“Woof! Woof!”

In the midst of the flame, I hear the sound of a barking dog. The silent bark of a whimpering dog, yet somehow that sound makes it past the fire like a cry for help. That cry instantly drags me out of the depth of despair. I stand up and throw my gaze at the intense fire that doesn’t seem to stop spreading everywhere.

“Fidus? FIDUS!!”

I shout. The dog barks back, but he’s nowhere in sight and neither is his skeleton master. The fire has already blocked the entrance leading to the storage room. I doubt that I will make it alive if I rush inside like an idiot. Yet…

“Woof!!”

I can’t just leave that dog in the middle of this fire. I have lost enough today, even though I don’t like dogs, I can’t just stand by and slowly watch him die from the flame!

“Damn it! Not anymore! Just stay put, you stupid dog! I’ll find a way to get you out of there!”

I rush back to the upper floor. Getting myself inside that flame is impossible. My cloak isn’t fireproof. The only solution left is to put out that fire, but I can’t do it alone. Which is why…I’m going to the rooms on the upper floor, where there’re still living people.

“FIRE! THERE’S A FIRE!”

I open wide all the doors and shout like a madman. The men use the first moments to get themselves up, the following ones to clear their mind and decide whether this is a joke or not, only to finally realize the reality after witnessing the trail of smoke and the burnt smell from the fire. They all acknowledge the imminent crisis and don’t waste their time to question a greenhorn cadet like me. However, while some of them move very quickly to response to the spreading fire, they are the guys with the most able-bodied among the wounded. The others are still trying to get on their feet, but only barely, considering some don’t even have a second foot to stand, yet they still persist on doing their part. Swiftly, they divide the roles among themselves to set up a system, with the strongest men carry the water from the source, the immobile making a line to deliver buckets of water to the ones on the front trying to put out the huge flame. They are so efficient at this that I can’t even find a chance to butt in and help. But I don’t think my help will make any difference, since even this line of fire fighters can’t put a dent to the fire.

“It’s not working! We need mages!”

A man on the front shouts after throwing away another used water bucket.

“We don’t have mages!”

Another yells.

“Just get them! This fire isn’t going to go away from a few bucket of waters! There are too many flammable things stored in this place.”

Food, medicine and other supplies, all gone in a single burst of fire.

The men continue their desperate attempt to put out the fire. They may have sent someone out to call for help, but it will too late by the time help arrives. Someone needs to do something other than putting this fire out with the old way.

“If only I have stronger magic…”

The magic I practiced back when I first arrived in this world was water magic. Back then, with enough time and concentration, I was able to make a droplet of water appear out of thin air. But a droplet of water won’t be any of use in this kind of situation, the fire will devour it whole. What we need isn’t a droplet of water, we need a friggin waterfall to even have a chance at stopping this fire.

“Waterfall…Waterfall?”

I look at the ceiling above the fire as the valiant firefighters still busy doing their job. I hate to think like this, but doing this the traditional way won’t work. But the thoughts about the ceiling and a waterfall hit me with an idea. It’s vague and mad, but…isn’t that’s what I’ve been doing ever since I arrived here?

I’m no mage, but I’m an alchemist. I won’t create miracles from thin air, I make them with what I have in hands. That’s right, there’s still something that I can use to destroy this fire.

“Hey kid, where are you going!?”

Despite the call for help from the busy firefighters, I rush back to the stairs and to the upper floor. On this floor, there’s still a room that I can make use of to deal with this whole situation.

The alchemy practical training room.

I open wide the door leading to a rather large room. It has a paperwork corner filled with potions and herbs neatly put on shelves like some sort of trophies from the students who made them. Aside from that little hall of glory, the room is rather simple, with a very huge cauldron at the end of the room, and a mechanical moveable tap installed in the ceiling. This system is connected with a valve attached to a wall that also connected to the same place the water used by the firefighters came from, albeit not from the same source since alchemy synthesis doesn’t use “pure” water. When activated, water filled with soul energy will flow out from the tap at the ceiling, it is designed to be automatic because it will take a damn long time to manually bring the water from outside to fill the cauldron, and we all know alchemists are not the physical type.

According to my visual analysis, the point of intersection between this room from above and the storage room from below would be around…

“Here.”

I touch the ground. This is the center of the room. It’s a lucky coincidence that this room is just above the place that is having a big fire underneath. But I have no right to doubt a blessing. I have a fire to destroy, there’s no room or time for doubt.

I look up above and think up of a proper plan.

“Won’t be enough for a waterfall.”

Even if we use all the water from the water supply room, it still won’t be enough to extinguish the fire, it’s already too large for normal water to put out. We need something stronger.

A bomb. A fire extinguisher bomb. One strong enough to cover the entire room. I need to make a bomb that can do just that, and I need to make one now.

“First, prepare the landing zone.”

I start preparing the magic circle for the 「Distortion」 spell. The cauldron is big, so I need an equally big magic circle so that the whole thing could went through the floor separating the rooms. I don’t need to be fancy, since it won’t help for the spell to be too complex and I’m already pressed for time. After finishing the final touch, I rush to the side of the cauldron near the end of the room.

“Second, prepare the cauldron…”

I need to move this huge ass cauldron from the end of the room to its center, which is harder than it sounds as the cauldron is almost three meters tall and made from some type of thick metal. It certainly is as heavy as it looks. The good news is it is equipped with wheels underneath, the bad news is the wheels are so tiny they look cartoonish. It won’t be enough to move this by myself. But at the very least I should give it a try.

“Here goes…Hrghhh!”

With all my strength, I push the cauldron forward to the calculated position. It moves…for a bit. The wheels attached to the cauldron are working, but it’s too slow with my strength alone.

“Anyone! Can you please help me!”

I shout. I already left the door open, enough for my voice to come out and reach the guys below. Whether they response however is a different matter.

“HELP! I NEED SOME HELP!”

It will be better to come there personally to ask them, but I know people like them. They will be too absorbed with fighting the fire with their own way and insist on keep doing it as that’s only way they know. I need them to come to me, to know that I’m trying to make a difference, but how easy it would be for hardened soldiers to believe the words of a kid?

“GODDAMN IT! WILL YOU GUYS HELP ME OR WHAT!?”

“You should have shout at places we can see you.”

A voice replies my plea for help. As I keep pushing the cauldron, someone appears next to me and helps pushing it forward. A person wearing full armor, with a voice that I know way too well. The last person I expect to be here.

“Lapidoth? But…”

“Bright fire in the darkness before dawn, only a blind man wouldn’t able to notice.”

He always knows how to show up and act cool. Damn it, I hate how cool he is. But I’m glad he’s here, it should make this faster. Together, we keep pushing the cauldron, it does go faster, but not fast enough. Lapidoth’s right arm is broken, he’s pushing solely by the strength of his shoulder. We still need more physical help.

“Hey! Why are you running off to this place!? We still have a fire to put out!”

Miraculously, two other soldiers appear at the door. They look able-bodied enough to help us.

“Don’t ask! Just help!”

Lapidoth shout. While the two newcomers look at each other in confusion, they ultimately rush at our side and help us push the cauldron.

“It would take time to explain. The best thing to do is…just tell them to do it without explaining anything! Push!”

With the strength of three men and a teenager (that’s me), we are able to move the cauldron to its intended position. I give the halting signal, and all of them stop pushing. Some of them are confused, but Lapidoth seems to catch a glimpse of what I’m attempting to do.

“What’s next, alchemist?”

Without letting my hesitation slow me down, I tear a piece of blank paper off some notes on a nearby working desk. My proficiency in using quill pen let me quickly write down a list of materials I need to gather for my plan to work. Thankfully the alchemy material storage is in a separate room instead of being in the burning supply storage room, but they are next to each other. I should make gathering materials our most urgent matter before the fire spread to that place.

“You two, please get everything you can find in this note. The more you can get the better, as long as they’re on this note.”

I slip the note to one of the soldier in hope that he isn’t illiterate and knows what he should find.

“But…”

“Just do it! We don’t have time to explain!”

I yell. I guess doing this the Lapidoth’s way is better than trying to explain everything to people who wouldn’t understand.

“Right. We’ll be right back!”

Their confusion seem to waver and swiftly replaced by determination instead. They quickly run out of the room to find me my materials. It’s time for me to do my part as well. I start the water bumping engine attached to the wall, and navigate the mechanical tap above to pour the water to the cauldron. When the valve can no longer be turned, water starts pouring down the cauldron like a waterfall. Soon, it will fill the cauldron, enough for me to start the synthesis.

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“So, what’s the plan?”

Asks Lapidoth. He seems cooperative enough and can be a great help with proper motivation. I guess it won’t hurt to tell him my plan.

“High-expansion foam.”

“High…what?”

The man in armor seems confused, just as I expected.

“High-expansion foam. A type of foam used for firefighting, good enough to deal with class A fire and flammable liquids, and most perfect to deal with fire in an enclosed space just like the one we’re having.”

My choice of words is full of incomprehensible jargons for the people of this world. Of course, I can just tell him in a simpler way, but where’s the fun in that? He’s been acting high and mighty all day, it’s just a little payback, that’s all.

“When I’m done with the foam, I will use the Distortion magic to send this whole cauldron down to the room below and make it explode using my sole remaining bomb. The foam will spread out across the room and destroy the fire. That’s the gist of it.”

I explain the rest to him.

“Right…So do you need any help? You’re the alchemist here.”

“I can handle the rest from here. However, I need you to help the guys from below to contaminate the fire. It will help me a lot if you guys can put out all the fire before I can, but just stop it from spreading is enough. But, when I give the signal, you and all the other men below must stop fighting the fire. Close the door and get them out of there. I won’t take responsibility if my bomb turns them from wounded to dead.”

Lapidoth sighs as he replies.

“Simple enough. I leave the rest to you, Akuma.”

The man confirms his mission and walks out to do his part. I need to do my part as well. The water is flowing out of the cauldron like a volcano. I quickly turn the valve back to stop the water. The first part is done, the cauldron is full of water. Now, I need to prepare the water for the synthesis. Using the soul energy focused on the tip of my index finger, I start drawing a magic circle that will help stimulate the water inside, boiling them to easier to transform themselves into foam when met with proper materials.

“We’re done! Here’s the materials!”

The two soldiers return with bags full of the materials I requested. They are mostly the same chemicals, but I need a large quantity in other to make enough foam for my plan to work.

“Good! Toss all of them inside the cauldron!”

I give them my order.

“All of them?”

“All of them!”

I yell. Sorry guys, but I don’t have time to play mister nice guy.

The two of them obey. They get themselves a moveable ladder from nearby and move it to the cauldron’s side. One climb the ladder and toss the material into the cauldron, while the other stay on the ground to help move the material bags to the one above. They have good teamwork, maybe because they are trained soldier fighting on the frontline.

BOOM!

The water inside explodes for a bit, not enough to harm anyone, but still enough to give the guy standing nearby a good scare.

“How’s the water up there?”

I ask.

“Doesn’t look so good…”

“Good, then it’s working!”

After all the materials have been tossed inside, I ask the two of them to stand by at somewhere safe. The rest is my job only. My own battle.

I focus all of my concentration onto the cauldron, using all of my power to complete the synthesis as soon as possible. There’s not much time left. Just try and keep yourself alive, Fidus! No dogs shall die this day! Not on my watch!

“It’s flowing out!”

Says one of the soldier. After roughly twenty seconds, the water starts flowing out of cauldron, though at this point it’s no longer water anymore. The water inside has already turned to white foam. I still need some more time, but I’m almost done. This is it!

“Go tell Lapidoth the signal!”

“What signal?”

A soldier replies.

“Just tell him!”

I yell, and they quickly rushes back to the firefighters to give Lapidoth my signal. It seems like to these guys being regularly yelled at has already became an instinct, so they automatically obey if someone yell at them loud enough. I kinda feel bad for them, but I don’t have time for sympathy right now.

The foam is almost done. They keep flowing out and drench a part of the floor in white. I think they are ready. I use my remaining hand to give a check to my RG bomb. It’s still there, safely inside my cloak, but not for long. I bring it out, calculate the time needed for it to explode when I send the cauldron down to the storage room below. The most ideal time to destroy the cauldron is when it’s still airborne, that would help spread the high expansion foam across the room. It needs to be short enough, but not too short, else it will explode right here before it can make it through the floor.

I guess ten seconds will cut it.

“I’m done! Do it now!”

I heard a shout from Lapidoth as he arrives at the door. My hesitation no longer persists. After activating the bomb, I throw it to into the cauldron and slam my hands down the war, initiating the Distortion magic I prepared earlier. The stone floor starts to magically wavers away to make a path for the descending cauldron, a sight similar to an event horizon. The floor is like a black hole sucking down the cauldron and send it do the other side below, where it needs to be.

“Five…four…”

Only about four seconds left, and the cauldron is almost there. The very moment the cauldron slips out of the floor and drops down below, I quickly command the stone floor to reassemble itself back to normal as if my life depends on it, both figuratively and literally. Only seconds away before the bomb explode, if I can’t reassemble them in time, the result won’t be pretty.

“Two…one…!”

As the very last tile returns to its place, the bomb explodes, and the floor shakes as if an elephant just suddenly appears out of thin air and stomps on the ground. But it’s already over. The floor has already stabilized itself and there are no further tremors from below. The plan has succeeded, but the result…I need to confirm the result.

I stand up and turn myself back toward the direction of the door, only to be met with a bunch of wounded men and soldiers standing around, looking stunned by my little show. None says any words, they just stare and it starts to get annoying.

“Make a way, please, coming through.”

I rush through the waves of people and get myself out of the room, which somehow makes the guys I left behind follow me. I guess they too are curious about the result, about why they need to stop fighting the fire and let a kid like me handle this responsibility. I lead all of them down to the lower floor, only to see the door has already opened prior to our arrival, and a trail of white foam flows out the room.

Together with me as the vanguard, we approach the gate and get ourselves into the room. Standing in the middle of this place is Lapidoth, who somehow has already found his way inside before any of us. He’s gazing around this white covered room like an astonished kid. The firefighting foam proved to be more effective than I thought, not just from its fire extinguishing effects, but aesthetical as well. The room looks like a snowing sky, with tiny drops of foam snow falling from above. Beautiful.

“It’s like a whole army just took a bath in this place.”

Says a wounded soldier. Pretty much sums up my thought if I was being funny. This whole room covered in white is beautiful to a fault, but…we shouldn’t avert our eyes from the truth.

“My feet just bumped into something.”

A soldier notices something is wrong, and crouches down to examine the ground. He uses his bare hand to clear off the foam only to find…

“A corpse…”

The more we venture inside the room, the more corpses we find buried under the beautiful white foam. This is a burned room, with burned wounded soldiers and doctors and nurses. The place that I was brought back to life from Origen’s assault. The place that I rested moments before this tragedy happened. If a god of tragedies exists, tomenting me must be a favorite hobby of theirs.

“Damn it!”

I yell. Nobody says anything, they just wander around, bumping into corpses upon corpses. Some are kind enough to start cleaning off the foam and arrange the bodies, which sparks a fire inside the others as they start doing the same. Yet, I can’t seem to find the strength to help them, not after this…

“I heard something.”

Suddenly, Lapidoth opens his mouth and swiftly rushes to the corner of the room, which lies a small mess of rubble, probably came off from the ceiling because of the fire. Does he think there’s something there?

‘I must not lose hope’, I remind myself and follow the man in armor. Together, we approach the stone rubble. It’s not huge, but it will still take a while to get them off. Yet, Lapidoth has already started letting his hands, or hand, do the work. I guess that’s no excuse for me to be lazy either.

The both of us clear the stones one by one, until I hear something coming from below the rubble.

The whimpering of a dog.

“Fidus? Is that you!? If it’s you then give me a bark!”

“WOOF!”

That dog does give me a bark! Me and Lapidoth stare at each other before hurriedly continue getting the stones out of the way. Before long, we find what was buried below the piles of stones. A dog excited to see the face of a living being, and a skeleton man who had half his body crushed by a slab of stone, yet that doesn’t seem to wane the existence of his soul. As his gaze matches mine, the dog rushes outside and bodyslams me with its weight, just like always…

But…I can do nothing but laugh…

“You didn’t fail to save someone, Akuma. You saved them, be proud of it.”