• The Darkest Alchemist
    Prologue: Forward

    “Finally, I’ll be able to use it, at least in combat!!!” My aura was strengthening and with just a little more concentration, I would learn all the basics of using my elemental Aura, Fire. When I could, I would be able to defend and protect myself! I could become a hero, and when I did, I would be an Alchemist, someone everyone looked up to. I would have unearthly power, the power of fire—which I thought was the strongest element—would be the strongest in my Village. But for now, I needed something to eat. I was hungry, who knew focusing your Aura would be so challenging.
    “You’re not done with your training.” A startling, young and powerful voice came from behind me. I heard it many times, it was Tony. I turned around to see him walking down the narrow shady path that led to the small yard I was training in.
    “Hey Alex, I was watching you, and you were doing well.”
    “So you were stalking me you pervert?”
    “No, I was watching you……………..Well, kind of, but not in a bad way.”
    I was mad. Tony, who was in his early twenties, knew better. He was smart, and had the same dreams I did, to become an alchemist. He even had books, with all sorts of elemental spells, from burning to freezing. He was strong, and people already looked up to him, one was me. He was like a brother to me. He was already thinking about being a vampire, which was absolutely awesome. If you can transform into a vampire, you can’t turn back, but you have power that nothing could match. He was a also a tramp. He lived on the streets, and had so much pride; he wouldn’t let us take him in. No, maybe he was too stubborn to let us take him in. He had dark blonde hair, and was very tan. He wore boots and worked as a librarian.
    “I’m going in to eat and take a break, is that a crime?” I asked him.
    “No, but I mean, watching you practice is so thrilling.”
    “How do you get amusement from watching me train and sweat?”
    “Never mind, I’m just here to say bye.”
    “Bye, why do you need to come here to say bye and leave?” I was terribly confused.
    “No, I’m trying to say, I’m going to travel. I think I have a chance to—“
    “You’re leaving me. What do you mean, you like my brother.” I rudely interrupted him.
    “Well, I better go……..”
    A tear ran down my heartbroken face. I ran over, and hugged him, squeezing him tightly. Why did he have to leave me? I knew he wanted to hug me too, but at the same time, he was embarrassed. I was embarrassed too; I completely lost control of my emotions. I loosened my grip around his waist, and took a couple steps back, giving him room. He chuckled.
    “You know your parents are right behind you.”
    I turned around and sure enough, they were. They walked over and shook Tony’s hand goodbye. I turned around, and ran to my door, opened it, and ran inside. I ran down the hallway, and ran up the stairs—tripping twice—right into my room. I slammed the door behind me. I ran over to the window and gazed down on the back yard, but Tony and my parents were not there. I heard three footsteps creep up the stairs. It was them. I really didn’t want to see him right now. I slid under my bed, just in time, too. The door opened, and Tony’s muddy boots were in my room. A purple glow formed around him. He was focusing his Aura. “Aha!” He crouched down and looked under the bed, giving me his crooked smile.
    His eyes were a light green, and he had hair put into big spikes. He had his faded jeans on that I mostly saw him in, and a dark green T-Shirt that I wanted from him really bad. It had a symbol of our village, and words of wisdom that I always lived by. It said “Follow your Dream.”
    “You already learned that X-Ray Eye move?” I was shocked. He got that book only a couple days ago.
    “Of course I did, what else could it be?!” He retorted. “Now come on, we need to talk.”
    I didn’t feel like fighting someone so skilled in fighting, so I obediently crawled out of the shady darkness of my bed. By the time I was out, he was at my bed room door.
    “Let’s go.” He said, and with that, I followed him out into the living room, were my parents were waiting. He sat down on the opposite couch that my parents were sitting on. I sat next to him.
    “Ummmm, did I do something wrong? I was just—“
    “Alex, you did nothing wrong, a matter a fact, no one is in trouble.” My dad said, chuckling a bit.
    “Alex, I’m…………….I don’t know how to put it.” Tony said, struggling.
    I sat there in silence, horribly confused. What were they talking about?
    “Alex, Tony wants you to go with him!” My mom, said to me. I could easily tell that there was a lot of excitement in her voice. I was at a loss of words. He wanted me, of all people, to come with him! He was sure to be an Alchemist, wasn’t he afraid that I would slow him down? But then my powerful smile started to fade. I looked at my parents. “Ca-Can I?” I asked nervously. They had soft smiles and shook my head. “Alex, you better start packing!” Tony said, smiling his perfect crooked smile.
    “You two boys better be careful.” My dad said, grinning his wide grin.
    “When are we leaving?” I asked, trying to control my emotions, but I could see that was impossible.
    “Three more days, then we’re hitting the trail.” Tony said. I rushed upstairs, throwing all of my best traveling gear in my knapsack. I was so thankful that I was getting to go on an adventure, but questions still buzzed in my head. Where were we going? My Aura was still developing, how did he expect he to fight for myself, was he going to train me? I hoped so; he was an expert at those things. I walked into my bathroom, and looked into the mirror, making sure I was ready to go against anything. These next two days were going to be pure training. When I was done gathering all my stuff (except provisions because we were leaving in three days, so they might go bad, I wanted them to be as fresh as possible) I headed outside to train some more. I concentrated on my Aura first. You may be wondering what an Aura is though. An Aura is something everyone has. You can only have one Aura though, from Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Wind, Psychic, and Earth. More were constantly being discovered too. I had the Aura of Fire. Fire was my soul, my heart, my everything. Without it, I would be nothing. Auras are like your everything. Without them, you would die. It was like not having a spirit.
    I practiced the rest of the day. I could feel myself getting stronger; feel my power flowing through my veins, almost like adrenaline. I needed to be prepared. The second day came, and Tony came over. We needed to be out of the village at 5:00 A.M. That night, we had a big meal. My parents cried, and I cried. When was the next time we were going to see each other again? Later that night, I went to my bedroom to get some sleep. I couldn’t wait, it was too hard. Tomorrow was the day, tomorrow a grand adventure would begin, and I was confident that it would bend time and disort space………..