(6) The Infested Vllage

~Alex~

It's midday and we're arriving at the infested village. When the king told me they were suffering, I expected loss, but I didn't expect this much.

Cathy tightened her grip on my hand and winced as the village came into sight.

smoke emanated from the buildings that were standing and there was voices screaming. Normally, bad spirits only appear at night, but if they're strong enough, they can appear during the day and are at full strength. My parents had prepared me for anything, including other Elementalists, but nothing like this had ever been seen. how long has this been going on?

when we were close to arriving, the driver stopped,

"This is as far as I go," he said without tone. Cathy and I shared a glace and got off the car and started walking toward the Village.

when we got there a tall man with dark skin and red with grey mixed hair came up to us with narrowed eyes.

"we're not up for tourism," he said rudely. I shook my head and bowed slightly, Cathy following.

"I am Alex of Kauldin, and I have come in behalf of king Abrafo to help your village," he looked down at me,

"The king finally decided to send someone to help us huh?" he spits at the ground and sighed "it's about time he stopped punishing us," he finishes. punishing them?

"With all due respect, what do you mean punishing you?" Cathy asked as if she had read my thoughts.

"A year ago, our town was known for our connection with the spirits, we live on such hallowed ground that spirits are actually able to come and interact with us, and we lived with them peacefully. Until Princess Ade came," he said with such distaste for Ade. "A well-known spirit introduced himself wanted to become friends with her but she was disgusted and offended him greatly. Causing the destruction of our peaceful union making the spirits leave us." Okay but that doesn't mean the king has punished them. "To make matters worse, the king was furious that we had allowed his daughter to be around a spirit, so he sent a group of priests to 'purify' the land and just made all the spirits, that were starting to come back, to become evil. And when we told him that we had evil spirits he said we had brought it upon ourselves and refused to help!" He said beginning to get frustrated. Cathy moved to place an arm on his shoulder calming him.

"It's okay, we're here to help. And we're not under King Abrafo's command," she stated kindly. He seemed to look at us in a different light and made a slight smile for a second. His eyes softened

"thank you for helping us," he said softly "I'm Tarlow, the chief of this village," he said introducing himself.

"I'm Cathrine of Kauldin, and this is my fiancé Alex," she said gesturing me despite me already introducing myself. He nodded and faintly smiles.  If this problem is as big as it seems, we'll probably stay a few days.

"Sir, it might take me a while to get rid of the bad spirits, so do you have anywhere we'll be able to stay?" I ask, realizing I've been tugging on Cathy's fingers. He nods and points into the woods nearby

"I have a cabin a little into the woods, it'll be dusty but it'll keep you safe in the night," he responded, Cathy and I glanced at each other, I wiggled my eyes and smiled. Tarlow cleared his throat, "it's been peacefully today, I'll take you on a tour," I nodded embarrassed and continued on.

While we were walking through out the streets watching how many of the buildings were burnt and turned to ash.

"They're primarily fire spirits, so we've been having difficulties locating people to other places when their homes are burnt down." He says. I stay quiet, I don't know if I can defeat fire spirits without controlling water.

"How have you been fending off the spirits? And are there any casualties?" Asked Cathy. I only looked at a child who screamed as he ran from a small evil spirit.

"We've been using large amounts of water to make them less powerful and we've only had 4 causalities in ten mont-,"

I moved to stop him beginning to form a spiritual beam around the spirit and chanting the purification spell. Something that was common and easy to do if you have a connection to the spirits. Nothing too risky The spirit gleamed and disappeared.

"Amazing," Tarlow whispered as I turn back to them. Cathy shot me a proud smile, I raised my hand feeling embarrassed

"It was a little spirit, a purification spell was able to handle it bu-" I felt a tug on my cape and I turned. It was the little boy I had saved, he lifted up a blue flower and smiled,

"Thank you miss," he said handing me the flower "like your hair," he smiled. I smiled back and rubbed his head before he ran off.

"That was Anouk, his mother died in a fire when the spirits first began to attack. He's everyone's kid, we all take care of him," Tarlow said as he looked at Anouk run off.

"As I was saying, because it was a little spirit I was able to cleanse it with a purification spell, but with fire spirits, it takes a lot more than little spell to send them back into the spirit realm," I finish my statement. He frowned but looked kindly upon me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I trust you'll find a way to save us,"

...

"I don't know if I can save them," I whisper as I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. I heard Cathy come in the bedroom.

"Why so glum plum?" She said sitting on the bed and stroking my face. I frown and look at her, feeling tears threaten to fall.

"I can't," I barely get out, "I don't know if I can do this," I whisper even though I know she's the only one here. She nods and looks seriously.

"Maybe you can't do it, but I know we can do this," she leaned into me, "together, as a team," she said smiling. I resist a smile but it shows anyways. She gives me a peck and sits up. I frown, wanting to do so much more. "I have a question Alex," she spoke seriously.

"Shoot"

"Why didn't your parents attend the ball they were invited to?" She asked. My stomach stirred.

...

"Alexi-" fathers sentence was cut short when he began a violent coughing fit. Mother rushed to tend to him. I don't remember father being sick.

...

"Alexis, I'm tasking you to go to king Abrafo's birthday ball in our place," Mom said as I hung up the phone. I looked at her baffled. She doesn't usually have me attend royal matters by myself.

"Why?" I ask calmly. She frowns and sneers.

"Because I said so now clear your schedule, you're going. End of descussion," she said turning and leaving my room.

....

"Alex?" Cathy called out, I frowned.

"I don't know, my mother just told me I'd be going in their places," I said looking up. "But when I was at the table with them, my father started coughing really badly, he had to go to the infirmary," I said.

"I didn't know he was sick," Cathy commented. I shrugged

"Neither did I, but my guess is that they're keeping it a secret so that the throne doesn't look weak," I respond scratching my head. She hummed and found my hand and gave it as squeeze.

I tugged slightly and she chuckled. Then she moves to tower over me leaving a little space between our lips.

"It's been a while since we've been alone in a cabin," she whispers, her lips almost touching mine as if she was taunting me. I fight the urge to lean in to not be the one who breaks.

"Remind me again what we do," I softly respond with a grin. She smiles and leans in. I move my hands onto her waist and pull her closer. She smiles through the kiss when I tug on her sweats and her bra because she was already shirtless.

"You first,"

——

LOL THAT IS AS FAR AS I GO ADJFHENTYSIS

I can't.

YOURS, AEGEAN✨