Cursed world: Chapter one

Word count: 1.353 (short I know)

Aleron calmly watched the branches burning. His gaze was jumping from the campfire to the lantern every few minutes. Something was so different about the fire inside the lantern, except for the color itself, was it the pattern of its moves, sudden stillness, or the fact that it wasn't producing any smoke.

The man took him away from his village. They ventured deep inland, following the trail of the canyon, and finally stopped to rest near a cave.

"What's your problem kid?" someone said. Aleron hopped in surprise when he realized: the fire inside the lantern was the one who said that. It's voice was hard to understand, it seemed like the crisping of the fire somehow produced the sound. Fire twisted weirdly and it somehow formed an eyes and mouth. It was watching him.

"Sir! The fire just talked to me!" he whispered to the sleeping man.

The stranger briefly opened his eye. "Of course he did."

This man had taken him from his village. It's not as if anyone could stop him, or if anyone had wanted to; Aleron had been looked upon like he was a pest of some kind since he was born. His father hated him for taking his mother with him, and since Aleron was sometimes...seeing things, it made his father hate him even more. And after all, his brother was dead; his father wouldn't abandon him but something happened to him. Since brother died, he lost his mind. He had no family left, and the rest of the people wanted him gone.

Aleron looked at the flame again. It returned the empty look, without a word. It seemed intrigued by him somehow, like it wanted to know everything about him.

"Why did you take me away, sir?" the kid asked. The man gave him chills, but everything was better than the place where no one would look upon him as a friend. This man, even he knew nothing about, gave a friendly and feeling of safety.

It seemed that he fell asleep. Aleron was disappointed, he had so many questions, but then he looked upon the fire. It kept looking him, impatiently.

"Isn't it rude to stare like that?" crisping voice broke the silence first.

"Sorry", Aleron lowered his head. He couldn't hold his look away long enough; few seconds later, he was focused on it once again. "What is your name?" he asked. "You already know mine."

"I don't need to have a name", its voice was exalted. "The names are something you humans give to each other, but for someone like me they mean nothing."

"You speak high for someone trapped inside the lantern", the smile broke on the man's face, his eyes still closed. "My name is Sethis, and you can call him Flame. He has no other name; he is the spirit of the mountain."

"The spirit of the lava spitting mountain, the volcano, human", Flame pouted for not being introduced appropriately.

Sethis finally gave up on his sleep. "You seem to have forgotten who captured you, silly Flame." He was dead serious; they stared at each other for a few seconds, but then Flame looked away.

"Release me if you dare and I will beat you right now!" Flame was angry. Aleron looked up on them in awe, listening carefully.

"There's no need to scare the kid, Flame", Sethis said. He pulled himself behind and leaned onto the rock, sitting upright.

"Why didn't you help my brother... Sethis?" Aleron was cold. He looked him straight into his eyes, but he seemed as if he had already known the answer himself.

"He decided for himself that he would trade his life to bring me to the land. When he reached me, there is nothing I could do. Besides, it seems to me that you know very well what is down there in the water."

"Everyone knows about algae. They are everywhere and they dissolve everything that touches it", Aleron pretty much declared.

"But you have seen those lights deep down below, didn't you?"

Aleron nodded shyly. "Dad had always told me there is nothing there, that I'm imagining things."

Sethis burst into laughter. "That fool!" Aleron never heard anyone call his father fool. He was a chief, after all. "I'm sorry I haven't found you earlier, kid."

"Why were you looking for me, then?" Aleron was the most interested in this one.

Sethis seemed to be thinking about if he should answer to his question. "I have a reason to believe you are incarnation of a man who lived long time ago."

"Woah", Aleron sighed. "But...what is an incarnation?"

Sethis shook his head in disbelief. "It doesn't really matter. What matters now is that you have become my apprentice."

"Really? You will teach me magic?" his eyes shined and the smile spread out of excitement. He even jumped to his feet, his fists in clench.

"Why couldn't have you been a little bit older", Sethis tried to whisper to him self, as if he failed to keep the thought to himself. "Yes, magic. Actually, you can start right now. Take the Flame and go play with him."

"Hey!" Flame protested while Aleron was running towards him, absolutely overcome with joy. "I didn't accept this!" Flame yelled, and his body completely filled the lantern. "Be careful!" he kept yelling when the long rod was picked up, and the lantern swung, almost making a full circle in the air.

"You shall pay me for this", Flame spitted out while being carried away, but Sethis replied him with ignorant smile. He soon closed his eyes and seemed to have felt asleep.

Aleron wandered away, with the rod over his shoulder, just like Sethis was holding it. But his reckless run made it swing like crazy and angry groaning was heard from behind all the time.

"Allright!" Aleron stopped. "What do we do now?" He asked, but instead of waiting, he swung the rod like it was sword. They stopped in the clearing near the small creek that made the canyon. The large columns of water-carved stone were all around. The creek must have been a giant river long time ago.

"Stop!" Flame protested once again in desperation. This time Aleron finally obeyed.

"But I really want to learn the magic". As soon as the words were said something happened. Heat spread from his palm through the rod and the Flame's face disappeared. Fire started bursting upwards from its top; Aleron finally dropped the rod out of the surprise, and as abruptly as it started the fire ceased.

"You dropped me!" Flame screamed. "Don't drop me ever again or I'll kill you."

"I-I'm sorry", Aleron sobbed. He fell to his back when he dropped it. He didn't move his eyes from the Flame, nor he was able to shut his mouth.

Flame seemed to have cooled down when he saw the boy's expression. "You are strong, young human. Maybe even stronger than Sethis."

"Really?" Aleron seemed to be overcome with joy yet again. He stood up and moved to pick up the rod.

"I think that Sethis will only hold off your power. Lets run away, I will be the one to teach you the magic."

"You will?" the voice was heard from behind. Sethis appeared from behind one of the big rocks, smiling warmly. He lifted his arm and the rod flew towards him, until he caught it.

"Damn you." the Flame smirked. "I will get away eventually, human."

"Aleron", Sethis turned towards him. Aleron was afraid, and looked down, expecting to get scolded. "You actually did almost nothing right now. It was all Flame, trying to get away."

"Oh", Aleron sighed.

"I said almost nothing. Flame would have never been able to do what he did if you were a normal human. He channeled your body to release his power; what I do is channel his power to command the fire itself. But that is the least of my powers. For the beginning, I will teach you how to use Flame."

Aleron gasped, almost drolling out of happiness, and Flame was nervous. He turned away, talking something to himself.

They returned to the cave, and finally spent some time resting.