Foreword

This story was written at the request of Michiru/Ryosuke and I spent about two weeks plus working on this thing so I hope you guys enjoy it. He gave me his concept of the Golden Flame and challenged me to write a story using his concept and so I have. I also expanded on this concept and extended the story outside of this concept, creating another one of my own. I hope this story will keep you entertained until the very last chapter. ^^

All the best from me, Hignum!

Chapter 1

Wilhelmina felt her pulse racing as she slipped in between another set of buildings and into a construction building. She heard a crash and hastened her work. She sent ribbons flying in several directions while keeping a constant pace, suddenly accelerating and slipping out of the building as her pursuer flew in after her. With a wave of her hand, the ribbons she left behind tightened and the building crashed in on her enemy. She put some distance between herself and the building for safety purposes. A few minutes later, her opponent flew out of the rubble, cut and bruised in some places, not to say that she did not have her share of injuries.

"Not bad, you've been able to keep up with me for this long, Manipulator," He spoke, "Just make my work easy, tell me where the mystes is," He asked, raising his weapon. Wilhelmina fell into a defensive stance.

"You already know that I would not hand over the Reiji Maigo, so why bother asking?" She replied.

"He wasn't referring to the Reiji Maigo, isn't that right, Sydonay?" Another voice joined their conversation. Sydonay turned his head in the direction of the voice, his distraction cost him dearly. The owner of the voice slammed the flat side of his huge sword into his body and sent him flying into the ground.

"Who are you?" Wilhelmina asked.

"No one in particular, just the mystes he was chasing after. Do not trouble yourself with questions about me, worry about yourself first," He replied, his voice deep. He was tall but other than that, Wilhelmina had no other way to describe the man since he was covered in black from head to toe, hiding most of his appearance. He had a long black overcoat and a scarf that covered his face and hair, revealing only a pair of blood red eyes. "I suggest you leave now. This is my business and I will settle it. I hope you don't mind cleaning up the mess," With that he joined Sydonay on the ground.

Sydonay recovered well enough to parry the unknown's attack and return some of his own but his opponent proved to be stronger. Wilhelmina watched in shock, genuine shock. Who would have thought that Sydonay would actually meet his match one day, even she could not take him on without assistance. The unknown man stopped for a moment, Sydonay now panting, trying to hold up his stance.

"As I told you before, I am not someone you would want to fight with but your greed for a new tool won out. The most humourous of all is the fact that you do not even know what tool I possess and yet you hunt me down this evening like a wolf," He casually leaned on the lamp post beside him.

"Do not know? Of course I know, if not I wouldn't have bothered. Goldie, as some call you and Golden for some others but we all know your true name of course, mystes of the mythical and legendary Golden Flame," Sydonay replied with a laugh.

"Mystes of the Golden Flame," Wilhelmina was shocked, "was rumoured to be only a myth."

"Mystery," Tiamat added.

"A mystery indeed and it is yet to be known if he truly is the owner of the Golden Flame," Wilhelmina theorized. "For all we know, it could be false information that Sydonay was fed."

"Possible," They waited to hear more.

"Really Sydonay, would you have any way to prove that I am he?" The unknown asked.

"Yes, you have no visible flame," He replied with a chuckle, "Which is obvious enough," Wilhelmina's eyes darted to check the man and found no flame.

"Impossible," She mouthed.

"Proven," Wilhelmina shook her head at that.

"Not possible, the tool is too powerful to even exist," She refused to believe.

"True, but there are tools that can hide the presence of Flame Hazes, Denizens and the flames of a Mystes and so there is no way to say your theory is correct," Wilhelmina agreed with the unknown. "So, I shall end our little talk right here," in a split second the man disappeared, he reappeared in front of Sydonay and knocked him out with a swing of his blade. A moment later he started walking away. Wilhelmina had second thoughts about chasing after him for answers but she decided not to. She had plenty enough to do as it is and she was warned to stay out of it.

Wilhelmina did a quick job of cleaning up and wondered what to do with Sydonay, kill him perhaps? No, it was not her style to be so crude as to do that, even Tiamat agreed that it was beneath her even though it was that good of an opportunity to narrow down the playing field. She left him as he was and deactivated the fuzetsu and headed home. She found Shana waiting for her when she opened the door.

"Wilhelmina, I was just about to go look for you," Shana grumbled. "Where have you been?" Wilhelmina was shocked.

"Did you not sense the fuzetsu earlier?" she asked.

"What fuzetsu? I didn't feel anything," Shana shot Wilhelmina a confused look.

"I did not sense it either, so what fuzetsu are you referring to Wilhelmina Carmel?" Alastor asked.

"I, never mind, forget I mentioned anything about it," She decided to just leave the matter alone.

"What were you fighting then? And are those cuts from battle?" Shana asked.

"I was fighting with a Rinne and he set up the fuzetsu, not me," She decided to lie to avoid having to explain herself.

"Lie," Tiamat chimed.

"Really, would you prefer to explain then?" Wilhelmina asked in a hushed tone.

"No," Tiamat caught onto her contractor's meaning and left the matter well alone.

"Well, if that's the case then it's no big deal. Yuuji is ready to leave and I've packed my things as well," Shana continued since the matter was resolved. "So what are we having for dinner?"

"Fried fish, some vegetable and rice," she replied. Wilhelmina had improved on her cooking since, grateful to Yuuji's mother for being a patient mentor.

"Sounds great," the young girl replied. "Oh, by the way, when are you going to change your clothes? You haven't done it in a while," Shana pointed out. True, she had gotten busy as of late to care about the time and day. It's been a long time since she felt the need to change outfits.

"I am not sure. I have not thought of it," she replied, putting the ingredients onto the kitchen table.

"Well, you should because the maid outfit attracts too much attention," Shana commented with a smile. Wilhelmina nodded with a smile in return.

Her relationship with Shana had also improved over the two years they spent here in Misaki City. Shana had grown taller and looked older, making an effort to age herself with Alastor's help, Yuuji joining in to make it seem more normal to his family since Yoshida and Keisaku also changed in those two years. Margery had come and gone as she pleased within those two years, keeping in touch with everyone and now, the three of them were leaving. It was about time as well since it was too dangerous to keep staying in one city.

Wilhelmina pondered on a destination while she cooked dinner, also reminding herself to change her clothes later since it is already long overdue to do that. Shana had also complained since it made Wilhelmina stand out, wearing a maid outfit like she was. Shana felt like a daughter to her nowadays than she did then, respecting her more and more as time passed. Wilhelmina smiled at the thought as it was something she found rather heartwarming.

"Wilhelmina, is dinner ready?" Shana asked, popping her head into the kitchen having just come out of the shower.

"Yes, you may help set up the table," Shana immediately complied and they both sat down to eat.