No!

Not him! Not him!

I sprinted across the blood soaked ground. Trying desperately to reach the captured in time.

Small cages hung from the trees, filled with two or more people each, who raised their heads and stared at me. There was too little space for them to move, they were practically breathing down each other's necks.

But they weren't the ones I was most concerned about in the moment.

I sprinted towards my older brother, who was hanging by his wrists over a large pot, with boiling water inside.

Of course those savages would eat them. There was no heart in their chests, only their loyalty to the Emperor.

The Ocstivalts hadn't noticed me, wi the all the eyes all over their body, it was a kind of irony. Yet every eye was fixated on my brother, their small, perfectly round mouths filled with sharp teeth were drooling with hunger.

My brother was slowly lowered into the pot. I let out of shriek of rage and opened my arms, like I was going to hug someone. But then I let my magic off the internal harness I kept it on, and it flowed through me, filling me with warmth and confidence. I pointed it into the direction of the the pot and a burst of light flew to it, too eager to help. My magic tried, yet it didn't knock over the giant copper pot like I wanted it to.

Now the Ocstivalts knew that I was here and they turned to me, while my brother was still being lowered in. He looked up and at me, unable to see my real face through the dark purple mask - with blue eyes underneath the cut holes for mine - that I wore. The Ocstivalts recognized the mask too, and they roared at me and charged. I leapt out of the way and pulled myself into the air, out of their reach. With my magic pushing against my skin, keeping me afloat, I flew towards my brother, grabbed him, and pulled him up with me as far as his chains would allow. I grabbed the chains and froze them, with a jerk, they snapped off of his wrists.

I flew him down and gently set him down on a tree branch, glanceing him over for injuries. He had bruises on his face and body, but nothing life threatning. He looked terrified, his dark eyes looking at me in fear and surprise.

But I had other people to save.

It was all I could to pull myself away from him and turn towards the hoard of Ocstivalts, growling at me in fury. They knew who I pretended to be. Not who I was. The only side of me they knew was known as, "The Shadow Witch." Infamously known for fighting for the revolution against the power hungry Emperor and one of the most wanted crinimals. I had I high price above my head.

And I won't let anyone take it.

I let my magic loose again, but instead of pointing it in a certain direction, I gave my magic all my burning hatred towards the Emperor, all the fierce protectiveness over my country an my brother.

My magic returned the hatred and set off into the Ocstivalts hearts inthe form of fire. In three seconds, all of their bodies crumpled to the ground, a massive hole burned in their chest. The magic that still had energy flew into the cages hanging in the trees, breaking the locks.

Then all was silent as the magic dies off.

My brother was staring at me in shock. Shock that I didn’t understand. He has seen me before, as the Shadow Witch I mean.

My hand went up to touch my mask and instead it touched my cheek.

My mask had burned off. They knew who I was.

I turned back to Johnny, who was staring at me with a look of betrayal.

How would he react?