THE RED SERAPH | OC X FUEGOLEON

♧ Chapter 1 : Scarlet Hunt

Chapter 1

✷

Camille jolted awake, her heart racing, as she emerged from the clutches of her recurring nightmare.
Beads of perspiration clung to her forehead as she sat up, gasping for breath.

The memories of that fateful day, when her mother fell victim to the treachery of the nobles, haunted her every slumber. It was a pain etched deep within her soul, a wound that refused to heal.

With a heavy sigh, Camille swung her legs over the edge of her small bed, glancing around the humble abode she called home.
Nestled within the heart of the forest, her dwelling provided solace and solitude, shielding her from prying eyes.

It was here that she found respite, away from the watchful gaze of the world. Realizing that she had overslept, Camille's stoic expression tightened with determination.

Today was not a day for self-pity or dwelling on the past. Duty called, and she could not afford to falter. Pushing herself off the bed, she swiftly adorned her cloak, a garment that concealed her identity, and fastened the mask that hid her scarred visage.

Leaving her sanctuary behind, Camille stepped into the embrace of the forest.

The dense canopy overhead filtered the sunlight, casting a mosaic of dappled shadows upon her path. As she made her way deeper into the woods, she navigated with a familiarity born from years of traversing this terrain.

It didn't take long for her keen senses to detect a familiar presence. Her eyes narrowed, the cold yellow orbs scanning the surroundings, until they settled upon a group of magical boars. A smug smile crept across her lips, knowing that these creatures would provide the means to sustain herself and fulfill her obligations.

With a single word,

"Sleep..."

Camille activated her Absolute Command Magic. The air crackled with energy as her power surged forth, bending the very fabric of nature to her will.

The boars, once ferocious and untamed, were now at her mercy. Their movements became sluggish, their minds entranced by an invisible force.

In a swift display of prowess, she dispatched them effortlessly, her movements precise and economical. Tying a net around the slain boars, Camille slung the burden over her shoulder and made her way out of the forest, heading towards Kikka, a bustling castle town nestled near the Noble Realm.

The paved roads and grand stone-based houses hinted at the prosperity that dwelled within its borders. As she approached the marketplace, murmurs of admiration and awe rippled through the crowd.

"Did you see her? The girl with the crimson hair? They say she single-handedly took down a pack of magical boars!"

Murmur...

"They call her 'Blood.' I heard she's got some extraordinary magic. Must be a force to be reckoned with."

Murmur...

Camille's gaze remained fixed ahead, her icy demeanor unfazed by the whispers that followed in her wake.

She had grown accustomed to the attention, the stares, and the rumors that circulated about her. She had no time for idle gossip; her purpose was singular and unwavering.

The wind tugged at her long, wavy red hair, an emblem of her fiery spirit. Its crimson strands danced in defiance of the cool breeze, an outward manifestation of the inferno that burned within her soul.