A Heart in Flames #2 (Howl's Moving Castle fanfiction)

Chapter 32: Surrender to Hope

Fire. Rain. Chaos. As he fled through the disarray of fallen trees in the forest, these were his witnesses. These had become his obstacles. For the first time since his years in the sky, he wasn't hiding behind comfort; he wasn't trapped in a concrete stronghold. Now when he ran, he ran toward the things that frightened him.

A hefty branch fell directly in his path. Calcifer shielded his face from the explosive flames that burst from the dead evergreen. The action seemed instinctual - warding off a possible threat. Fire used to be his cohort. It was what fueled his life. Now, it was something that could destroy him.

He widened his eyes at the catastrophe before him. Orange glowed from high up in the trees, sending burnt leaves to their resting place below and branches crashing to the ground like waves against a wall of rocks. He reached his hand toward the burning branch, the extreme heat bursting with life. It called to him; it begged for him. As much as he sensed fear creep into his mind, the urge to unite with his other half was a stronger feeling.

The rain tapped him like a sharpened sword on his body. His dampened, orange hair felt refreshed by the cooling water. Water had always been the enemy; water was the only thing that could fully destroy him. He had never felt so peaceful in his oldest rival. It rushed down his bare skin, cleansing him of his impurities.

Then, Calcifer held his breath at a startling revelation. He was naked.

Though no one was around, he felt entirely exposed. This was a new feeling, along with the many others he had felt in his short time in this new form. Bare, soft skin. How he longed to touch another person, feel their skin and embrace them completely. Calcifer did not know what he did to deserve such a reward as this.

It seemed obvious that he wouldn't automatically be clothed, but the thought had slipped his mind. Nevertheless, Calcifer considered where he might find clothes. The Palace surely had some, though most were probably burned to ash at that point. He imagined the type of clothes he had seen before - black slacks, tan shirt, dark vest. This was the typical attire he saw most men wear, like Howl or Kenta. Calcifer was also fond of longer coats, and thought of an orange one to match his former self. He concentrated long and hard about them, knowing what was to come next.

A sense of relief washed over Calcifer as he felt the fabrics conceal his nakedness. Everything he envisioned wrapped around his body. Though in human form, Calcifer still held his magical properties. He had had this ability before, yet it never came into use for his own purposes.

The fiery branches still lay before him, blocking his path to the others. He inhaled deeply and held both palms forward, pushing them out toward the disaster. The fire turned to smoke as he controlled the flames and the branches disintegrated to splinters. This ability, though widely used to fuel his life, felt much different destroying another fire's life.

There was no time to grapple with sympathy. Time was limited. Calcifer rushed through the flames and rain, avoiding any instances that would halt his mission. His focus was only on his friends, and especially on one in particular.

Gwenda.

He needed to know she was safe, that he hadn't left them for dead in the Throne Room. He told Howl to take care of her - and he trusted him with his life. But still, he needed to know.

The Palace was not as far as he thought it was. The once beautiful exterior had been charred from the inside out, walls blackened and higher floors beginning to crumble. How he hoped he was wrong; how he wished they had gotten away.

Calcifer stopped as he entered the Throne Room. The flames had subsided, nothing left to burn. No signs of life, but also no signs of death, either. He relaxed his shoulders, his mind more at ease. Gwenda was safe.