Azara sighed as she walked still confused about Luz's reaction. Why did Luz act that way? What did she do wrong? She just did the spells like Luz showed how to do and they worked! The harder Azara thought, nothing came to her, only making even more confused. As she walked further down the forest pathway, Azara saw someone up ahead. Azara quietly approached closer to see who it was and her eyes widen to see Hunter, who had his back turned away from her, and his little red cardinal bird. The two hadn't noticed her yet.
Azara smirked as an idea came to her mind. Quiet, she drew the water and ice spells, combining them together, making a snow ball. She picked it up, holding it in her hand and stalked closer to Hunter until she right behind him.
"HEY HUNTERRRR!" Azara screamed out loud, scaring the golden guard. Hunter's eyes widen in shock. He knew that voice! Before he could do anything, Azara pelted him right in the back of his head, knocking Hunter down to the ground. Azara laughed, while Hunter glared up at her as he sat up.
"What is wrong with you?!" he shouted angrily. Lil' Rascal chirped happily and flew over to Azara landing on her shoulder. She smiled and petted him.
"Nothing, what's wrong with you?" Azara shrugged. "I thought that your "Uncle" didn't like you leaving the castle?" she finished as she quoted with her fingers. Hunter's eyes widen in surprise.
"How did you know that emperor Belos was my uncle?" he frowned. Azara smiled sheepishly.
"I may have listened in on both of your conversation before I left," she told him. Hunter's eyes widened even more, now looking more worried.
"Listen, if you know what's good for you, you would forget about what you heard between me and my uncle," he told her. "This doesn't concern you!"
"Ow!" Azara hissed in pain, as she rubbed her hand. "Something stung me!" Hunter's eyes widen as he felt a sharp sting as well on his cheek. Then several drops of water fell from the sky, hitting the two of them.
"Boiling rain storm," Hunter whispered low under his breath. Azara turned to him confused. Before she could ask him, Hunter took off, leaving Azara behind. She chased after him as more drops began to fall.
"Wait! Where are you going?" she yelled. "What's a boiling rain storm?!"
"You're smart figure it out!" Hunter shouted as he ran, looking for cover. The two finally managed to take refuge in an abandoned cave, just in time as the rain began to pour down. Azara saw the steam rising off from the ground as the droplets splattered on it. She noticed the tree leaves beginning to erode, little by little until they dissolved. Azara gulped nervously, realizing what was going on. This rain was boiling hot and melts everything that it touches in it's path.
"Looks, like we're stuck here until the storm passes," Hunter groaned and sat down, watching the rain as it fell. Lil' Rascal flew off from Azara's shoulder and landed on top of Hunter's head, and slowly began to fall asleep. Suddenly, Azara started to whistle until she began to sing, making Hunter jump, startled.
"I don't care what the weatherman says,
when the weatherman says is raining.
You'll never hear me complaining,
I'm certain the sun will shine!
I don't care how the weather vane points,
when the weather points to gloomy.
It's gotta be sunny to me,
when your eyes look into mine!
Azara smiled and leaned in a little to close to Hunter, to his discomfort. Azara and him were practically face to face with each other. He tried to back away from her, only to end up hitting the wall behind him.
Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those peepers?
Jeepers Creepers, where'd ya get those eyes?"
"Will you cut that out!?" Hunter shouted, pushing Azara away from him. She fell back landing on her butt.
"What?" Azara shrugged. "I'm bored."
"Well, can you do something else?" Hunter told her. Azara opened her mouth. "Besides, singing." She closed her mouth, crossing her arms, pouting. Then an idea came to her and she turned back to Hunter.
"We could get to know each other a little better," Azara smiled.
"Pass," Hunter deadpanned.
"I'll start," Azara replied, ignoring him. "I'm from the Human world. I have a mom and a brother. I live in a town called Gravesfield. I like to sing, as you can tell, draw, and read, depending on my mood. I'm a lefty and can only use my left hand for certain things. I'm also double jointed on my right pointer finger and able to bend it far enough to make it look like it's broken! Wanna see?" she asked him as she held up her finger getting ready to bend it.
Hunter cringed and shook his head. "I'd rather not," he told her. Azara sighed and put her hand down, disappointed. She really wanted to show him too...
"What about your father?" Hunter asked. "Back at the castle, I heard you talk about your mother and brother. But, I haven't heard you talk about him. Don't you have one?" Azara eyes widened in surprise then Hunter saw them drop sadly.
"I did at a time. But, shortly after John was born, he passed away." She told him. "Now, it's just my mom and my brother and me. With him gone, I have to take responsibility looking after my brother and mom."
"I'm sorry," Hunter replied, unsure of what to say. "I didn't mean to ask that." He tensed up, getting ready for whatever she was going to do to him.
"It's fine, really!" Azara told him. "It's okay to be curious." She smiled, making Hunter confused. She wasn't going to yell at him? Strike or hit him as a warning that he went too far? Azara turned her attention back to the rain, watching it as it fell. Listening to the pitter patter and splashes as it hit the ground.
"Did you know that rain doesn't boil on Earth?" she told him. Hunter's eyes widen a little, curious. There's rain that does boil? Impossible...
"Is that true?" he asked in disbelief. Azara smiled and nodded.
"Yes, maybe when I find a way to get back, I can show it to you, to see it sometime?"
"I'll hold you to it," Hunter smiled. Azara's eyes widen in surprise, seeing it. She felt her heart flutter happy to see it.
"What else is there?"
"There's no magic," she told him.
"How can you live like that, a life with magic?" Hunter asked. "It sounds boring."
"Maybe, the human world doesn't have magic is because it's just fine the way it is. It doesn't need magic to be special." Azara told him. Then she thought for a minute when she realized something.
"Come to think of it, I've never actually seen you do magic, only with that staff of yours," Azara asked. Hunter glared at her, not saying anything. Azara's eyes widened in surprise. So, Hunter is a powerless witch!
It just have been hard for him. She recalled what the guard had said to Eda, how no coven would want a powerless witch in any coven. Being in a realm of magic, he might have been made fun of and picked on because he couldn't do magic. That's so lonely.
"Listen I don't want your pity. You're right, I am a powerless witch. But, I'm not useless!" Hunter hissed. Azara's widen in surprise.
"I never said that you were," she replied softly. Hunter stared at her with a surprised look, before his cheeks turned a little red. Lil rascal chirped as he began to wake up. Hunter brushed the bird off with his hand, making Lil' Rascal get off.
"And for your information, it's not mine!" he told her. Li'l Rascal began to peck at Hunter's boot and he tried to push it away. "It just won't leave me alone!"
"Is that a bad thing?" Azara asked.
"It's made from wild magic, so it's very dangerous," he said. Li'l Rascal chirped again, looking at Hunter with a happy look in it's eyes.
"Doesn't seem like it to me," Azara replied.
"Well, "I" don't care!" he shouted. Azara chuckled noticing Hunter's voice crack a little.
"How did you end up with a person like Belos?" she asked. Hunter stopped and looked at her and sighed, then started to play with his thumbs as he told her.
"All I can remember from what Belos told me, is that he found me when I was a baby. I don't really remember my parents. He told me that they were killed by wild witches. Him, being the only relative that I have, he took me in and raised me. He knew that I couldn't do magic like other witches can. He told me that our family came from a long line of powerless witches. So, he made me an artificial staff with magic, and gave it to me. He made me feel like I was special, like I was someone. He told me that the Titan had big plans."
"Where did you get that scar?" Azara asked pointing to Hunter's cheek. Hunter's eyes widened and rubbed the scar on his right cheek with his hand.
"I raised my voice against Emperor Belos," "He told me that it was what I deserved." Azara's eyes widen in shock as she looked at him in horror.
"Hunter, that is not love!" She shouted in anger. "He's physically and mentally abusing you!"
"No, he's not! It's my fault if I do something wrong!" he shouted. "I just have to get better! To prove to him that I can become better! And what do you know about love, huh?!" Hunter argued as he shouted back at her. His eyes widened, surprised that he had raised his voice. Azara laughed.
"Well, I've never been in love, so I wouldn't know," she told him. Hunter's eyes widened in surprise and stared at her confused. Azara blushed realizing what she had said, correcting herself. "BUT, if I had to guess, judging through my experience with my parents, it means caring for someone, that you would do anything for them, protect them, let them be themselves and who they are." she finished. Hunter sat quietly, thinking about what she had said. Then the rain began to let up until it stopped pouring. Hunter and Azara got up and walked out of the cave.
"Well, looks like it stopped," Azara said.
"Look's like it," Hunter replied.
"I guess it's time to head back home," Azara said as she began to leave. "It was nice seeing you again."
"Congratulations," she heard Hunter say something and turned around.
"What was that?" Azara asked, confused. She saw Hunter's cheeks turn a little red then his ears as well.
"I mean, the race," he said to her. "Congratulations, on winning it." Azara's eyes widen in surprise before blushed as well.
"Thank you!" she shouted and waved good bye to him, walking away. Hunter was still standing where he was as he watched Azara leave. Then a small chirp caught his attention. He jumped in shock to see Lil' Rascal right there on his shoulder, staring right at him.
"What is it with you?!" he shouted.
As Azara, headed back to the owl house, she stopped when she heard a noise. It sounded like a kid screaming then footsteps began to get closer as they were heading in her direction. Suddenly, something slammed right into her side, hard, knocking her down. Azara groaned and sat up, rubbing her stomach.
"Ouch," she muttered. "That's going to leave a mark." Azara heard a gasp and she looked up to see, John? Her eyes widened in shock and she stared at him in disbelief.
"John? What? HOW are you here, right now?!" she shouted, also happy to see him. John ran to her hugging her tightly.
"Azara!" he exclaimed. "I found you!" and pulled away from her. "Where were you? And where are we? Mom, asked me to go find you and you just disappeared on us!"
"John, I'll explain everything later. But, this is important, did you happen to find a key in the garage near the locked door?" Azara asked, hopefully.
"Yeah, I unlocked the door and somehow it started pulling me in and I wound up here!" he told her.
"Do you have it with you, now?" she asked. John shook his head. "No, when I woke up it was gone, as well as the door." Azara sighed, looking down at the ground. Great, now they're both stuck here.
"Azara, what's going to happen to us?" John asked, scared. Azara looked back at him and was about to answer when a voice shouted, interrupting her.
"Find that brat now!" a familiar shrill voice shouted, sounding very angrily. Azara's eyes widen as it sounded familiar to her. It was the same voice that chased her when she landed in this place, by someone called Kikimora. Azara stood up and grabbed John by his hand, making him get up.
"We need to run," she told him. "NOW!"
Suddenly, thundering footsteps came bounding as it headed towards the two. Azara stared in surprise as she saw two guards, as well as two weird, tall looking purple creatures, abominations, and riding on one was a small imp like looking creature. She had dark red skin, with a giant hand on the top of her head, covering her right eye, she was wearing a white dress with the emperor's coven seal on it. She looked a little unhinged and completely deranged and out of sorts. Actually, she was just crazy person. Kikimora glared at Azara and John, mainly focusing on him.
"You little runt!" she shrieked. "I'm going to blast you to bits for what you did to me!"
The two abomatons raised their arms, aiming at Azara and John, ready to fire.
"John, what did you do?" Azara hissed, angrily.
"I may have, landed on her, when I fell," he muttered, sheepishly. "Trying to look for you."
Then the two abomatons fired releasing energy blasts. Azara ran, pulling John behind her, while trying to dodge the blasts as well.
"John, I swear I'm starting to get grey hairs because of you and I'm only sixteen!" she shouted.