What happened in this city? Everything outside the city was fine and dandy but inside...It’s a total mess.

“Sir Dan...All I smell is, blood, pain and sorrow, what is this place?” Elena asks me.

I am totally speechless right now, even I don’t know what happened here.

“Dan...It’s all...bad...It’s really bad here...” Carly says to me with a sad face.

I walk towards the woman I see holding a child’s head. The body of the child is down on the ground. One of that woman’s arms is also on the ground. I look at the woman’s face. I know that woman...It’s so like her, to save a child.

I sit in front of her, “I am sorry...I couldn’t save you, Mama Serena.” I say with a sad face.

“Through what I know, it was the King’s army that did this.” Carly says with a sad face.

“What?! King Fracia?! Are you seriously kidding me?!” Izumi seems to be surprised.

“I knew that I sensed a familiar mana.” It’s a teenager’s voice.

I recognize that voice, it’s that kid Prost. When I was training back then, he used to be the one who used to always harass me during my training.

“Dan...Dan...It’s you, Dan...You came! You really came!” That very kid has grown.

I look at him...What’s this? I feel like...A flow of water is going down my cheek.

Prost hugs me, “DAN!” He screams as he hugs me with tears gushing down his cheek as well as mine.

“Little Dan...Is that really you?” Granny Kai, I remember her too. She always treated our wounds and she seems to be holding someone. That’s another familiar face that I see.

“It’s been almost two years...Since we last saw you.” The guy, that’s Green. He is the city’s mayor.

All these people around...I know them all, every single one of them and I am glad...That everyone remembers me.

“I am sorry, Dan...I know how much Serena meant to you. I am sorry, I couldn’t save her.” Mayor Green says as he looks to be clenching his fist and gritting his teeth.

Even he must be feeling frustrated about this.

“Any idea about who did this?” I ask.

“It was the King’s army, I am sure of it! That was a general rank officer that defeated our strongest fighters.” Prost says to me.

“I understand.” I say as I get back up on my feet.

“For now, let’s get everything back in order.” I say.

“Horrell, take care of the wounded, Izumi, help Horrell. Luke, go with Carly, she will help us settle down in this place, so you two adjust our bags and stuff at that place. Jack, you are strong, so help Prost and the others to bury the dead and fix the shops, crops and stuff. Elena, you come with me.” I command every one of my students.

Everyone nods.

They all understand how dire this situation is.

I pick up the dead body of Mama Serena and move towards the cemetery, Elena followed me as I buried her dead body with that child.

Mama Serena...

“Was this Miss Serena person that important to you, Mister Handsome Sir?” Elena asks.

“She was very important to me...She was like a mother to me...”

XXXXXXXX

IT’S ALMOST NIGHT-TIME,

At a hotel,

“Hey, Miss Carly.” Luke calls out for Carly.

“Hmm?”

“About this Miss Serena, what kinda relation does he have with her?” Luke asks.

“We would like to know about that too.” Jack says as he joins with Izumi and the others at the hotel.

About 11 years ago,

“So this is the kid I am training, I see.” A man in his mid 30’s with a bald head stood in front of young Dan. Young Dan stared at the old man with an angry pout.

“I hope he will be alright in your care.” Young adult Sam says.

“You should leave him to me. I think he will be perfectly fine.” The man says.

The man kneels to talk to young Dan, “My name is Jake Jilheard, what’s your boy?” The man asks Dan, “Dan...ThunderField...” Young Dan says with an angry pout.

“Alright, I will be leaving Dan. I have to get back to work or else Mister Wildwind might kill me for skipping work.” Sam says with a nervous face.

Few Minutes Later,

“Since it’s your first day in the city, I won’t be forcing you to train but starting tomorrow things are going to be tough.” Jake says as he goes to the kitchen.

“THE WITCH IS WALKING BY!”

Young Dan had a curious mind. He decided to take a peek through the window to see what was happening outside on the streets.

*Smack*

A rock was thrown to a woman dressed in a black robe while she kept on walking through the street.

“She is one of the cursed ones that witch!”

*Smack*

“It’s normal here to see rocks and trash thrown at her every day. They call her the cursed witch.” A young girl speaks.

She also keeps a tea at the table, “My name is Carly, what’s yours?” Young Carly asks Dan.

“Dan ThunderField...” Young Dan says with no expression.

“What’s with your tryhard face? Smile a little, will you?” Carly says with a smirk.

Dan sits and has a sip of the tea, “It’s good...” He says.

“I know right! Mother taught me how to make tea! She always teaches me how to make awesome things!” Young Carly seemed pretty happy.

“Where is she right now?” Young Dan asks.

Carly’s happy face drops to a sad face, “She is an officer at the King’s court, so, she doesn’t get much time to spend with her but I am sure, once I get enough money and move to the capital city of Fracia, I will get to see mother every day!” Carly says with a smile.

“What about you? Don’t you have a mother and father you want to see?” Carly asks with a smile.

“I don’t...” Young Dan says, “The only person I have had since I was a kid was only my brother...There was this sister who treated us like a mother but...Even she was burned at the stake on the fake claims of her being a witch...” Young Dan says with a sad face.

“I am sorry...I am dumb for asking you such questions.” Carly says with a sad face.

“It’s not a problem.” Young Dan says with a sad smile.

“Carly, was it?” Dan asks. Carly nods, “Wanna be friends?” Dan asks with a smile. Carly smiles, “Sure!”

“I need to go do some household chores. Don’t go anywhere, I will be right back!” Young Carly says and then leaves.

“It seems Carly is happy about her having a friend.” Jake says to young Dan.

“There aren’t many kids around Carly’s age around here and my son lives with his mother in the capital. So it’s good to see that she finally has someone around her to play and talk with.” Jake says.

“The training, when will it start?” Young Dan asks.

“Straight to the point, huh?” Jake looks at Dan’s serious face. Jake sighs, “Tomorrow, get up early at 4 in the morning.” Jake says and leaves the room.

“I see...I will go to bed early then.” Dan says as he decides to go to bed.

A Few Hours Later,

Young Dan gets up early in the morning as Jake said to. Jake and Dan leave the place early in the morning.

A Few Minutes Later,

Jake and Dan gather in an open ground, “You will have to run a lap of this round and it will have to be in less than 0.5 mili seconds.” Jake says to Young Dan.

“That’s next to-“

Dan’s eyes widen as he couldn’t see Jake in front of him anymore, “I took a full round of this ground and popped up right behind you. You should be able to do that too.” Jake says.

“If you can do it...I can do it too...”

Young Dan begins to run the round.

An Hour Minutes Later,

Exhausted Dan falls on the ground, “You made three rounds, first one took you about 30 minutes, second one 32 minutes and the final one about 41 minutes.” Jake says.

“Your training is not done yet, so get up and give me 200 pushups in 30 minutes.” Jake says.

“HUH?!” Young Dan doesn’t even know what hell he has to go through.

After An Intense Training Later,

“I can’t feel my body...” Dan says as he has fallen flat on the ground.

“Come on we still have to go home.” Jake says.

“WHAT?!” Young Dan seems to be confused.

“Get on your feet now, your body needs to keep on moving so it doesn’t catch rust.” Jake says as he keeps on starts going ahead.

Young Dan gets back up but it seems he can’t even walk properly but yet he tries to walk.

“Good kid...Good...” Jake says with a smile.

After Reaching Jake’s House,

There seems to be a crowd gathering in the living room, it seems everyone was waiting for Jake.

“Jake we need to talk about something.” Mayor Green says.

There was a discussion going on about the witch, everyone was talking about how the witch has been scaring the city. Everyone has to be extra careful about their environment. Through one of the ancient books, there is a way to repel the witch. That is to sacrifice a child who has hit the age of 10 recently.

“The only kid we know that we can sacrifice to the witch is your girl, Jake...” Mayor Green says.

Young Dan seems to be sad, “That witch won’t trouble you from now on.” Dan says as he runs out.

“DAN!” Jake screams out.

Young Dan was naive. He was taught that saving someone’s life is a virtue, especially, a girl’s life.

Young Dan just kept on running even though he didn’t know where the witch’s house was. He ran and ran and ran until a beautiful garden appears in front of him and there was a house in the middle of it.

Young Dan slowly moved towards the house, “You need something?” A woman was watering a flower outside. It was the same woman who was called the witch. Dan thought he reached his destination but he never thought that his destination would have been this beautiful.

“Are you the witch?” Dan asks.

“What if I am? What are ya gonna do?” The witch asks Dan with an annoyed face.

“I didn’t expect this place to be so beautiful.” Dan says as he looks at one of the flowers. He expected the Witch’s house to be a grim and dark place but this didn’t look like one.

“Hey kid, listen up will ya? Don’t pluck any of the flowers aight? I planted those flowers and I have been watering them for a long time.” The witch says.

“You’re not a bad person, so why do people call you a witch?” Dan asks.

The witch seems to be surprised with her eyes widened. It was like the first time someone had said something she hadn’t expected to hear.

“Ya think I am not a bad person? Who knows? I might eat ya right now, ya know.” The witch says.

“These flowers, I know they take a lot of time to grow. I don’t think someone who cares so much about these flowers is a bad person. In fact, I think you are a caring person who everyone misunderstands." Dan says with a smile.

“Kid, are ya crazy in yer head or what? Didn’t anyone say to ya that m’ a dangerous woman? If anything I might kill ya.” The Witch says with an annoyed face.

*Growl*

The witch looks at Young Dan whose stomach seems to be growling. The witch sighs, “Come in, I will get ya some food but then leave this place.” The witch says with an annoyed face.

A Few Minutes Later,

The interior of the witch’s house was clean and it looked well maintained. Everything was in its place. It was like the witch cares a lot about her house.

“What is it that you’re making?” Dan asks the Witch.

“It’s my specialty, eggroll!” The Witch says with a smile and thumbs up.

“That’s something I haven’t had!” Dan says with a smile.

Even the Witch seems to be happy about it.

After A Few Minutes,

Dan seems to be enjoying the food, “It’s delicious!” Dan says with a smile.

The Witch looks to be happy too.

“Thanks a lot for the food!” Dan says with a smile after finishing it up.

“You should leave now. Your family might be worried about you.” The Witch says to Dan.

Dan nods, “I will leave...For now...But, I will come back tomorrow.” Dan says with a smile.

“HUH?! What kinda kid are ya?!” The Witch seems to be surprised as Dan leaves the house.

The Witch runs behind Dan who runs away.

“Oh, one more thing, what’s your name?” Dan asks the witch as he stands outside the gate.

“I don’t have one...” The Witch says as she looks away.

“That’s boring! Calling you Witch is going to be boring!” Dan says as he pouts.

“Everyone calls me a witch, so that’s fine by me-“

“NOT FINE!” Dan says with a big pouty face.

“What’s with ya?! Would ya just leave-“

“Serena...I am going to call you Mama Serena.” Dan says with a smile.

“What?” The Witch seems to be confused.

“Mama Serena because...It felt like it had a mother’s love filled in it. So, I will definitely call you mama from now on, Mama Serena.” Dan says with a huge smile.

“You idiot!” Serena bends to scream at Dan.

Dan kisses Serena’s cheeks, “See you tomorrow Mama Serena!” Dan says with a smile as he runs away.

Serena seems to be embarrassed, “What’s with that kid?! He made me his mother without any second thoughts! That idiot!”

A Few Hours Later,

Dan finally reached back at Jake’s house. Dan opens the door.

*TAP* *TAP* *TAP* *TAP*

“ANY NEWS ON DAN-“

Carly and a few other people look at Dan arrive.

“Hello everyone, I am back.” Dan arrives with a smile.