Chapter 20: Love At First Touch

Raffy woke up inside their room in the hot spring sweating heavily. He got up thinking that what happened to him was only a dream. When he went to the mirror to check himself, he noticed that he had a bracelet just like that of Joed. He looked at it closely and saw the word "Fire" engraved on it. Raffy hurriedly got out of the room to tell the others about what happened to him.

He first saw Pinggoy and told him what happened at the volcano.

"So you mean that you have the powers of the fire guardian?"

"Yeah. I have a bracelet just like Joed. The word 'Fire' is engraved on it, meaning that I am indeed the fire guardian. By the way, did the volcano outside erupt?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Did you cause that eruption?"

"Yes, and I tried to hold back the lava that was going to destroy the spring. But I suddenly fainted."

"So it means that you didn't hold back the lava?"

"No. I did. Well, I think I did. After I lost my hold on the lava, I heard someone use Joed's power."

"Maybe it was really Joed, you only didn't see because you fainted."

"No. It was not Joed. Actually, it was a girl. I saw her, she looked like an angel. And…and she held my hand, and I felt like I was in heaven. But then she let go. The next thing I know is that I'm in our room."

"You're pathetic Raffy."

"What? What did I do?"

"Can't you see? That was only one of your fantasies. I can't believe your telling me this."

"Fantasies? Hello? The volcano erupted...I am sweating heavily meaning that I was in the volcano...I have this bracelet that clearly shows that I am the fire guardian."

"I have another explanation for what happened to you."

"Oh really? You really are the smartest among us here. Okay, tell me."

"You woke up inside your room because, firstly, you went up there to sleep. You were sweating heavily because you were dreaming that stupid fantasy of yours. And apparently, someone among us, or even the personnel of this spring, put that bracelet on you while you’re sleeping."

"That is really smart of you Pinggoy."

"Thank you."

"How about I show you my powers? Then will you believe me?"

"Okay. After all, seeing is believing isn't it?"

Raffy snapped his fingers, confident that he will be able to conjure a small ball of fire. Unfortunately, he still could not do it.

"So Raffy? Where is it?"

"I don't...I...But I did it before!"

"You did it before...while your dreaming. Anything can happen inside your dreams. Okay?"

"But..."

"Enough talk Raffy. I'll see you around okay?"

"But..."

"Okay?"

"All right. See you around."

"Good. If you need me, I will be at the foot spa. Oh, and the others are eating at the bar. You better tell them what happened. Just don't let them think you're crazy."

Raffy bid goodbye to Pinggoy and went to the garden. He still cannot help but think why his powers did not work.

"Maybe it was that girl. Maybe, when she held my hand, she absorbed my powers. After all, Vladimir said it was possible. Only, I am not dead. She can only take it from me once I'm dead."

Raffy stayed at the garden until dusk thinking of what happened to him. After some time, he convinced himself that it was just a dream. In anger, he removed the bracelet and threw it away. The lights in the garden suddenly lightened. He was about to go to the bar to join his friends when someone stopped him.

"Excuse me. You dropped your bracelet."

"Oh, you can have it. I don't want it anymore."

"But it's yours. I can't take something of which isn't mine."

"Miss...you can have it. Really, I do not mind."

"No. This is yours and you should have it back."

The girl held Raffy's hand and put the bracelet in his palm. Raffy recognized the touch of the girl from before. It was like the touch of the angel who saved him at the foot of the volcano.

"You're...you're the one who saved me."

"Like I said, I can't take something of which isn't mine. Goodnight to you."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. And by the way, what happened before is real. You really are the fire guardian. Goodbye."

"Wait...can I at least see your face?"

"Maybe some other time, Raffy."

The girl slowly walked away and left Raffy alone at the garden. He could not believe that it really was real. Before heading back inside, he took a last look at the direction she went. He thinks he is already in love with the girl.
He hurried to the others while putting the bracelet back on his wrist. Suddenly, something hit him in the head that made him stop.

"How did she know who I am?"

Raffy slowed down to a walk towards the others while thinking how she did that. Only the guys and the spirits know their name. Even the minions of Quirella do not know their names. Raffy thought of these repeatedly until he was with the gang.

"Hey Raffy! Pinggoy told us that you already got your powers." Ramch told Raffy while eating his food.

"I did."

"Will you show us yours?"

"Yuck Ramch. You want Raffy to show you his you-know-what?" Paolo said who just got back from the bathroom.

"Not that Paolo! You are disgusting. I mean his powers!"

"All right. Will you Raffy? Please?"

"You're not angry with me anymore?"

"Of course not. I was just exhausted with the climb here that it went to my head. I'm sorry."

Paolo's apology somewhat lightened Raffy's spirit so he decided to show them his powers.

"All right, I'll show you. But not here. There are too many people. Let's go up to our room."

The gang headed for the room excited to see Raffy's powers. While heading to the room, Raffy saw the girl from before. He was not sure that it was she because he did not saw her face. But her smile and eyes somehow told Raffy that it was she. Raffy just smiled back and continued walking to their room. He just then realized that what he saw was an exact look alike of Justine. She was Justine. This made Raffy's heart jump that it almost leapt out of his chest.

Chapter 19: The Angel

When the fire finally subsided and the pillars stopped burning, Raffy came out transformed. He is not wearing any shoes and gloves because his feet and hands are burning, which he can control whether it should burn or not. His clothes are changed with a red robe. His hair is fire-shaped and is of the color red with orange highlights.

"Nice. I can't wait to tell the guys about this."

Raffy hurriedly walked out of the room to head to the throne to be transported outside. However, what he saw stopped him on his tracks.

"Well, well, well. So you are the Fire Guardian. Planning to sit on this thing? I don’t think so."

With one punch, the stranger smashed the throne into a million pieces. The punch was so strong that it caused a chain reaction that caused the volcano to tremble.

"Look at what you've done? Who are you anyway?! Show your face!"

"How rude of me."

With a blink of an eye, the stranger was in front of Raffy, and he can now clearly see the face of the stranger.

"Froi...Froilan! What are you doing here? And why are you doing this? This is not like you Froi. You don’t act like this in our world!"

"Stupid boy."

With no effort at all, the stranger raised his hand and Raffy suddenly flew across the cavern, crashing on the opposite wall.

"I am Vladimir, Quirella's Minion of Fire. I am here to claim what is supposed to be mine, the power of the guardian. You have no escape from me boy. I have destroyed your escape route from this place. Now, prepare to die!"

Vladimir conjured balls of fire from nothing and threw it directly at Raffy. Raffy, who still does not know how to use his power, tried to dodge every hit the enemy could throw at him.

"You could not evade my attacks forever boy! This volcano will erupt soon and you will be gone with its eruption."

"It means that you too will be destroyed. Who's the stupid one now?"

"You're so feeble-minded. I can easily get out of this place. Unlike you, I can teleport myself wherever I want."

Raffy, now getting really upset, tried to conjure a ball of fire from thin air to throw back at Vladimir. However, he was unsuccessful in conjuring fire.

"No more playing around. I shall finish you off now so I can get your powers."

Vladimir fell silent as Raffy still tries to conjure fire. After a moment, Vladimir was slowly being swallowed by smoke from beneath him.

This frightened Raffy and tried to concentrate in conjuring anything that can help him survive. Then there was a loud explosion coming from Vladimir. His whole body is burning.

"Now, face the wrath of Vladimir!"

Vladimir flew upward into the air and jetted towards Raffy. Raffy froze in his place as Vladimir neared him.

Just like Joed, Raffy heard a voice in his head telling him what to do. Raffy slowly closed his eyes and did as he was told.

"So you are afraid after all. I thought the Fire Guardian should be the most courageous of all guardians! Ha, now...you will die!"

As soon as he was about to hit Raffy, a wall of fire came between them.

"What is this?!"

Vladimir flew away from Raffy and waited for the fire wall to go down.

"How did you do that? I thought you don't know how to use your powers? You couldn't even conjure a ball of fire!"

The wall of fire protecting Raffy slowly faded out, revealing a new Raffy.

"Now you will face the wrath of the Fire Guardian."

For a moment, Vladimir stepped back. He saw fire in Raffy's eyes that only means that he is determined to defeat Vladimir.

"Now this is going to be a better fight than before."

"You bet it is."

With great speed, Raffy stood in front of Vladimir knocking him backwards in shock.

"Surprised?"

"Not really."

"You should be...Meteor Punch!"

Raffy's fist began to blaze as he punched Vladimir on his face sending him flying towards the opposite side of the cavern.

"Does it hurt, Vladimir?"

Vladimir stood up and flew towards Raffy.

"You hit like a girl! Blazing Screw!"

While flying towards Raffy, Vladimir spins wildly in mid-air as he surrounds himself with blazes of fire. But he was not expecting the next thing that happened. As he was about to hit Raffy again, a lava wall appeared in front of him and he went through it, with lava still on him.

"Do you really think that lava can stop me?"

"No. But that is no ordinary lava, Vladimir. That is my Aphonic Lava. That lava can indeed stop you, literally."

"What are you talking about? I can still mo...why...why can't I move!"

"You underestimated me, Vladimir...Flame of Vulcan!"

After Raffy said these words, the place started to quake.

"What are you doing? You're going to kill us both!"

"Don't worry; I'm not going to kill us..."

"That's a relief."

"...I'm only going to kill you!"

"NO!"

As the quake begins to get stronger, the lava around them started to fly wildly around them.

"Perish by the Flame of Vulcan!"

Raffy jumped a few meters away from Vladimir and hurried towards him.

"You may have defeated me, but my spirit will still linger and someday, I will return and claim what is rightfully mine!"

As soon as Raffy punched Vladimir, the lava around them flew towards them resulting to a massive explosion.

Vladimir was destroyed but Raffy still has one problem. Without the throne, Raffy could not get out of the volcano’s cavern.

The explosion that Raffy caused affected the volcano so much that within minutes, it will erupt.

"Okay, think Raffy, think. What will you do?"

Raffy, having no choices left, hurried towards the blocked entrance of the cavern.

He started smashing the rocks that blocked his only way out of the volcano. After a few punches, a speck of light went through the blockage.

"Yes...just a little more."

As Raffy was smashing the blockage, he heard an explosion. He looked behind him and saw lava rushing towards him. With one last punch, he removed the blockage and run outside.

"Oh, no. The lava. It's going to destroy the spring."

Before the lava spilled out, Raffy managed to stop it by using his Pyric Wall. However, his wall is not enough to hold back the lava.

"It's not working. I need help. Any help."

As soon as Raffy let go of his hold on the wall, he heard someone shout.

"Seismic Wave!"

Tons of earth flung from behind him covering up the entrance to the cavern. He suddenly became weak because he used up all his energy to hold back the lava. With the little energy he had left, he managed to look behind him, hoping to thank Joed for his help. Instead, he saw a girl smiling at him like an angel and slowly walked towards him. She touched his hand and felt as though he was flying and after she let go, he fainted.