A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 15: Their second chance. (Part 1)

Chapter 15: Their second chance.

My first thought was where am I? I hadn't been taken to the white room and was currently standing in a kitchen of some kind. I looked around trying to get my bearings. A large stove, bags of flour and dough ready to be beaten. That's right, this was the morning after I had talked to Mattias about the demons. To clear my head I had decided to help bake some bread.

"Rain?" Marcy called out to me carrying a tray of fresh loafs. "Why are you standing like you've just seen a ghost."

"Ah, um," I closed my eyes and focused. "I'm fine, just a headache."

"A headache?" she started to fuss. "If it gets worse go visit Margaret okay."

"Yeah," I nodded and smiled. It was always hard the first few seconds coming back. My mind remembered the pain clearly and like a phantom it ebbed into my system but my body felt fine. I quickly remembered what I had been doing and began working the dough.

"So can you bake cakes as well?" Taylor's sudden voice surprised me and I almost dropped the dough to the floor. "Really that scared you? I've been here the entire time. Just how much do you concentrate?" She was sitting in a nearby chair tasting a selection of pastries.

"I forgot," I sighed and shook myself off again.

"So can you make cakes?" she asked again while licking her fingers.

"Of course I can," I replied. "My cakes are even better than Marcy's"

"Really? Bake me a cake then. I want one with lots of fruit and cream." Her impudent smile and haughty expression, this was the usual Taylor.

"Those ingredients are hard to get around-," I remembered her face as I died. That honest concern and sadness as she clung to me. It was a treat to the eyes for a different reason. "Actually sure I'll make you one."

"Wait really?" she widened her eyes. "I mean, you don't have to I was just joking around."

"No I will," I smiled to her. "You deserve it."

She averted her eyes, "S-sure."

"Not today though, tomorrow. We don't have much fruit during the winter but I know a place in the forest that grows some wild ones. You'll have to come with me though."

"I would have gone without you asking anyway," she smirked. There was one thing I was confused about. This had been the second time Taylor had killed me and judging from her reaction she would have never done it normally. So what exactly caused her to the first time? The figure in the white room... just what had she done to her?

I finished up in the bakery and walked into the open street. The fresh air cruised through my lungs revitalising my spirit. Everything was falling into place. The identity of my enemy and where to find them. All I needed to do was wait and prepare. Servius would come in a few days to pick us up and once we arrived at the village I'd be ready for them. I'd have my revenge both for Axel and Kerchest.

A storm was brewing and from the past I knew that it would remain for the entire day into night. Before that however I found Ardent in the town centre. He was teaching the children how to use the beginnings of magic.

"Yes like that. You can feel it inside you, yes?" Ardent smiled at the boys and girls as they waved their hands around trying to trigger there mana.

"I don't feel anything," one complained and threw her hands in a fit.

"Perhaps you don't but I do," he patted the girls head. "It takes many years to feel mana beyond just a vague sensation and believe me when I say you can do this. Now together with me, try again."

The girl was May, Ms Elena's daughter and helped in the general store. She nodded fiercely and began to concentrate.

"Remember what I showed you. The feel of the mana in your body. Grasp it and focus, pull it away from you and to your palm."

"I-I did it!" May screamed in excitement as a small flame lit above her hand.

"Amazing," Ardent nodded. "Truly you have talent to learn so quickly. Perhaps one day you'll become a Master Wizard like myself."

"Really!?"

"It does take a lot of effort however," Ardent replied grimly.

"I'll do it! Magic is the coolest."

"Isn't it," he grinned. She ran off to show off to the other children.

I stepped forward and shook my head at Ardent, "I'd appreciate if you would stop soliciting the children into your wizarding ways."

"I was telling the truth when I said she had talent," Ardent replied with a soft smile. "The children here would actually bring the scion of some nobles to shame."

"But we're far from anywhere she can learn. Plus tutelage costs money," I frowned. It was nice to have a dream but magicians were rare in our parts for a reason. Beyond the self-taught half boiled magicians the only place to learn was Greytree and even then the selection was reserved for noble children or those with plenty of coin.

"If I have my way that will change," Ardent held his chest high. "As a Master I have some sway with the way things are run. Who knows by the time she is old enough to join, I could be Archmage."

Taylor scoffed beside me, "Aren't you aiming a little high? Even I know that's practically impossible."

"It's not like I would usurp her. She was never one to show much concern to how the guild runs. If she had her way, she'd sit in a room to research her life away."

"It sound like you two know each other quite well," I said.

"Well I was one of her apprentices." He looked up into the sky, "A storm is coming, it would be best if we seek shelter. Come now children it is time to head home. Remember don't light a fire inside."

"Yes Master," they said in unison and ran off. Ardent's face visibly loosened when they called him that.