Chapter 3 Rico the Sorcerer

It was a bright day, Rico visits the forest early in the morning to feed the birds and to roam around. The forest was a training ground for his colossus pets which includes Meria the deer, Tobi the dark wolf, Eris the brown hawk, and his favorite Prado the white horse who can carry up the entire house when he needs to move from one place to another when he is lazy to use his power. Niffa opened her eyes as she saw birds singing around the room, it was very lovely to hear them. She enjoyed listening to them then she saw cookies and milk on the table. She was so hungry that she quickly grab and ate them all, it was so similar to the cookies she always bought from the bakery but then she remembered the kingdom and her parents, they were all gone. Tears quickly fall from her eyes realizing that her mother didn't come back last night. She walk outside as the daylight strikes her eyes, and she was amazed by the surroundings. Flowers everywhere and a lot of butterflies around the garden, then she runs towards the forest trying to find her way to the gate. She keeps on running and running but seems like she is running forever, she stumbles down to her knees panting as she cried aloud echoing in the forest.

"Mother! Father! Where are you?!" she shouted as she heard a howling sound from the big bushes. She stops crying as she stands up and wipes her tears knowing that danger comes in her way. She gasp when a huge wolf suddenly jump from the bushes, she didn't hesitate to clench her fist as she remembered the way her father teach her to fight. The dark wolf started to growl while walking around her, Niffa stared at the wolf's eyes furiously as she run to attack the dark wolf.

"Aaah!" she shouted furiously as she wave her fist to punch the wolf's face, she felt the energy from her body like electricity runs through her hand as her fist hit the wolf's jaw, the wolf fought back and left a small scratch on her shoulder. Niffa ignored the blood as she tossed another punch, the wolf flew and hit its back on the tree. Niffa didn't expect her punch to be that powerful as she widened her eyes and look at the poor wolf unable to stand. The tree behind the wolf started to break as it slowly falls but Niffa run and embrace the wolf to protect it from the tree. She opened her eyes and look up, to her surprise the tree was floating just above her head.

"Now I understand why your parents need me to protect you," Rico said from behind while raising his two fingers making the tree float, Niffa look at him in surprise.

"Mister?" she uttered.

"I have a name just call me Rico. By the way, Tobi needs to rest sorry for scaring you intentionally. Your shoulder is bleeding let's go back I will clean it," Rico said as he snapped his fingers and the dark wolf disappeared from Niffa's hug. They decided to go back to the house.

"You test me?" Niffa asks as she watches Rico cutting a bandage.

"Yes, I was surprised that a ten-year-old kid is stronger than me," Rico responded as he smiled.

"I'm stronger?" she asked as Rico put the bandage on her shoulder.

"I'm just kidding. Let's say not me but you are stronger than my colossus," Rico said as he wrapped the white cloth around her shoulder.

"What happened to my parents?" Niffa suddenly ask as her eyes painted such sad emotions and were about to shed tears. Rico sighed and give her a pitying look as he give her an envelope. Niffa opened it and read it as she slowly shed tears, Rico left her in the living room. It was a farewell message from her mother saying that her father died at the hand of King Seres and that she can't make her way back to her. It is also indicated in the letter that she needs to be strong because she is the only hope to avenge them from King Seres and restore the kingdom.

It was already dark, Niffa slowly get out of her room and sneak into the living room as she saw Rico meditating, and she was surprised to see a violet fire raging from his body. She walks slowly towards him as she intends to touch the beautiful fire. She touch it with her finger and to her surprise, it was prickly heat as she gasp in pain while blowing her finger. Rico opened his eyes upon hearing it and was shocked to see Niffa pressing her finger while blowing it.

"Why would you do that?" Rico asks as he drags her to the kitchen and washes it from the running water.

"I need to tell you something," Niffa said.

They sneak into the dark forest as they ride from Rico's colossus horse. It was so magical when Rico snap his fingers to make the trees light their leaves making the surroundings a sparkling green. Niffa was amazed while looking around, Rico was surprised to see her smiling back knowing that he can do some things to make her smile again from the pain of losing her parents. They stop when they reach the end of the forest as they walk towards the gate.

"Why do you want to come here in the middle of the night?" Rico asks her as they get down from the horse.

"I want to see what happened in the kingdom," Niffa said as they passed the gate. It was a disaster, burned corpses are everywhere, blood stains on the wall and even the townspeople's houses and marketplaces are abandoned. No one was around, Niffa felt terrified when she saw the castle was burned down to ashes and she quickly run to look for her parents' bodies.

She was filled with horror when she saw the maids' bodies aligned on the floor while their heads were cut off. She quickly turned her back in fear and hugged Rico as she cried, Rico was also shocked to see the emptiness in the kingdom.

"This is not the kingdom of Aldon that I know," he said then suddenly a spit of fire landed beside them. Rico saw one of Seres' sorcerers standing on the bricks, he glared at the evil sorcerer as he quickly covered Niffa with his dark cape he snapped his fingers then in just a second they were back in the house.

Niffa looks around in surprise.

"Rico? Why did we come back?" she asked as she wiped her tears.

"I'm sorry, an evil sorcerer is on our way," Rico said removing his dark cape and sitting on the couch.

"Why didn't you just fight them?" she asked with open palms while angriness painted on her face.

"I choose to protect you instead of fighting with them," Rico said resting her head on the couch as he covered her eyes with his arm to sleep.

"But Rico, you are the strongest sorcerer aren't you?" she asks as she approaches him on the couch.

"How did you know about it?" he ask still resting his head.

"Mother told me about a man named Rico all the time, and now I knew you. And I also remembered she keeps on telling me that she wants to know how old you are."

Rico was shocked to hear it as he suddenly remembered years ago when Queen Luize keeps on guessing his age while they exchange stories in the grassy ground of the forest. He removed his hand and look at Niffa's eyes as it reminded him about Luize.

"You have the same eyes as your mother," he said as he stared at them without blinking.

"Rico?" Niffa asked as she suddenly wipe Rico's tears from his cheek.

"Why did you do that?" he ask in surprise as he finally blinks and looks away.

"I always do that with mother every time she shed tears." She smiled at him.

"It's already dawn, I need to go to the forest just get back to sleep," Rico said as he grab his cape and left her inside, he immediately steps out and closes the door. Niffa get back to her room and suddenly cried silently, she lay down hugging her mother's cape, it was the only memory she left her. She cried until she fall asleep.

"Niffa? Niffa wakes up." She slowly opened her eyes to the soft voice of her mother.

"Mother? You are here?" Niffa said as she seats on the bed wiping her eyes.

"Yes I'm, I want to show you something come on," Queen Luize said as she looks around, she was in the palace where she used to live.

"Mother? Everything is back? And everyone is here? Even father!" she said as she saw the King talking to other Royalty while tossing drinks with them.

"Who is the father talking to? And why are there so many people here?" Niffa asked her mother who was in her royal dress.

"Niffa it was the kingdom's festival. Your father is talking to the Royalties of Samari, Queen Sara, and King Ferru," the queen responded as Niffa felt the warmth of the castle and the noises of laughter, but then she remembered what happened.

"Wait, Samari? But I just heard your conversations with father that Samari was already a dead kingdom," Niffa said but her mother seems not to hear her and was just smiling while looking at the people dancing in the hall. Niffa started to feel strange about it, as she look around and saw the maids she gasp as she remembered them with their heads cut off. The drops of blood around the wall, the burned corpses, and the headless maids flashed in her mind. She felt terrified as she seems to faint while her surroundings started to twirl around.

"Niffa! Niffa!" She quickly opened her eyes and to her surprise, it was Rico trying to wake her up. She seats in the bed panting as sweat falls from her forehead.

"Here, drink some water. What are you dreaming about?" Rico helps her to hold the glass of water as she drinks it.

"I dreamed about the dead people, the maids, my parents, and the royalties of Samari," she said still panting.

"Samari? Samari, seems like I heard that before but I don't know when," Rico said as he tried to remember it.

"Queen Sara and King Ferru, those are the names I remembered," Niffa said. Rico suddenly saw a very rare memory he had never seen, it suddenly flashed into his mind. A violet spark suddenly came into his head as he stumbled down to his knees.

"Rico? What's wrong?" Niffa asked surprisingly looking at him.

Rico's eyes suddenly light into violet as they flamed up into fire while he keeps on shouting in pain. He can see himself in a baby form as a lady wearing a crown wrapped him around in her warm hands. Then he saw a king approaching them while looking at him, their faces are blurred but then he saw the Royal cape that the queen is wearing. The design consisted of a rose, a bow, and an arrow and the cape was dark blue. Then Rico lost consciousness as Niffa tried to wake him up on the floor.