Chapter 3

Memories of First Love

Feedback is really appreciated.

sorry for the bad english...

Inside her light green room, Wynn's Laying on her bed, sleeping peacefully. With a smile on her face and a slight blush on her cheeks, she look like a green haired sleeping beauty. She's accompanied by medabat and Petit dragon who sleep beside her.

in her sleep, she's Dreaming about a memory that she holds dear.

(Flash Back)

It was around 3 years ago.

There was a big fire in the village. just in a matter of seconds, one by one the buildings are engulfed in the blazing flame. No one know when or how did it became so big, it's just appeared out of nowhere, burning everything in sigh.

Doradio and the charmers are there to help, They were still around 10 years old that time, except Dharc and Lyna who's at their 11 and 8. They're Still at their first step of learning magic. So There was not much they can do, but they tried to help with everything they have.

"MY BABY! MY BABY IS STILL INSIDE!" Screamed a woman in front of the blazing house. She get hold by the people around her, not letting her get inside. She cried hard and struggling, but the people around her won't let her go.

Wynn looked at her with sympathy, the building have been covered with fire, and going to collapse soon. It's too risky to get in. Wynn's job is to help tending the wounded with doradio-sensei, it's not her place to interrupt. After all, she's not the only one who lost a family.

Wynn turned back and continuing with her task, healing the burned victim as much as she could. It's an awful sigh, the fire are spreading in a ridiculous speed. Even with Doradio-sensei and all the villagers working together, the fire just keep growing bigger and bigger. Almost as if it's a living being, eating on the buildings and people.

"Another one!" Shouted hiita who's carrying a wounded man together with Aussa. The man get heavily burned on half right of his body. "He get trapped under a collapsing pillar…" Aussa explained.

" Just a sec…" Wynn started to cant a spell, and from her hand started to glow a green light that she use to tending the man's wound. The wound didn't just disappear completely, The spell Wynn used are just a basic spell to stop the bleeding and antiseptic. A spell that all the charmers can use as a basic of their training.

"Where's Eria?" asked hiita after looking around.

"She just left to get some water for the patients… It's just me and Lyna right now…" Wynn answered while looking at Lyna, who's still to focused on healing to noticed Aussa and Hiita.

"She work really hard isn't she?" Aussa said , compliment her. She started to cant a spell and helping wynn in her task.

Wynn smiled "Yes she is… But Compared to her, her brother is kinda…"

Aussa and Hiita nodded in agreement, "All he do are just eating and sleeping, men are the worst…" Hiita said, with a slight of annoyance.

"Says someone who resemble a man" Aussa whispered. " He's kinda cute and handsome, but with that kind of personality? I wonder what's Eria look from him?"

Everyone know that the water charmer has a crush to the dark charmer ever since their first meeting. She said it was a love at the first sight. They did think he's attractive, but they aren't in love like her.

" Enough chatting… we have to focus on helping them, remember?" Hiita also cant a spell and joining the others. Aussa and Wynn nodded , continuing with their work.

The crying voice, scream and groan can be heard every where, The number of victim keep increasing. And the fire are still on rampage despite everyone effort to extinguish it.

After a couple of spell, Wynn take a rest for a while, she has exhausted all mana she have. She might be unable to use another spell any time soon. She looked at the woman from before, she's still crying and struggling. But it's a pointless struggle, In the fire like this, The baby would have been death for a while now, not to mention smokes that'll suffocate the baby in no time. It's a pity, but there's nothing they can do. The building also just a second from collapsing. At least that's what she thought.

Wynn heard some voice from the building, its Covered by the sounds of burning wood so no one heard it, but she do, Although it's faint, Wynn didn't believe what she heard at first. But then she heard it again. a baby's crying voice

"The baby's still alive!" Wynn though.

At that moment, All kind reasoning Wynn has just disappeared completely. As if she was possessed, She grab a bucket of water near her and splash it to herself.

"I'M GOING IN!" She shouted as she rushed into the burned building. Leaving the others and Passing through Doradio-sensei who's trying to extinguish the fire.

"Wynn! NO! Come back!" Doradio saw her and shouted as hard as she can trying to stop her from entering the building, but Wynn's already in, and with the sounds of burning wood all over her, Wynn can't hear doradio's voice anymore.

"Wynn!" Doradio shouted, and tried follow her. But the building around the door collapsed before she can get in and blocking the only way in. "WYNN!"

Wynn coughed. It's really hot inside the building. It's burning everywhere, the fire and the ruble blocked most of the road, And to make things worse, the smokes are hurting her eyes and disabling her vision.

Wynn can feel her body being roasted alive, her eyes are hurt because of the smoke, It's hard to breath, her lungs fell burned everytime she take a breath for a few air. Wynn blocked her nose with her hand. Trying to not inhaling more smoke.

"It's hot! My eyes hurt! I'm scared…" Wynn backed off a little, it's still not to late to go back or so she though, but she's already determinate to save the baby, she can't let a baby to die burned here, not without doing anything.

She run towards the second floor, from where the crying sound can be heard. The stairs were not burned yet, so she can easily reach the second floor. as she run towards, she didn't notice that the flame is following her up, burning her way back just like a living thing.

Wynn reached a room that was still untouched by the flame. The baby was there, crying for help. Wynn rushed towards him and hug him tightly, she feels so relieved that the baby was still alive, untouched by the flames.

" Don't cry little one, I'll save you…" she whispered with so much care in her voice. Calming the baby a bit, she carried him on her hands. Covering the baby from the heat with her body. When she turned around to the stairs, she was shocked at the view.

Wynn looked at the stair in horror, the stairs already completely in flame and almost collapse. No one can pass through it without burned to crisp. She looked at the window, thinking to jumped out to safety. But as she open it, she realize that the window didn't facing the road directly. There's a gap between the road and the window. If she jumped she'll just fall to the first floor and get wounded, surrounded in flames. There's no way out at all. She's trapped in the second floor.

Wynn tried to scream for help, but the smoke inside her lungs prevented her. Smoke also hiding her from the outside, And the fire already spread out too much for another person to come in. The flame spreading closer to them, cornering wynn to the room. As the fire reach the room door, Fear started to overcome her.

"Is this the end? Will I die here?"She asked herself "No…. No! I don't wanna die! Father! Mother!" She screamed in her head and started to cry in desperation. Followed by the baby on her embrace. "I don't wanna die… Doradio-sensei… everyone…. Help…" She can't hold her body anymore, and fall to the floor

As the smoke cover everything in her sight, Wynn started to losing her consciousness. Wynn can see the fire approaching her and the baby. She can see a skull in those flame, maybe the souls of people die in this flame trying to drag them too.

The skull of fire burned the pillar in front of them, making it fall towards Wynn and the baby. Wynn's trying to dodge it, But she can't move anymore. She inhaled too much smoke, and she wounded her leg in her way. As the pillar fall towards her, Wynn surrendered to her fate. Slowly closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry… everyone…."

Wynn's waiting for the pillar to fall on her and the baby, and kill them both. Just hoping that the pillar will kill them instantly so they won't feel any pain.

But after a few moment, she realized she's still a live.

But Not only that, it doesn't feels hot anymore, and she can breathe normally.

Curiously and scared, Wynn tried to take a peek, only to get surprised at a man presence in front of her.

Standing there, covered with burns, a boy who's only a few years older than her, blocking the burning pillar with his back before it crushed both Wynn and the baby

" D-Dharc-san?" Wynn whispered, trying to confirm the identity of the boy in front of her. The one who just save her.

" You okay… Wynn?" The boy said in his dark yet calming voice, the fact that he's holding a big pillar not to mention it's on fire behind his back didn't seems to bother him on bit. "I'm here to pick you up…"

"Dharc-san!" Wynn screamed in relieve and surprise, She was never thought to be saved by him.

But then, she realized something weird about him. Something she never see before. A lot of black smoke are emitted from his body. A black smoke Just like the one she used to see when a locomotive moving, but it's pitch black, thicker and feels scary.

The smoke that emitted from Dharc's body are blocking the fire and smoke from them, that's why she didn't feels too hot anymore, and she can breathe normally.

" Dharc-san.. that smoke…" Wynn whispered but stopped in the middle, she decided to ignore it and wipe her tears. " Hold on! I'll save you!" She shouted, rushing to his side and trying push the pillar with her bare hand.

"WYNN!" Dharc screamed, making her let go of her hand from the pillar. "I'm okay… just…. Wait for a moment…." After he said it, more black smoke coming from his body. Wynn stunned, but she didn't let it scare her.

With a single strong push, Dharc throw the pillar away. Destroying the floor as the pillar sinking into the floor, falling all the way to the basement. Just in a second, there's a loud crashing sound and a bit tremor that shaking the building. Indicating that the pillar have reach the bottom.

As he let go of the pillar, the black smoke stopped flowing out, and Dharc fell on his knees, his back and arms are heavily burned.

"Dharc-san! Are You alright?" Worriedly, Wynn rushed to his side, still holding the baby on her hand.

"I'm okay…. I'm used to this….More importantly! Are you okay? Did you get burned anywhere?" Dharc asked worriedly,checking Wynn's body for any visible wound, completely ignoring his own wounds.

"Dharc-san… I'm alright…." Wynn blushed a little at the attention he gave her.

Dharc take a sigh of relieve to see no external wound at her.

After he calmed down a little, He take peek at the baby she hold and grinned. "we were just separated for a while and you already have a baby? I'm heart broken! Or could it be he is mine?" Dharc said jokingly.

"Dharc-san!" Wynn screamed in embarrassment, holding the baby closer to her. She let out a sigh. It's weird, but she didn't afraid anymore.

Wynn know that It was a desperate situation, they're all going to die if they don't do something fast. But what can they do? They're still just a wizard apprentice, just a child carrying a baby, surrounded by fire, and the building can fall on them anytime soon. But she didn't afraid.

The building started to shake more violently, the ceiling started to fall on their head. There's a lot of cracking sound from the down stairs. The building is starting to collapsed.

"Enough with the joke… we're getting out from here! And fast!" Dharc said with a serious look.

"But how? The road was blocked!" Wynn said worriedly.

Dharc looked at the stairs he came from, he was able to break through the fire, but Wynn and the baby can't. The window is also out of the question, If they jump from there, they'll just fall to the first floor which is already become a sea of flames, except…

Dharc though for a while and smirked. "If there's no road, just make one…."

Dharc stretch out his hand and started to cant a spell. A black smoke from earlier appeared out of nowhere and start gathering around them. Forming a black ball of darkness that blitzing a bit electricity around.

Wynn just stunned, looking at the Dark Ball Dharc produced. It's keep gathering darkness and getting bigger and bigger, but slowly stabilized into a perfect ball shaped, getting more powerful each second.

The flame was going wild and like it was alive, it started to surrounding them, making a wall of flame that moving closer. From inside of the flames, wynn saw the skull she saw earlier. It looks angry and seems like saying something , but she can't hear it with the burning sounds around her. Or perhaps, those burning sound is it's word.

The flames skull started to attack both of them, opening its mouth and trying to swallow them whole. Wynn was scared and surprised, but she quickly hold the baby tighter and protecting him with her body.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCHING HER! DARK CORE!" Dharc shouted in anger and shot the ball of darkness toward the approaching skull.

Wynn was silently watching as the ball of darkness hit the skull, exploded and destroying everything on their path, leaving no trace of the skull. But it's not finished yet, The ball of darkness then shrinking back to the size of a marble, sucking everything it destroyed and flames that was surrounding them like a mini black hole. Leaving an empty space In front of them.

Wynn just amazed to see how powerful it is. It destroyed half of the building with ease. What's more amazing was the fact that they were so close to the explosion, but not even a wood chip flew towards them. Everything just disappeared even the flames that was surrounding them was sucked without trace..

"Dark core…I read about it before. If I remember it right, It's a high level Dark magic. How could he, who's just sleeping during class, and never practiced can use it? Is he a genius? " Wynn though, looking at Dharc in admiration. "Or perhaps… he's always sleeping because he practiced alone? So we didn't get hurt?"Wynn though while looking at Dharc, She felt heat invade her cheeks. She feels secure and happy that he came for her.

The building started to shaking and collapsed rapidly, Even though the fire was wiped out, the building was already burned bad enought to be a charcoal.

Dharc quickly approached Wynn and moving his hand around her back and tights.

Wynn blushed and surprised when Dharc touching her."Eh? Dharc-san? Wh- KYaaa!" she screamed as Dharc suddenly lift her up with a princess carry. "D-Dharc-san? What are you?"

"We're getting out of here…. Fast!"

Dharc stands in front of the empty space, carrying Wynn and the baby in his hands. While getting ready to run. "Hold on tight!"

Wynn hold him tightly as she told, knowing what Dharc's planning to do.

Dharc rushed toward the open space and jumped forward. Wynn can feel the wind as they jumped out, she looked at Dharc with awe, he looks so dark, yet so bright. He held her tightly, but not too strong so she won't get hurt. She feels secure around him, she feels relieved when he came for her.

Wynn smiled and move her hand to his neck, she leaned towards him, giving a small kiss on his cheeks.

"Thank you, Dharc-san…."

Wynn slowly open her eyes, The sounds of birds and sun light wake her up.

She looked around her room, only to find that Dharc has left her alone with his familiar. Who's still fast a sleep besides her with her own familiar.

She feels relieved and happy that Dharc already woke up. But she also feels a bit sad and lonely because he left her without saying anything.

"Dharc-san….." she whispered with a slight bluss on her cheeks.

Wynn start to remember that day. The day Dharc save her and the baby.

After he saved them both from the building, he joined the other adults, trying to help extinguishing the flame. And they did it easily, unlike before.

Later, they found out that the fire is indeed a living being,The invading flame. A living fire that growing bigger by consuming people's soul it it's hard to extinguish.

She should have been suspicious when she saw the building was still standing after some time in that fire. It left the baby alive in purpose to lure another people who tried to save her and eat both of them later. The skull Wynn saw in the flame was it's main body, and Dharc's Dark core seems to eliminating him along with half of the building.

Since that day, Wynn understand the reason why Lyna is always so attached to him. Or why did Eria fall in love with him. She knew why, because she also feel the same way as them.

Wynn is really grateful to him, if he didn't come and save her she would have been death for a long time now. She owe her live to him, and she will gladly give her life to repay him. But she knows he won't like that. That's why, she resolved to dedicated her entire life for him. Loving him with all her heart. Even if he end up with Lyna or Eria.

Wynn look up to the window, the sun is already high

"It's almost lunch time… Dharc-san should be at the dining room…"

she got up from her bed, and went downstairs to meet the others at the dining room. Hoping that she'll meet with Dharc there.

Riding a demonic red bear, a little fiend are running through the forest. They looks hostile at first, but after another look. The bear is carrying some luggage on his back. The little fiend on his back are still a child carrying around a small map, they looks more like someone who's going for a vacation.

The little fiend take a deep sigh. Both of them feels exhausted after a long trip not to mention her bear already running for a whole night.

"haaa….. are we there yet?" She asked, but there's no one around to answer, except her bear.

Feeling exhausted, the little fiend decided to take a rest. She pulled her bear chain once, telling it to stop. The bear obeyed and stop where he stands. The little fiend pulled the chain once more, and the bear went to sit at the nearby tree.

The little fiend smiled in delight and pat her bear head before she jumped down. As her bear lying on the green grass, She take down her luggage from her bear back, letting her bear resting without any weigh.

She take a bottle of water from her luggage and start drinking it, not forgetting to share it with her bear.

After that, she take out some bread and meat from her luggage. Cutting and arranging them to make a simple sandwich. She made some of it for herself and her bear. Both of them enjoyed their lunch quietly.

She look up, just to see a clear blue sky without any cloud. She dislike the light, it's too hot and blinding. But she need to go, she want to know about him.

"….. another 3 days like this… talk about a long trip…"