Calder pressed himself against the rough bark of a large tree, trying to blend with the shadows as the footsteps grew closer. He held his breath, hoping the darkness would conceal him from whatever threat approached.
The steps came to an abrupt halt, and for a tense moment, the forest was silent save for the distant chirping of night insects. Then, a voice as cold as the night air spoke from the darkness. "You cannot hide from me, boy."
Calder's heart raced, but he remained still, unsure if running would make things worse. The voice continued, its tone laced with amusement. "I can smell the stench of Ashflame on you from here. You're no ordinary peasant, are you?"
His hand clenched into a fist, nails digging into the charred fabric of his sleeve. Ashflame? What is that? He dared not speak, fearing the sound of his voice would betray his position.
The footsteps resumed, growing louder as the figure approached. Calder tensed, his muscles coiled like springs, ready to sprint into the night at the slightest provocation.
A tall, cloaked figure stepped into the moonlight, the hood of their cloak casting their face in shadow. In one hand, they held a staff of polished obsidian, topped with a glowing red gemstone that pulsed with a sinister energy.
"You have two choices," the stranger said, their voice devoid of emotion. "You can come with me, and I will teach you to control the power that burns within you. Or you can run, and I will hunt you down and take it by force."
Calder's mind raced, weighing his options. He knew nothing of this power, but the destruction it had wrought was etched into his memory. The thought of controlling it was tempting, but could he trust this stranger who seemed to appear from the shadows?
The stranger's patience seemed to run thin, and they took a menacing step forward. "Your time to decide is running out, boy."
With a deep breath, Calder made his choice. He lunged from his hiding place, sprinting deeper into the forest, away from the mysterious figure. He didn't know who or what this person was, but the threat of forceful extraction of his newfound power was enough to make him run.
The stranger's laughter echoed behind him, taunting him as he sprinted through the dense underbrush. "You can run, but you can't hide forever, little Ashflame. I'll find you, and you will serve my master's purpose."
Calder ignored the taunts, focusing on putting as much distance between himself and the cloaked figure as possible. The sigil on his chest burned like a brand, a constant reminder of the power he now carried and the danger it brought with it.
He ran until his lungs ached and his legs felt like lead, finally collapsing against the gnarled trunk of an ancient oak tree. His breath came in ragged gasps, and sweat soaked his tattered clothes.
As his breathing slowed, he became acutely aware of the sounds of the forest around him. The distant hoot of an owl, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the soft chirping of night creatures all seemed amplified in the stillness.
He closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts and find a way out of this nightmare. But the image of his sister's lifeless body, the feel of her cold hand in his, and the devastation he had wrought upon his home haunted him.
A twig snapped nearby, and Calder's eyes snapped open. He tensed, ready to run again, but a small figure darted out from behind a nearby bush, waving its arms frantically.
"Wait! Please, wait!" the figure squeaked, its voice high-pitched and panicked.
Calder hesitated, unsure if this was another illusion or trap set by the cloaked stranger. But as the figure drew closer, he saw it was a young girl, no older than ten summers, with a mop of tangled brown hair and wide, frightened eyes.
"Please, mister," she panted, her small chest heaving with exertion. "They took my mama, and I heard them say they were looking for someone with fire magic. I... I followed them here. I think... I think they're gonna hurt her if I don't find you!"
The desperation in the girl's voice tugged at something deep within Calder. He couldn't just leave her to face whatever fate awaited her and her mother. He had unleashed this inferno upon the world, and now he was responsible for the ashes it left behind.
With a sigh, he pushed himself off the tree trunk and faced the girl. "Alright, I'll help you find your mother. But you have to promise me one thing."
The girl nodded fervently, tears still glistening in her eyes. "Anything, mister. I swear it!"
"You have to promise me that you'll do exactly as I say. No questions, no arguments. Can you do that?"
The girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded again, her small voice firm with determination. "I promise, mister. I'll do whatever you say."
Calder nodded, a small spark of hope igniting within the emptiness that had consumed him since the fire. "Good. Then let's find your mother and put an end to this madness."
Together, the unlikely pair crept through the forest, following the faint trail left by the cloaked stranger and the girl's keen senses. The night air grew colder as they ventured deeper into the woods, the darkness seeming to close in around them like a suffocating blanket.
As they neared a clearing, the sound of raised voices reached their ears. Calder signaled for the girl to stay hidden behind a thick bush while he crept closer to investigate.
In the center of the clearing, illuminated by the flickering light of torches, stood the cloaked stranger and a group of heavily armed men. They were interrogating a terrified-looking woman, her face bruised and tear-stained. The girl's mother.
"Please, I don't know where he went!" the woman sobbed, her voice trembling with fear.
The cloaked stranger sneered, raising a hand to strike her. "You'll tell us or we'll kill you!" Calder's fists clenched at his sides, the flames within him roaring to life at the sight of the woman's distress. He took a deep breath, struggling to contain the inferno that threatened to consume him once more.
He glanced back at the girl, her eyes wide with fear and determination. He knew what he had to do, no matter the cost.
With a silent nod, Calder stepped out from behind the bush, his eyes locked on the cloaked stranger. The air around him crackled with suppressed energy, the very air seeming to warp and twist in response to his rising anger.
The stranger's head snapped up, surprise flickering across his face for a brief moment before it hardened into a mask of cold determination. "Finally, you show yourself."
The men around him drew their weapons, forming a semicircle between Calder and the woman they held captive. Calder's eyes flicked to them, taking in their numbers and the deadly intent in their eyes.
"Let her go," Calder said, his voice low and dangerous. "This is between you and me."
The stranger laughed, a cold, mocking sound that echoed through the clearing. "So, you do remember our little... agreement. I'm flattered."
"I said, let her go!" Calder took a step forward, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Flames danced in the depths of his amber eyes, a warning of the inferno that simmered just below the surface.
The stranger's smile faltered for a moment before he shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen. You see, I need you alive, and I know you won't come peacefully otherwise."
"Then you leave me no choice." Calder's voice was as cold as the winter wind, his eyes narrowing into slits of burning amber.