Fire Breath
The Suspicious Witch

Aiden's still walking without direction. He had nothing but a packet of dry bread and tea. The black jacket he wore was already tangled and torn in some parts. His shoes were also worn enough and his soles were almost exhausted. He then sat on a lonely dead-end alley sidewalk. He opened a dry bread pack that he kept in his jacket pocket. He also remembered Sabina.

"A very beautiful and kind girl. I was lucky to meet him," he thought as he re-imagined Sabina. He tried hard to resist his desire to return to Sabina's house.

After finishing his second bread, Aiden picked up his small thermos containing tea. Unfortunately, the tea had already become cold. Aiden took a short breath. He then flicked his finger and suddenly a fire lit up in his hand! The thermos was grasped for a moment. Next he flicked his finger full of fire and the fire was extinguished. The tea was warm again.

Calmly, as if nothing had happened, Aiden drank the warm tea. And the sensation that happened this afternoon repeated itself.

"This tree is amazing. I can feel the magic in it. But I've never found this kind of tea in the South" Aiden thought again.

But even though he had sipped the tea, Aiden's drowsiness still could not be lost. Therefore he began packing his bread and flask then stood up and rolled out a cloth. While he closed his eyes, he flicked his finger again and in a flash the cloth turned into a soft mattress and was ready to sleep on. Aiden dropped his body on the bed and slept quickly.

***

The sound of buses and people walking down the other end of the alley woke Aiden from his slumber. Aiden woke up. For a few moments Aiden sat half-captured.

"I hate waking up in the morning!" lamented Aiden rubbed his unwillingly open eyes.

After gathering a little energy, he stood up and did a little stretching of the body. Then he turned to face the end of the alley that looked crowded passed by people. He pulled out a short wooden stick from his pocket and pointed it at the end of the alley.

He whispered slowly. "Now no one can see me" he said, then plucked a finger and turned the mattress he was sleeping on into a piece of cloth again.

After packing his things and eating some pastries while drinking tea, Aiden walked back. He had been walking for almost a week, but he had not yet found the location of the thing he was looking for. He also did not know where to look for it because the information he got was only limited to the objects he was looking for in Hoclem, the city he came to, without any details of who was holding it.

"It should be that my Catbones blood can sense the existence of that thing, and my wand will react when the thing I'm looking for is nearby. But until now those two signs have not happened either" complained Aiden in despair.

He then followed his instinct east of the city. There he found a small bar crowded with people. Hoping to get more information, he entered the bar, just sitting around and drinking from his own provisions. Luckily in this city, the bar does not require visitors to order, the bar is just a kind of place where many people gather.

After getting a comfortable seat, Aiden opened his pastry pack and started eating. Heard a bustle of people talking, mostly talking about the news of a mayor who milled two weeks ago.

"Police alone did not find the suspected perpetrator at all" said a man with a thick mustache and beard.

"Don't the rancid Mayor go on the run after he was shown embezzling money for the Long Bridge?" sahut another man with light brown hair.

"I'm so glad he disappeared. His crimes are no longer forgiven. The new Mayor's Candidate seemed to be better," said the third man whose body was much smaller than his two friends.

"But because he disappeared, the Long Bridge money embezzlement case could not be resolved," the brown-haired man replied again.

"Like that. It's just taking away his current property and using it to continue the Long Bridge project" said the smallest man.

"The last time anyone saw him, he was walking around Hoodale St, near the small purple house" said the bearded man.

"The girl's house, Sabina?" I thought Aiden was twitching his ears.

"really. Since the house stood, many strange events occurred in this city. Do you remember, three days ago, a couple died horribly and their bodies were found on the street in front of the house?"

"Yes I remember, Derk's wife's husband, whose body was torn apart."

"Then a month ago, a group of young people died with the same case and were found not far from the corner near the house as well."

"But the police never found fault with the girl who owned the house. There is no evidence that the girl was the killer. She's very pretty anyway. There's no way a beautiful, kind girl like her would commit such a murder."

"Don't be fooled by a woman's pretty face. I don't like that guy anyway! A lot of terrible things happened around his house."

Aiden was silent at the conversation of the three men. It was not information about the thing he was looking for, but he still felt surprised. Even though the girl the men told her about was only the first time she met, she still felt very angry because they thought the girl was evil. A girl as good as Sabina could not possibly commit such a crime!

***

"The bright morning Nora! Awake up!" sabina cried open the curtains of her home window. He went to the kitchen and took a loaf of bread.

Nora woke up from the sunlight that blinded her eyes. After being satisfied writhing, Nora jumped down from the sofa and walked into the kitchen looking for the food Sabina used to prepare for her. As soon as she reached the kitchen, she saw Sabina hurriedly go carrying a tray full of honey bread.

"Where are you going?" ask Nora briefly.

"I'm going to the house next door to deliver the honeybread I just made. I have to deliver before it gets cold," replied Sabina stepping out.

"You still like to bother taking care of people," said Nora, sipping the milk she had found under the dinner table.

"I will live in the midst of men, so I must also be like them. Dah Nora, I'll be home soon" said Sabina who immediately left the house.

As soon as she reached the door of the house, Sabina pressed the bell that immediately rang loudly. Moments later Maria opened her door with a smile.

"Ah, Sabina.it's good to see you again. Salakan enter," said Maria kindly.

"Thank you. I delivered the Honeycake I just made. I'm afraid this cake is getting cold. That's why I'm here soon even though it's still morning" replied Sabina into the house.

"remarkable. You are very good at cooking. I'm grateful that you're my neighbor" said Maria to receive Sabina's tray and take her into her kitchen. Before long Maria came out with Honey cake already in a beautiful pring.

"Kelly's gone to school. You're late with this cake" Maria said later.

"Ah, it's a pity Kelly can't feel this cake while it's still warm. But even though it's cold, this cake is still good, although not as good as when it's still warm."

"I believe" answered Mary smiling. "Ah, did I see you yesterday with a guy drinking tea together?" ask Mary then.

"She was my friend from far away and suddenly came to my house," Sabina explained hiding the truth.

"Is that so? I see he's quite handsome, though a little messy. Why don't you invite him to spend the night at your house?"

"No. He's got business elsewhere."

"Oh yeah? But all this morning I saw him pacing in front of your house. He seems to want to come again but I'm afraid you're still sleeping."

Sabina was shocked. How could he not feel the human aura being near his house? Unless that person can hide his aura. Sabina is increasingly convinced that Aiden, the man she met yesterday, is not 'just a human being. After hearing the news, Sabina rushed home, citing forgetting to feed Nora. Finally Maria let him go home with thanks for the honey cake that Sabina gave.

Arriving at home, Sabina approached Nora who was curled up lazily on the sofa. Sabina then spread her body beside Nora panting.

"It's not usual for you to run up to such gasps" Nora said without looking at Sabina.

"Nora... You know what? Aiden's? The guy who came here yesterday? Mary said she was near our house from morning." Sabina was still panting.

"I know? When you didn't realize it?"

"Huh? Know it? I don't feel the aura at all. My strength is weakening!" said Sabina starting to get hysterical and walking back and forth in front of Nora.

"No. I don't feel the aura either. I think he's deliberately hiding his aura."

"really? It means he's not human!"

"Don't be scared. He won't hurt you."

"Oh yeah? What if he's Wolfank's friend the jackal asshole?"

"Wolf man can't hide his aura. I think she's a witch."

"Witch?! Does that fact make me safer to stay here for long? And why is he watching my house all day?"

"Not all day. Just this morning. Why are you being so paranoid? Didn't you decide to get out of Rickle's family and stay here? Your behavior is humiliating the blood of your people. You're supposed to be calmer and have less self-respect not to feel scared."

"Quiet down? When my life is threatened? I've gone crazy enough with the bodies around my house. That rotten wolf has made me quite a trouble."

"Who knew the witch could help you. You invited him here yesterday anyway."

"Yes. And I'm sorry now."

***

It was almost noon when Aiden decided to leave Sabina's house. He felt that there was no point in being there, even though he was somehow worried about the girl.

Aiden was very astonished at himself who was worried about the girl he had met for the first time and he did not know at all.

Though his own situation was much worse than Sabina and he should have been more worried. But, his instinct said that the thing he was looking for did have something to do with Sabina. Moreover Sabina could make tea full of magic, which even her own nation of witches could not make. His meeting with Sabina yesterday was no coincidence.

But the reason was not strong enough to keep him in front of the house of a person he did not know. Even though he had already used a busting spell, it was not impossible for Sabina to see him and thought she was dangerous – indeed that was the case –. Therefore Aiden again walked down the city to continue his journey.

***