The Burning Fiend

The wind moved thought the cold night passing by the green gardens of a wealthy mansion and breaking into an open window blowing out the candles that illuminated the room. The room was full of well made furniture and within it a middle-aged maid was startled by the sudden darkness. She moved with care trying to make no noise as she proceed to light the candles again.

The maid returned to the chair and continue to keep watch on a three year-old boy who seemed to be suffering from a fever. The boy had black hair with a glint of reddish tone to it, white skin with occidental features and a slightly chubby complexion. He was bathed in sweat while the maid used a wet towel to try reducing his temperature.

The kid was having a nightmare, in his dreams he was watching the live of a 16 year-old boy who lived in a world similar to his but essentially different as well. In that world existed machines that defied anything he knew and the comfort that an oridinary person could enjoy was beyond believe, as he had understood at his early age that he was fortunate to have been born on a powerful clan, he had seen the live that servants had to endure.

The images shown in his dream were to much for the young mind of a three year old child and he just watched them without gaining much from them. But his changed when the images showed the youth reading a novel in the a bright rectangle that seemed powered by magic. This novel stayed in his attention as it portrayed a world much similar to the one he lived, the power levels of warriors and mages concurred to what his father had told him. Even the country where he was living was mentioned on this novel.

This novel was titled "Coiling Dragon" and one of the characters was named like him, Reynolds. He paid special attention to everything that mentioned this Reynolds and was happy to find that most of his life was enjoyable and that he had great achievements on his own. But he didn't like that he lived in the shadow of his good friend Linley and that even his comfortable life was gained in great measure to his relationship with him.

He didn´t know why did he experience this dream or why he was suffering from a fever, perhaps the 16 year-old whom life he has just witnessed could have inferred that a passing soul had tried to latch into him but ended losing the battle and releasing his memories in the form of a dream, the amount of memories had been too much for a 3 year-old child to digest and ended producing a fever.

The maid released a sigh of relieve as the child's fever has passed and he was now sleeping comfortable, she cleaned the sweat and changed his clothes into a set of dry pajamas before leaving to inform her mistress that her child was fine.

The next morning, the sunlight awakened Reynolds who stretched in a lazy mood. He was uncomfortable as the dream was still vivid in his mind, for some reason he related himself with that Reynolds and felt that this character did not make justice to him. His mother and the maids of the mansion had always said that he was a genius and that he would become a powerful figure when he grow up. He remember that the child Linley had depended on his powerful blood to reach success, but that he had worked hard in both warrior and mage training while blessed with luck and opportunities beyond believe.

He did not have a powerful blood lineage, but he would work hard as warrior and, if he had the talent, as a mage. Unlike that Reynolds, he would have his own glory and would prove his mother right, he is a genius.

He smiled brightly as he formed his conviction and prepared to go to his mother to ask her what could he do to become powerful, he had been told that at 6 years old one can start warrior training and also be tested for mage talent. But he was sure that there would be something he could do, he was nearly 4 years old and there was too much time that could not be wasted before his 6th birthday.

Before he was able to make distance form his room door he was captured by a maid and forced to take a bath, she said that he needed it since he had suffered from a fever last night. He resigned himself to his fate and would have to wait for a while to ask his mother.

After he was released by the maid he joined his family for breakfast, he kept quiet as he took his place. The discipline in the house what his father called 'military style' and one should not speak in the table unless asked. He seated next to his mother who smiled at him and in front of his 2 elder brothers, 6 and 10 years old, he was jealous for a moment thinking that they were already allowed to train and that he would have to work hard to catch up to them, his fighting spirit was aroused and starting attacking his food as it to prove that he could eat faster that his two brothers gaining a reprimand from his father.

After breakfast he stayed with his mother and asked. "Mom, I know that I have to wait until I'm 6 years old to start training. But I was hoping to find something to do that I could start doing now. Can you tell me? I want to become strong!".

His mother smiled surprised at his new motivation and seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. "Well, you cannot start training your body yet but you can start training your mind. The first thing you need is to learn to write and read as you will need to spend less time learning and more time training by the time you become 6 years old. Also, I think I heard somewhere that mages needs to train their minds and this could be the only way you have now considering how young you are. Well, are you willing to start learning instead of playing soldier?"

For a moment Reynold looked reluctant, it was only now that he realized that he had to sacrifice his playing time in order to train and study, but it was just for a moment as he was determined to become strong. "Mom please teach me how to read and write".