The boy’s arm was wreathed in red flame.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

A wordless scream escaped the boy’s mouth.
So hot – there was no room in his mind for anything but the heat, all thought being stolen by the crimson flame.

He continuously rolled on the ground, attempting to extinguish the flame. Nearby, some children observed his pitiable state. I say children, but that belies the range of their ages. The smallest were young children of only four or five while the oldest were full-grown teenagers of fifteen or sixteen.
Their sole common denominator could be seen on their faces.

Scorn.

This group of children joyfully surrounded the burning youth, laughing with mirth.
An unfeigned laughter that came from the heart. Innocent. Naive. Cruel.

The cruelty of a child who cannot differentiate between right and wrong. Like children who pluck off the wings of a dragonfly just to watch it struggle, they enjoyed the youth’s predicament as he painfully struggled the same way.
“Pathetic”, said a boy who seemed to be the eldest among all.”Are you one of us?”. “You are a disgrace to Agres bloodline”.He raised his right arm and on his hand a ball of flame was formed.
Suddenly water was thrown on the boy. “Stop it. That’s enough”, the owner of this voice was a beautiful girl. She stood in front of the boy protecting him with her body.“How dare you pick on someone who is weak?”.The boy had lost his conscious.
“Are you alright? “asked the girl who was applying bandages to the boy.
“Ouch...” the boy cried in agony, but deep inside he was happy that he was saved.
“Ummm. My n. nn….name is Aron Agres”, he murmured. The girl laughed at the sight of Aron blushing hard. “Asuna”, that’s my name.
“What is this place?” Aron asked.
“It’s an orphanage where I stay. My parents died in an accident shortly after giving me birth. I am living here since then”
Aron after hearing this could not say anything to console her. His mind became blank. As he stared through the window, he could see the sun going down.”Ah, its getting late. I guess I have to go home. See you another time”
Aron suddenly opened his eyes. This was a rare occasion for him – he usually had a hard time waking up – but his consciousness was fully awake.
But it was only to be expected. How could anyone refuse to wake up after having a dream like that?

Maintaining his waking posture, Aron faced upward and he looked silently at the ceiling. Unblinking, he remained like this for a full half-minute.

“Frankly speaking, what an unpleasant dream.”

Closing his eyes, he emptied all the air in his lungs with a moan.
Something that had happened exactly ten years ago, a painful experience that caused nightmares. Agres clan specialized in termination of youki, ghouls and demons. Long ago, there forefather made a contract with fire god, Amun – Ra. As a result, each generation of Agres family was bestowed with power of flames. The head of family was always chosen in a ceremony held every twenty years in which nominated people fight each other. The head of clan is bestowed with Bracelet” Eye Of Ra” which increases their power by 10 folds.
Rohan, Aron’s father won the title of head 10 years back. After few years, he felt in love with a commoner, as a result Aron was born.
Aron did not inherit any of his father’s power. He was constantly beaten by his father and was mocked by other clan members.
Ater that day, he started visiting Asuna’s orphanage. Asuna would always gladly receive her and they would talk for hours. Asuna who seldom talked had found a good friend in Aron and Aron saw Asuna as his emotional pillar. Both of them waited eagerly for the evening so that they could meet each other. To Aron, Asuna became someone without whom he could not live. He started living for two hours that he spent with Asuna. Soon, their feelings had changed from friends to lovers. They could not stay away from each other.
As Aron turned 18, the fateful day arrived. Rohan stepped down as clan leader and asked for the election of head of clan. Aron was made to fight with Yuki, his uncle’s son. The match ended in one blow and Aron was forced to leave Agres clan.
Aron was emotionally broke. He never imagined that price for not been able to produce fire would be so hefty.
He was thrown out at night with no money to spare.”Asuna”, he cried as if his whole life was sapped out. She took him in her arms and consoled him.
“It doesn’t matter to me where I stay as long as I am with you. I will never leave you even in hell. We will leave this city first thing in the morning”, Asuna said.
*** *** ***
Five years have passed since that incident. Aron has opened up his own business. He lives together with Asuna. Their life seemed perfect. All they needed was each other. There is always lull before a storm. Suddenly for Aron life took a u-turn.
One day when he went to house after closing the house,the house was ransacked. His heart started beating in a erratic manner. He had a premonition that something bad might have happened to Asuna while he was out.
“Asuna… Asuna.. Where are you..”
He saw the basement open. He steadily went into the basement.
“Bammmm…”, a hard metal hit his head and he was knocked unconscious. When he woke up he was tied to chair.
“Asuna”, he cried as he saw her tied on the floor. An ancient hologram was made with blood on floor where she was lying.
Three men covered in black hoods were chanting slogans. She cried in agony.
Suddenly, the men stopped the chants. One man came forward and took out a knife.
“To the Dark Lord Satan we offer you the blood of a pure person. Heed our request and grant us the power”. And he raised knife with both hands.
“Aron help me, I don’t want to die”, cried Asuna.
Aron felt in agony. “Is there not anyway that I can save her. Can’t I protect the one’s I love?”
Time came to standstill and everything around Aron became pitch black.
“Do you desire power? Do you want to save your loved ones?”A voice whispered in Aron’s ear.
“Yes”, Aron cried.
The voice laughed and said” Will you form a contract through your soul?”
Aron cried” As long as I can save her, I will do anything.”
“Very well. I Gaea, The goddess of earth, the oldest of Gods , hereby declare you as my contractor. All the elements- Air, Wind, Water, Ice and Fire will obey you as they obey me.
Aron was engulfed in green aura. And his eyes became emerald green.
The chair in which he was tied engulfed in flames.
Seeing this panic spread among the dark practitioners. Two of them jumped on Aron. He raised his fingers and two of them instantly became ice and shattered. Aron approached the third one and caught him by his neck. Fire engulfed the person.” Its too late now. You cannot save her. She is being possessed by demon” the person said before dying.
Asuna’s pupil shrank instantly, sweat coming out from her forehead. The mouth that opened gave off a choking moan.
“Ah………... Ah………….”
She rolled around the floor with red eyes as she continued screaming madly. As she opened her eyes, her eyes became pitch black. She gave immensely dark aura as if she would swallow the whole world. She was fully under control of demon now.
Aron closed his eyes and chanted” In the name of my contract, entrust me with your power”.
His eyes shone with green glow. Asuna ‘s black wind were being repelled by sapphire glow. Ruling all the planet, only a man bestowed with everything could be maked by this stigma.
“Come, it’s about time you sleep, Demon”.
The air suddenly became like a maelstrom, with Asuna as its centre. A sudden chill swept through demon. His dark aura was getting thinner and thinner.
“Purification ! Impossible… Aaaaahhh”. It was the last thing demon could utter.
When she woke up, Asuna was lying on his arms. Tears came out from Aaron.
“I will always protect you my love”, Aaron murmured to himself and kissed her.