And that was how Sylvia started visiting his house every day. Sometimes she would bring cookies and other snacks for him, and somehow, she always managed to bring his favorite kind, wether it was Hina's doing or Sylvia's observation, but one thiing he knew was that, this girl had grown close to him.
And just like that, 2 years swiftly went by....
"Hinata, i'm here."
Free called, now 9 years old. He hid in the living room behind a chair.
"Brother wait!?."
Hinata shouted, her legs wobbled as they stepped onto the wooden floor, each step almost made her to fall backwards.
But gradually, she made it to the living and scanned the room searching for Free.
"Hinata wait."
Elina followed behind her, reaching to the living room using the wall as a support.
"Brother?."
She called, her eyes gazing around the room for Free. After a few seconds of looking around, she saw him behind the chair.
"Found you!."
Both yelled at the same time, Hinata tilted her head to Elina, which Elina did too.
"i found!."
Hinata claimed, giving a glare to Elina.
"No i did."
Elina corrected.
And just like that, both of them started to argue on who first found Free. While he just stared at them, seeing then like this was somehow normal for him.
"First touch wins!."
Elina suddenly proposed, as she ran to him and touched his leg.
"Cheater!."
"Okay, you two stop arguing."
Free stopped them, and patted both on the head.
"You should never argue with each other, its bad manners, understand."
He lectured, bending slightly to their level.
"Yes."
Both obeyed, and eyed eachother.
Hinata's brow twitched, she opened her mouth to say something atrocious but Free gave her a knowing look and she closed it instantly.
Knock. Knock.
A gentle knock rang from outside. The three tilted their head to the room's doorway.
"It must be big sis!."
Hinata and Elina ran out of the living room, as they advanced to the doorway, and about to open it. but they were too short to do it.
Free approached the door and the two turned behind, then pointed to the door.
"Open, brother."
Hinata ordered, and jumped trying to reach the door to open the door.
"Yes yes."
He mumbled, his hand reached to the knob and pulled the door.
A girl stood infront of the door, tanned skin, brown eyes and a radiant smile on her face–Sylvia.
She stood on the varenda, her cheeks tinted pink and a basket of cookies firmly held in her hand.
"I-I brought some cookies, w-would you like to have them?."
She nervously stammered, her hands tightened on the basket of cookies she held.
"Yes, i would like to."
Free gratefully replied, accepting the gift.
Sylvia anxiously handed him the basket with both hands, as if it would run.
"Please come in."
He politely said, stepping behind a few steps, allowing Sylvia to enter.
Just as they was about to head to the living room, Hinata flashed a mischevious grin, and darted forward, snatching the basket of cookies, from his hand.
"Mine now!."
She giggled, and bolted to the dining room.
"Me too!."
Elina called, chasing after her.
Sylvia stared at them for a few moments before awkwardly marching in the livingg room, and silently sat in the chair.
Free sat to her left, a feeling the awkwardness.
"Thank you for the cookies you brought every day"
He thanked her, the corner of his..lips curled up, a tiny awkward smile.
"N-no need."
She shrugged it off, scratching her cheeks with a low chuckle. While, Hinata and Elina at the treatd she brought, in the dining table.
"Hinata and Elina are really mischevious."
She stated, hearing their giggles from the room.
"Yes they are"
He admitted.
The silence hung in the room, Sylvia timidly sat on the seat, fidgeting her hands.
A few minutes passed, when someone finally entered in the room—Lina
She walked in the room, dried clothes held between her arms.
"Oh my, Sylvia is here."
She said, unfazed by the. awkward silence between the two.
"My apologies, i'll leave."
She informed, and advanced upstairs.
"I l-learnt a new spell yesterday"
Sylvia broke the silence, and stood up from the seat, her eyes avoiding Free's.
"Would you like to see it?."
She asked.
"I would like to."
He agreed, standing up from the seat and both headed to the garden.
"I'll start now."
She murmured, and raised her hand to her shoulder level. Her lips moved, as the atmosphere around crackled, lighting sparks snappinng around her body every second.
"Lightning javelin!."
She finished.
Clouds loomed over the sky, slowly covering the house in its shadow, before a lightning strike dropped beside the flower field.
"Be careful."
Free warned, seeing the lighting uncontrollably striking near the flower.
"Sylvia, deactivate it now."
"I…can't."
She replied, struggling to deactivate the spell, and the lightning finally landed on the flower field.
Hina planted it months ago.
"Ahhh!"
Her screams echoed through the house, as both rushed to the flower filed, and saw half of them were badly burned.
"Oh dear..."
Free's face paled, he gave Sylvia a faint smile, trying to reassure that it was fine only to froze upon hearing footsteps behind him.
"Ohh... What. Is. This?..."
And eeerie dark voice reached their ears.
Standing right behind them. Overlooking the burned flower field. Free turned around, and saw Hina facing them, her expression dark, yet, a sweet smile clung to her face.
"Who did this?."
"Uhhh.... I didn't do anything."
He answered, Sylvia quietly hicked still facing the flower field, not dare glance back.
"The sky did it. Yes, the sky dropped a lightning."
He blamed the sky, Hina took a step forward and Free took a step back.
"GO AND PRACTICE YOUR SPELLS OUTSIDE!!!."
She yelled, her voice trembling the whole neightbourhood.
"Ssorry!."
They apologized and bolted to the village square.
"Brother in trouble again."
Hinata laughed, lifting another Cookie from the basket.
While Free and Sylvia sprinted, till both entered in South area of the village square. And stopped under a tree.
"Let's try some harmless spells this time."
Free took a feel breath, gasping for air, and sat on the green grass beneath the tree.
"Y-yes."
Sylvia agreed, falling flat on the green tall grass.
"I'm sorry for the flower field."
She apologized, guilt washing her face.
"No need, it will grow back in just days. The soil in the village is rich in mana, so it will probably grow back in a few days."
He reassured, feeling the green grass on his bback.
"Well, now that yoy brought it, it wasn't always this fertile and rich in mana."
She stated, grabbing the dirt in her haands and sat up.
"What?."
Free mumbled, his face filled with confusion and curiosity.
"Did you remember about the mana wave that shook the whole kingdom 5 years ago."
She told him.
"The one that threw people around, even the palace mana sensors exploded and after that our village suddenly became very fertile and rich in mana."
And pulled a grass out of the ground, it's roots thick and long, as if handled with care aand affection.
"I know about that, but i was sleeping when it happened and mom said that Lina's mana defying seal defend the house and saved me from getting thrown out of the bed."
"Really i heard that mages tried to defy it but they failed even 2nd prince Alberto Daelon got thrown to the wall."
Sylvia eyes narrowed slightly, surprised and awed.
"She must be a saint class mage, to stop something that made even neighbouring kingdoms tremble."
She continued, her face filled with admiration.
"Lina isn't a mage...she used paper seal. Mom said that she had lower mana pool than average adult, so she used paper seal."
Free pointed out, and took a pen out from his pocket.
"This is a spell pen. She gave me at my sixth birthday, it's kind of amusing to write spells and use them."
He gave her the pen.
"But this kind of magic spell pens are expensive, i heard it costed a few gold coin to even buy a average one."
Her hands traced the pen, its chants and symbols hummed with energy, coming in contact with her and the mana around.
"Is it that expensive?."
He asked, as if making sure he heard it correctly.
"it is."
Sshe returned the pen back.
"I never thought it would be this expensive."
He muttered, and tucked the pen back to his pocket carefully, after realizing it's value.
"I should only use it at hom-."
Before Free could complete his sentence, foosteps came from behind.
a man trudged toward them and sat to the opposite side of the tree. A sword on his hip, geared up and a big bag tightly tied to his back.
The man threw it to tthe ground and rested, his chest gleamed with a badge-an adventurer- and he sat down, resting beneath the tree.
"Why is he resting behind us."
Sylvia whispered, fear slowly creeping on her face.
"Is he a kidnapper, or a bandit or–."
Before she could finish, the man interrupted.
"Hey girl, i'm not a bandit."
"I'm just tired, very tired."
He clarified, eyes half lidded.
"I entered a dungeon yesterday, and many monsters suddenly appeared, and attacked me till morning. I somehow escaped, but i'm so tired i couldn't wait to reach the guild."
He told them, and closed his eyes breathing slowly.
"You mean the dungeon seven miles away?."
Free spoke, he tilted his head to the back.
"Yes. I heard it grew into a B–rank last month so i thought of ttesting my skills, but man.... i barely escaped."
The adventurer added, stretching his hands and cracked his knuckles.
"Are you...hurt?."
Sylvia unexpectedly asked, the man opened one eye, taken aback by the question, but he still nodded, and lifted his sleeve.
Revealing a cloth tightly tied on his arm, soaked with the crimson red colour—blood , and it drippped out from a tiny gap.
"A goblin bit it, quite the trouble that thing gave."
He frowned, unfolding the sleeves and laid on the grass.
"You're hand is still bleeding!."
Sylvia, kind as ever called out, jerking up from her place.
"Doesn't hurt that much."
Free on the other hand, took a look behind him and stood up from his place. Then, he stepped forward and stopped in front of the adventurer.
"Can i try my healing magic on it?."
His tone remained unfazed, as if deeming the wound as nothing but just a simple experiment.
"Uh...sure."
The man dipped his head, raising his left hand.
"What can you do anyway?."
"Just wanted to test my skills."
Free extended his hand and his palm started glow green, the healing magic he had been repeating since aan infant, instantly healed wound.
The man's eyes widened, as he quickly sat up and checked the wound, unwrapping the cloth at a fast pace.
His hand was completely regenrated, not even tiny scar visble, after such a long time of the injury being inflincted, he supported himself to his feet and somehow, he felt refreshing, full of energy.
"hey kid, what was that? You did a chantless spell and healed me in seconds."
He said in an thankful tone, his eyes gazing both of them.
"I used magic daily since i was six, so i mastered it before even realizing."
Free lied, scratching the back to his neck.
"But still, this level of healing ain't no joke, it can almost rival light and holy magic."
He complimented.
"Light and holy magic?."
Free repeated, hearing those word for the first time.
"Yes. light and holy magic. It is famous for being the best when it comes to heal wounds, especially severe ones."
"Can i learn it too?."
Free asked, curiosity getting the best of him.
"No, light and holy magic ate one of the most pristine and hard affinities to get. It takes deep trust, unwavering belief, extreme respect and absolute loyalty for one to be able to use either light or holy magic."
The man explained, telling them of what little he knew and heard of.
"So... I can't use it without achieving all those?."
"Correct."
The man clarified, and pulled out a silver coin from his pouch and handed it to Free.
"This is your payment for the healing."
The adventurer tha ked him on last time before the area around them shook, as he bolted at speed that only veterans and experienced warriors could do.
"Hey....i don't need this!."
Free refused, but the only thing that replied was the dust around.
"Free, we should go back."
Sylvia suggested, grabbing his hand with her cheeks faintly red.
"Okay."
He swiveled back and made his way back to his home.
'Light and holy magic... will i ever get the chance to use them...'
He thought, his mind replayed the man's word earlier.
'I hope i get to use it one day.'
Free's knowledge on the world was expanding, dubgeons were growing, but the thing unknown to him was that, the one responsible for the village's rich and fertile soil was non-other than him.
To be continued.....