Helping Hands

Things had mellowed. It was a nice feeling too. He’d met Hannah, he’d met Kotone. The tournament was long gone. Zahn had even joined Lamia Scale. It was a good period of time for Kade, but he didn’t want to just sit around and vegetate. So Kade headed to Oak Town. He was really just out trying to see the country. He had been to Oak Town several times before, but that didn’t make it any less of a good location for him to visit. He heard that the Magic Council needed help with a few tasks. Kade wasn’t sure what could have them so busy, but he figured he ought to go by and see what he could do to help. He was an adventurer, a dragon slayer, and a member of Lamia Scale. It was perfect.

Kade found himself in the Magic Council headquarters. He’d heard about some arson. That was a horrible crime to him. Most crimes were bad, but the ones that could hurt people and ruin their lives… those were worst. Kade was happy to do it, and he told Mr. Wellington as much when they met. The man looked at him judgementally. He had longer hair, also in a pony tail, except his hair was brown, not the vibrant blue of Kade’s. He had on a uniform, instead of a t-shirt and jeans.

229/500

Apparently this man really valued his job. The way he spoke to Kade made Kade thing he was being scrutinized. He could handle it. Had this man ever met a dragon? Had he ever been lifted up by a set of long claws and put on the back of a majestic being so strong it could crush him with a breath? Did this man even know what sort of life it took to become a dragon slayer? Did he know anything about Kade? No. All he knew was that some young man had walked in, wanting to help. That was perhaps slightly questionable, so Kade could not fault the man for some of his judgments. Although it came off as more of a judgment of Kade for the sake of being better than him, but Kade would accept it. He was the outsider here, he would not argue.

When Mr. Wellington agreed to let Kade take the job, Kade was pleased. He really wanted to help in any way he could. He even offered to come back if he could handle this job, and take on another. Mr. Wellington scoffed at him. Kade simply walked off. He had the details he needed.

431/500

Kade was told the men had been burning down buildings all built in a certain month. He wasn’t sure if that was really a trend, or simply a coincidence, but he decided to look into it. It was getting near evening, and he knew the library in town would keep some of those records. Mostly because he knew at that time many buildings were being constructed. It would be in old records of the newspaper. Besides, he loved large towns and their libraries. He was a book worm. He supposed he didn’t look it. A lack of glasses, his hair pulled back into a pony-tail, jeans, a t-shirt, and enough muscle and tan to show how much he worked outside. Even his hands showed the signs of manual labor. He wasn’t able to hole himself up in a study and read for days on end. He could have though, if he’d had the time. He wouldn’t have minded that one bit.

His mind was on all these things while he walked to the library. He still ought to shave, and he wanted to see if there was anything in the library he might pick up for Kotone. She clearly had a lot of adorable things, but didn’t really settle into the rest of humanity. If he could find something that might endear her to the average person, he would absolutely acquire it. Even if libraries weren’t really meant for purchases.

671/500

As Kade headed over to the library he noticed… something odd. Maybe he was getting there too late, and people were packing up. But… no. No, people must still be inside. And yet… wait… they were about to light the fire. No time to plan, no time to stall. People were inside, and a mass of knowledge, but mostly people. He ran forward. “Hey! Stop that!” he shouted.

He didn’t have any water magic, unfortunately. No fire magic to control he flames, and no earth magic. He needed to get this fire out, and get these men down. They were clearly willing to fight him to keep up with their plan, but screw that.

“Only chance, back off of I take you down,” Kade said seriously as he reached them. They scoffed. Three men. They all looked approximately Kade’s age. Two of them taller than the other. Those… unsettling red eyes. Kade’s eyes were narrowed. It was dark, but when they didn’t immediately back down, his body lit up in an immediate surge. “Well, in that case… down you go.” They appeared to think they were good fighters. None of them looked intimidated. Surprised, sure. It wasn’t every day you decided to burn down a public landmark and someone ran up to you telling you to back down, or fight. And then turned into a human flashlight? Yeah, they were allowed to be surprised.

905/500

Kade’s hands were up, but he was quickly charged up his boost for some extra strength. He realized in a moment he was surrounded by fire. Oh, fire, weren’t they clever. He pulled up his magic shield, then lifted himself over it and made a jump at one of them. With his extra strength he went high easily, and he landed on the first mage, the red haired one, with a firm fist to the face. He lay a kick into the second as he got close. Then with a headbutt he knocked out the first. He was up and charged the man he’d just kicked, elbow to the face, now to the third. He looked intimidating, but Kade threw an elbow, then thrust his palm at the man. Light stars, and a solar beam, and he was too surprised to react in time. Petty criminals.

Kade had the men out, and went to work calming the fire. He got enough support that only the outside structure was damaged. It wasn’t as if the fire really had enough time to start its life. He threw all three of them on his back and carried them to the Magic Council. He had enough of his buff left to do this without any struggle. He deposited them there, insisting they were not to be trusted, and went to see if anyone had any more work for him.

1139/500