Hated to Loved

Chapter 5: The fire

Ember's POV

I heard someone scream for help. I recognized the voice.

It was Thayne.

I immediately dropped my remote, not even bothering to pause the game, and ran to the blacksmith shop. There was a crowd but I didn't bother with them, I pushed my way to the door running inside.

Smoke filled my lungs and I brought my shirt up to cover my nose and mouth, keeping it close to my face.

"Where are you?" I shouted. I heard Slush bark outside. I hoped she didn't come after me.

"B-by the sm-mithing t-table!" I heard him cough. A small dog ran towards me. It's fur was singed but it seemed to be trying to lead me to something, or someone. I followed it and soon the smithing table, and Thayne, came into view. I ran over to him.

He was sobbing. "M-m-my mast-ter" he said before passing out.

"No!" I cried, then tried to pick him up and carry him outside before the building fell in on us, but he was heavy.

I was able to hoist his torso onto my back and laid his arm across my shoulder. I had a erie feeling like a smaller someone was here helping me, but the smoke was too thick to see anyone. The small dog from before led me to the door and I was outside. I laid him on the ground and the group of people started to come towards us, trying to get my attention but I ignored them.

Thayne gained consciousness for a few moments and pointed at the building murmuring "master" in a quiet, panicking voice before passing out again.

"Thayne!" I cried, but I felt myself be pushed away and looking at the people crowding Thayne's body I saw they were medics and decided they would help him. I turned back to the building and saw the figure of a man standing in the flames.

He resembled Thayne, at least from what I could tell. I assumed he was master and started to go back in, ignoring people calling for me to stop and wait. He ran quickly though the crumbling building, but I managed to grab onto his hand.

"No! You are going to come out! I don't much like you, but Thayne has made it clear you matter to him and you WILL come out of here! I won't let someone who is important to Thayne die"

The last bit I said in a murmur, and the man looked at me and I thought I saw him, smile? He nodded then said "Take good care of my boy" over the crackle of flames around us.

He passed me a note and then pushed me and I stumbled backward out the doorway into the crowd who caught me, stopping me from falling. I immediately tried to go back in, but the door frame crumbled and entire building fell in on its self.

"No! Stupid, idiot... Mmn... FOOL!" I screamed. How had I allowed him to push me out? I failed. I allowed Thayne's master to die.

I realized that I clenched the note in my hands tightly and started to turn it over. Ash and soot stained it making it grey rather than white, but I saw written in bold letters 'Thayne' and knew the note was for my blacksmith friend. I wondered what it could say, but knew better then to open it without permission.

I looked over to him, the medics were tending to his burns but he was awake. When I looked at him our eyes met and I searched his reddish brown eyes. He searched mine and I believe he saw my apologies in them for his became sad as he looked down.

I walked towards Thayne when the medics left him. By now the fire department had arrived and the fire was nearly out, and the crowd had mostly dispersed, causing it to feel empty and mournful.

"So master is..?" He asked, his brows knit together and I knew he was questioning if master was still alive. I shook my head.

"I-i'm sorry, I tried to save him but I failed" I murmured sitting down by him and passing him the note. "I think this is for you"

He took it and turned it over in his hands before opening it.

Slush came up to me and started licking my face and wagging her tail. I pushed her face away from mine though, I really didn't have the patience for her right now.

Thayne stood up and looked at the debris, a small but sad smile on his face. I stood as well.

"H-he actually did it..." Thayne said before running towards the fallen building, Slush ran by his side, clearly worried about him going near where the fire had been. I wondered if she knew it was out.

"Did what?" I asked as I followed him.

"He created The Sword. It was destroyed during the war, and he recreated it" he said, pulling out what looked like a broken handle, but twisting it revealed a hidden blade. "Unfortunately he won't get to see his creation put to good use..."

"I'm sorry, I really, truly did try to save him. But why is the sword so important?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound insensitive.

"Its not your fault, he said so in the letter" he paused before answering my question. "This sword was the exact sword used to stab through the heart of the Demon King during the Great War years ago"

"Oh.. So, it's rather special then"

"Yes" He said before sighing and removed his blacksmith cap, looking sadly at the wreckage and putting the sword away. "I am no longer a Villager, I have lost my shop"

"So you have no place to stay?"

He nodded and started to walk away.

"W-wait! Where are you going?" I asked and he turned around.

"I am going to give this sword to our Mayor"

"Oh, okay. Well, if I asked my mom, would you mind staying in the basement? I mean, Blueo is in the spare bedroom, but the basement isn't too bad! It's a finished basement and it's really just like any other bit of the house, the only difference is it's a little colder. There's a cot and-" he cut me off with a small laugh and I noticed he was blushing again.

"Sure, it sounds nice and if your mom says yes I'd love to"

"Okay. You know where my house is, right?"

"I think so. That one there, right?" He said pointing to my house which was only 5 buildings away from where the blacksmith shop once stood.

I nodded. "Yeah, that's it. So, see you later?"

"Yeah" he said, and he turned to walk to the Mayor's office, but not before I noticed his cheeks become a deeper shade of red.

I left to ask my mom about allowing Thayne to stay in the basement and when she said yes I hurried to make it as nice as possible. I didn't even notice Blueo wasn't there, I just readied the basement for Thayne.

I wasn't in love with him, right? We just met.

But, I couldn't deny I liked him a lot.