They called him Spitfire, but I called him by his name--Eli. He was able to manipulate
fire however he wished, and he was one of the youngest members Touch ever witnessed joining.
It was sad really, Touch and Azailee both had loved the boy like a younger brother. But he was
still growing into his abilities, at times they would became too much to control and he would
randomly ignite everything around him. On one special occasion, Eli did this in an orphanage.
Infants and children went up like they were covered in gasoline, and Azailee couldn't calm him
down. Unable to handle what he was doing, he begged Touch to end it for him, to kill him before
any more died.
So he complied. This is how they first learned they could take others abilities. But it came
with a price; killing Eli left Azailee and himself feeling damned. Like they were dirty and could
never become clean. That their soul was burning inside them and they couldn't stop it. So they
exploited this ability they had for taking other powers and engorged themselves.
A single tear fell from Touch's eyes to the licking flames squirming at his hands. He
would take no mercy on those against him and his family. The only person that ever deserved
mercy was Eli, and if he couldn't get it, no one else should.
"Touch!" Azailee ducked as an arrow whipped towards the side of his head. The time for
thinking was over. He spun around and watched as Azailee stood up from his abrupt change in
stance and ran towards the shooter. He jumped once he felt his attacker release another arrow.
Touch knew it was Collect attacking his brother. Otherwise, Azailee may have been hit with
those arrows. Everyone else in their group had no problem hiding what they were feeling in
moments of anticipation, everyone but Collect.
Touch looked to the trees, hoping that this girl they were after would make an appearance
soon. He turned around to the rustle of leaves, "Is it true Witch? That back in the day they
burned your sisters? Your mothers, aunts, grandmothers, covens?" He twinkled his fingers has he
watched realization run through her eyes. He was going to burn her to a crisp.
"H-how?" She stuttered, and backed up. She was not expecting this. She thought the only
thing she'd have to worry about was not making contact with him, to wait out until the curse
took its hold. This was not the case.
"Let's not worry about the how, or the why, or the what; let's worry about the now and
the soon," He walked towards her, hands outstretched, flames biting at the air. "Come here little
Witch, it'll all be over soon."
"Get away from me!" She was scared, he could see this by how fast she tried getting
away from him. Not fast enough, she tripped over a branch and fell down. The hunt had ended
before it had started.
"Is there an afterlife for Witch's? Oh yes there is isn't there?" Touch smiled as he walked
closer to her, he could see the fire burning on his hands through her eyes. "Is it true? That if a
Witch is burned to death, she has no chance of going there? To whatever safe haven you
disgusting wretches wish for?" He let the flames lunge for her. Her screams for air and help were
not answered. The flames now drowning her, roaming down her throat. "Guess you'll find out."
Jeremiah let the flames feed until she was nothing but a charred remain.
He looked up to see Azailee clutching Collect's decapitated head in his hand. Touch let
the flames dissipate as he gave Azailee a questioning look, Azailee replied with a shrug. The
only one left was the Watcher. "He probably watched this whole thing from afar," Azailee said as dropped the head he
was holding.
"You're probably right," Touch sighed, "We'll need to find him before he returns to the
King."
Both boys turned towards the sound of someone clearing their throat. It was the girl, and
she appeared to have the Watcher's body slung over her shoulders. The brothers looked towards
each other, a silent understanding coming over them. The Watcher was no more, they had
nothing to worry about.
"Not going to say hi to your sister, boys?" she said has she dropped the body.