Scorching

Bart could've sworn that the desert sun had never been as scorching before. And he was an expert, one of his ex-wifes, Siham, was a nomad born and raised in de Dessert Desert! He had spent a few years with her and her people, but he had ended their relationship when that sand hag wanted children...

But thát was not relevant anymore, he'd closed that chapter quite a while ago... Great Gods, what in the world was wrong with the weather today?

The tinkerer looked up, and didn't like what he saw AT ALL.

The sky had colored this deep, blood red color, and the sun had swolen to enormous proportions! ''This must be the end of times'', he mumbled, half in despair, half stunned that he'd be there to witness such a grand event. ''What's... what's left for me to do but wait and... watch?''

There was no one around to answer him, even the piñatas had either fled or ignited in flames. The tinkerer took a step back when a burning Chocstrich was ran by way too closely.

''I must get the hell out of here!''

As if an evil force from above heard that, the air became even more stifling than before. It felt as if the entire world's oxygen level had just lowered, out of nowhere! Bart, as a tinkerer, had quite some knowledge of chemistry and physics, and he'd never experienced anything like that before... had he? No... No way. Not on a huge, empty plain, at least. This was what would happen if something in the tinkering process went wrong and 'caused a flash fire when working in his caravan with the windows closed...

Eventhough that was a downright stupid approach to tinker - and nowhere near the alchemist safety guidelines! - he knew that from experience... When he was younger, his own and others' wellbeing hadn't interested him far as much as it should have.

He was glad it hadn't, though, because it made him realize something... Something vital, if he wanted to come out of this hellfire alive.

''This is not the end of times...'' the tinkerer growled. ''This is...''

He wildly opened his eyes - which he'd thought were open already - and the sight of the scorching desert was replaced by an even more alarming picture. The melting walls of his trailer, that were, the white-hot gruel was surrounding him on all four sides.

''... sheer reality!''

The tinkerer quickly threw his blanket off, glad that the fire hadn't reached his bedding yet, and jumped up. He was wearing his striped pyjamas, his mask and hat lied on the nightstand next to his bed, but he didn't bother to put either of those on. There was no time for that.

He had to find an exit, and better before he got cremated alive!

Bart thought for a moment. A long, long time ago - when tinkering business hadn't really taken off yet and he'd worked part time as a Diggerling - he had attended emergency training. It was over twenty years ago and if he was honest with himself he didn't remember shit about it, but he was pretty sure that they'd mentioned what you were supposed to do when a fire had broken out in the mine...

Unexpectedly, a huge flame burned a hole in the ceiling. The grime that came with it made Bart cough so heavily that he feared it'd cause him a heart attack.

''G-guess tha-at means I've no time left to pon-der!''

If he wanted to survive, he had to run for it! But in which direction?

''Through the fire?'' he wondered out loud, his troat still raspy from the coughing fit.

Another huge flame flared up only a few decimetres away from him, ''I suppose that that's a yes...''

The tinkerer rubbed his hands and walked to the molten wall somewhat reluctantly. He took a deep breath, looked around his trailer for the very last time, silently said his stuff goodbye and...

... jumped.

The heat was unbearable. For a moment, Bart thought he'd made a ridiculous decision. That much pain just couldn't be right...
He felt like he was losing his consciousness, he was floating away, it was too late, he was helpless now, it was over, really over...

But that sensation only lasted a few seconds. Though the pain kept lingering on his bones and skin, the tinkerer knew - as he rolled over the cool, clay pavement - that his life was out of danger.

''Phew...'' he sighed, when the fire had extinguished and he finally laid still. ''That... was too close!''

The tinkerer forced himself to sit up straight, and studied the charred tatters he was wearing. Even if he patched them up those wouldn't be wearable anymore! Oh, all the sudden expenses he was going to have to make... He now needed a new trailer, new clothes, new tinkering equipments...

Then, something serious began to dawn on him. ''Damn it!'''

How come his - his, from all trailers, houses and huts on the Island - had been set on fire? He was pretty sure he hadn't used his alchemy table before he went to sleep, this 'accident' was certainly not due to his own carelessness...

If it was an accident at all!

Someone wanted him dead, and that someone couldn't be human! Bart didn't have enemies in the Village, and no way the angry dads who's daughters he had sued were fit enough to track him down! He didn't have many concurrents either - the craft of tinkering was not a popular one.

No, something completely different was going on.

From the very moment he'd spotted the new girl - Ameena - running through the wilderness in the early morning, he'd known something was wrong. Especially when she brought those crazy colored Mallowolfs up... If they didn't belong to the long-lost Canda tribe, then what were they?

Maybe he shouldn't have told her the tale of Platia and Bulan. Of course, it was a well-known folklore along the whole Island, but he knew details... he'd spoiled details, no one else knew about. And he was pretty sure that the Old Gods weren't too pleased with them telling to that Ameena girl...

The Old 'Gods' didn't seem fond of her anyway. The young lady had something going on, she had that sort of... almost magical vibe that was hardly noticable, but still...

Oh, what did he know about that? He was only a tinkerer, he knew nothing about hazy stuff like that!

He knew someone who did, though.

Bart took a last glance on his trailer. The fire had calmed down as suddenly as it'd lighted up. That was stranger than strange...

Ah, however. He had to quench the fire before it'd blaze again. A few buckets of water would do.

The tinkerer doddered to the Village's Main Square's, which had an old well in the centre.

It was a silent walk. As early in the morning as it was, even the most enthiusiastic merchants were snoozing in their warm, comfortable beds... And Bart was glad they were.
He didn't feel like explaining what happened. Announcing that he'd aroused the wrath of the Dark Gods would either cause great panic or yield him a one-way ticket to the 'crazy fowks home'.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVP

When the even the most pathetic little flames were gone, small piles of ashes were all that was left of the horrible event of only hours ago.

Bart sighed. He wasn't much of a materialistic person, but some of the stuff he'd kept inside had been really precious to him... His hat, his mask... his clean underwear.

He didn't have the time to mourn over a bunch clothes and accessories, though! Instead of standing there, he should've already been heading to a very special place in the rainforest...