A Blaze to a Frozen Heart

Chapter One

Ash was traveling somewhere between the towns of Kunugi and Oshibana, in the forest. The sun was quickly beginning to set, but luckily she had a room waiting for her at the Oshibana inn. It's nice to know friends in high places. She wasn't very worried about making her way in the dark, she has traveled practically everywhere, but tonight had an eerie sense about it. Either way, her feet were tired and she was ready to lay in bed.

As she approached a clearing in the forest, she noticed something black on the ground in the dusk light. At first she was weary to just approach the object, but 'why not' she told herself. She trudged through the brush and realized it was a man, and he looked badly beaten. Ash dropped her bag and kneeled next to him to figure out what had happened. She noticed that he had an emblem on his chest, so he was probably a wizard that got injured on a job.

"Hello?" She asked the dark haired mage, slightly patting his face and hoping he'd miraculously wake up. He let out a slight groan, but failed to open his eyes. Ash ignored the fact that she was ogling at this attractive stranger and started treating his wounds with her first aid equipment. She wrapped the deep cuts on his ribs with some gouze and vaguely wondered why in the world he wasn't wearing a shirt. The sun was almost completely out of vision and Ash knew she would have to take the mystery man back with her to Oshibana.

Putting this guy who was twice her size and practically lifeless on her back was probably the most difficult task she'd ever had to feat, which was saying something. She wrapped his cold arms around her shoulders and dragged him (very slowly) towards Oshibana. She couldn't just leave him on the ground like that, even if he was just low on magic power, but she couldn't help but think about the fact that the mysterious stranger she was lugging through the forest was attractive.

After a long, excruciating walk to the inn, Ash slammed open the inn doors with the wizard still draped around her.

"Hey Ash! Long time no see… Who is that?" The male receptionist at the inn asked.

"Hey Sorin. And I have no clue.. I found him in the forest, he's beaten up pretty badly," Ash replied, clearly breathless.

"Here let me carry him. Your room is 116," Sorin took the man off of Ash's back and heaved him over his shoulder as he began to walk down the hallway. Ash thanked him, grateful to finally be able to walk normally.

"Are you sure you want this stranger to stay in your room with you?" Sorin turned and looked at her while he unlocked the room. He had a hint of jealousy in his tone. Ash brushed it off and just nodded. She knew Sorin always adored when she stayed at the hotel and was overprotective of her, but Ash refused to lead him on in any sort of way. He was definitely attractive with chestnut hair and green eyes, but he wasn't just right for her.

Sorin hesitantly laid the mage on the bed and gave Ash a warm smile before he walked out, "let me know if you need anything," and the door was shut.

Ash pondered whether she should move the mystery man to the small couch to the side of the bed or just sleep on it herself. She decided to give him as much comfort as possible despite the ache in her back. She walked to his side and felt his forehead, which was unbelievably cold. She wondered to herself what an attractive wizard like himself was doing alone and beaten up in the middle of the forest, but she would just have to wait until he woke up.

Ash went to the bathroom to go get ready for bed, putting her hair up and changing into black pajama shorts and a matching tank top. She made a little spot on the couch and curled up to read a new action novel. But just as she got comfortable, she heard a knock at her door.

As she opened the door, Ash noticed her old friend holding a tray of food in his hands. "What's this, Sorin?" Ash exclaimed.

"I figured you forgot about dinner. Do you mind if I come in?"
"Of course, thank you, this was really thoughtful" she smiled. Sorin sat the tray down on a little table at the front of the room and sat next to Ash.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Sorin asked, tilting his head towards the stranger on the bed.

"Definitely out of magic power. He has a guild mark though," Ash shrugged while stuffing her face with pasta.

Sorin and Ash spent the rest of the night eating and laughing before he left to go to bed. Ash tucked in the sick mage to ensure that he was comfortable before thrifting off into her own sleep on the couch.


Author's Note:

Hi everyone! This chapter is super short but they will get much longer. Also, I know OC stories aren't the most interesting to read but it'll be fun! I love Gruvia too!