Chapter 5: Chapter 4
Axion's P.O.V.
I watch in horror as the home that I have lived in my entire life collapses in on itself. My jaw slackens as memories buried within the house go up in roiling orange flames. Tears form and slide down my face. It's all gone. I stand there for a few agonizing minutes before I gather myself and roughly wipe the tears away. I need to be strong and go find Moco so we can get to safety. I can cry later.
I turn away reluctantly from my burning home and run into the forest. I need to find Moco. I sprint straight in as I hear his barks get more distant. The sky flashes with booms of thunder, drowning out most of my shouts. The wind howls by, making the trees all around sway violently back and forth. Twigs snap and leaves whip up in whirlwinds above the trees. I stop and wait for it to die down a little before yelling at the top of my lungs, "Moco!"
My ears strain for any hint of a reply, but there is none. I continue on running, remembering the path I've taken so I can get back. I've grown up in these woods my whole life so I know almost every inch of it.
Then all of a sudden BOOM! The sky practically ripples with the thunder. It's followed by a burst of white light that blinds me and I have to halt my pace so I don't run into anything. I blink rapidly to gain my vision back and when I do I see a large maple in front of me in flames. I realize too late that it's tilting right towards me. I jump out of its path, but a large branch catches me in the ribs and it pins me to the ground beneath its weight. My right leg is caught under its big trunk. I try to move but something sharp points into my side and I cringe.
The fire threatens to move my way as I look over to the top of where the tree is. I start to panic and struggle furiously to pull my leg out, but I can't budge it. A whimper escapes my lips as the broken branch presses into my side again. I start to cry as the fear envelops me. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I scream for Moco, for Rick, for anyone. Wet dirt sticks in my hair and on the front of my shirt as I squirm. I cry and keep trying to get away from the growing fire. I can feel the heat against my skin getting hotter.
"Moco!" I screech. My gloved hand begins to tingle intensely and I glimpse a blue glow. Through the glove. Its light grows in intensity and then I see something that makes me question my own eyes. The blue glow snakes out beneath the glove and it spirals down and around my forearm, swirling as if the mark is growing. It stops and begins to pulse, the light fading almost all the way out and then coming back. What the heck?! What is going on?
Something in me feels different. I can't figure out what it is, but my body begins to tingle all over. I shiver as little prickles race through my scalp and my vision blurs for a minute before returning again, only it feels weird. Everything is sharper around me, more defined. The tiny details on the bark of a tree crystal clear. Another shiver wracks my body racing over every inch of my skin. I suddenly remember the tree and the fire. I look over and it's burning.......... around me. Like there is an invisible force keeping it back in the shape of a sphere.
"What?" I mutter in disbelief. I stretch a hand out to where the fire is being held back. My fingers push beyond the transparent barrier and I feel a sting of heat from the fire. I jerk my hand back and look at the red flames licking around me. "What is this?" I say aloud.
As it grows and gets larger and the rest of the tree begins to catch, my vision begins to blur and exhaustion washes over me. I become drowsy and my head lulls onto the ground. I see the glow on my hand begin to fade, leaving only a much larger black mark. My eyes close and I faint.
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Hazekiel's P.O.V.
The girl screams one last time before falling unconscious. Oh, the poor little thing. If it weren't for the Dark Lord's orders I'd keep her myself as a pet. But what a pity, I get to watch her burn instead. I sigh and walk over to her limp body, crouching. Her magic fizzles out and the barrier breaks away. The flames eat up her flannel shirt and jeans. Her mark has awakened, it seems...the Dark Lord won't be too happy with this news.
In the bushes, I hear something rustle and I shade myself in my spirit form. A man in his thirties appears. "Axion!" I hear him quickly whisper some runes and the fire on the tree and girl sputters out. I am invisible to him as he works to get the tree off of the girl called Axion. Too bad, I sigh. I was actually kind of liking watching her burn, oh well I guess. Maybe I can have some fun with her later. I stand up and back away as he tries to wake her to no avail.
"I need to get her to the Elder," the older man says with urgency. He puts one arm under her legs and the other under her back so he can carry her. He disappears with her into the trees.
Hm, I'll go visit her later when she's alone and awake, I think. For now, I guess I'll go find a body to steal so I don't have to worry about that Elder monitoring me since he already has sensed my presence here. Can't have anyone getting in my way, now can I? I make my own way out of the forest and into the nearly deserted town.
I unshade myself and hide around the corner of a house. There are voices of guards fast approaching. What luck. I wait for them to come into sight before picking the younger and much better-looking one as my target. "Hikeeji," I mumble and my spirit flashes into his body. I immediately gain all his memories and knowledge. The man is named Garold. What a pathetic name. I force his soul to the side as I take control of his body. He tries to fight back but fails. Quite miserably too. All his soul can do is sit on the sidelines and watch as it does my bidding.
"You okay?" the other guard asks me as he realizes that I'm not following him.
"Yeah," I reply and shake my head like something odd just happened. "Just thought I saw another townsperson. We should get going now." The other guard nods and we start heading towards the castle. I smirk as I jog behind him. This is going to be fun.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone