Marc Arden and the Siphilon Academy

- Fire and Smoke (Part 2)

"Okay then, take this as a lesson for trying to teach me a lesson."

The girl hid her smile, "I'm Scarlett Elizabeth." She offered her hand.

Marc stared at her outstretched hand. "I would shake your hand, but I might burn you."

Scarlett nodded and let her hand fall to her side.

They walked in silence until they reached the alley winding down to Dom's mother's house. Marc entered the alley wondering where Dom could have disappeared to.

He walked a few paces ahead when he realized that Scarlett hadn't followed him in. He looked back to see Scarlett silently watching him.

"What?"

"I shouldn't pry, you go on."

Marc stayed still, confused.

"Okay? Well, then why are you standing there instead of going home?"

Marc immediately knew this was the wrong thing to say. Scarlett's expression hardened.

"I wanted to say goodbye and… I-" She shrugged and turned around, walking away.

"Scarlett, wait!" Marc called out to her as he jogged to keep up.

Scarlett paused, tapping a foot impatiently against the pavement, waiting for Marc to catch up.

Marc faced her and hesitated before saying,

"Scarlett. If you need anything, I think I can help you."

"I wanted to buy some food, that's all. The traders refused to sell to me."

"Well, I have food, if you wait for me at the southern gate, I'll bring you some."

"Okay…"

Marc swept a searching look across at Scarlett, confused. He racked his brain, trying to figure out what was wrong when he remembered Scarlett's name.

"Scarlett Elizabeth. Why don't you have a surname…?" Marc asked as gently as he could. But Scarlett still grew cold.

"I have no parents, they died in a war, I was told by my aunt. She was a horrible woman, I ran away from Mexes a week ago. I came to Cartrile after my food supplies were over. But the trader refused to sell food to me."

Marc trembled at her words.

"I'm so sorry Scarlett…"

"I've had enough being treated like dirt. I'm no beggar to go around asking for food." Scarlett spat out in frustration and threw up her hands. She pushed past Marc and ran away.

Marc swallowed. He turned to walk back to Dom's house when the building beside him blew up on fire.

Marc grew motionless. The fire had reached all the way here?

Marc stretched his limbs and ran to the house.

He pushed the doors open with a loud bang against the wall and there Dom was, talking to a group of laughing men in the living room. Dom's mother was bustling around in the kitchen.

Dom looked up at Marc in alarm and frowned. He motioned for Marc to stay in the entrance corridor and excused himself from the group.

"Tell me everything!" Dom asked quietly as he held Marc's trembling shoulders. "Why did you leave the house?"

"I-I sensed some powerful substance in the air, I felt a tingle. I wanted to talk to you because this tingle set my hand on fire and-"

"The door knocker melted, yes I saw. I had my suspicions. What else?"

"I went to the market in search of you but-"

"I met with some of my old friends and we took a visit to the bar, something I am very much regretting right now."

"Okay, so when I was in the market, I felt the tingle again and my fire was threatening to spill, but I was in the middle of the market, so I had to hold it in."

"Holding it in isn't a problem if you aren't going to let even a bit out."

"Yeah, the problem is…I lost control. That's when the strange energy took hold and-"

Dom's face turned white.

"That's how the market caught fire, and it's coming straight for this house isn't it?"

Dom didn't wait for Marc to respond. He cursed and rushed into the living room announcing to everyone that a fire had started, and they all need to leave. Dom instructed one of his friends to take care of his mother as he has to leave the town.

Dom hugged his mother and told her they were leaving, before hurriedly ushering his friends out the door. After explaining to his mother what was going to happen, Dom immediately had his mother taken away. Marc and Dom remained alone in the house, smoke from nearby buildings billowed into the house.

"Dom?! That was your mother, don't you want to say goodbye?" Marc asked incredulously.

"Siphilons are advised not to grow too attached to our Syníth parents as it's dangerous for them. You clearly felt no love for your father. But I have certain memories with my mother, the longer she waits, the harder it is to say goodbye."

"Oh…" Marc presumed a Syníth was what Siphilons called ordinary humans.

"What I need to tackle is the fact elements don't simply lose control. Only Elemental Coercing can force a Siphilon's element into the open. Something's not adding up! What aren't you telling me, Marc?"

Marc lowered his eyes, searching for a way to deflect the question.

"Dom, the fire is closing distance fast, what would happen if this house burns down?"

Distracted, Dom glanced out a window to see a large volume of fire racing towards the house, sped up by ferocious winds. Dom cursed and rushed into a room. He returned with a flat circular disc the size of his palm. The disc had a ring along the circumference, made up of a strange type of silver metal, glowing in light. There were silver wires made up of the same metal, intertwined and overlapping each other, designed in a short of mesh in the middle of the disc. Dom's outstretched fingers gripped the disc in between the silver wires.

He scowled in concentration and swiftly motioning with the silver disc, he brought forth his magic.

A loud rumbled resound from the ground and a tall wall of rock erupted around the house and stable, shielding it from exposure to fire.

Dom and Marc ran out of the house and entered the stables where they gathered the horses.

"Where are our things?" Dom asked Marc.

"I left them in the storage room in the house."

"Say no more."

Dom twisted the silver disc - as if he were unlocking a wheel combination on a safe - and brought it in towards him when the ground rumbled again, and their stuff broke through the ground of the stables, covered in dirt.

"How-How did you do that?" Marc asked, astounded.

"I used this Diochete. It's a tool used by Siphilons to channel their elements easily and store energy reserves to assist them when they are extensively using their elements. A Siphilon receives a Diochete after they complete their training."

Dom frowned at Marc. Choosing his next words carefully.

"You need to understand that any vital information left behind could cause serious consequences. I don't understand this strange energy in the air even though I too felt it. Give me something I can use to make sense of all this."

"There's another Siphilon here…" Marc blurted out before he could stop himself.

Dom shot him a cold stare.

"What? Who are they? Did they hurt you?"

"No! She's a young Siphilon. She got angry with me and used Wind to push me down, soon her winds went out of control against me, causing me to lose control as well."

"This certainly complicates things." Dom said quietly. "Siphilons without training can make elements grow...restless. Using their elements carelessly causes the elements to become wild and unpredictable. If this is the case, She is dangerous to herself and everyone around her. Where is she now?"

"Uhhh, well I saved her from the fire, but as we were coming down to the house, we were talking, and the topic changed to her parents, who…died in a war. She got angry at me, I think. She ran away."

Dom cursed again.

"Argh you teenagers. We need to find her, follow me!"

Dom pocketed his Diochete, efficiently loaded the horses with their bags, wrapping them tightly in rope, and mounted Paderon. Marc followed suit, strapping on his sword sheath, before mounting his horse, ruffling Conflagre's locks.

Dom steered Paderon through a gap in the rock wall. Marc tugged on Conflagre's reins, riding behind Dom, not looking back.

They rode into the main square and the whole place was on fire. Marc clapped his hand to his forehead, remembering something.

"Dom! I told the girl to meet me at the southern gate if she wanted some food, which was what she wanted to buy at the market."

Dom nodded, eyes wide as he saw the widespread fire in the city.

"Marc. For this much fire, you would have killed yourself to summon. Either you are way more powerful than you know, Or there is an imbalance in the elements across Lorenzia. The southern part of Cartrile is the only place that seems to be unaffected by the fire, so that's where we'll go. I pray that this girl heeded your words."

Marc lunged ahead of Dom, urging Conflagre to go faster. They passed under a stone arch and entered the southern area. An entire crowd of people gathered. Some injured with burns, others unconscious in smoke. Marc wished Arcane was able to fly around healing people. But as is his nature, he avoids populated areas.

Marc beckoned Dom to follow him to the southern gate, which looked way more impressive than the entrance gate to Cartrile from Acanon.

A sign beside the gate pointed out that Middenheim was off in the south. Standing under this sign was none other than Scarlett Elizabeth.

She overlooked the arch that separated the main square from the southern square. When Marc approached, she just stared at him. Expressionless.

Marc smiled at Scarlett sheepishly, pulling Conflagre to a stop. He didn't get a smile back. Just then, Dom asked loudly, "Where is the girl, Marc?"

Marc glared at Dom pointedly. He waved at Scarlett. She didn't wave back. He sighed,

"This is Scarlett Elizab-"

"Who are you?" Scarlett asked Dom loudly.

Dom looked at Scarlett, then at Marc, amused.

"I'm Marc Arden's mentor and friend. I take it I'm now a friend of yours?"

"Whoever said anything about Marc and me being friends?"

Dom looked around. "I believe no one said so. Let me ask again. Are we friends?"

Scarlett stared open-mouthed at Dom. She shrugged, glancing at Marc.

Marc nodded at Scarlett before rummaging around their packs. He found the bag of candy he bought in Acanon, containing the last jam bun as well. He was saving it for himself to eat, but decided that Scarlett's need was greater.

Dom chuckled as Marc handed the pack to Scarlett.

"Marc acting the hero again?" Dom joked.

Scarlett turned red and hoisted her pack up in her arms, then took off in the direction of the stone arch.

Dom frowned at Marc.

"Was it something I said?"

"I told you we weren't exactly on good terms. but you made it harder for her to stay angry at me, so all she could do was leave!" Marc retorted.

Dom scratched his stubble.

"We've got to leave Dom! The fire is getting ever closer."

"Not until you get something done," Dom replied, sporting a cocky grin.

"What's the matter with you, the fire is right there, and if it gets closer to me, I might go haywire again. I don't have anything to do. Let's go!"

"We can't leave Scarlett alone. She is a valuable companion for the journey, and she needs our help. If you could do the honors of bringing her back, I'd appreciate it."

Marc huffed at Dom and grumbled,

"You are terrible this way, you know that?"

"I'll be waiting at the clearing, beyond the woods, Arcane might probably meet me there. Remember, do whatever it takes, we could use another Siphilon." Dom concluded.

Marc pulled Conflagre around without another word and rode through the crowd, heading straight for the arch.

Just as he was leaving the crowd, a massive grinding noise filled the air, drowning out the cries of the crowd and the crackling of fire. The stone arch shifted just as Marc saw a figure sneak under it.

"NO!" Marc screamed as the arch came falling down.

With an almighty crash, the arch fell across the passage, blocking Marc's way to the main square.

Marc heard a faraway cry of fear. Tears clouded his vision, so he closed his eyes in resignation.

"Do whatever it takes."

He was consumed with his senses, as they switched to overdrive. As he reached deep inside him, he gasped. Something clicked within. He could feel all the shrapnel around him, the tiny particles that were invisible to the eye, hidden away by debris. He took hold of the pieces and brought them together as one, and opened his eyes.

Marc's vision was blurred in exhaustion and blue from closing his eyes. But the unmistakable shine of light reflected in his eyes confirmed that the element had responded to his will. He stared at the metal bridge he constructed.

Without wasting any time, he jumped off Conflagre and raced across it, huffing against the fumes entering his lungs. He passed through a wall of fire and there - under a wagon consumed in fire - was her small body, curled up under a small layer of wind.

Marc ran to her, willing himself to go faster. The fire around him sharpened his senses and accelerated his strides. He reached her just as her wind shield blew away.

He scooped her up in his arms and looked for any signs losing her. Her eyes were closed, but the unsteady rise and fall of her chest were visible. Her ribs were broken

Marc cursed colorfully in a dangerous undertone and carefully made his way across the metal bridge, careful not to jar Scarlett's ribs too much. He rushed down to Conflagre and propped Scarlett into a sitting position. He mounted Conflagre behind Scarlett, and grabbed the reins around Scarlett. She leaned against him uncomfortably.

Marc rode, shouting at people to move out of the way, who knew better than to complain seeing the broken body of Scarlett in front of him. Conflagre neighed loudly along with Marc, contributing his share. Just as he exited the southern gate, his lungs burned agonizingly. He had inhaled too much smoke into his lungs without realizing it, and he started choking. Dazed with suffocation, he entered the woods and vaguely saw the clearing in front of him. The reins slipped from his hands and he closed his eyes, pleading silently to Conflagre to get them to Dom safely.

He felt himself slip off Conflagre, and let go of Scarlett, falling onto soft grass. He didn't have the strength to open his eyes and make sure Scarlett was okay.

With another failed attempt to inhale air, Marc passed out.

He was at a clearing. His eyes were closed as he listened to the birds chirping and the rustle of leaves far away. All he could smell was smoke. He opened his eyes and right in the middle of the clearing, he saw a pond, with water as pure as his Fire. He started coughing and stumbled forwards, dragging himself to the pond and diving into it, sighing in relief. He kept his eyes open - underwater - and saw a dark trail of smoke leaving his body. He rose to the surface closed his eyes, facing the sun, soaking in the warmth.

"Wake up!" a voice echoed.

Marc frowned.

"Marc, wake up!" the voice insisted.

But Marc didn't want to wake up. It was so peaceful here. Soon the voice disappeared, and Marc sighed happily, sinking into blissful oblivion.