Chapter 7
Ifrit sat by the fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames. He wrapped his arms around his knees and his head slumped. Ramuh sat up.
"You look tired sonny. I'll take over," he said throwing off his blanket.
Ifrit looked up. "No, I'm fine old man. Get some rest."
Ramuh picked up his staff and stood up slowly. "Nonsense. I may be old, but I'm not so old that I can't keep watch."
Ifrit sighed and watched the fire again. Ramuh walked over slowly and sat across from him.
"What do you see?" asked Ramuh.
Ifrit blinked. "A fire."
"No. What do you see within the fire?" he prompted.
He frowned and stared. "Death."
"And life. Fire can create as it destroys," said Ramuh.
Ifrit sighed. "I'd like to believe you old man.."
Ramuh met his gaze. "But you feel like a freak. I know. Everybody feels like that sometimes."
"But I am a freak!" said Ifrit loudly enough to make Shiva stir in her sleep.
They both watched her turn over and waited until she was still again.
"You only think that because you're not used to it yet," said Ramuh. "Hold your hands to the fire."
"Like this?" Said Ifrit holding his hands close enough to feel the intense warmth.
"Now stick them in," said Ramuh.
"Are you nuts?" yelled Ifrit. He gulped and looked at Shiva again. He wiped his brow.
"Well then move them closer until it just begins to hurt," said Ramuh.
Ifrit stared at his hands and slowly stuck them closer to the flames. He could feel the heat but he couldn't feel any pain. He moved them closer. The gloves began to smolder and crinkle in the heat. He stared in horrified fascination as his hands caught on fire. He quickly pulled them out with a yelp. The ashes of the gloves wafted up into the air.
Ramuh frowned. "Did that hurt?"
Ifrit peeled leather from his hands. "No.I mean not exactly. How did you know that would happen?"
The firelight added to the twinkle that was already in his eyes. "You've been awakened to you elemental power Ifrit. Now no ordinary fire will harm you. In fact magical fire will heal you."
Ifrit thought about this. "What's the catch?"
Ramuh leaned against his staff. "You're vulnerable to ice magic. You've already seen what happens when you touch Shiva."
Ifrit glanced in her direction sadly. "It's just as well. I know she can't forgive me, but I want to make it up to her somehow."
"For now get some sleep. Hired muscle is no good without a brain." Ramuh stifled a yawn and set his staff on the ground nearby.
"You're right," said Ifrit taking Ramuh's blanket and lying down near the fire. "Night."
"Goodnight," said Ramuh, staring into the fire pensively.
Shiva clutched at the edge of her blanket tightly.
Ifrit sat by the fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames. He wrapped his arms around his knees and his head slumped. Ramuh sat up.
"You look tired sonny. I'll take over," he said throwing off his blanket.
Ifrit looked up. "No, I'm fine old man. Get some rest."
Ramuh picked up his staff and stood up slowly. "Nonsense. I may be old, but I'm not so old that I can't keep watch."
Ifrit sighed and watched the fire again. Ramuh walked over slowly and sat across from him.
"What do you see?" asked Ramuh.
Ifrit blinked. "A fire."
"No. What do you see within the fire?" he prompted.
He frowned and stared. "Death."
"And life. Fire can create as it destroys," said Ramuh.
Ifrit sighed. "I'd like to believe you old man.."
Ramuh met his gaze. "But you feel like a freak. I know. Everybody feels like that sometimes."
"But I am a freak!" said Ifrit loudly enough to make Shiva stir in her sleep.
They both watched her turn over and waited until she was still again.
"You only think that because you're not used to it yet," said Ramuh. "Hold your hands to the fire."
"Like this?" Said Ifrit holding his hands close enough to feel the intense warmth.
"Now stick them in," said Ramuh.
"Are you nuts?" yelled Ifrit. He gulped and looked at Shiva again. He wiped his brow.
"Well then move them closer until it just begins to hurt," said Ramuh.
Ifrit stared at his hands and slowly stuck them closer to the flames. He could feel the heat but he couldn't feel any pain. He moved them closer. The gloves began to smolder and crinkle in the heat. He stared in horrified fascination as his hands caught on fire. He quickly pulled them out with a yelp. The ashes of the gloves wafted up into the air.
Ramuh frowned. "Did that hurt?"
Ifrit peeled leather from his hands. "No.I mean not exactly. How did you know that would happen?"
The firelight added to the twinkle that was already in his eyes. "You've been awakened to you elemental power Ifrit. Now no ordinary fire will harm you. In fact magical fire will heal you."
Ifrit thought about this. "What's the catch?"
Ramuh leaned against his staff. "You're vulnerable to ice magic. You've already seen what happens when you touch Shiva."
Ifrit glanced in her direction sadly. "It's just as well. I know she can't forgive me, but I want to make it up to her somehow."
"For now get some sleep. Hired muscle is no good without a brain." Ramuh stifled a yawn and set his staff on the ground nearby.
"You're right," said Ifrit taking Ramuh's blanket and lying down near the fire. "Night."
"Goodnight," said Ramuh, staring into the fire pensively.
Shiva clutched at the edge of her blanket tightly.