“Again.” I shout finally able to finish my sentence.

I hear gasps from all around me, I look around to see that we are outside the gates to the capital. The faces of people, merchants and families glance at me before noticing Aodh at my side and quickly looking away and hurrying off into or away from the capital.

“I swear by the great fire, if you ever do that again Aodh…” I trail off leaving the threat hanging.

‘I’m not waiting outside this time.’ He tells me ignoring my annoyance, ‘I’m coming with you.’

His tone of voice says that he is intent and there is no point arguing with him and even if I did he would still enter the city. I don’t mind though, I had actually planned on bringing him into the city in the first place, these cities can be especially dangerous even to someone like me, especially to someone like me. The Fire Brand clan had fallen out of favour with the nobility and the bigotry and hatred caused from the falling out had trickled down and now most people despise the clan and for anyone foolish enough or stronger enough to kill a member of the Fire Brand clan could expect a hefty reward if proof could be provided, very few were stupid enough to attack one of the Fire Brand clan though.

“I was going to get you to come along anyway.” I tell him lightly, Aodh simply grunts in reply.

We walk into the city, Aodh back in his true Hellhound form walks at my side as I move through the cramped and disgusting streets of the cities slums being pulled forward by the summoning magic. We receive so many looks of hate and disgust as we walk through the filth infested streets that I start to think that we might be attacked but nothing happens.

We reach a small area where there are no houses but a patch of wilted grass and a few sickly looking trees and flowers, a pale imitation of the lush and verdant forest just outside the city walls. The people of this rancid city seem to find solace and beauty in this dying and miserable place though so who am I to judge.

I’m being drawn to the far side of the little open area but I see something I need to do first. I don’t like most average adults but children are a different thing altogether, they are innocent and if someone like me can help a child then they might be able to break the cycle of bigotry and hatred.

The young boy had been getting taunted by a group of other boys they had been calling him weird and freak and had been pushing him around until he final broke down and cried.

“They only call people like us freaks because they are scared of our uniqueness, our potential to be better than they are. They know that we can and will do great things while they toil in the dirt and accomplish nothing.” I tell the boy as I crouch down next to him, “do not let them break you down and never let them make you like them. Achieve the greatness you are destined to and hold your head up high while you do it.”

I try help the boy to his feet but he looks up at me with big tear filled eyes and then he spots the scar covering the brand that marks me as one of the Fire Brand clan, his eyes then see Aodh standing just behind me. The boy trembles as his eyes dart between myself and Aodh, I start to tell him that it’s ok and he doesn’t have to be scared of me but before I can even speak he scrambles backwards until he can get to his feet and then he runs.

I sigh in annoyance and pity, the hatred towards my kind is too deep for one nice speech and act to wipe away so I stand and start to follow the draw of the summoning magic once more.

I walk across the open space and follow the pull of the magic until I see her, her hair looks just like the flames of a blazing pyre like one touch could burn you to ashes, it is magnificent. I follow her for a moment, she is whistling tunelessly without a care in the world, she seems happy and I feel guilty because what I’m about to do is going to destroy her life.

“Excuse me miss.” I say approaching her quickly from behind.

The girl turns around, she had sounded happy but she looks a little bit sad. I flinch in surprise when I see her face, it may have been over a decade but I know this girl. Her face lights up when she sees me like she can’t believe I’m really here which just makes me feel even more guilty.

“Uncle Larcon.” The girl squeals throwing herself at me, wrapping her arms around me and sending what feels like shocks through my body.

It feels wrong for me to think what I’m thinking but I can’t help it, it feels like her body fits against mine perfectly like we are two pieces of a puzzle that were made for each other, maybe we were made for each other based on the words of the prophecy it could actual be so. Without thinking I wrap my arms around her and pull her close, I feel the sudden and intense urge to tilt her face up to mine and kiss her, to lose myself in her lips and her hair, her eyes and the curves of her body but I can’t because of the prophecy and the connection I already have to her.

“Hey Seraphine.” I say softly pulling back a little from the hug to look her in the face.

Her eyes are the most stunning shade of green, brighter than any emerald I have ever seen they seem to sparkle like the suns light on water. She looks pale, not a sickly pale like so many people in this city but naturally pale, unlike the other citizens of this city, of this land, Seraphine is truely beautiful.

“How’s your father?” I ask her. I’ve known her dad since before she was born, we met once when I was working for one of the nobility in the city and had quickly become friends.

“He’s good. Will you be visiting him? He would be so happy.” She says excitedly.

“I… I don’t know.” I say sadly with a sigh.

I had been shocked when I saw that the girl from the prophecy, the girl that I was being magically drawn to was the daughter of one of the only people I could call a friend, I have to tell her why I am actually here though, she needs to know about the prophecy and everything it means and brings with it.

“Are you still living at home?” I ask her, she nods her head looking at me a little concerned as she must sense the change in my demeanour.

“We need to go there now then, there’s some things we all need to talk about.” I tell her.

“Ok follow me.” She says obviously worried by my words.

I follow Seraphine as she leads me through the cramped and stinking streets of the city towards her families home. She stops outside a house and looks around at me for a moment before opening the door.

“Dad, are you home?” She calls out as she steps inside with me following close behind her.

“I thought you were going to be out till later.” Her father says as he walks into the room with a smile on his face, his smile falters for a moment when he sees me standing behind Seraphine.

“Larcon it’s been a while.” He says taking my hand and shaking it but looking nervous.

“It has been too long friend.” I say giving him a weak smile.

“Aodh it’s good to see you as well.” He says looking down at the Hellhound who had followed me inside the house.

“I wish it was under better circumstances Phillon.” Aodh says tipping Seraphines father Phillon off to the fact something is wrong more than my shaky smile could.

“What is wrong?” Phillon asks looking from Aodh to Seraphine and finally to me.

“The girl with fiery hair and the outcast who does not age.” I paraphrase the prophecy.

“No.” Phillon growls angrily, “not her, not my daughter.” He snaps looking at me like he is ready to attack me.

“I’m sorry old friend, I don’t make the rules and I was drawn to her.” I tell him sadly.

“I don’t care, it can be any other girl but not my daughter.” His voice rises throughout his sentence until he is practically shouting at me.

“What’s going on dad?” Seraphine asks looking between her dad and me.

Phillon leads us all through to a small room with some chairs and has us all sit down as he explains everything about the prophecy and myself to Seraphine.