Wielder Of The Dragon Flame

Chapter 6

Asta’s eyes snapped open.

His chest was rising and falling fast, like he had been running for hours. He sat up so quickly the thin mattress on the bunk bed creaked loud. The room was small and gray. Bare walls. A tiny window high up let in cold morning light. The air smelled of dust and old wood.

An old man sat on a wooden chair beside the bed, watching him with calm eyes.

“You okay, boy?” 

The old man asked, his voice rough but not unkind.

Asta blinked, rubbed his face.

“Yeah… I think so.”

He looked around again, confusion written all over his face.

“Where the hell am I?”

The old man gave a small smile.

“No need to be scared. You’re in the Labourers’ Unit. Bottom floor of the academy. This is where flameless students work now.”

Asta’s heart dropped.

“Labourers’ Unit…? How did I get here?”

The old man stood up slowly, joints cracking.

“You ask too many questions.” 

He said, turning toward the door.

 “When we were rounding up the flameless ones after the ceremony, we found you passed out behind the academy. You were burning with fever. We carried you here and gave you some medicine.”

He looked over his shoulder.

“That's enough for you?”

Asta swallowed hard.

“Oh… yeah. Thank you, sir. And sorry for my manners.”

The old man nodded.

“It’s alright. Get up. Come register. From today, this is your new school.”

Asta climbed out of the bunk. His legs felt heavy, like they were made of stone.

As they walked down a dark, narrow hallway, the dragon’s huge red eye flashed in his mind again. Scales. Fire and Chains burning with flames.

His step faltered. His eyes went wide.

The old man noticed.

“You okay, boy?”

Asta shook his head fast, like trying to throw the picture out.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m fine.”

“Walk faster then.”

They reached a bigger room with long tables. A few older students sat there, wearing gray work clothes. When they saw Asta, whispers started.

“Isn’t that Asta Xavier?”  

“The one with no flame?”  

“Even the Fire Lord’s son ended up here…”

The old man slammed his hand on the table.

“QUIET! All of you!”

Everyone shut up fast.

He pushed a dirty register book toward Asta.

“Write your name. From now on you work with us. Clean floors. Carry coal. Fix things. That’s your life.”

Asta stared at the page. His hand shook as he wrote his name in black ink.

The old man watched him, his voice softer now.

“Don’t look so sad, boy. You’ll get used to it. Some even say they like it here.”

Asta forced a tiny smile. It died the second it appeared.

He finished and walked toward the exit.

The hallway to the outside was long and cold. His footsteps echoed.

Then,bump!

He walked straight into someone wearing a long brown cloak. The hood hid their faces.

“Oh! I’m sorry.” 

A soft girl’s voice said.

She stepped around him quickly and disappeared down the hall.

Asta blinked.

“Wait… a girl? What is a girl doing down here?”

He shook his head and kept walking.

An hour later, he stood in front of the huge iron gates of Xavier Mansion 

The golden lions looked the same, but everything felt wrong.

Two new guards in black armor blocked the entrance.

“Stop right there.” 

One said, his voice hard. 

“By order of the new Clan Head, Cassian Xavier,you are forbidden to step foot inside this compound.”

Asta froze.

“You’ve got to be kidding me… really?”

From the left side of the fence, near some trees, a familiar voice called softly.

“Young master Asta!”

Butler Grogerry stood there with a few maids and housekeepers. They were wearing normal clothes,no uniforms. Their eyes were red from crying. Some carried small bags, like they had been thrown out.

Asta ran over.

“Butler! What happened? Why are you all out here? Where are your uniforms?”

Grogery’s old face was full of pain.

“Young master… Master Cassian fired every one of us this morning. Anyone who was close to you… he said we had to leave. The mansion belongs to the strong now. Flameless have no place inside.”

Asta’s heart stopped.

“He… fired all of you? Because of me?”

The maids nodded, some crying quietly.

One whispered.

 “He changed the locks. Threw our things in the street. Said the Xavier clan has no room for weakness or anyone who supports

weakness.”

Asta looked up at the mansion.

On the top balcony, Cassian stood watching, his arms folded and a cold smile on his face.

Asta stood there in the cold wind, his fists clenched and his eyes burning.