Bloody oaths

"I really did mean it as a compliment. I think Sheep are cute."

Cuu seemed a few inches shorter, hunched as he was; the bashful look on his face appearing ridiculous, attached to a man as large as him. He was carrying the basket of medicines as punishment for his transgression. After all, he has to do anything Dorothy wants, for a month.

Within reason of course.

"Well, I suppose if you meant well... nope. Still mad." Her cheeks her puffed out; the angry look in her eye hidden by The Hood.

Besides lamenting his mistake, Cuu was busy thinking; mostly about what Dorothy had told him of the note she had found in her Index.

"The Warrior's Path..." He says under his breath.

His father had spoken extensively of it; a code of honor that Cuu had been living by his whole life. Dorothy seemed to calm down for a while as he explained it, but then he had to go and remind her of his "compliment." His thoughts turn to this code, just as the two finally reach Antiquity. It was, after all, the reason he was even staying here after his swift recovery. It was meant to be sung, but Cuu doubted his ragged tones would do the words many justice.

He'd stick to howling, for now.

"No debts to be paid, nor regrets have we made!"

"We walk the Warrior's Path!"

"No fear will we show, nor any words will we know!"

"We walk the Warrior's Path!"

"Cross us and cower; under our power!"

"You face a warrior's wrath!"

There was more, of course; but that was more of a story than a code. An exemplar of the Code, a Tale known as "The Mortal." The story itself was memorized down to the finest detail in Cuu's mind, as he spent his younger years begging his father to repeat it each night before bed. A story of strength, brotherhood, and heroism; it was important to Cuu. Mostly because retelling the story was one of the few times his father would actually smile.

He looks down to his arms, now much weaker than they had been before his near-**** experience. Before, he could have easily punched down the rubble of that tower; rather than rely on his powerful breath. Cuu and Dorothy had made it halfway back home when-

"Doctor Oswald?" Cuu asked, getting her attention. "Are there any places I could exercise freely?"

"What kind of exercise?" She asks, pulling The Hood down. "Running? Lifting things? Swimming?"

A shudder goes down The Wolf's spine. "Oh Author no, not swimming. I sink like a rock."

He still had a clear memory of the time he fell through a sheet of ice on a lake in Drasil. He had been playing a game with his friends. He had never learned how to swim, and after that day, he never would. The idea of getting in the water... he'd never admit it openly, but it terrified him.

"Running and lifting sound good, though." He says after a short, silent contemplation. "As well, I was wondering something. Is there a Bowyer and Fletcher in town?"

"A bow maker? Why?" Dorothy asks.

"To go hunting, of course." Cuu was surprised by his Doctor's confusion. "It would be a good way to spend time you aren't having me do your chores. There's good money to be made selling hides and antlers; plus, nothing beats meat from a fresh hunt."

"Yes, actually. It's just that... I thought, with your stature, you'd be more interested in a smithy, or something; since boys tend to like swords." She kicked at the dirt on the side of the road; clearly embarrassed by her own words.

Cuu tilts his head, chuckling.

"I'm not going hunting with a sword, Doctor Oswald. That would be silly."

...

Dorothy's face was on fire. Not literally, although, she couldn't truly tell the difference. Once her and Cuu were back at the house, she was organizing the different medicines away in the guest room; handing one off to Pearl's friend to help mend her broken rib. She noticed the label on one of the bottles, and quickly pocketed it; silently cursing her Gran for the first time in her entire life.

A contraceptive bottle; jokingly labeled "In case of unwanted puppies."

"Thanks for the-" Pearl's friend began saying, being cut off as the doctor rushed out of the room; slamming the door.

"Gran, I am going to have you buried under an outhouse at this rate! You presumptive... Witch!" Dorothy thought, running up to her room to store the medicine.

She locks the door behind herself, and quickly opens her drawers; hiding the contraceptive under a few pairs of white socks. She huffs, and puffs; sitting on her bed. She was so, utterly angry! Not just at Gran's little prank, but also with herself. Why did she ask such a stupid thing? Why else would Cuu want a Bowyer? Then, there was that sheep comment of his!

She was about to put her head in her hands, when a layer of cloth grabs her wrists and neck.

"What the-" Dorothy was seconds away from screaming at The Hood, but then she saw them.

The flickering emerald flames in emitting from her fingertips. It took a few moments for her mind to process what she was seeing. Just as the Index had said, The Hood had begun to awake her dormant Tale-Blood... and this was the result. At her excitement, the flames then suddenly flickered, then burnt away to nothing.

"W-wait!" Dorothy cried, as if the flames had just left for a trip to the grocer. "Where did it go? How did I do that?"

"Press the Eye, My Wearer." The Hood reveals her Index once more. "Then look into it, deeply."

Dorothy; confused and curious, takes the Index. She presses the emerald at the center of it's gemstone icon.

"Do. Not. Blink."

The light that had scanned over Cuu and Pearl now beamed directly into Dorothy's eyes; it was a blinding, somewhat painful experience. Were it not for her sudden curiosity at this newfound flame, she wouldn't have been able to bare the discomfort. But, curiosity was always the strongest part of her mind-

-well, besides her raging libido, but that's what her "stories" are for.

Once the light fades, it takes a few seconds for Dorothy to regain her full sight. Stars were dancing around her peripheral vision, and a pair of dots remained at the center of whatever she looked at. She worried if this Index was going to end up blinding her...

"Do not overuse this function, my Wearer, or your fears of blindness will become a reality." It said. "Every Tale you have seen is now logged. I would recommend The Wicked Witch's entry; as my Wearer, and bearer of their blood, a unique text will be present."

Dorothy rubs at her eyes, nodding along. "Today has been such an absurdity. Cuu's father is an ancient hero warrior, I'm using my Gran's power; what's next, pigs start flying?"

She flips over to the entry, blinking the stars out of her eyes.

The Wicked Witch.

Stories: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Allies: None.

Enemies: The Lost Girl. The Mindless. The Heartless. The Spineless. The Wise Wizard. The Good Witch.

Banes: Water.

Boons: Emerald Ignition. Enchantment of Objects. Enchantment of Beasts.

The Wicked Witch is the Great-Villain of the land of Ozon, or as it was know before the Triad War, Oz. This Tale is bound to the land by it's very nature, and can only be reborn within it's borders. They will likely stay within Ozon as well, as The Wicked Witch's Crossover-Point is a well known location; a possible source of power for this Tale.

The Emerald Ignition is fueled by wicked desires. Lustful longing, vengeful hatred, and other such negative emotional states cause the flames to shoot forth from the fingertips of The Wicked Witch. This power is their primary counter to their only Bane; Water. As The Wicked Witch is immune to the ravages of their own flame, encompassing their entire body in fire can prevents water from destroying them. Oddly, this immunity extends to their clothing. It should be noted, that self immolation is the closest to bathing this Tale can partake in, leaving them strangely odorless.

The Wicked Witch can enchant objects with this flame, most famously enabling flight with the use of a broom; as is often associated with the word witch. This enchanting power can also create a seal of what I've come to call "Solidified Flame." which will ignite under the commands of The Wicked Witch. This can enable secret messages, which will destroy themselves if found by the wrong reader; or be used in more creative manners. This solidified flame takes the form of an emerald gel, and is nearly invisible to the naked eye when spread thin. Water neutralizes it's effect, but can be trickly to apply in some situations.

This enchanting power can also influence beasts. It is believed that The Wicked Witch manages this by effecting the part of the mind which tells simple beasts to fear fire; creating loyal, and extremely dangerous minions. A normal man will be unable to cure the animals of this control, as it requires a great increase in the chill of the air; creating a conflict between the parts of the mind that recognize fire, and that recognize cold. Should you be such a man, then fight these beasts as if they were rabid, starved, and hornier than a hare in spring.

For my Wearer.

Fear not Water; for you bare no Banes. Embrace darker thoughts, and let our flame extinguish all that oppose us.

"Embrace darker thoughts?" Dorothy asks. "So... being angry, or..."

"Lecherous?" The Hood asks coyly, it's cloth wrapping gently around her hand. "Now, what of The Wise Wizard? Some ice to go with our fire?"

Just as Dorothy was about to turn the page once more, a knock is heard at her door.

"Doctor Oswald? Do you know where I could bathe?" Cuu asked weakly through the solid wood.

She sets the Index aside, and takes off The Hood; whispering. "You stay here..."

Dorothy opens the door, seeing a pair of amber eyes avoid her gaze; still embarrassed about his sheep comment. It was somewhat adorable, seeing this mountain of a man being so bashful. She could even swear that he was blushing a bit!

"We have an indoor bath in the basement." Dorothy explains, walking confidently by The Wolf. "Come on, follow your favorite Sheep."

Huh; she kind of liked the sound of that. Maybe Cuu was onto something...