FC (Original)

Chapter 4: Nicknames

The next morning everyone emerged from their camps started to make breakfast which was the boar leg that Abbey had convinced Katie to flash freeze for her the night before.

Cher came out of her tent still wearing her pajamas (which were literally just plain dark red pants and shirt) to see everyone ready and dressed. She blushed a little out of embarrassment after seeing everyone.

Though the sorcerer and Molly, were nowhere to be found.

She spoke too soon since Katie had emerged from her tent in a simple long sleeved blouse tucked into her trousers her black hair long flowing down her back contrasting against the stark white.

"Oi! Sorcerer can you come and flash freeze this turkey? It's rotting and I don't have all day so if that's the only thing you can do then... I'd not bother calling you the high sorcerer." Kaiden yelled a bit agitated.

As the sorcerer walked over, her motions like a cat she grimaced at the remains of the turkey Kaiden had just killed.

"You know I do normally charge for things like this right?" Katie grinned and muttered as blue sparks started to shoot out of her hands, touching the skin of the turkey immediately freezing it.

"Now what do you want?" Kaiden asked annoyed by Katie's unwillingness to cooperate not noticing that Cher was approaching them from the back.

"First things first, I want you to not underestimate what I can do so don't be a baby and nag me to do things that you think are impossible." Katie simple answered, still not noticing Cher right behind her, "and second please call me-"

"Sparkles." Cher whispered it between the two making them jump, she couldn't stop laughing. In the end, Katie came up to her and said "What did you just call me?"

"Sparkles" She said again with a toothy grin, causing others to laugh quietly.

"Wait but wh-" Katie is cut off by Cher, who jabs her in the ribs with her finger.

"What was that for!?" Katie exclaimed annoyed by Cher's ridicule.

"Duh, I'm poking you, Sparkles..." Cher giggles, mocking the sorcerer's hand motions. Katie then realized it was a nickname, her nickname. Annoyed, she made a face and muttered something in a language that sounded like crackling flames amused, as she returned back to her tent with a flask filled with tea.

While the others were confused on why Katie sounded like a campfire for a moment, Kaiden's eyes widened. As he understood what she said.

"Chthonian." Kaiden muttered, a few eyes glances at him wondering what he just said, but they ignored it.

"Kaiden? You okay?" Cher asked her friend as he was legitimately standing with widened eyes... Staring at his feet.

"Oh... I'm alright..." Cher felt suspicious but she agreed, walking back to her tent. But Kaiden couldn't stop wondering. Why was Katie speaking in that language? It was the language of the... No... It can't be...

"Cher?" Kaiden asked, waiting outside of her tent.

"Yeah? You okay?" She looked outside when she saw his face. He looked scared, which was something you don't see every day.

"Hey? What's wrong-"

"I think Katie's a warlock." Kaiden say quickly, leaving her with a confused face,

"Warloc-"

"Shh! Not so loud!"

"Uhh how about we talk somewhere not so open?"

They walked in the tent and sat down, Kaiden took a few deep breaths before talking.

"I think Katie's a warlock..."

"I have no idea what that is but why so you think that?"

"The sound when she walked away. The fire. The- the." Kaiden couldn't find the words.

"Wait... did that fire sound mean something?" Cher was not the brightest of the bunch.

"Ugh! You fool! It's Chthonian!" The brunette seemed so scared and annoyed by this but she couldn't do anything. She had no idea what warlocks were, or what that language was.

"Chthona- What?" She was getting fed up with Kaiden being particularly grouchy over the sorcerer or if Kaiden could say, a potential Warlock.

"Chthonian... anyway, may I continue?" Kaiden repeated the calmness in his voice shocked Cher.

"Fine, get it over with."

Cher couldn't sleep that night, the thoughts of Katie as a warlock. An evil sorcerer? She remembered what Kaiden told her, about his past. How he had to fight a warlock himself. He remembered it as a total nightmare. He was only seven when it happened, the warlock attacked his village, killing everyone. The only thing he could do was attempt to save himself. Cher was not a fan of backstories but this one... Scared her. Kaiden told her how the warlock looked like. Their bloodshot eyes, cold heart and sharp teeth. She didn't want to believe it.

She didn't want to believe it at all.

But if it was true, if she really was a warlock... How could they know? The only way was a warlock trap, leaving a mark on the victim. But if it didn't leave a mark, she was a sorcerer. But this would be extremely dangerous as it would mean betrayal. And sorcerers didn't take betrayal lightly.

Will she risk it?