A Crown of Bones

Asteria has been living in shadows until that one fateful day that will inevitably change her life forever.

A flash of lightning illuminates through the dark sky. A clap of thunder reverberates through her body, the harsh wind billowing her hair, and heavy raindrops obscuring her vision. The surface of accumulated water ripples as each drop reaches the surface of the earth.

This can't be happening. 

How did the king found her?

Had he found the others as well?

Never did she remember sprinting for miles in her entire life. The adrenaline in her body works on its way through her senses. She looks back. Her feet unable to stop. Desperate for her prayer to be answered, she almost rejoiced as the silhouette of the man pursuing her disappeared.

A feint.

Witches like her knew better that the devil is not an easy one to be outrun. Devils know how to lure their prey. She can't lose her guard. No, she won't let herself, not until she could finally make sure to get through this until dawn. If it weren't for her knowledge of the landscape of the woods, her blood would have pooled underneath the king's shoes by now, watching her insignificant body slowly being leached out of color and life.

With every step of her foot, the fatigue made her body significantly heavier that she had to drag herself up with sheer willpower. However, she already reached her limit. She could not hold herself up for any longer. Asteria came to a halt when she found a huge oak tree. The place where she used to spend most her time with. Asteria hides herself with it.

Funny how serene her life is spending her mornings and afternoons in the very same tree. And now at the same spot, she is hiding and cowering with fear, seeking for a temporary solace from her nightmare. She catches her breath, calming the erratic beat of her heart. This time, she gives herself to think numerous thoughts that have been trying to resurface in her mind relentlessly.

Unlike other witches, she was born without powers, only with a peculiar blood she innately had. If she had been blessed to have one other than her quirk, she would have used it well against the king. However, she wasn't born and trained to fight, but only to hide as what fate demanded.