Chapter 18: Around the Campfire

~Outside the Rainbow Alliance headquarters, island of Fierna~

Hunter and Taina waited and waited, biting their nails until the seven division commanders met to discuss their plan of action. There was nothing they could do, stranded so far away from Luck and Silvers.

To prevent himself from going mad, Hunter left the hideout he had been pacing around for days and went for a walk in the forest right outside. Taina followed him, anxious to leave her friend alone to ruminate with his thoughts.

They walked costively among the dark trees and their fire-colored foliage. Even the grass draping the forest floor gave off hues of yellow and orange. If anything, at least they were stuck somewhere magical.

“Are you okay, Hunter?” worriedly asked Taina.

“You know, no matter how many times you ask me that, the answer isn’t gonna change.”

“Right, sorry… I just hate seeing you like this.”

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

They continued roaming the forest forever imbued in fall colours.

“Can I ask you something?” asked Taina. “What do you make of all this? Magic, I mean.”

“I’m not sure. I never thought the day would come when I learned magic was real and it wouldn’t be the first thing on my mind. But this island does feel different from anywhere I’ve ever been. Not that I’ve visited many places before.”

“I feel the same. I was wondering, this fire maiden, you’ve met her. How is she?”

“To tell you the truth, she doesn’t feel human, and I mean that in a good way. She’s better than we are. I could feel it the moment I met her. She’s not just some girl.”

“That sounds nice.”

“I don’t think she should be here.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s something she told me. She doesn’t remember when she arrived on this island, or if she was born here. There’s a blur in her memory. On top of that, she calls Red ‘Master Red’, which just doesn’t sit right with me.”

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re implying.”

Hunter rubbed his forehead and moved hair away from his eyes. “Me neither, honestly.”

The two friends came to a small clearing in the forest, where a placid stream split the ground in two. In the crystal water, tiny fish sucked the moss off round stones. Hunter reached in the water and grabbed a stone, which he immediately tossed back in just to hear the splashing sound and to see the startled fish bolt away.

“We should head back before it gets too late,” said Hunter.

As he and Taina were about to retrace their steps, a rustle in the bushes across the stream caught their attention. A group of people emerged from the forest.

All of them carried weapons, ranging from machetes and hunting knives, to pistols and carabins. All accounted for, there must have been a dozen of them, each one more rugged than the last, likely seasoned fighters.

One of them spoke to his group. “So this is Fierna. I’ve never seen a forest like this one before. This must be the work of the maiden of fire.”

“We must be getting close, then,” shrewdly chuckled another one.

Hunter repeatedly tapped Taina on the shoulder and began running in the direction they had come from.

Some in the group overheard the rapid footsteps and threw their glances in their direction.

“Don’t let them get away!” shouted one of them.

Soon after, splashing sounds and a flurry of footsteps rushed from behind Hunter and Taina. Hunter looked over his shoulder to see the entire group of armed persons giving chase to them.

He and Taina ran as fast as they could, panting and struggling to keep the pace. In a stroke of unfortunate luck, Taina tripped over her own long skirt, falling forward on the ground.

“Taina!” shouted Hunter. “Shit…”

He turned around and went to help her back up. As soon as she had regained her footing, an arrow whistled right between their heads, planting firmly into the bark of a tree.

Taina let out a shriek and tripped again, this time on a root protruding from the earth.

“Gods damn it, Taina!” angrily exclaimed Hunter.

As he went to help her up again, the thick blade of a machete pressed against the back of his neck. He froze, his eyes the only thing moving up to see the dozen or so people surrounding them.

“What do you want?” shakily asked Hunter.

“That’s easy,” responded the man holding the machete. “We want the maiden of fire. We know she’s hiding somewhere on this island. There’s no use in pretending otherwise, so fess up and tell us where we can find her.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“Your voice is trembling. You lie.”

“I have weapons pointed at me from every direction, dickhead, of course I’m scared.”

The man burst into a loud guffaw. “You’ve got some spunk, kid. I don’t wanna have to kill ya, but the girl…” He swiftly grabbed a hold of Taina by the hair and brought his machete to her throat. “I’ll kill her without a second thought, so you’d better get talking.”

“You son of a bitch…”

Hunter got into a stance ready for attacking but was quickly brought back to his senses by the cocking of a few guns around him.

“You’ve got five seconds, kid.”

Taina wept as she felt the sharp edge of the blade press harder against her delicate skin. Suddenly, the man’s head burst open, and his brain flew all around. He dropped dead, freeing Taina, who was too shocked to even blink. She was covered in viscous blood and tiny chunks of flesh from the man who had just been splattered on her.

The other eleven people in the group all pointed their weapons behind Hunter, who wanted to turn around and look, but feared too greatly for his life. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and a presence on either side of him.

On his right stood a man the size of a bear. He was imposing, from his size to the still fuming canon he had instead of a right arm. He wore an unbuttoned indigo jacket revealing his muscular bare chest, and cargo pants rolled over his muddied boots.

On his left was a tall woman with long blonde hair draping her back like a field of golden wheat. Her eyes were a bright green, and her skin pale. She drew a sword from her belt and held it listlessly toward the group of assailants.

“Fernando,” she called out to the large man. “Take these two back with you. I’ll handle the rest of this scum.” Her voice was cold and unwavering.

“Very well,” answered Fernando. “Try to return safely.”

The woman scoffed.

The large man helped Hunter back to his feet and grabbed Taina under his shoulder. “We must go at once.”

As the three of them ran away from the scene, the fight brewing behind them broke out. Gunfire, metal clanging and screams of pain all disturbed the peace of the autumnal forest.

After regaining a fraction of his composure, Hunter unfroze. “What the hell is going on, here?”

“Our location has been discovered by enemy forces,” replied Fernando. “Once Catherine is done with these ruffians, we will report back to Commander Red. No one has ever been able to find us on this island in years.”

“Wait, Catherine…? So, that’s her… You really think she can defeat all those guys on her own?”

Fernando let out a snicker. “If I had any sympathy for this scum, I would pray for them. Catherine is a beast unlike any other. She will tear you to shreds before you have the chance to blink. May I ask who the two of you are, that you would find yourselves intertwined with such brigands?”

“I’m sure your leader will explain all of that in due time. We’ve been getting intertwined in a lot of shit recently.” Hunter’s voice was tweaking, erratic.

After having exhausted his entire energy reserve, Hunter finally made it back to the organisation’s hideout, where he crashed and sat against a wall. Meanwhile, looking ready to run another lap around the island, Fernando sat Taina next to her friend and signaled for medical attention.

Moments later, Violet came running to assess the situation. Her face grew wide upon seeing the amount of blood staining Taina’s clothes.

“Fear not, Violet,” said her contemporary. “This blood does not belong to the girl.”

Violet looked up at the muscular man, her eyes shooting lightning bolts at him. “Did you cause this?”

“It was for her own safety.”

“I’m sure there was another, less traumatising way to resolve whatever happened. Speaking of, are you going to tell me what happened?”

“A group of intruders made its way onto the island and was chasing these young ones. I will discuss this matter further with Commander Red and the rest of you later tonight, around the fire.”

Violet sighed exasperatedly. “Fine.”

Later, Taina sat on a bed in the infirmary, her gaze lost on the tiled flooring under her feet. Violet had given her a change of clothes while her bloodstained attire was being cleaned.

“I’m really sorry about him,” said Violet as she sat down next to Taina. “He’s a brute, he doesn’t really think about these things.”

Taina looked up with her sunken eyes. “It’s okay… He saved me, after all.”

Hunter, leaning against the far wall of the infirmary, let out a snicker. “You guys make zero sense. For a group that prides itself on bringing peace and helping the weak, you sure love to blow people’s brains out.”

Violet took offense to Hunter’s remark and puffed her chest. “Don’t lump me in with those goons! I am far more sophisticated, thank you very much.”

“Sounds like you guys get along great.”

“We have our differences.”

Then, as if she had been requested, Catherine entered the infirmary, without so much as a scratch on her after her one-sided fight.

In one hand, she held her sword lazily, the gleaming metal darkened by the blood of those whose lives she had just taken, and in the other hand, dragged the last brigand by the hair, a woman barely holding on to her last breath.

The woman being paraded like a hunting trophy was thrown on the ground in front of Violet. Her face was swollen and bloodied, her eyes hidden behind growing bruises. Weak puffs escaped her mouth as she tried to remain conscious.

“What have you done…?” asked Violet, horrified at the gruesome sight in front of her.

“There’s a pile of corpses out in the woods if you really want to shiver,” answered Catherine with a blank stare. “I figured I’d keep one alive for the commander. You might want to heal her wounds so she can be interrogated properly. You’d better hurry up before she dies.”

“You go too far…”

“I do what is necessary.”

“I’m sure if I go back there, I’ll be met with a wholly unnecessary scene,” interjected Hunter.

Catherine moved her soul-freezing stare toward Hunter, sending a chill down his spine. “Would you rather I’d have let you die?”

“Tsk…”

“Next time, show a little gratitude, punk.”

“Are you really Jim and Elesia’s sister? I guess only you got the asshole gene.”

“How do you know my siblings? Answer me.”

“They’re here. We all came here together. They were so excited to meet you. Maybe you should put on a different tone when you see them.”

“I will pluck your eyes from your skull and feed them to the fish.”

“You’re really not what I’d hoped.”

“I don’t care.” She sheathed her sword and left the infirmary, leaving the broken woman wheezing on the floor.

Violet helped Taina back to her feet. “Are you going to be alright?” After receiving a nod from the young girl, she gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll come bring you your clothes later.”

Hunter put his hand on his friend’s back and led her outside of the infirmary. Seeing her under such mental distress, an idea came over him.

Seeing as she was headed nowhere with her own two feet, he grabbed her hand and began walking. “I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

Without receiving any form of an answer, Hunter guided his dumbstruck friend through the Rainbow Alliance’s headquarters, going up to the highest floor, where they got in an elevator. After a long ride listening to the humming of the machinery, they emerged on the mountain pass leading to the summit.

Hunter continued to urge Taina forward, dragging her along the dirt path, eventually breaking through the clouds. The moment their heads pushed the mist away and rose to the other side, the air became lighter, warmer.

Taina broke free of her trance and began walking of her own volition, prompting Hunter to let her go. “Where are we?” she asked him.

“Keep going. We’re almost at the top.”

As they reached the clearing on the peak of the mountain, Taina stopped short of its tall grass fringe, basking in the warmth of the sunset. “What is this place?”

Hunter walked into the clearing, gesturing for Taina to follow him.

Somewhere farther on the mountaintop, Ash was kneeling next to a flower garden, her knees and hands covered in dirt. She wore a gardening apron, and a straw hat rested on her silky hair to protect her delicate face from the sun.

“Hi, Ash,” called out Hunter.

She had previously been too absorbed by her gardening to notice her visitors, but upon hearing Hunter’s voice, she turned around with a glowing smile. “Hunter! You brought a friend?”

“Yes, this is Taina. Taina, this is Ash.”

Taina’s eyes were wide and fixated on the girl in front of her. “Are you… the maiden of fire?”

Suddenly, Ash’s eyes drooped. “I’m Ash.”

“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?”

Ash shook her head. “It’s just that whenever someone meets me for the first time, I always hear the same thing. I’m always the maiden of fire. I’m never just Ash.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Ash put on a big smile. “It’s okay. So, why are you guys here? Did you want to hang out?”

Hunter sat down in the grass next to Ash’s garden. “Sort of. Ash, can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Have you ever felt helpless before? Like no matter how hard you try, you just can’t feel in control of anything.”

“More often than you’d think. I’ve lived here for as long as my memories go back. It’s a peaceful life, but sometimes, I feel like I have no say in anything.”

“Like this is a prison?”

“I wouldn’t call it a prison. I’m free to do whatever I want here, and people can come visit me whenever they want. It’s for my own good, so I understand.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“Who?”

“Red.”

“Master Red has been like a father to me. Maidens are hunted across the world by people who seek power. He keeps me here so I can live safely.”

Taina joined the conversation. “When you feel that way, helpless, how do you overcome that feeling?”

Ash paused a moment, taking off her gloves and adjusting her hat swaying in the wind. “I think that’s just how I’m supposed to feel. Sometimes I feel helpless, alone, afraid. But sometimes, I feel happy, optimistic, thankful to be alive. You take the good with the bad. That’s life. It’s moments of awe among hardships, and to live through one, you have to live through both.”

A tear of relief rolled down Taina’s cheek. “Thank you.”

“Oh dear, are you okay?”

Ash went to wipe Taina’s tear off her face, but the moment her fingers made contact with Taina’s skin, she felt a sharp pain in her head. She shrieked and tumbled backward, falling next to Hunter. Images of death flooded her mind as she wailed and gasped for air.

Hunter grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “What’s happening!”

Taina, equally mortified, kneeled next to them and put her hand on Ash’s cheek.

Ash’s painful cries spiked when touched by Taina. She pushed her away and backed away. Her face was contorted, as if horrors had been imprinted in her mind.

After a little while, she calmed down, her breathing regaining a somewhat steady rhythm. Her eyes opened to meet Taina’s worried, confused complexion.

“What happened to you?” asked Hunter.

“I-I don’t know…” meekly answered the maiden. Her eyes were still on Taina. “When I touched your skin, I saw things. I felt things… like a thousand daggers being pushed into my skin.”

“B-but why?” stuttered Taina.

“I don’t know…”

“What things did you see?” inquired Hunter.

“It was blurry, and things were moving so fast. But, I know I saw people dying, being burned alive… I could hear their screams, feel their pain. My body still aches.”

Taina clasped her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“You couldn’t have known, it’s not your fault.” She forced a smile, somehow still so genuine and kind. “I’m okay, now.”

A deep voice resonated in the clearing. “I heard screaming, is everything alright?”

It was Red, running toward the three teenagers. He crouched next to Ash and locked eyes with her. An unusual heat seemed to emanate from him.

“It’s okay, Master Red. I’m fine.”

“What happened?”

Ash got back on her feet. “Nothing you need worry yourself with, master. You already have enough on your plate, I’m sure. I assure you I’m fine.”

“If you insist. But if anything comes up, you must tell me.”

“Of course. I apologize for the frightening welcome. What can I do for you, Master Red?”

“I actually came to fetch these two.” He gestured to Hunter and Taina. “I heard they had come here, so I came.”

“In that case, I won’t stand in your way any longer. It was a pleasure talking with you both. Please come again soon,” she said with a smile.

Hunter nodded. “Of course.”

The two friends left the home of the maiden of fire with Red, whose body appeared to have returned to a normal temperature.

Red broke the silence of the walk down the mountainside. “Are either of you going to tell me what happened back there? Why was the maiden of fire on the ground yelping in agony?”

“Her name is Ash,” discourteously answered Hunter.

“Why was Ash in pain?”

Sensing tensions rise, Taina butted in. “None of us really know what happened, or how it happened, exactly, but when we touched, she said she saw horrific things. Said she felt it, too.”

Red stopped dead in his track, before resuming on his way as if nothing had been. “I see.”

“What do you want with us, anyway?” asked Hunter.

“The meeting between division commanders is about to begin. There are things we’ll confer about you two might want to hear. Wait until everything has been discussed before you ask questions.”

Hunter and Taina exchanged an apprehensive look. Worry turned to heartache as fear took control of their imagination.

Following Red turned out to be a journey across the island, with each passing minute adding weight on the two friends’ minds. Eventually, as the sun had finished sinking below the horizon, the last of its deep orange light fading on the dark water of the sea, the trio arrived on a beach of white sand.

In the middle of the beach, a campfire rose into the sky like a beacon of safety in the darkness. Around its crackling flames, the other six division commanders sat on logs serving as benches.

Red led the way to the fire, clapping his hands a single time to capture the attention of his comrades. “Good evening, friends. I trust today has been good to you all?”

Violet leaned far back, almost falling off her seat. “It’s been eventful, I’d say.”

“I have spent a wonderful time foraging in the Firefly Forest,” said Albert.

Catherine interrupted the formalities with a bothered grunt. “Why are they here?” she asked in reference to Hunter and Taina awkwardly standing behind Red.

Red sat down next to Yuen. “I know it is unordinary for these sessions to include anyone other than us seven, but I felt it appropriate to invite our guests this once. There is certain information which concerns them as much as it does us. Please be welcoming to them.”

Violet scooched over, bumping into Nigel. She repeatedly tapped her hand on the space she had freed on her log for Hunter and Taina, who followed her signal and sat down next to her.

“I believe I should jump right into the meat of things,” started off Red. “These past few days have been rather busy, not just for us, but for the kingdom of Vasilosse and its people. Much has been transpiring within their borders, and it is becoming increasingly safe to assume conflict is at their doorstep. As we are all aware, King Bartholomew Soffle has made plans to lure out the world-renowned treasure hunter Travis Reas to help him lay his hands on the treasure of the stars. However, it seems since some of the Reas family’s capture, the situation has changed to a more alarming state. My sister has reported a rise in tension between the king and his youngest son, Prince Windfrey Soffle.”

“What do you mean?” butted in Hunter. “I thought this island was thousands of miles away from the kingdoms? How did your sister relay any information to you this quickly?”

“I told you to wait until after I was done to ask questions.”

“Oh, come now, commander,” pleaded Violet. “There’s no need to keep him in the dark if you want him to understand.” Without waiting for Red’s approval, she began explaining. “Commander Red and his sister Ophelia have a bond you might call unnatural. Among many oddities, they can communicate telepathically. A real head-scratcher, isn’t it?”

“It’s true. Since we were young children, we’ve been able to peer into the other’s mind. That is how I know of what is happening in Winrol at this very moment.”

Trying to muffle his incredulous complexion, Hunter relaxed in his seat and resumed listening.

Red continued speaking. “At the source of the king and his son’s disagreements is a person, one the two of you are quite familiar with,” he told Hunter and Taina. “A boy with the name of Luck Reas.”

“Luck!” simultaneously exclaimed Hunter and Taina.

“Indeed. Prince Windfrey was supposed to announce to the world that the Vasilosse Kingdom had captured Luck and Silver Reas, but he instead told his audience of thousands that he had invited the kings of the other nations to a banquet, to a summit. All of this in the spirit of defiance, and in the hope for a change in his kingdom. King Bartholomew took great offense to his son’s impudence and chose to punish him. Listen well to what I am about to tell you, and please remain calm. I understand this Luck character is very close to the both of you, and so I wished for you to hear this, because I believe you deserve to know. By order of the king of the Vasilosse Kingdom, Luck Reas is to be hanged at the gallows in a public execution. The date of the execution is not set in stone, but it is going to be after the arrival of the kings of the four other kingdoms.”

Taina’s face blanked as she felt her heart drop to her stomach. Her breath had been knocked out of her by the unexpected news as she tried to come to terms with what she had just heard.

Hunter, on the other hand, sprung to his feet, splashing sand in the fire. “What do you mean!”

“I mean exactly as I have said. But fear not, for all hope is not lost. We will mount a rescue operation for your cousin.”

“Why.”

“Do you truly need a reason to want to save your cousin?”

“No, but you do. And don’t give me any moral high ground crap.”

“You are a clever boy. There are, of course, sentiments this organisation stands for, so naturally helping those suffering from tyranny is second nature to us. However, it is as you said. Injustices happen every day, everywhere, and as much as we would like to rectify them all, we simply cannot.”

“And this one is more important because you want my necklace.”

“Right again. But that is not all. The kings of the Five Kingdoms are about to converge at the same location. We know at least one participant in that event seeks positive change in the world. It is the perfect scene for our organisation to test the waters for political alliances.”

“I thought you fought against tyranny, now you want the kingdoms you oppose to be your allies?”

“Success in this endeavour is needless to say, not guaranteed. There is a chance things go sour, and conflict breaks out. We will be exposing ourselves to extreme peril.”

Yuen pumped his fist and puffed his chest. “I was born for extreme peril! Bring it on, commander, I’m ready to face whatever obstacles lie in our path!”

“No, Yuen, you still need to recover from your wounds. You will stay here, and Violet will monitor you.”

“What! I do not need to be babysat! Throw me in the action!”

“Knock it off, dumbass,” scolded him Violet.

Albert raised his hand politely. “If I may, commander, this mission will require our most skilled combatants in case of physical altercations, and despite his injuries, Yuen might be the most skilled of us seven.”

“Truer words have never been spoken!” shouted Yuen proudly.

Red put his hand on his second division commander’s shoulder. “I must insist, Yuen. I say this as your friend. For your own safety, you must stay here and recuperate.”

With a defeated look, Yuen slouched back onto his seat, kicking the sand away from his feet.

Red looked back at his group. “But you are correct, Albert. Hence why you and Catherine will be joining me. Fernando, you stay at headquarters in case more intruders adopt the bad habit of invading our territory.”

The large man nodded.

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Catherine.

“The three of us, along with a small group of our most well-trained, loyal subordinates, will take one ship and sail for Corin tomorrow at dawn. We will lay anchor on the eastern coast of the island, where security is likely to be the most spread, given that specific part of Corin is mostly uninhabited and the furthest from the capital. From there, we will make our way to my sister’s base, Fort Kingsley, where we will be welcomed by her commander and captain, who will be made aware of our arrival. From Fort Kingsley, patrols around the city of Winrol and the citadel will become increasingly frequent. To avoid a confrontation with any Royal Army personnel, we will follow abandoned tunnels connecting the mines of Fort Kingsley to the capital. Once we have infiltrated the capital, we will be welcomed by my sister, after which the three of us will split into groups and spread across the city to avoid drawing attention to ourselves. In order to save Luck Reas, we must wait for him to be taken out of his cell, which will likely only happen for the moment of his execution. We will have a small window of time to retrieve him before he reaches the gallows. Until that moment, we will attempt to subtly find potential allies for our cause. Any questions?”

“Uh, yeah,” said Nigel. “A sound plan, commander. However, I must question why you would bring Catherine to Winrol. After the Reas family, she’s probably the most wanted person in the kingdom. They don’t take kindly to deserters. N-no offense, Cath.”

“A valid point. Catherine will have to remain as lowkey as possible, but given Yuen’s state, I needed someone equally capable to replace him. Catherine, I trust you have no objections?”

“None,” she replied.

Red turned back to face Hunter, who still stood at the center of the circle, his stance rigid with stress. “And what about you, do you have any questions?”

“You’re going to save Luck?” he asked doubtfully.

“That is one of the main reasons of this mission, yes.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“I wish I could, but I cannot peer into the future.”

“You want my mother’s necklace? I’ll only give it to you once Luck is back here safe and sound.”

“Very well. We will save your cousin Luck from his impending execution.”

Hunter breathed a shaky sigh of relief and nodded. “Okay.” He sat back down next to his friend.

Taina was the next one to raise her voice. “Excuse me, but I need to ask. What if things go wrong? What if you have to fight? There’s going to be a whole army there, and only a few of you.”

“It is a danger we must be willing to face,” answered Red. “If you worry about the odds being stacked against us, don’t.”

He stood up and held his arm out. Hunter and Taina raised a brow as the red-haired man’s eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, like the flames between them were reflected in them. Suddenly, the fire split in two distinct halves, before stray flames spiralled into the air, dancing around the eight spectators.

Hunter and Taina were taken aback by what they could only perceive as magic. Flames continued to circle them before returning back to the source at the center.

Red’s eyes returned to a fainter red. “The maiden of fire is not the only one who possesses the attribute of fire. My name is Red, of the Faestus Clan. My people have long worshipped the god of fire, and through millennia of devotion, we have evolved to control the flames that guide us. From spark to ash, the fires that burn on this earth are mine to command. If the need were to arise, I would gladly use my powers to fight despotism. Rest assured, that is a promise.”

In that moment, Red appeared more than just a man. He stood valiantly, fire in the palm of his hand, his aura warm and enveloping, yet still eerily intimidating. He was like a hero from legend come to life.