All Chapters of Wielder Of The Dragon Flame : Chapter 11
- Chapter 20
45 chapters
Chapter 11
Four months had crawled by like wounded beasts dragging themselves across scorched earth. Asta lay sprawled on the top bunk of his assigned bed, his back pressed against the thin, lumpy mattress that had become all too familiar. The wooden slats creaked beneath him with every slight movement, a sound that had become the soundtrack to his restless nights. His arms were folded behind his head, fingers interlaced, as his brown eyes traced the cracks spider-webbing across the ceiling above him. Those cracks had become like old friends,he'd memorized every line, every junction where they split and spread like veins beneath skin.The room was dim, lit only by the weak morning light filtering through a small window near the door. Dust particles danced in the pale beam, swirling lazily in the stale air. The bunker smelled of sweat, wood polish and the faint metallic tang that seemed to cling to everything in the labor quarters.“It's been four good months.”Asta muttered, his voice barely ab
Chapter 12
The official demanded, taking a step into the room and pointing at the lower bunk. "Is that Jabber? Wake his lazy ass up too and tell him to get to the quarters immediately. You both think you're special? Think the rules don't apply to you?"Asta swung his legs over the side of the bunk and dropped down to the floor, his bare feet hitting the cold wood with a soft thud. "Oh, sure. I'll do just that." He said, keeping his voice neutral, respectful. There was no point antagonizing the higher officials,that only led to worse assignments, longer hours, or sometimes worse.The official held Asta's gaze for a long moment, as if searching for any hint of insubordination or mockery. Finding none, he grunted, turned on his heel, and strode out of the room. The door remained open, swinging slightly on its hinges.Asta stood there for a moment, listening to the official's heavy footsteps receding down the hallway. Then he turned toward the lower bunk, hesitating. Jabber hadn't moved throughou
Chapter 13
The smile stayed on Asta's face even as heat crept up his neck. He wasn't embarrassed exactly,more resigned. Of course Kael would single him out, even without naming him directly. The old man had spent countless hours trying to coax the dragon flame out of Asta's stubborn body, and they both knew how spectacularly those attempts had failed. But Asta had excelled at everything else,the sword work, the hand-to-hand combat, the tactical drills. That had to count for something, didn't it?Old man Kael's gaze moved on, and Asta released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The old man's expression softened slightly as he continued addressing the crowd."But I want you all to understand something important." Kael said, his voice growing stronger, more passionate. "Difficulty is not the same as defeat. Struggle is not the same as failure. Every single person in this room has faced challenges,that's why you're here in the labor section instead of in some prestigious squad, right?
Chapter 14
"How many times are they going to delay it?""I think they're scared of us." A voice called out,Asta couldn't see who, but the speaker's tone was thick with sarcasm. The comment drew scattered laughter from the crowd."Yeah!" Another voice agreed, louder this time. "They're chickens! They know we'd embarrass them, so they keep finding excuses!"More laughter, but it had an edge to it,bitter, frustrated laughter.Asta wasn't laughing. His jaw had tightened, and his earlier good mood was evaporating like morning mist under harsh sun. "Not again." He muttered under his breath, though no one near him was paying attention. "This is the fifth time they're postponing this tournament. The fifth time!”His mind was already cataloging the previous postponements, each one more absurd than the last. The first cancellation had come three months ago, right when everyone was excited and ready. A higher-up official,Asta couldn't remember his name now, just that he'd been in the Elite Flame Div
Chapter 15
Very few hands went up. Asta certainly didn't,he'd never been outside the academy grounds except for that one disastrous encounter with the shadow beast, and that had been a pure accident, not a planned mission."Exactly." Kael said. "This guild system will give you that experience. It'll test you in ways that training never can. And more than that…" His voice grew more animated. "...it'll give you freedom. You won't be waiting for some higher-up to assign you tasks. You'll choose your own missions from the guild board, work at your own pace, build your own reputation. You'll have control over your own progress in a way you never have before."Asta found himself nodding slowly. Put that way, it actually did sound appealing. The idea of choosing his own path, of proving himself through actions rather than just endless training sessions... yeah, that had potential."Now." Kael continued."There are some requirements. You need to form a four-person party to register as a guild. Not
Chapter 16
The punch came fast and brutal.The official's fist connected with Jabber's face with a sickening crack that seemed to echo through the suddenly silent gathering quarters. The force of the blow lifted Jabber off his feet, his body spinning slightly in the air before he crashed into one of the stone pillars that supported the ceiling. His back hit first with a heavy thud that made Asta wince, then he crumpled forward, falling face-first onto the hard floor.The crowd had gone completely silent. All the excited chatter about guilds and partnerships died instantly. Everyone was watching now, some with shock on their faces, others with a grim resignation,they'd seen this kind of thing before. The higher officials could do pretty much whatever they wanted to the laborers, and there was rarely any consequence.The official was already moving, shrugging off his pristine coat with sharp, angry movements. He tossed it aside carelessly, letting it fall to the floor in a heap. Underneath, his
Chapter 17
"Myself, Asta, and…" Flora paused, her eyes moving past the official to where Jabber was now standing, leaning heavily against the pillar, blood still dripping from his nose. "....and Jabber. He's our fourth member."Now the official laughed, but it was a harsh, mocking sound with no humor in it. "Jabber? You're taking the Sun Arising Flame reject into your party? The boy who can't even follow simple instructions about when to show up to a gathering?""Yes." Flora said simply, not rising to the bait. "We're taking him.”"Then you're an idiot." The official said bluntly. "He'll drag you down. He's got power he can't control, discipline he doesn't have, and a complete inability to follow orders or show proper respect. He'll get you killed on your first real mission.""That's our choice to make." Flora replied, her tone still even but with steel underneath. "Not yours."The official stared at her for a long moment, then shifted his gaze back to Asta, who still hadn't moved from
Chapter 18
"Why did you do that?"Asta blinked, surprised by the question. "Do what? Step in?"Jabber nodded once, a tiny movement of his head."Because..." Asta paused, trying to put his feelings into words. "Because it wasn't fair. Because that official was wrong. Because..." He trailed off, then just shrugged helplessly. "Because you're my bunkmate. We look out for each other, right?"Something flickered in Jabber's eyes,there and gone so quickly Asta might have imagined it. But he thought it might have been a surprise. Like the concept of someone looking out for him was foreign, unexpected."Besides." Flora added, still working on cleaning the blood from Jabber's face. "Asta told the truth when he said you're with us now. If you want to be, that is." She stepped back, examining her work, then looked directly into Jabber's eyes. "We need a fourth for our guild party. We'd like it to be you."Now Jabber definitely looked surprised. His eyes widened slightly, his careful mask slipping
Chapter 19
Jabber was quiet for a moment, clearly not used to being asked his opinion. "I... I can do crowd control. My flame, when I can manifest it properly, it spreads wide. Not as focused as most flame types, but good for covering large areas. And I'm... I'm fast. Faster than I look.""Mobility and area control then." Mira said, nodding approvingly. "That's actually a solid composition. We've got close, mid, and long-range cover, plus someone who can control the battlefield." She looked back at Flora. "You know I was planning to join Marcus's group, right?"Flora's face fell slightly. "Oh. I didn't realize you'd already…""But I like this better." Mira interrupted, a small smile tugging at her scarred face. "Marcus's group is all about brute force,no real strategy, just hitting things harder until they stop moving. This has potential. You've actually thought about roles and composition." She extended her hand to Flora. "Count me in."Flora clasped her hand, relief and happiness cle
Chapter 20
They followed her through the thinning crowd, Asta walking beside Jabber while Mira brought up the rear. As they walked, Asta found himself studying his new guild mates from the corner of his eye.Flora moved with confidence and purpose, her shoulders back, her stride sure. She was clearly someone used to taking charge, used to making decisions. That would be good for them,they needed that kind of steady leadership.Mira was all controlled power,every movement precise, economical, the mark of someone who'd trained extensively in combat. Her eyes constantly scanned their surroundings, alert, watchful. She'd be their shield, their front line when things got dangerous.And Jabber... Jabber moved quietly, his presence muted, like he was trying to fade into the background even as he walked with them. But there was something else there now, something Asta hadn't seen before. Was it hope? The tiniest flicker of something that wasn't resignation or defeat?As for himself, Asta wasn't sure w