Chapter 15 - CHAPTER 14

"That….How is that even possible?!", everyone gape seeing fire monsters arise from the rubbles.
"But they're….it exploded and they're.."

"Pull yourselves together, spread out and meet up near the evacuation site. We'll meet up and form our last line of defence!", and with Daniel's order, an alchemist took out a potion, shaking it vigorously before opening it. But what came out is not liquid but fireworks, like a signal flare.

As the others spread out only Daniel and Ren were left in front of the burning rubbles of the academy's buildings. "Eleanor! Master!", Ren shouted calling out for the 2 girls they left on that building earlier.

Daniel prepared his wand seeing some of the monsters coming closer to where they are. But then, the monsters stopped, their feet stuck on the floor caused by vines wrapped around them, the two men looked towards the cause of it.

Two silhouettes were in front of the burning rubbles. Their eyes widen after recognizing who they are.

"Eleanor!", Eli who have a few wounds on her body is supporting the weaker form of Meridia who has more wounds than her. As Ren ran towards them, Daniel stayed alert guarding the monsters that are now currently burning the vines binding them caused by Meridia's potion.

"We've got to hurry to the mountain before they can fully release themselves", Eli look back to the person who just talked, thinking that their voice sounds familiar. But, when she saw who it is, her face paled as a gasp escaped from her lips.

Daniel looked at Eleanor. He felt different kinds of emotions and questions for her that he wanted to ask for years started popping on his mind, but then he tried to save it for later and focused on what is currently happening right now.

"We should move out right now", Ren carried Meridia on his back as he led the way to the mountain where the evacuees are. Daniel and Eli, even though still feeling a bit awkward towards each other, tried to keep up with him the best they could.

The rain started getting heavier by the minute making it hard for them to hike but still. After so much struggling, they finally arrived and saw a camp for the people who are evacuated not far from where the knights, alchemists, and wizards gathered.

"I'll bring master to the camp, I'll be right back", Eli nodded to Ren as he started walking. Daniel also approached the others who are busy planning on how to deal with the slow but deadly monsters who are probably hiking up the mountain by now.

The one in charge of the eastern region Orien, Marquis Perye who's riding a horse, arrived with knights, wizards, and alchemists working for him. "We've brought everything we could", and out from the wagons, his people brought out weapons and things that can be of use to help everyone fight the monsters.

Eleanor observed them and started to think to herself. The monsters all have flames all over their body, inextinguishable ones. It is also proven that those flames aren't just all that. They are also the ones protecting the bodies of the monsters, or maybe, those flames are really the bodies of the monsters.

They can burn anything, magic attacks, physical attacks, weapons, anything, just like how it burned the impact of the explosion.

So in order to defeat those monsters, they need to at least extinguish those flames. Her thoughts were cut off when the ground started shaking. They can hear footsteps, BIG footsteps, coming towards their way.

"They're here! Team A, guard the civilians with the Marquis. Team B, go to your positions!", wizards, alchemists, and knights all split into Team A and B. Team A was led by the Marquis and Team B was led by Daniel.

Eli who's not informed of anything about the plan was then pulled by someone. Daniel hid in one of the trees hugging Eli. "Shhhh", he said as the whole place grew quiet. Eleanor even saw that the lights coming from the camp were all turned off.

As the sounds of footprints grew closer and closer, bright light started to emanated the whole place. Eli peeked from behind the tree where they're in. They're here now….the flaming monsters.

Daniel signalled the others and they all attacked together. There are at most a total of 10 flaming monsters. They might be small in numbers but they're all VERY big. They can be outnumbered but not outsized.

While they're all fighting, Eli also prepared herself to help when she notice something. "One, two….wait, there are only 4 monsters here. Where are the othe….", she paused and glanced towards the camp site. There, on their way are 6 monsters heading towards where the evacuees are.

She looked at Daniel and the others then back to the camp. Daniel's team are in supposed to be the ones in vanguard that's why there are more people in Team A than in Team B, but they weren't able to guess that things would turn out this way.

Some were trying to go and help the team B who are also now trying to stop monsters from approaching the evacuees, but the 4 monsters are all blocking them.

"Go to the circle!", her gaze went back to the camp when she heard a familiar voice shout. It was Meridia who is still injured. The monsters are encircling them all now.

The wizards casted spells as they were all now being protected by dome like shields, though the monsters kept on banging that shield, causing it to break little by little.

That's when Eli decided to help them first. She immediately ran towards the wagon that the Marquis brought. She tried finding anything that can help her create distraction for the monsters so that the other weak and injured people can ran away/ be evacuated far from the battle.

While frantically trying to find some chemicals, she came across a bottle, it's a potion. She looked at the label and smirk; it's one of the potions that can be used as a signal flare. She put it on her pocket, making sure it's secured. She then jumped in shock, bumping on something in the process, after hearing a loud cracking sound. She looked outside the wagon at the shield and it's almost covered in cracks.

She looked back unintentionally and her eyes widen after seeing that it's a glass box containing something she never thought she'll be able to find here. Then an idea came to her mind in a snap. With a serious face she immediately brought out a big red container bottle out from the glass box.

She tilted it and smirked after confirming what it is. With all her strength, she carried it and ran towards where the monsters are encircling the evacuees. She put it down meters away from them; she then took out the potion from her pocket, shaking it vigorously. Before opening the container, she saw Meridia who seemed to have noticed her, shaking her head after realizing what Eli is planning to do.

But Eli just smiled at her. She then opened the bottle as fireworks were launched like a signal flare.

And it did catch everyone's attention. Both the people and the monsters. The monsters started coming towards her in slow steps. "Run Eleanor!", Meridia even tried to go to where she is but was stopped by the others.

The wizards even tried to save her by casting attack spells and the knights tried to block the monsters but to no avail. Eli dropped the empty bottle and quickly kneeled down to the grass.

"Eleanor!", even Ren and Daniel tried to stop the monsters out of desperation but they were all blocked by the other monsters. "Ok ok, what did they say in school about how to use fire extinguisher? Right right…so pull the pin, aim then push this and sweep. Ok, ok", as her shaking hands tried to pull the pin, her eyes darted from the fire extinguisher that she's been holding into the coming monsters and back into the extinguisher again.

"Eleanor!", shouts coming from people she knows and she don't keeps on entering her ears. The monsters are just a few more steps away from her, when…

"Look out!"
"Come…on!"

Everyone stopped on their tracks as white smoke coming from the thing that Eli was holding came in contact/ sprays on the monsters after Eli was able to finally pull the pin of the fire extinguisher, and instantly pushing the lever with her other hand. The smoke slowly started to clear out when they all open their eyes to see an unbelievable sight.

The flaming monsters' flames are now out! And in front of them are monsters that are made of dark blue liquid.

A familiar stench entered Eli's nose that caused her to smirk after confirming something. When she saw the fire extinguisher in a glass box earlier while searching the wagon, an idea came into her mind. She remembered how the fire-fighters discuss how to use a fire extinguisher and how it can kill fire during their fire prevention month every year in her previous schools.

Fire extinguishers apply an agent that will cool burning heat, but there are a lot of kinds of fire extinguishers. And when Eleanor read the information or label of that fire extinguisher, she found out that it was a Carbon dioxide fire extinguisher also known as CO2 extinguisher. It was a fire extinguisher that can kill a Class B fire, which is fire caused by flammable liquids.

Flammable liquid fires can't be extinguished by water; in contrast water might even cause the fire to spread. And so when she remembered how the fire can't be extinguished by the rain and is instead easily spread in town, she made a gamble to use the CO2 extinguisher.

And looks like her guess is correct. "Freeze them!", Daniel who snapped back to reality first immediately casted a spell, the other wizards followed suit and soon the dark blue monsters are now frozen solid.

"You reckless girl!", Eli was caught off guard when someone tackled her in a hug. She looked up and saw Ren's worried face. She wrapped her arms around his waist as well and patted his back. "I'm okay", she reassured.

"That monster, it was made of grease, the fire they caused can't be extinguished and it even spread though it's raining, add the stench / smell and the color too, these are all given clues. They're considered flammable liquids and can cause Class B fires, so I made a gamble and used a CO2 fire extinguisher that can stop a Class B fire. I know that this kind of fire extinguisher has a very short discharge time; at least I was still able to put out their fire, which is the goal. And it looks like my gamble is right. It's also a good thing that this has a frost-free horn"

Eli stopped chattering when she noticed that everyone had been quiet and all are looking at her with bewildered eyes. "You…you were able to use it", that's when she got it.

A fire extinguisher like what she just used is not something that can be found in this world, so no one would be able to know how to really use it, but Eli…she just used it earlier.

"I ummm…I…"
"You were able to use the Holy Object"

Eli paused for a second and with a confuse face and tone she asked the Marquis again like she heard it wrong, "Excuse me? A Holy Object you say?"

Marquis Perye nodded his head. "Eleanor that is a Holy Object that was recently found in the Marquis' state", Ren seconded. Eli look at all the people who are still staring at her, Meridia and Daniel were also one of those people.

Eli looked at the used fire extinguisher beside her as thoughts came to her mind.

'A Holy Object, something that can never be found in this world, in short…an unknown thing. Why didn't I realized it sooner, of course when you're talking about things that you won't be able to see in this world, it means things from my world!'

Eli held her aching head as Ren supported her body. It was also the perfect time that Meridia came towards them. "Marquis, can we please discuss this later on? We should focus on fixing things first", the Marquis looked at the alchemist.

He nodded and started getting things in order. Meridia looked at the exhausted face of Eli. She just woke up after sleeping for a long time but she already experienced a lot of things in just a whole day, of course she'll be exhausted.

The rain stopped and the sun started to rise. Ren lifted Eli up, carrying her towards the camp. "P-put me down Ren, I-I can walk on my own I promise", but the boy didn't listen to her and instead just tighten his grip on her, but not to the point of it hurting her.

"Ren…"
"Eleanor"

Eleanor stopped talking and looked up to the one carrying her the same time Ren looked back at her. He stopped walking and let out a sigh, looking at Meridia signalling her to go on first before looking back at Eli, "I know how tired you are. So please, please put your mind and body at ease for a minute. Let yourself rest first and do the talking later"

Eli looked at his serious face and smiled. She leaned her whole body to him and put her head on his shoulder and let them rest there. After closing her eyes, Eli whispered, "Thank you Ren"

Ren smiled to himself then continued walking. Unbeknown to them, Daniel who's been behind them all this time, stared at them with blank eyes. His hands clenched and his eyes are full of different kinds of emotions that only he knows.

"Sir"

His expression immediately changed as he face the person behind him. Marquis Perye mentally shook his head, thinking that it might've been his imagination. For what he saw in a split second is a different expression on the wizard's face than the smiling one he's seeing right now.

"Is something wrong Marquis?"

The Marquis shook his head and shrugged the thought off. "Nothing's wrong, we just need to discuss some things with you"

Daniel looked at the Marquis pointing onto a tent where other wizards are entering. He looked back to Eli and Ren but saw that they're entering one of the tents in the camp.

"Ok then let's go"
































"How about you go and help in managing things and I'LL stay here to take care of Eleanor"

"How about YOU do it instead? Since you're the one insisting so much"

"Enough! How about YOU both go get yourselves treated and I'LL be the one who's going to take care of her. Now shoo!"

Eli woke up on the sound of people bickering. She slowly opened her eyes and tried to sit up when she felt her back aching, making her groan unintentionally.

The 3 people busy arguing with each other earlier turned their heads and immediately came close to her. "Hey, you okay kiddo? Need something?", Eleanor shook her head. Meridia put her hand on her forehead while the 2 boys, Daniel and Rephienne, just stood there silence.

"Hmm, looks like you don't have a fever. Good. I'm going to go and get some food outside so you can fill your stomach since you've been sleeping the whole day", Eli looked at Meridia but her attention was now caught by a certain green-eyed boy after noticing that he is present.

The alchemist was about to go out when she noticed the atmosphere in the room. She came back and held Ren's clothes then, "What the! Master! Why are you taking me too?!", after Meridia dragged Ren outside the tent silence filled the room.

Eli's eyes were now focused on the blankets covering her body. She can't seem to make herself look up at the person looking at her. "Good thing you're well now"

Eli's breathe hitched. She tried to calm herself before speaking. "Y-yeah", the atmosphere started to become very awkward. Daniel pulled a chair and put it beside the girl's bed, sitting on it and continued staring at her.

"Can you stop staring at me? Umm, it's not like I'll disappear in a snap of a finger", Eleanor, who can't take the awkwardness and the staring anymore, tried to stop Daniel's staring and the awkward atmosphere of the room. But the answer that came back to her made the atmosphere more awkward.

"Really? I'm sorry, but I can't seem to make myself believe that after you disappeared on me before", Eleanor's eyes widen and finally, she gained the courage to lift up her head, but when she saw Daniel's eyes holding so many emotions, she lost her words.