3 Chapter 2 - Stoxwood.

After their daring escape from Caspia, the princess and her guards wander the Stoxwood in the early morning. Preventing any miss habits from happening in the night time. Major remained at Camilla's side the entire night.

Relentlessly protecting her from the hazards of the forest, man eating ivy, giant bugs and living trees.

"When will we reach the capital Major? My feet are beginning to bleed" she whines as Major hums in reply.

His gaze tracking out into the clearing, a large body of water in the middle of the woods, a large rock laying stagnant in the water.

He smiles with relief.

"There, we can make camp by that pond for a little while...rest for the night" Major speaks to the whole group.

His soldiers hollering in relief as they all sit on some rocks by the waters edge, taking off their helmets.

"Ya know Major, this trip is gonna take awhile...you got a better plan?" His guard asks as he rubs at his sore feet. Major ignores him, helping Camilla sit on a smooth rock as he kneels at her side.

"Is there anything I can get you my lady?" He asks her politely as she shakes her head, her face looking exhausted under the stress of it all.

"No, just needed to sit for a moment is all" she reassures him as he stands, leaving her to talk to his men.

They all look at him with tired eyes, preparing for their lecturing.

"Men, this mission is important, we are escorting the only honorable heir to the Caspia throne...would you really want to live under the princes rule? Huh?" He sternly disciplines them as they nod in agreement.

"We know commander, you have our undying loyalty" the men reassure him.

After a few minutes of rest the soldiers spread the pond in search of any dangers, seeing if its worth setting up the princesses tent.

The night could set in quickly, especially in these woods.

Stoxwood was an unnerving place, a haunting forest full to the brim with different beasts and dead trees, swaying in the cold air.

A freezing temp that hurts the skin if you stand too long.

Most of the monsters hide in plain sight, making it hard to feel safe at any time.

As time passes, winds swept through the clearing and back the way they came, heading back to Caspia in a rush. Carrying dead leaves along its current as they arrive at Caspia's gates, raining ash fell on the city as bodies of fallen soldiers hang from the walls.

Their entrails splattered the surrounding gate, scarred and mangled bodies lead into the city streets, piles of ash lay next to the soldiers.

Caspia's defenses in shambles from the recent raid, the monsters retreated at dawn, meaning they were attacking all night.

Many were killed, many injured.

But up in his high castle he gazes down upon the carnage with a smile on his face, Nix twinkling along after him.

His ringing ceases once Camus turns on him, a finger pointed to the ceiling.

"Nix, i have a task for you...a rather simple one"

The fairy listens intently to his master.

"Make sure Sir Charles is aware of my plans, we need those bodies in the same place"

He gazes out the window with a happy smirk on his face.

"Camilla escaped with her lapdog last night...the timing couldn't be more perfect~" he chuckles to himself, walking away from the fluttering Nix.

His light turning a light blue in worry.

Thinking about the princess with concern.

.

.

.

Dusk was slowly falling as the sun almost immediately begins disappearing over the horizon.

Camilla's camp fully set up as she rests in her tent peacefully as the soldiers outside drink around the campfire.

A loud silence between them all as the noises of the forests continue to taunt them from the safety of the shadows as the men wait on edge.

Waiting for anything to jump out and attack.

Until one of the men speaks up.

"So commander...you and the princess..."

"I wouldn't go there son, the princess is a respectable woman...not some whore in a brothel"

"Still just a woman though innit?"

Major stares at the guy with a hardened gaze before letting it go, shaking his head and drinking from his satchel as his eyes pass over Camilla's tent. Her figure showing from the inside, brushing her long red hair in peace.

She could hear them, but decided not to speak...the sounds of the forest scaring her into silence.

Thinking of her family when it was whole, King Jerrod Elffire and his Queen Amelia.

Their perfect children, prince and princess Camus and Camilla Elffire, the promised heirs of Caspia.

At least that's what the public thought, behind closed doors the King beat his Queen maliciously...while the children were forced to be people they weren't.

A fake image painted to them for the rest of their lives, Camilla broke free of those chains...while her brother drowned in them.

Tears begin falling from her cheeks as she silently cried, the thought of her brother using dark magic to kill her. The feelings overbearing her, a sniffle coming from the tent as Majors gaze falls on her tent, getting up to check on her the moment he heard her.

Stopping just outside her tent as the other guards watch in amusement. Clearing his throat and nervously opening his mouth.

"Are you alright my lady?"

"Yes, just alone with my thoughts Major, ill be fine" she attempts to lie, but he sees through her.

Entering her tent with closed eyes, she startled easily and covers her self, in her undergarment's.

"Major!-" she whispers as he keeps his eyes closed.

"My apologies but I can tell when you are upset, is something wrong?"

She takes a moment before lowering her hands, then taking a deep breath.

"How could I not notice he was practicing such foul things...its just like father" she admits as Major sits inside with his back to her.

"Magic isn't my forte, but I do know its powerful...he's clearly known about it for sometime, which means he intentionally hid it from you Princess"

She looks at the back of his head with a sadness in her eyes, her breath hitching as she sits with her back to his. The armor was cold on her back.

But it wasn't any colder than outside.

"It doesn't change anything...he's going to destroy our home and for what!" She raises her voice slight in frustration.

Major chuckles at her whining as she scoffs offended by him.

"Why are you laughing Major?!"

"You're beginning to sound more like yourself my lady, i hate hearing you upset"

She hugs her knees as she blushes bright pink as a smirk curls her lips.

"You're sweet Major, thank you"

After that, Major leaves her alone as the soldiers wait by the fire, looking at him with one raised eyebrow. He dismisses them with his hand as they all chuckle in unison.

Time slowly passes by as the soldiers take turns on lookout, while the others try and sleep through the wilderness.

Major feels his eyes slowly closing, nearly dozing off into sleep as he snaps out of it.

Waking one of the soldiers as he lays down on his bed, the soldier sits at the rock...yawning loudly as he balances his head on the butt of his sword.

Looking out into the woods as the light snoring of the camp filled the air, the forest unusually quiet.

A twig snaps a few meters away, sending the soldier into a paranoia, looking around frantically with his sword drawn.

A shuddering breath escapes his lips as he approaches in the direction of the sound, not seeing anything in sight no matter how much he tried. The cold air was still and unmoving, an atmosphere so tense he couldn't move...knowing he was being watched.

Staring at the ground at a foot print in the mud, not armored boots, kneeling down to inspect it he lets his guard down.

Turning his back on the pond.

The water was a murky black at night, and the moonlight reflecting on it shown the rock in a different color.

Fluorescent colours shine bright as a massive pincer emerges from the water, clamping against the occupied soldier as his screams wake the others.

The men quickly arm themselves as they lay eyes on what emerged from the pond.

A gigantic hermit crab leaves the safety of it water, the stone in the water on top acting as its shell. Its shrieks get louder as the crab crushes the soldier in half.

His screams ceasing, the huge crab sets its eyes on the three soldiers leading it away from Camilla's tent.

She hides away under her covers, unable to look outside due to being paralyzed with fear. As it gets closer, it snaps at the soldiers as they dodge and await commands.

"What do we do commander?"

"Its legs! Aim for the legs!" He bellows as they charge it, attempting to cut into its legs, one soldier being snapped up in the process.

Shoving the guys head into its mouth, using its jaws to chop into his head, picking at his body and placing the parts in its mouth.

The other however, successfully chops off one of its legs, tipping it off balance.

Its whole body tipping over, using its claws to position itself properly, skewering the man with its sharp pointed legs.

Leaving just Major alone to take the beast down, standing his ground bravely as he whispers to himself.

"For the Princess, For Caspia!" Charging the crab with all his might, dodging its pincer and stabbing into its shell.

Pushing the sword into it as it knocks him back into the pond, his armor weighing him down deeper into the water.

He couldn't see a thing as the crab approaches Camilla's tent, Major starts unlatching his armor in a messy fashion.Slipping out of the metal and leaving it to fall to the bottom. Scraping at the edge of the pond to pull himself out,

But the beast had already made it to her tent, tearing it from the ground as she screams in terror...Major yells in anger trying to reach her.

But he wouldn't make it in time.

"CAMILLA!!!"

Suddenly out of nowhere, a ball of blue flame knocks the crab back from her, centering its attention on whoever attacked it.

Looking over towards a hooded figure, a mask covering their face.

Another one forming in their palm as they fire a volley of fireballs at the creature, making it cry out into the night sky.

Its shell charring from the hits.

It whines as it pathetically squirms to its feet, charging at the mysterious caster.

Their magic was powerful, a purple spell cradling in their hands as they smash it into the ground. The flaring spell racing through the ground until its near the crab, the caster rips their hand from the ground as multiple purple spikes shoot upwards.

Piercing the crab all over its body, its black blood dripping from its wounds as Camilla and Major watch in awe.

The crab dies, its home falling from its body and rolling back into the water. The crabs body twitching slightly.

Camilla refused to move as the cold air rolls over her skin, covering herself with her bed covers. Major cautiously approaches the stranger as they simply stare at the princess.

Lifting up their right arm as it shifts into a metal spike, pointing it at her. Major goes to attack but the caster held him back with a spell, holding him suspended in the air.

"A little far from your castle...aren't you, princess~" The figure speaks in a deep voice, a mans voice.

"Yes...can you please put him down!" She pleads with him as the caster puts Major down on the ground.

"So long as he doesn't bite, I've no intention of killing you" he says as he shifts his weapon back to a hand, the cloak covering his body was a filthy black shroud.

The mask unrecognizable, not from around here and it covered his entire face.

"Then what are your intentions wizard?!" Major yells getting up from the ground.

The caster turns to him, and laughs hysterically.

"I'm a witch mortal...and if you're interested in reaching the Capitol I can help you...so long as you help me"

"What kind of help?" Camilla asks as he scoffs.

"You'll see"

"How are you a witch? They never leave the caves of Candervale." Major argues as the figure sighs.

"I was exiled..."

Camilla and Major meet eyes as their paranoia gets the better of them.

"Why were you exiled?" She asks him as he looks to the ground.

He takes a moment before taking off his hood. Then his mask straight after.

Camilla gasps in shock when she sees his face, major turns to look away from him as the man smiles at them.

"I get that a lot" he says putting on his mask and hood, hiding his face once more.

Walking off away from camp.

"Id get ready to keep moving shortly, its better to move at night"

The Princess and Major share a glance of worry, before readying themselves with what they have left.

Leaving with the mysterious witch into the dark forest of Stoxwood, where the beasts run wild.

Hunting whatever they please.

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