Prologue

This story is about a Death Wizard that everyone knows and loves that resides in Ravenwood School of Wizardry. Malorn Ashthorn has been through so much hurt in his life that he feels that it is wrong to love again. His father abandoned him as a young, Novice Necromancer, and killed his mother. Malorn quickly learned to take care of himself, even when Dalia Falmea took him under her wing. When the time came, he became the school's new Teacher of Death at age 15. He is now known as the last Student of the Death School, as he was taught by the father who abandoned him and killed his mother... Malistare Drake. But what happens when a twelve-year-old Pyromancer Witch is found collapsed outside of the Fire School?

This story is rated T for minor cursing and romantic scenes.

I hope you enjoy reading this just as much as I loved writing it.

[Author's Note 11/10/15]: Hello everyone, I once again decided to edit my old stories. This is the next one on the list to edit and complete unless I decide to end a different one first. Therefore, updates will not be too frequent, as my main focus will still be on Defying the Gods, my current story. Please feel free to review and read the new content as I update! Thanks all!

Chapter One: The Spark

"Okay, listen, asshole. You're only a level eight. I cannot, will not, teach you Vampire!"

This was the fifth time that day this same kid had asked me to teach him this spell.

"Come on! Please! I need it to beat Rattlebones!"

"You're a loser if you can't beat that dumbass. I'll only teach you Dream Shield at level eight."

"UGH! FINE!" I wave my staff over the kid's head and a few sparks fly around around, followed by the cards of the Dream Shield appearing in his out-stretched hands. "Thanks, Malorn..." he mumbles, walking away.

"Finally..." I said with a shake of my head. Great, now I have a freakin' headache. I need a Theurgist...

I looked around and saw a kid in bright green MooShu robes. Thank God...

"Yo! Theurdork! Over here!" The kid turned around with a scowl on her face.

"What do you want, Malorn? To make fun of your mom's old school again?"

"No, just use Minor Blessing, alright?"

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm a teacher, and you're a student. Now heal me!"

"Ugh..." She waved her staff and I lifted gently into the air and turned bright green for a second before landing on the ground.

She looked at me, and I stared back, rubbing my head.

"Well...?" she asked.

"What?"

"UGH!" she stomped off, muttering something. I aimed my staff at her ass and muttered a curse.

Terminus shot out of my staff, and hit her hard, knocking her over.

"Dick!" she hissed when she turned to me.

"You're welcome!" I called out to her.

She stormed off.

The school was kinda slow today so I just chilled by sitting on the bench next to the Fire School. My mom then came outside.

"Hello, Malorn," she said, a smile on her face.

"Hey, mom."

By mom I mean that she basically raised me after the whole…incident happened.

"No students today at the Fire School. Any luck with you?"

"Nada." I stuck out my tongue. "Why can't I teach the higher level spells? I'm a Grandmaster just like you and Cyrus!"

"That's Uncle Cyrus, mister. Have some respect for your uncle."

"Why should I care?"

"Because you're still a child."

"I'm fifteen!"

"But you're not an adult yet."

"But-"

"No buts!" She collected herself and looked up at the sun. "It's rather hot outside today, perfect for Fire Spells. I'll be at Fire Cat Alley getting some practice in. If you need to cool off, go to the Ice School with Grandmother." And by grandmother she means Greyrose, since she helped Dalia.

"Alright..." I said with a shrug.

"And don't leave the school grounds!"

"Whatever..." I say with an eye roll.

"I mean it, Malorn."

"Fine." I huff.

She leaves me here to die in the freaking blaring heat.

I walk over to the stupid tree and kick the trunk.

"Watch it!"

"My bad, Berns."

"It's Bernie!"

"Whatever."

I go and sit back on my bench. I look down into the gorge of the Death School and sigh. I sat there for a few minutes, just looking around, trying not to sweat to death.

All of a sudden, I hear a loud thud behind me.

"What the hell...?" It came from behind the Fire School, so I got up and headed over.

When I looked around the corner, there was a student lying on the grass unconscious.

It was definitely a female, as she had long, light brown hair. Her eyes were closed and she was heaving in and out. Her robes were red and yellow, obviously a Pyromancer. Judging by the style of clothes, she was still only a Novice, and she looked about twelve.

"Hey you!" I called. I sprinted over to her and kneeled at her side. I shook her for a second, but she was out-cold. "Oh, shit." I raised my staff over her and muttered, "Sacrifice." I felt my energy drain quickly, being sapped out of me. Once I was a little weakened, she turned green and her eyes opened.

"Ow...my head..." She looked up at me, and I stopped before I could comment on her lame robes.

Her eyes were an electric blue, and she looked at me with something twinkling in her eyes. We both stared for a minute, looking into each other's eyes for awhile.

Something inside me stirred. I hadn't felt much of anything in a long time. But this felt warm… and new…. It was like a small jolt...a spark.

"Hey...there," I said awkwardly.

"Thanks for saving me." She had a soft voice. She coughed once and the sound made my stomach knot.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I will be. I'm Nicole Spiritflame, by the way." She held out her hand. I took it and gently shook it. Her hand was smooth and soft. "And you are...?"

"Uh...Malorn. Malorn Ashthorn," I said, almost forgetting my name. "I don't think we've met before."

"We haven't, but I see you all the time, going in and out of the Fire School."

"Oh, ok." How the hell could I have missed her?

"So you're Falmea's son, huh?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"She tells me about you all the time," she said, smirking. "All of the Pyromancers sit around and listen to her stories of you."

"ARGH! Not the one with the troll…."

"Yeah... that one too," she said giggling. Her laugh sounded like a wind chime. I felt my cheeks go hot.

"Damn it!"

"Nah! That one was cute!" she said, still laughing at me.

"Well, what happened to you, anyway?"

"I don't know. One second I was fighting Achilles, the next I was here... barely alive."

"How come when you were defeated you didn't port back to the Commons?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'm a bit rusty. I've only been beaten twice. Including now."

"Wow. What level are you?"

"Eleven. I'm still kinda the new girl, I guess."

"Yeah, you're-" But then I stopped when I saw her face again. "No, you're fine."

"Oh! Uh... Thanks." She looked down for a second.

"Here, let me help you." I stood up and held out my hand. She took it, and I lifted her up with ease, but she started to fall over and fell onto me. I grabbed her around the waist and held her up. She looked up at me a little red in the face herself.

"Uh... thanks," she said, looking away. "I'm sorry."

"No! No problem at all." Then I realized how close we were, her body pressed against mine, and her face inches from my own. I breathed in her scent... Lava Lilies. I set her down on the bench. "Wait here, ok?"

"Okay... And thank you." She smiled at me. I teleported to Moolinda before she could see that I was turning red again.

I'm always supposed to have my base in her classroom so that if something like this happens, I can get her to heal them. I took her hand and we teleported back to Nicole.

Moolinda healed her, using a Satyr, bid her good luck and went back to her room. Nicole and I just looked at each other and awkward silence loomed over us.

"Angels are passing over." I looked over at Nicole and she was smiling, looking up.

"What?"

"Angels are passing over. My mom told me that when I was a little girl. If there is a silence for no reason, angels pass over you, blessing you."

"Never heard that before..." I muttered.

"My dad must be around then!" She beamed at me.

"Huh?" I stood up and looked around.

"No, silly. My dad died years ago. But the angels were passing over, so he must've been around!"

I looked at her, raising an eyebrow. Then I shook my head. "I'm so sorry."

"It's ok. I can talk to him whenever I want because I know a little piece of him is always with me." She was still smiling. I'd never seen a student outside of the Death School talk about death itself with such ease.

"Does that mean my mom is too?" I thought. She looked up at me – being much shorter than me – and then I realized I must've said it out loud.

"I'm sure she is."

I looked at her and... actually smiled back.

After a while, of more silence, curiosity got the better of me. "How old are you?" I asked.

"Twelve."

"Oh..." She was small for a girl her age but she didn't exactly have a childish figure.

"And you?"

"Fifteen."

"That's cool. You get your mount permit then, right?" she asked cheerfully.

"I got it two years ago. I have a Dark Redwing. His name's Kalohae."

"Oh cool! I always wanted one!"

"I would think you'd want a Dream Filly or a Faithful Dragoness." Those are a tamed Unicorn, and a tamed miniature female dragon. She wants a tamed, male, red dragon.

"No, I love them! They're so cool!"

"What do ya know? A girl with style." She laughed at me.

"I'm sorry, I gotta be getting back to my dorm." she said, suddenly standing. "Curfew is in an hour, and if Falmea checks the Pyromancers' rooms… I have to get mine cleaned up." She started to walk in that direction, but she was a bit wobbly still from earlier.

"Let me at least take you there."

She thought for a minute. "And what if I said no?"

I was shocked. "That... would be a first." All girls want rides from me.

She laughed at my bewilderment. "Okay!"

I snapped my fingers and Kalohae appeared as black dust flew, with me on his back. "Hop on."

She climbed up with ease and got on behind me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and put her head on my shoulder. I blinked and felt hot... not just from the hot day.

I rode with her hanging onto me back to the girls' dorms. When I got there, I hopped off and offered her a hand. She laid hers in mine and slid off with Kalohae disappearing.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" I asked her.

"I have some things to get done. Kill a few trolls, beat Achilles..."

"Can you visit me before curfew?" I asked. It came out more eagerly than I had wanted it to.

She waited a minute. Then she replied, "I'd like that." She took off into the dorm tower and was gone.

What just happened?