Carnation (Car-nay-shun)
Carnations are a flower often grown in gardens for a bright, colorful centrepiece. They can symbolize tenderness, romantic or motherly love, or regret.

From the window of her quaint cottage, Carnation saw a perfect view of the sunrise -on the few days she woke up in time.
Today she had woken up with peace in her mind, well rested and excited, so she had watched the sun paint the sky and earth shades of orange, pink, purple.
Carnation didn't turn away from the window, but crossed the room to grab the swords she had welded the day before, today, she'd deliver them, in person, to soldiers in the capitol city. This would be the highest quality order of hers since she moved to her little cabin in the forest six years ago.

Now, she was 25, and part of her felt younger in spirit, though another part, older in wisdom. Maybe it wasn't 'young' to enjoy the blessed sunset when she could.
But it ended quickly, and the sky was blue again, perfectly clear.

Carnation sheathed two swords across her back, and two in her belt. This could make it hard to move, but Carnation was a master of odd-jobs, she'd do a favour and get a ride, like weeding a garden, or polishing rusted armour.

So as she walked out of her beautiful little cabin, well kept and brightly coloured, there was no doubt in her mind she'd return to it that night, even if that subconscious assumption was comically incorrect.

The forest was not a place of fear this early in the morning as it was at night. Birds chirped and animals rustled about in the tall grass, the sun warmed Carnation's face...she just hoped it wouldn't be hot enough to exhaust her during the long haul. It was almost as though nature was unaware of the war that waged.

Fotia, Fyta, Aeras, and Nero.
Fire, Earth, Air, and Water.
The four countries that made up the Mainlands, and for over one hundred years, they had been in a civil war.
Every country had allied with every other country over the years, but it ended with betrayal after betrayal.
Carnation didn't have the 'scoop' on who Fyta wanted to ally with now, and frankly, she didn't want to know.

She glanced down at her hands, her cloak covered her arms, but at the tip of her wrists Carnation saw the ends of her markings, unlike most, both her arms had them, like ink on her skin, one arm's markings resembled vines, with a flower over her shoulder, and the other arm resembled flames and ash tearing upwards. That was one marking she wasn't supposed to have in Fyta, that was one marking of a 'violent' 'malicious' 'evil' fire elf.
Carnation tried to push the thought from her mind.

Straight East would lead to the capitol in a days time, and Carnation didn't plan on stopping until she arrived there. She had enough coin to rent out a room at an inn, but not much left over after that, regardless, she'd trade the swords for a hearty bag of gold that would last months. Perhaps even months of travel.
The thought made Carnation smile the slightest bit.

While lost in such thoughts, Carnation nearly didn't hear the blood curdling scream that rang through the otherwise silent woods. The woods seemed to awaken at the screech, she suddenly took note of heavy boots slamming against the dirt ground, loud, metallic blades clashing against each other, and the consistent snapping of twigs and branches -the voice that had screamed was recognizable as it pleaded
"No, no, we can truce -ally! We can-" the voice screamed again, this one even sounded like it hurt, a thick throaty yell directed nowhere in particular.

Carnation stumbled towards the voice, then back away, she took a second to breathe and unsheathed a sword from her hip. Now, she charged into the foliage ready to face whatever lay in waiting.

But she wasn't watching the ground.

Carnation slammed headfirst into the dirt hard enough to knock the wind out of her lungs, stupid tree roots—oh. That wasn't a tree root. Carnation, in her hurry, had tripped over a limp body, a dark skinned woman, tall and muscular...not unlike Carnation herself...

"H-hey! Hey, are you okay?!" Carnation lunged to grabthe woman's shoulders and shook her back and forth, but she was limp as a peasant's doll, flopping forward and back in Carnation's powerful grip.
The moment Carnation realized she was dead, she dropped her little 'friend' and stared.
"Are you the one who screamed..?" She asked as if the carcass would answer.

"She was." Said a voice, Carnation's attention snapped to a new woman, this one was alive and breathing, but she hardly looked it, she was ghostly, with sunken in eyes and a small mouth that didn't emote as she spoke, she wore a dress and thin lace veil that weren't befitting of a killer, she looked more like a bride. Her hair was a pale blue, and her skin white as snow, her cold appearance contrasted by the dark blood on her greatsword.
"I'm sure you can guess why."

Carnation let her eyes wander back to the body just long enough to notice a stab wound in her abdomen, it could certainly have fit this woman's sword. Carnation held the body close as if shielding a friend.

"Oh...sweet little angel you are." Said the killer, her voice like some combination of honey and poison.
"There's another dead one, if you're collecting. I sure am..." she leaned down to Carnation, who shook with fear. A satisfied smile spread across her face and she lifted her sword to Carnation's chest, cornering her against a tree.
"You're cute! I'd hate to have to...you know, end you."

Carnation stumbled to find words but her mouth was dry.
What ever happened to travelling the world? Or at least going to the capitol? Or just...home tonight to her bed.
All gone just like that?

The sword's tip was cold, Carnation could feel it, and the sudden realization of mortality made her sick to her stomach.

The killer ran her tongue across her teeth with a wide smile and dug the sword into Carnation's chest, enjoying every second of it, that is, until Carnation's retaliation, and it wasn't by sword, it wasn't even on purpose.

In the midst of all her pain, Carnation reached out her hand to grab the killer's face, as she did, flames erupted from the swirling markings on her arm, engulfing the killer in their red hot blaze, sure to kill- Carnation wasn't sure if the killer screamed, or if she did, but she pushed herself up, afraid at her own power and instincts, and ran to the road, stumbling one step at a time towards the city of Fyta, bleeding out on that dirt road.