Branded Souls

A Battle In Smoke

Emi's PoV

The runes were just for the cat-man!?

We were wasting time. We could have had Abby home by now!

Well.. Maybe..

I glanced back towards the tower and shook my head softly.

No. We have a mission.

We approached the village and I stopped. Abby cast me a confused look as I did.

"What's the hold up?"

I hesitated. What was the hold up..?

A plan clicked in my head.

Perfect.

"Abby. I'm going to go first and 'terrorize' them " I informed her and didn't bother hiding my annoyance at the village.

Abby stopped and looked at me again.

She doesn't trust me yet… But neither do I…

All I could do was to meet her gaze. She could easily stab me in the fight.. She could just truly end it..

Something flashed in my eyes and Abby hesitated as well.

No.. I'm not evil.. 

I could feel my right hand curled into a fist.. hiding THAT SCAR..

Finally Abby nodded not seeing anything that could kill her..

Or she was just planning too kill me.

I hissed at my doubts and swept towards the town, leaving Abby on the edge of the village.

The usual screaming and yelling. I had forgotten how much it hurt my head.

"GET THE NEBULA!"

"DAEMONIUM "

"BEGONE!"

This was it.. 

Acting was never my strong suit, but my old mentor was easy to copy whenever he needed to scare someone..

Just.. not killing anyone though.. Abby would for sure kill me then.

I gave a malicious laugh I remember hearing constantly as an apprentice and draw my wand.

Abby should come now...

But nobody came.

Panic was beginning to rise in me.. Did she need a dramatic entrance? 

I shot a spell at a cow and it began to drift a tiny bit, but not too much. 

The villagers cursed at me, yet stayed a distance from me as if seeing a horribly sick monster. 

"Where is your wizard now!?" I said snapping back into my fake evil overlord-ish voice and saw a man faint.

"Here!"

I whirled around to face Abby, her face contorted with emotion. 

Either she was a great actor.. Or it was real.. 

Don't drop character..!

"Exarmaueris!" My wand shot a spell toward her and surprise betrayed in Abby's eyes as her stick flew across the square.

Grinning, I waited for her to say something heroic. Something encouraging for her village.

She just stared at me.. Had she not expected me to actually fight? I wasn't doing damage! Why didn't she fight back!?

"Use your magic like the wizard you claim to be!" I shot at her hoping for her to catch on.

She snapped. 

I stared at her as she clenched her fists. 

That's.. not acting..

"Seven stars!"

A beam of light flew from her hands and hit me. 

Pain flooded me as if I was hit by a giant pot.

I had barely enough time to recover when she was already advancing.

I have to end this now..

"Fumus!" A cloud of smoke swept across the square making it impossible to see.

I coughed and heard Abby coughing as well.

"Try to hit what you can't see!" I laughed with what air I could.

Emily you idiot..

"Nine stars! Regulus!" 

Something shot by me. A near miss. 

I had it..! 

Pointing the wand to myself and muttering an illusion I glanced around, barely hearing Abby sneer at me.

I looked down at my now bloody and broken body, yet it felt as strong and healthy as before and let out the loudest scream of pain I could.

Pointing my wand at me still, "Pulso..!"

Everything went black.