The Song of the Titan

Chapter Nineteen

Everyone watched the owl witch, who was still standing by the cliffs where she stood. Luz walked over to her.

"Eda, are you alright?" Luz asked. Eda wiped her eyes and turned her, smiling.

"Yeah, come on. Let's head back," she said.

"Hey, Eda, can you still go into harpy Eda mode?" King asked. Eda hummed in surprise.

"You know what, I don't know," she smiled. "Only one way to find out." Eda closed her eyes concentrating and everyone watched waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, they gasped when they saw feathers beginning to appear on Eda as she began to transform. When she opened her eyes, they were still golden in color but white outside of the irises, instead of black. She was still able to transform due to the effects of the curse.

"I'm going to head back home," Amity said, and she flew off riding on Ghost. "I'll see you guys later."

Luz hopped on Owlbert, along with King. "Hey, Eda, I bet that we can beat you back to the owl house," she smirked. Eda laughed.

"Oh, you're on, kid," she smirked then she turned to Hunter and Azara. "You guys, in?"

"We're going to stay out a little longer," Azara told her. "We'll catch up later."

"Okay, but don't stay out too late," Eda told them. As she turned back to Luz, she saw that Luz had already gotten a head start. "Hey, wait up, cheater!" She waved to Hunter and Azara. "Byeee!" and sped off racing after Luz.

"Up for a little walk?" Azara asked, looking at Hunter.

"Sure," he shrugged. Lil' rascal chirped in response then flutter over landing on Azara's shoulder. She smiled and petted the red cardinal bird with her finger. Hunter and her walked into the forest as the moonlight illuminated the pathway. The two talked to each other as they did.

"I wonder if I will get my own palisman one day," Azara said as she pondered.

"Maybe, you will," Hunter told her. "But, it'll be hard to come by. Palisman wood is very rare, since they're being over-harvested."

"That's a shame," Azara frowned.

"Well, uncl-" Hunter sighed before stopping. "Belos, needs them in order to help with his curse." Why does he keep calling that man his uncle? After everything he's done, he used him, lied to him...Probably, because he is the only family that he's got.

Hunter stopped when he realized something. Tomorrow's the day, his birthday. It'll be his first birthday away from that castle. The only reason that he was alive now, was that his uncle need him for his own selfish needs. He turned his head back to Azara who was looking around entranced at the forest scenery taking it all in. Azara had made him feel things that he had never in his entire live felt before. It scared him but he also happier than he's ever been when he's by her side. Strangely enough, Hunter felt very protective of Azara. It was like he known her his entire life. He had never felt this way with anyone other than his uncle, but this was different. She was different. Azara noticed Hunter's reaction.

"Is there something wrong?" Azara asked, worried. Hunter broke out of his trance, looking at her. He shook his head.

"No, it's nothing," he replied. "Nothing important." Azara frowned, looking at him. He was lying to her. There was something bothering him, but what was it? But, she decided not to press him any further. For awhile as the two walked silently together.

"Are you ever going to try magic?" Azara asked him. Hunter looked at her confused.

"I have," he said. "Orion has helped me out many times with his palisman magic. It's a little difficult to control, instead of an artificial staff, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it." Azara shook her head.

"That's not what I meant," she said, softly. "I talking about using real magic, like Luz's glyphs." Hunter's eyes widen before they shifted away from hers. "I don't know."

"There's nothing holding you back. You're not with Belos anymore. He can't control you anymore. You are free to do with what you want, not him. What do you want, Hunter?" Azara told him. "What are you so afraid of?"

I'm afraid of losing you...is what Hunter wanted to say. But, he couldn't. If he did attempted magic and found out that he couldn't do it. What would she think of him? Worthless? Useless? All he was just a powerless witch...

"I j-just can't, not right now," Hunter told her. Azara sighed softly.

"You're impossible." she murmured.

She glanced over Hunter slightly, as he looked ahead, thinking. In her entire life, Hunter was the only boy that she had strong feeling for. Sure, back in the human realm, there were a few crushes that she had at school. But, they didn't last long. Hunter was different. He made Azara feel like that she could be herself. Why couldn't he see that he is so much more than what he thought he was? She wanted to tell him off at the top of her lungs how much that he meant to her. She mentally kicked herself not being able to tell him. She couldn't, it was too embarrassing. What if he didn't feel the same the way that she felt for him?

Suddenly, Azara yelled in surprise as her face was met with the ground when she tripped over something. She felt her foot connected into something hard. Lil' rascal chirped frantically as it flew off of her shoulder, just in time before she fell.

"Azara!" Hunter called out. He rushed over to her, helping her up. "Are you alright?"

Azara hissed, feeling the stinging pain in her foot. She pushed herself up, and sat up and rubbed it. "Yeah, just kicked a stupid log." Hunter looked over to see what made Azara trip. His eyes widen in shock. Lying on the pathway, dimly lit in the light of the moon, was a blue colored, weirdly shaped piece of wood. Palisman wood. Azara looked over to where he was looking at and her eyes widen in surprise as well. She slid closer over to it, picking it up.

"What is a palisman wood doing in the middle of the road?" Hunter pondered to himself. "It must have fallen off from one of Belos scout's carts."

Azara could barely contain her excitement as she beamed with happiness.

"Finders keepers!"