Killing Your Own

Chapter 1

Daria ran down the cobblestone street. Behind her was Finn, Liza and Warren, her closest and only friends. Earlier that day they boarded the yellow school bus knowing they would not be enjoying the trip like the rest of their classmates. They would not get to experience the annual trip to the fair, they would experience fear and pressure, lots of pressure.

The walls surrounding the narrow road rattled as the giant approached. "I did not sign up for this!" Liza screeched.

"Actually, you did" Finn wheezed back at her.

"Now is not the time for this!" Warren yelled.

Daria stopped cold in her tracks, they'd reached a dead end. Finn almost ran straight into her.

"When I woke up this morning I didn't think I was going to be killed by a 35 foot giant", Finn huffed.

"Oh shut up Finn we aren't going to die!" Liza swatted his back a tad too hard for it to be playful.

"There's got to be something we can do. We aren't the best young hunters in this realm for no reason" Warren sighed.

"The book! Maybe there's something in the book!" Liza's voice was full of excitement.

"Liza, I hate to break it to you but there won't be anything about killing giants in that book!" Finn sneered.

"There won't be anything about killing giants in that book," Liza mocked Finn while making awkward hand gestures.

"Can't you two get along for five minutes! Daria can you check the book, please?" Warren was always calm and collected.

Daria fumbled around in her bag for the ancient book she always carried around. After violently flipping through page after page she finally found something of use.

"What now?" Liza asked nobody in particular.

"We wait." Just as Daria said it the Giant had turned the corner and was now charging towards the kids. "By the power invest in me, Giant of Florence,"

"What are you doing! You're a huntress not a witch!" Finn shouted.

"I banish you to spend eternity in the netherworld!" Daria flicked her hand towards the Giant and with a bloodcurdling screech the Giant was gone. Daria slung her backpack on her shoulder and started off back to the fair.

"Ah Children there you are, I suspect you got rid of the little giant problem?" Lionus, their mentor asked.

"I wouldn't say it was a little problem considering it was The Giant of Florence, and giants aren't that little. But otherwise yeah, it's done." Finn spoke for everyone in the way he usually does.

"Great! Can I ask how you did it?" Finn started to speak of what happened when Warren cut him off, "Swords...Sir. We used our swords as always." Daria felt a wave of relief as big as a tidal wave. She gave Warren a silent thank you and he nodded back to her.

"Very well, we'll be boarding the bus soon so I suggest heading towards the parking lot. Once they were out of earshot Finn spoke up,

"Why'd you cut me off like that Warren!" Finn obviously was angry.

"We know how Lionus feels about witches Finn", Warren explained.

"Who said I'm a witch! I'm Daria Plyer, Demon Chaser, Class 4."

"Daria, spells and curses dot work unless you have witch blood in you." It was clear Warren was trying not to cross Daria.

"Warren! I am no witch!" Nobody said anything because they all knew what Warren was saying was the truth.

Back in Liza and Daria's school dorm, Liza was in the shower trying to scrub the days issues from her system. Meanwhile Daria stood with her book in one hand and a blazing sphere of blue flame in the other.