. Strong mixed up emotion build up inside Catherine's chest, which she doesn't even know what but the most abundant she felt was the pain.

Just then, Solaris came up rushing towards their location, far back behind him was Ezio. They dodged the growing plants launching towards their direction, the panic was written all over their face. Solaris ducked at the branch whipping towards him then he when raised his head up, he saw the sorceress's face staring directly at Catherine and enjoying her sorrow. Same as Catherine, he felt a rush of emotions mixed concurrently. Memories flashed before his eyes which he hasn't experienced yet in his lifetime. Everything he recalls was vivid, but a definite feeling was left overpowering inside his chest... Betrayal.

Solaris' brows met, and his eyes flared with anger. He sprinted towards the sorceress then stepped onto a tree trunk and jumped, lunging towards her. Focusing the heat onto his palm, his hand flickered with flame sparks until it formed to a big ball of fire and threw it towards the obducted sorceress. The aged lady's eyes turned towards Solaris, and her smile fades when she saw the massive ball of fire headed towards her way.

The sorceress screamed when it struck her, flames and sparks flew out everywhere and burned the wooden roots wrapped around her. The fire spread out through the plants and bushed, eating everything it touches. Catherine gasped when she finally came to her senses. Her watery eyes search for the sorceress, but she was no longer in sight as she was engulfed by the continuous immense fire.

Ezio reached them and angrily snapped at Solaris who also just came to his senses while looking around what he did in the woods, "you fool!"

He created a big ball of water and spattered it everywhere in a rush. He tried his best to stop the expanse, but some of the fire was only pushed from the impact, resulting in it to lick more surfaces and make things worse. The three children panicked, notably Solaris, for he was the one who caused the forest fire. Solaris gritted his teeth when even Ezio can't stop it, and he knows that any minute now, they will also get harmed, too.

"It's futile, water boy! Let's go!" Solaris grabbed Catherine's wrist, which was ice cold from fear and Ezio by the back of his collar. Ezio protested to go, but Solaris was more durable, so he does not have any choice but let him lead them out.

They ran away from the raging heat of the fire, and the place is starting to get covered by the dark smoke, so it's harder to see. As they flee, they coughed up the inhaled smoke and their eyes narrowed as the gasses start to hurt their eyes. Catherine hurled the fire faster to chase due to her leaking hysterical power drying up the natural environment wherever her feet touch. It's making things more flammable.

The little girl's heart race from fear and worry and the fire's heat is getting to her, making her sweat like bullets. She can't breathe rapidly to give enough oxygen for her body or else she will just sniff more carbon dioxide. Her lungs are burning from pain, and fatigue makes everything more terrible. Finally, they see her house only a few meters away. Bastian was outside and has his brows furrowed from distress. The thick black smoke rises from above, and Bastian can see it from home. They reached the front of her house and finally fled the inner forest. Their home was in the middle of open space in the jungle so the fire won't reach them there, but that does not mean that they are safe.

Catherine and Solaris stumbled on the ground as weariness came to them plus the throbbing pain inside their chest. They coughed out smoke, but Ezio remained standing and has his hands on his knees. He was glad that they can finally breathe in the fresh air, but their problem is not solved yet. Bastian ran up to them and crouched to rub Catherine's back.

"My, what have you kids been doing?" Bastian asked as he continues to comfort Catherine. "We need to get outta here. The fire would get us!" Catherine nods, but Ezio refused as he faces the flames.

Ezio released his magic and attacked the fire launching towards their direction. He tried his best to stop them so that the flames can't range at their location. Bastian watched him wide eyes as Ezio continued to release and put out the blaze. When he was sure that it won't proceed at their area, he ran to the other sides to stop it further.

Bastian was amused that he came upon another with such ability, but his attention turned towards Solaris when he spoke, "it was all my fault," he said, his tone guilty and down. Solaris sat on the grass carpet and looked at the ground, his shoulders slumped.

"What happened?" Bastian looked at the two kids with a worried look. Catherine remained silent. It looked like she was traumatized after all that happened so Solaris spoke up. The sorceress was gone, but they are not even sure if she's already burned up then became ash in that forest or she used some kind of sorcery to elope. They are unsure since the flames pretty much covered up her figure and she was gone.

"Oh, heavens..." Bastian said after hearing the story and realizing that even Solaris has a skill.

Ezio came back, and they noticed that the fire has stopped spreading, thankfully. But, the lad was wobbly and looked drained. There were also a few burns on his skin. He fell onto the ground, so Bastian and the two ran up to him. "Hey, young man, hang in there!" Bastian shook his body, but he gives no response. His breathing was ragged, so they took him in to care for his wounds and for him to rest.