The sound of knocking on the door awoke Serena. She rose slowly from her bed, bent back, and extended her arms out. A good stretch was what she needed to wake up.

“Serena! We need to move if we want to make it to another town quickly.”

Ash’s voice, the mysterious man from the bar. Serena almost forgot about him in her tired state of mind. Why would he want to travel with her? Most men avoided women who were by themselves. Then again, most men didn’t carry a so-called “rifle” on their backs either.

Another knock.

“Serena!”

She giggled.

“I’m coming, calm down; no need to get your undergarments in a bunch.”

She got herself up off the bed and grabbed the key that lay next to her. Opened the door and looked up to the man before her. The difference in height now becoming more apparent. He was at least five to six inches taller than she was. Now, with the morning light shining in from the window behind, could she really see his face. The silver-lavender hair made him almost look old, with his furrowed brows a hardened expression. Though his appearance, despite the gray, was young. His eyes, though, say old, like his hair.

“I’m ready Ash!” Serena smiled at him, her bubble-gum pink hair all about and in her face.

Ash nodded and started down the hallway.

“Keep up, I won’t slow down for even a lady.”

Serena just laughed at his comment.

“How weak and dainty do you think I am, Ash?”

He looked back at her as he set his key down on the front desk.

“You don’t look like you carry muscle on you, and that corset says weak lung capacity.”

Serena set down her key on the desk as well. The woman from the night before was no longer there. But replaced by a young man who took their keys.

“My corset is required to be worn, and I have my ways around the restriction. Plus, I am thin enough to get by without tying it quite as tight as one might.”

Ash scoffed at her words and made his way to the door they entered through the night before.

“My point still stands; I won’t slow down for you.”

Serena didn’t give a verbal response, only her smile. If he thought she couldn’t keep up, that’s fine, and she’d prove him wrong throughout their travels instead of arguing on it.

When they made their way back into the bar, the first thing Serena noticed was the drunken man from the night before. He was lying on the table face down and snoring loudly. The woman once draped around him was now behind the counter, counting silver coins in her hands. She worked the bar and served the drinks? Serena was quite surprised, though she still wished she’d dress more appropriately.

Ash quickly made his way through, weaving through tables and exiting the building. Serena pulled out her apple from the day before and snacked on it for morning breakfast. The sunlight hit their faces, bright, blinding, and beautiful. The travel ahead looking to have a perfect day, with an equally perfect star-

“YOU!”

Serena heard a woman yell, and she turned her head to see the lady from the cart yesterday. Pointing and yelling at Serena, pointing at the apple in her hands.

“You thief! Taking my goods, I don’t have many to go around you know! We are in harsh times enough! We don’t need outsiders stealin’!”

Ash looked at Serena and Serena dipped behind him for shield.

“You stole?”

He muttered back to her.

“I don’t have any coin, I told you this before!”

She said in a hushed yell.

The angry lady approaching closer now. She had faded blonde hair and a tattered red dress with a white and blue checkered apron overtop of it. She looked to live on a farm that must be close by. At least the dirt on her plain face told that story.

Ash held his hands up, trying to calm the enraged woman.

“Now, now, how much was the apple she took? I can repay you the coin for it.”

The woman shook her head with her hands on her hips.

“Round here we don’t do repayments! I want something of hers in return for what she’s taken from me!”

The woman reached around Ash, grabbing Serena by her pink hair, tight at the roots. The curls flew up in the air. Serena tried to struggle, but she was pulled back harshly and she yelped in pain. The woman staring now into her eyes, as Serena avoided the eye contact.

“What about this vibrant hair of yours? I’m sure you find this important.”

Before Serena could regain composure, the lady was pulling out a large knife from behind her. She was going to cut her hair!

Ash watched the scene and saw Serena’s hair get snagged by the grasp of that angry merchant. He reached for what was on his back, about to intervene. But something else caught his eye.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

A burning red light, bright and blinding from the back of Serena’s exposed neck. Ash focused his eyes in the moments of the merchant holding up the knife to Serena’s hair, and he made out just what was on her. A pentagram, a scarred burning pentagram that looked like it was branded or cut into her. It glowed and bled and looked disgusting and infected. But almost magical in a sense, like the blood spilling out of the wound was raw magical energy. He wanted to get more of a look but knew he had to act. He grabbed ahold of the wrist of the merchant woman, and Serena moved both her hands to the back of her neck. Holding onto it, shielding whatever that mark was from the world.

“Now, now... I don’t think that cutting her hair is going to bring back the money of the stolen apple.”

He pulled out a bag of coins from his pocket while removing the knife from her with the same hand, and placing the bag in hers.

“Take this instead.”

The lady about to complain about how money wouldn’t fix the problem would then notice just how heavy the bag was. She moved her hand up and down feeling the weight, then letting go of Serena’s hair.

“Fine, but she best know not to be stealin' in this town.”

She walked off, with a different tune and a skip in her step, Ash focusing his gaze back down on Serena. Who was removing her hands from her neck once her bubble-gum pink hair fell. She looked at him and gave an awkward smile.

“Uhm, thank you. I apologize for whatever financial loss that altercation has given you.”

Ash only shook his head and adjusted the rifle’s strap across him.

“Don’t worry about it.”

He looked like something was on his mind, Serena could see it within his furrowed brows and frown on his lips. She didn’t want to bother with asking though.

“Are we still going on the road?” She asked.

Ash almost forgot, he smiled and nodded then began walking in the direction to leave the dusty town behind them. Serena followed close behind. What went through her mind was what adventures ahead might come from meeting this mystery man from the bar. Maybe her bad luck being on the street could be left behind her. Ash was still thinking about that mark, and wondering if he’d made the wrong decision. Demons aren’t exactly good, and having a woman with a mark of a pentagram by his side can’t be any better than traveling with a demon.

“Where are we going, Ash?”

Serena’s voice spoke up over his thoughts. Curiosity is all that went through her. Where will they go? What will they encounter?

“No specific destination my lady, only hope we will find somewhere better than this dry wasteland.”

Serena and Ash walked for quite some time, and as Ash said he wouldn’t stop for Serena, but he never had to either. The faster he went she would keep the same pace. She never once asked to stop and he never even saw a drop of sweat on her. She stayed just behind him though, never walking side by side. The sun beat down on him and Ash himself was getting a bit tired, though Serena never once gave a look of exhaustion. All he could think about even now in his tired and hot state, was that mark.

Serena looked around and down at the path they were on, her boots stomping down on the faded pathway, and the trees that surrounded them were beautiful. She had little to wonder about and was occupied by their surroundings of nature. As the hours passed the sun began to set. The altercation they got into must have delayed them from reaching another town before sunset. Serena had thought, she looked to Ash, spending the trip without speaking. She stepped forward to walk by his side for the first time and broke the silence.

“Should we set up camp for the night?”

Ash looked up to the sky, seeing the sun ready to hit the horizon and allow the night darkness to wash over the land.

“Might have to, that mess with the merchant set us back a lot of time, you find a place to sit by the road, and I’ll go collect some wood for us to make a fire.”

Serena feared that she caused them to be late, but hopefully, she could make up for it later on. She sat upon a log by the road, waiting patiently for Ash to return with the firewood. She moved her hand to the back of her neck, running her fingers across the scar there. Moving her hand back in front of her face, blood covered her fingertips. She sighed wiping them off on the log, then her blue skirt. Looking around she saw another log a bit farther off. She got up and dusted off her dress, moving to the log and pulling it by hers. Ash would need a place to sit by the fire too, she thought.

Footsteps made their way back in her direction, she looked and saw Ash reappearing with many logs, she wondered how he got them so quickly. He set them down and started positioning them in the look of a tent, then he looked around on the ground, picking up two rocks. He began to try and make the fire. Hitting them together, expecting sparks. After Serena watched him attempt to make the fire for quite some time the sun began to set so she took the rocks from his hands…

“Let me.”

Ash looked annoyed and just gestured to the wood.

“Be my guest.” He said with a grunt.

She held the rocks out to the fire and struck them together. One, two, three, she closed her eyes and spark! The wood lit up in flame!

Serena sat back in her seat, looking content with herself.

“Seems it just needed a couple more times.”

Ash was silent though looking at the flames, he watched them rise and dance. He didn’t have the same excitement she did. The small spark made a fire quickly, almost too quickly. Not only that...

“That wasn’t the right type of rock, Serena.”

Serena looked at him.

“I’m sorry?”

Ash leaned closer to the fire, not looking to her.

“You need one with flint to start a fire, that was not one.”

He looked at her once he finished speaking, and her eyes said it all. Serena felt a fear wash over her body, her blue eyes widening.

“You're a witch, aren’t you? Or a demon.” He asked.

“Ash!” Serena laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous, I’m nothing but a humble peasant girl.”

Ash shook his head and laughed louder than her, but it was a laugh of annoyance.

“I saw your neck! Stop lying! You have the mark of a demon or devil! Something! I shoulda known when you introduced yourself, Light. That prestigious line of witches!”

He announced loudly standing up.

“Though I heard they died out eleven years ago. All but one I see.”

“Ash please..” Serena said standing up.

No wonder you dress like that, and you fake being poor too don’t you!?” He went on.

“Ash!” Serena raised her soft voice.

He began pacing.

“I can’t be traveling with a witch, when we get to the next town, I’ll make good on what I said and get you a room, but that's as much as I am doing! Because believe you me, I know what a good witch and a bad one is, and your family is the bad!”

Serena sighed. Staying silent for a while, she didn’t know how to respond to these fast accusations.

“You're right.”

“And another thing!” He yelled, pointing at her, then stopped. Dropping his hand back to his side.

“What’s that?”

Serena spoke up louder.

“I said, you are right! My family isn’t GREAT or GOOD! I hate them, and they ruined my whole life. Before you go pointing fingers you should ask some questions! Have manners!”

She sat back down in a huff, crossing her arms. Ash felt, a bit bad for what he’d said, but he was more so shocked at how she addressed her own family. He sat down on his log by the fire. A log he just now noticed had been placed there for him, she must have made him a seat by the fire. She truly seemed to be a nice woman, and he treated her quite rudely. He sighed.

“Did they do that to you then?” He asked, gesturing to the back of his neck.

A pause.

Then Serena nodded.

“Can you do any magic?” He asked again.

Another pause.

Then Serena shook her head.

“Nothing but sparks of flame.” She finally responded.

So the fire was all her, her magic. Ash fell silent for a long moment, it was hard to think of what to say to her after being so harsh. Serena felt hurt, and she was truly fearing losing her ticket off the streets. But she also thought him to be a possible good friend, maybe that was now all too good an idea.

“Forget what I said,” Ash spoke up first. “You can still travel with me, Serena.”

Serena smiled at him and nodded.

“You must be one of the good ones, on top of that you have too little magic to the point where you wouldn’t scare me. I’m sure I’ll learn more about you with time, and whatever that mark on your neck is….” He went silent again. “It’s ok, I understand you may not want to tell me.”

Serena nodded again, and he was right on that. She didn’t want to say a word about it… Closing her eyes, thinking about that scar on her neck, she could feel the pain from when she got it. The cold room around her, the wet stone she kneeled on. The screams of people chanting all around. She opened her eyes, she couldn’t go back to the past, not now. Ash’s voice spoke up against the waking nightmare.

“We should get some sleep, Serena. Before you know it we will be in a town again, sleeping on a nice bed. Yeah?”

Serena was happy with his words and she got up and lay on the ground behind the log she sat on.

“Goodnight, Ash. Hopefully, tomorrow’s adventures will bring something better.”

Ash chuckled and lay down on the ground. Holding his rifle across his chest.

“Agreed, goodnight… Serena Light.”