There are many festivals in the town of Azar. From wine festivals to children festivals. Wine festivals you don't need to be an adult like in our world. If you are 10 seasons old and have cash you can get a drink. At the 10 season celebration each child gets a ceremonial knife proving their age. This is also the knife proving your right to start training on quests.
All of the above ground festivals are for the humans. I thought that until one day about three years after I started school. I was passing by the Wamit's living quarters on my day off heading to check in with the Guild.
I can hear laughing and look down the Wimit living quarters as I pass. I see venders everywhere. I stop to take a step toward the area. I have just stepped into the street entrance when a man stops me by putting his hand on my arm. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you. That's the Wamit Fire festival. They are praying to the fires of the underworld. It's very dangerous for any other creatures." I shake his hand off saying, "I don't believe you," and vanish into the Wimit quarters. I hear him say behind me. "Don't say I didn't warn you. It's your own fault if you become a sacrifice."
The street looks like any other area just the orange stone of the houses is old and cracked. The gates to the quarters doors stand wide open today and the words that say Wamit have been repainted black for today. The roofs are made of red stone instead of the normal wood or grass. Stalls selling food are everywhere and everything looks and smells spicy. When I get to the middle of the street there is a small grassy area with benches.
A large number of Wimit are standing around. One has a kid on his shoulders. The kid has a red fluffy snack on a stick that looks like a cross between cotton candy and devil pork rims(super hot). The very smell is a little over powering as he waves it through the air laughing. His originator is smiling and laughing as he holds onto the kids lite red colored skin. I'm the only yellow skinned creature in a sea of red skin and red hair.
Everyone is a Wimit with red hair sticking up about six inches in length and pointy ears. A vender passes by with a tray of sticks that have the same fluffy red snack as the kid has. He looks at me with his red eyes. A look of surprise on his face.
Then he smiles holding out a stick a huge smile on his face, "He says, "Welcome to the fire festival. It's rare to see humans here. glad to meet you. Want to try a coluna stick. It may not be to your liking but I'd love for you to try one for 2 bronze. Wimit can't taste much on the account we are basically fire so you will probably find everything is kinda over powering. That's the only way we can taste much of anything."
He has a pleasant laugh. I take the stick from him and pass him 2 bronze coins. He watches smiling as I bring it to my lips. I can smell the smell of hot pepper/chili powder. I take a bite and my lips and mouth are on fire. Without even thinking about it I fill my mouth with black flames to eliminate the taste. The black fire also spreads covers my lips for a second. His eyes get big as I take a breath gasping for air.
He looks at me in surprise and says, "What are you?" I smile and say, "Thanks for the treat." I place the half eaten snack back on his tray putting it into one of the holes in the bottom of the tray. When I get to a small clearing in the crowd and see a group of kids in uniforms. I can feel him following me. The kids are about 12 years old and doing everything from cart wheels, to rings of fire.
One has a few red and orange firedogs running around him. Another is playing with firebirds. A group of kids are passing a ball of fire the size of a baseball around. They are tossing it between them. I keep walking through the park and see a group of kids about 7 or 8 playing with a hackie sack made of fire. An old man is sending up balls of fire into the air juggling them.
Suddenly I hear yelling and everyone reaches into the air. Laughing and jumping that's when it happens. As I watch the row of Wimit's I'm standing in start bursting into flame in a wave coming right towards me. I hear a crash as the vender drops his tray and yells, "Look out." He lunges at me and tries to protect me from the incoming blaze of bodies with his own.
He holds me in his arms covering my head as the person now in back of him blazes into flames yelling with excitement. The whole row reminds me of people doing a wave at a baseball game in the bleachers. He finally releases me saying, "That was close. You should be more careful." He looks down at me as surprise spreads across his face. He lifts his head from mine and loosens his grip. He stares at me in shock.
Looking down at me he lifts my head by the chin so he can look into y eyes. He says, "I thought it was my imagination, but, What are you? You are not human." He finds himself looking into red eyes with the same lite red skin and red hair. When I saw the oncoming people catching fire instinct kicked in and I changed shape to a Wimit protecting myself from the oncoming blaze. I smile up at him and say, "It's a long story."
I pull myself out of his grip and vanish into the crowd as he just stands there in shock. I haven't gone far when I hear him say, "Ms. come back." I've already been lost to his sight. I buy a snack as I see him looking frantic. I watch him from a nearby bench eating a fish on a stick covered in some kind of seasoning. I can tell by the smell that it is crazy hot but he was right it's got a pleasant mild taste to my now dead taste buds.
I go and watch a play. As well as watch a Wimit at a dunk tank full of fire and ash. They throw rocks that have been heated till they are smooth and the size of a baseball. I find a hot spring and enjoy a nice soak for awhile. Good thing I watched all those anime since I've never been to a hot spring or public bath before.
There are venders everywhere selling everything from red crystal jewelry to fire lamps. Some are selling fire knifes and swords as well as spices and red, pink and orange fire resistant clothes. That's when I realize if it hadn't been for the outfit Wizzal made me I would have ended up butt naked the time I set myself ablaze at the house of Yotal all those years ago.
I wander around and buy some spices as well as a sword that I get wrapped in cloth and tie on my back. It comes with a fire proof scabbard. I also get a few more fire knives and a fire stone glove. When I get to the clothes area I get quite a few outfits. One I wear out of the shop.
The shirt is a pink scoop neck shirt that follows my curves. There is a little red line across the shoulders that travels to above the breasts and follows down the stomach ending with a small charm the dangles showing my naval.
The charm sits right where a belly ring would be. The bottom is a red skirt with a pink leather belt. The skirt has silver strands of thread mixed in. It goes half way down my thighs. The shoes are red and pink as well. The outfit matches what everyone else is wearing between the reds, pinks and oranges everywhere.
....
It is now heading toward night and there is talk of fireworks I've found a park with swings and a slide for children. I'm sitting on a bench watching the kids play. The parents are starting to take the kids away. I feel the bench sink down a little as someone sits next to me. Then they say, "I'm not sure cause I only saw your face for a minute but that's you. Isn't it? I'm Sizar what's your name?
I look at him and think about telling him he's got the wrong person when I see a determined look in his face. I smile and say, "I'm Lizeli and to answer your earlier question I've no clue what I am." I get up and start walking away. He jumps up and starts to follow me. He says, "Can I see you again? I've got so many questions. Where are you from? What brought you here?"
I'm not interested in puppy love or whatever this is so I turn to him and am about ready to tell him to go away when I look into his eyes. There is no love only hope, excitement and curiosity. I tilt me head to the side and say, "Follow me." We head down the street and out the gates of the Wimit living quarters. I take him down the first deserted alley I find. When we get to the end I turn to him.
His eyes are still curious but now also unsure. I smile and say, "I go to the Azar Magic Academy." My shape begins to change. His eyes get big as my hair grows longer. My skin turns copper tan color. My teeth grow sharp and my wings and tail appear. When he is looking at my true form his eyes get even bigger. I can see a mixture between fear and curiosity still on his face.
I smile and make a black fireball in my hand. At that all his fear vanishes left with wonder he stares at the fire. He says, "How did you do that? I'm an fire elemental and I've never seen black flames." He starts reaching towards the flame his hand out stretched. I close my hand and the fire vanishes before he can reach. I look at him, smile and say, "Would you like to see how hot your fire can get?" He looks from my face to my fist a number of times before he answers. His eyes seem to light up with excitement as he says, "Yes"
After that I took him into my Space bag and showed him the world inside. He was amazed and now his family lives inside. Every few weeks we meet up and his job is to run around looking for people who want away out of their pathetic little life.
In exchange every time he brings me new slaves we go into the woods in the bag and I train him. Just last year his fire got so hot it turned blue. He is now the most powerful Wimit in the known world. I'm still trying to get his fire to turn black. I've got an idea I've yet to try. It could kill him so I've been putting off telling him. Since he is about to become my support team I don't want to kill him yet.