Ancient Magic Arc Volume 1: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Is Time for Training

Part 1

The blessint of winds and the sounds of birds chirping was a sign of the morning to come, a small town named Sellion, a town that's been surrounded by nature, and not far outside the east of the town gate there is a forest that is encumbered by many spirite of the forest and by monsters, a little bit inside the forest there is a wood bullied house.

There lives a boy with black hair and with black iris, the boy name is Kamito Toma he has been living there by himself since 9 years ago with both parents having pasted a way.

Toma slowly opened his eye's, to look out the window and see if it was already morning, and he arose from the bed and went outside, there is a field of growing vegetables, he picked out some of it and went to catch some fish in the river near his house and prepared it for his breakfast and some of it for his lunch at school.

After finish his preparation he got ready to go to school, earlier than the other students because the school was located in a little west side of the center of town. This is already an everyday life for him, he walks from his house into the town in the morning toward the east side of the town is a market and it is very busy in the morning with people buying and selling their goods.

"As always this side of the town is always crowded with people in the morning."

Says Toma, as he walk inside the crowd while making sure that he did not bump into people, this is kind of a good training for avoiding attacks. Well if this been known by people of what he was thinking about they would probably get mad at him, "maybe" thought to himself.

"Oi!!! Toma!!!"

A shopkeeper yells out and called his name from his right side, when he hears it he went toward the shopkeeper who had called him. The shopkeeper was around 30 -36 years old in his mid-age, his name is Tanin the owner of this vegetable shop. I sometimes sell the vegetables that I grow to him to get some money for saving, for something unexpected that might occur.

"Morning uncle Tanin."

"Morning Toma, how is it do you have any vegetables that you want to sell to me?"

"No I do not have it yet but later if I have some I will bring it to you."

"Oh, that is great, the vegetable that you grow are very nice, and it sell out quickly."

"Thank you uncle Tanin, most of the people do not want to buy my vegetables but uncle is the only one who buys it from me and first person ever since I started to sell my vegetables in the market not to say anything bad about the vegetables that I grolew even now, for that I am very grateful, Thank you."

"Hahaha, you do not need to worry about that. I like people who work hard and kind, I also can see how you grow the vegetable that you sell to me for the look of it, it was very different for the other vegetable that been grow using magic and the one that been grow by other people that sell their vegetable to me, you grow it by put the seed of the vegetable in the earth and late it grow naturally and by consuming the thing in the earth, right!"

"Yes, as you know I have quite a little magic capacity, so I only can hope for thing than grow from the nature itself."

"Hahaha, that is great that way I love the vegetable that you grow, next time please bring some of it for me to sell it on my shop, ok."

"Ok, I get it I will remember to bring it to you if I have a lot to harvest. Ah!!! I have to go to school now, see you uncle."

"Ok see you, be careful on your way." "Haiii......"

After saying goodbye to uncle Tanin, Toma continue his way to school, by walking inside the crow of people until he arrive in the center of the city, there is a round fountain in the middle, which have the statue of the goddess of nature and life "Nymphs", which represented as young pretty girls.

The people in this town believe that the goddess Nymphs blessing them with the place with a lot of food storage in the nature around the city, and because of this Sellion are been call as the city of organic food that been give the blessing by the goddess of nature.

This fountain not only been billed as a feeling of gratefulness of the people of this city toward the goddess, but also as a place for people to wish for a partner in live (Romance), although this one is just a rumored that have been spar by the student of Sellion magic academy.

Than from here it do not take much time arriving to the school. From here Toma can start to see some of the student of the Sellion academy went to the school with their friend, and some of them have form a team or partnership with each other.

"Well..., except for me, who was the last rank of the entire school, which do not have any team or partner, even friends."

It cannot be help, because I always bring down the other down in the class.

"Hooo!!!"

"Kyaaa!!!!"

Not long when I arrive at the school gate I hear the scream of students from Sellion academy, not only the girls but even the boys.

"Well as always."

This thing has always happen in the morning, it happen because of one particular student her name is Erina Lesage, which is the top rank of the entire school, and also the only daughter of Nobel family of Lesage, the ruler of Sellion.

Also she is one of the student which have been told to be the representative of Sellion to study at Rexform magic academy for high rank magician that have graduated from the middle rank magician and it also the biggest academy of magic academy for high rank magician that been attended by many magician from around the world. This academy are located in North West from Sellion, Rexform is a big country with many talented magician that are attending the magic academy there and it also a dream for many other magician to have the chance to study there. I also one of the many that dream to study at Rexform magic academy.

"Hooo!!!"

"Kyaaa!!!!"

Another big scream from the student bring me back from my day dreaming. As I look around there is no part for me to want into the school, so I have to with until the crowd went down.

As Erina Lesage walk away inside the school all the other student also follow from behind her, and it take a long time for me arrive in my class room and sit down on my sit, and I am also at the same class room as the top rank of the school Erina Lesage in this whole 3 year, although I have never ever once become her teammate in every team battle practical and test.

"Ha...~, I am already tire just before the class started."

So I plan on to take a little nap before the class.

Part 2

At the West side of Sellion there is a big mansion, this is the estate of the Lesage the ruler of Sellion. In one of the room the light of the morning sun came in the room where there is someone still sleep in the bed, and in from of the bed there is a closet and on top on it there is a photo of a little boy and girl holding hand and smiling innocently.

"Shhhshhshhhh"

A sound of person moving inside the blanket, there is a young beautiful girl waking up from her bed, her hair was long to her waist with pink color, with a beautiful emerald iris half closed; her name is Erina Lesage. Her half asleep face makes her look very cute, like an innocent child. Then for a while the girl start to woke up from her bed, and went to the shower room. Then there here a sound of dropping water, the girl stepped out of the bath room and died herself, then wear her school uniform, and then put some thin make up. Then she come close to the photo next to her as she great the boy in the photo, which the boy in the photo also study at the same school as she is, with that she feel very happy and cannot wait to go to school so that she can meet him.

To her the boy in the photo are very dear to her and also her first love, also her first ever friend that she have ever made in her childhood because of her family name she was been avoided by the child her age, but only that boy that always come and talk to her every day when they were a child, but then after the when into the low rank magic academy and until now they have been missing each other and do not talk much with each other as if there is a wall that separated them.

The thought of it make her kind of sad and lonely, she hopes that one day she can once again come close with each other again.

"Why and when have our relationship become like this?"

Thought her in her mind, will one day they can walk next to each other once again. Then she walks out of her bed room, when down the stairs and when to the dining room she greets the families that are site around the table, and then she has her breakfast and get ready to school.

When she arrive in front of the school gate, she saw the boy and want to greet him but that she hear the scream of the student, she stop herself and start to walk in to the school, to her class room on the way to her class room she was deep in thought.

"Why cannot I give him a small greeting, if only I can talk to him even once maybe our relationship will came back to when we were children."

Without she realize it she already inside her class room and have sit down on her sit. Then she hear the sit were the boy at sit, than she know that he is in the class room she feel very happy even without talking to him, the thought that they were in the same class can make her feel very happy.

If only they can be more close to each other she will be more happier, so she hope that in the next team battle test she can be as the same team as the boy, although the other student do not like to team up with him, and also this time maybe my last time and the chance for her to be with him, because she will go to Rexform magic academy after she graduate from Sellion magic academy, to study as a high rank magician in Rexform.

"Ha..... I really hope it come true soon."

"Ding Dong Ding"

Than not long after that the school bell ring, and all the student sit on their own sit, and Toma woke up from his small nap from the ring of the school bell. Than not long after the teacher come into the class, and all the student greet the teacher with "good morning".

"Good morning, every one. Today I have announcement for everyone in the class about the test. As you all know next week we get in to the week for all of you the last year student as the self study week that will been going for 2 week, so you all can study outside the school or inside the school and also for your magic practical training, all of you have to learn it by yourself in that 2 week. Than in the 3 week the first day will be your paper test, the second and the third day will be your one on one battle, your match up battle will be announce tomorrow afternoon, the fourth day is for you to rest for the day and also your team, for the team battle in the fifth and sixth days will be announce in the fourth day, that is all the announcement about the test for all of you last year student."

"Well that is all for the announcement, and starting today until the 3 week all of you have to study by your-self in preparation for the test, I thing that is all for today all of you can go now."

"Oh!!! I almost forget, Kamito Toma please come and meet me later at my office before you go."

"Understood, sir."

"OK, than that all, everyone can dismiss from class now."

Than all of the students from the class dismiss themselves, some went back home, and some still in the school ground. Than from my sit I saw Toma walk over in front of me and exit the class.

"What are the teacher want to talk with him?"

I than think of something like that he cannot participate in the test, or he been drop out from school before he can take the test, and other bad thing that can happen to him, I know from long ago that he have so little magic capacity, which it was hard for him to even cash out a middle spell, and it turn out he can even barely cash one spell out of it, although his team play in a team battle is good, his team have no trust in him that made him and every team that he participate in always lose in team battle.

"Hah..., I am worries about him now, that maybe this is my last chance for me to participate in a team as him."

I than quickly pack my thing and want to the teacher office to see what will they talking about.

Part 3

After the teacher dismiss the student I Kamito Toma been ask to see him in his office, so I quickly pack my thing and left the room, I walk to the front and walk in front the princess Erina Lesage, to me she is my childhood friend and someone that I admired as one of the many great magician that I know, while thinking of that I walk outside the class room, on the way to the teacher office I can hear the student are talking, saying many bad thing about me and also looking down on me, to them I were no more than a failure as magician not even when I start studying magic.

Well I have got this kind of thing in entire of my live so I have get use to it, well I to am scare of myself that have get use to this unfairness of the student tower him.

Even though not all magician and people are bad and doe unfair thing toward him, their also people like uncle Tanin and long ago with the magician that I meet in the deep of the forest at were my house are now.

That time I was still very young I think that time I was around 5 or 6 year old, I try when inside in to the deep of the forest because I hear their live a lot of spirit, and by making a contract with it we can increase a magician magic capacity, so I when into the forest in hope to make a contract with a spirit.

Well as you know a children on that age do not fear anything always move toward the thing that they find fun and something that interesting to them.

"But I do not have that much clear memory about that time, but the only thing that I remember that that person save my live from the monster that live in the deep of the forest, But I still remember vaguely that I ask him whether the rumor is true or not, that person tell me it was true, but it also a very dangerous thing to be done and it my chose one life in making contract with a spirit, and from their own ward I do not remember any of it, the last thing I know that person disappear and I am left inside my house waking up from my bed."

"Well that is all that I can remember form that time."

Then without I know it I arrive in front of the teacher office, I then knock on the door before I went inside the office. Inside the office their teacher have wait for me on his site.

"Ah, you finely here. I would like to discuss with you about the test that will be heel in the next 3 week."

"Hi?"

I feel quiet nerves, on what we will discuss about.

"Last week we all of the teacher have the faculty meeting for the test of this entire year final year student. From all the discussion inside it also we talk about you, that were a first chase that all of us teacher have ever encounter. That you’re the first ever student that his magic capacity cannot increase that much, and the process of your magic capacity grow are up normally very slow as if your magic capacity refuse to grow, but if to say it hardly I say that you cannot grow as a magician more higher than this, and also the test that will be heal in the 3 week all of us teacher feel that would be impossible for you to past the test so than all of us teacher decided to made you in the same team as the top student in our school, so it maybe give you a little bit chance to past the test so that you can graduate as middle rank magician."

"I see..."

After hearing what the teacher tell me about I feel kind of sad and some complicated feeling is like been mix up, in my heart that make me panic and speak up to the teacher.

"But it means I still have a chance to continue my study, if I can show some dramatically improvement in the test, right?!"

The look on the teacher face kind of surprise with what I say.

"I am happy with your spirit but as I have say the thing that we teach you about in this 3 years do not have that much of result, what can you do in only 2 week?"

"Mmmh...., do hell trainings by my-self?"

"Well do what you thing is necessary, and as you say if some miracle can happen maybe there still a possibility. Well all and all do your best that is all that I need to talk to you, you are free to go now."

"Thank you, and have a nice day."

"You to Toma, do not strand yourself to much OK."

"Hi!"

After give a greeting to the teacher I than hand out fro the teacher office, but when I open the door and close it at that time I turn around I bump into some one.

"Bham!!!"

"Kyaa!"

The sound of bumping with people mix with a scream of someone.

"I am sorry, I did not pay any attainsion, here grab my hand."

So I give the person a hand, but then I was very surprise to find the person that I bump in to was the top of our school Erina Lesage herself. So I quickly help her stand up and apologize to her than I quickly walk away, but then suddenly my hand been grab by her that my me stop in my track.

"Wait!!!"

I get stun from her response.

"Yes, if about what happen just now I am very sorry."

"No it not that, do you have some time now I would like to have a little talk with you."

"Ah..., no. I am sorry I do not have the possession that can talk to the princess."

I know my place, and also I do not want to make the whole student in to my enemy if that happen I do not know what will happen to me in the test later on.

Of cause I cannot tell her about it, because this girl has uptight and serious personality, so I just keep silent.

"Why, Toma it have been 6 year that we do not talk, and meet with each other, why did you always avoid me for this whole 6 year, and we even never have once participate in the test as a team."

".............."

".............."

Than a long silent was going between us, the thing form the past and now. What I want to do, what I need to do, what is my dream, and my live. What do I want to do? All of this thing I always do not think that much, what I do until now is just move forward and concentrate with what is in front of me.

So what should I do now? I than start to open my mouth and tell her.

"Well, you see is not that I heat you, it just that I have my dream and I am struggling in fulfilling it."

"Your dream?"

"Well to me it was a dream that impossible to come true, even how hard I try but even so I still want to struggle until the end, and do whatever I can to reach it even how invent it is look to everyone."

".............."

".............."

And a other long silent come between us again, as Toma was the first to broke the silent.

"Then I think I should go now, I have many thing to prepare for my training, so than see you again." She than let go of my hand, so than I walk away without saying anything.

"Ah..., that now scare me a little bit, but way all of sudden?"

Well, even how hard I think about it I would not know, so let renew my spirit and go prepare the thing that I need for my training, so I can take off tomorrow after conforming the one on one battle arrangement.

So I think before I go home I think of stop by uncle Tanin place first.

Than not that long I arrive at the vegetable shop which own by Tanin, than I saw a lot buying vegetable from him, he is very busy so I with until the crowd die down a bit, and than I call out to uncle, Tanin.

"Uncle!"

Hearing my call uncle Tanin move his view toward me, and he also call out to me.

"Oh, Toma. What is it?"

Ask uncle Tanin.

"About the talk this morning I plan to leave my house for 2 week so I thing on sell all my vegetable to you if it ok you than I will bring it to you tomorrow morning, how is it?"

"Oh, that should be great but are you sure?"

"Yes, because I will be out for quite long, and I also need to buy something for my training, before my test in the 3 week from today."

"Now, I see. Ok fine bring me your vegetable tomorrow, I will be happily with for it."

"Got it than see you tomorrow uncle."

"Yes, see you."

After I say goodbye to him I then walk away from the city, when outside the east gate, and now to long I arrive at my own house.

A house made from wood and dry leaf that look very old, and inside of it is very empty. I put my thing down and look over the window, it almost night time, so I need to go get some fire wood before the sky get to dark, and I also need to prepare the bath and cook some food for myself.

After I collected enough fire wood I go prepare some food for my dinner, the thing that I made are some simple stir fried vegetable, and some salted grilled fish with rice.

It was a very simple thing for dinner, and he eat it with a satisfied feeling of fulfill nest event thought it was quite simple food that you can find every were, to Toma this is a very rare thing for him, because most of the time what he eat are potatoes, because he cannot get rice every day, and potato can be grow by himself easily and it do not need to take that long time for it to been harvested but for rice it hard to grow it in his field, and the price for rice is quite expensive.

That why to him this meal he eat tonight is very luxurious, but to other it was an ordinary meal that they can have every day.

Later want he have finish eating his dinner and wash the dishes, he then went and prepare the water for his bath.

He use the steel drum that he get from the city that have been throw a way and use it as his bath tub, he put fire wood below the drum and put on the fire, and check the temperature of the water is it warm enough or not.

"Hummm..., I thing is warm enough."

Then I take off my cloth and wash my-self first before I went in the tube. I did not forget to bring the book that I always read, so I can relax and read the book that I love.

"Ha....., it feel nice and warm, hmm I can relax quite a bit."

Then I open the book and read it while I relax in site the bath tub.

After a while I then come out from the bath tub, dry myself, and wear my sleeping ware.

Then I when to bed, because I need to wake up early tomorrow morning, to harvest my vegetable and bring it to uncle Tanin and he also think of the thing that happen today when he went out from the teacher office, he have thought why did she stop him and talk to him today after all this whole 6 year that they have never once talk to each other, he have been think about it for a while, but then he fell tier from all of the thought and found himself fall asleep in the embrace of the night.

Part 4

After Kamito Toma went outside the room the top rank of the school Erina Lesage than followed him from behind, as she thought o f something in her mind.

"What am I doing isn't this as if I am stalking him? No this is so that I can make chance so that we can talk to each other like back then."

With that thought in mind I renew my will and follow him until a see him go inside the teacher office, but then what will she do now? She want to know what they were talking about, so she use some spell that can let her hear what they will talk about.

"Well it is a bed thing to ear dropping other people conversation, but this is necessary, heh..."

Then she hear what they were talk about it is about Toma and the test that will be held in the 3 week from today.

Then she hear that someone walk close to the door, and at the time she get in panic on what to do, as now she know that in the team battle she will be in the same team as him, she now full with happiness that made her want to jump like crazy and also she what to talk to him as soon as possible.

"Hahaha. But before that what do I do he is going to come out soon if I do not hide fast."

Then again she want to talk to him now, but then what if he thing that I was ear dropping on him? In that time the door open and he come out from the office and because she get panic an run to the wrong side she than bump into him as the same time as he was about to turn around. Than it follow by a scream.

"Kyaa..., uh... is look like I hit my butt."

Than when I look up he give his hand and help me to stand up, and then he apologize to me many time, although I tell him it is OK.

Then he quickly walk away, but then I stop him before he go without thinking by grabbing his hand, then I say something to him without thinking too.

I think that is because I am to panic, and why I am panicking at a time like this? Then I when into silent and talk noting and without saying anything I late his hand go. After that he when away after he apologize to me once again.

"Ha..., what am I doing?"

Then she think that he tell her something, but because she is in panic she cannot hear what did he tell her about.

"Ha..."

Then she has another sign. She than walk away from that place than went directly to her house.

When she arrive home she than take a bath and drip herself inside the bath tub, she than recollected on what she have done today, than again she still do not know what have he tell her today.

After taking the bath I went too dining room and eat my dinner, than I went back to my room, and going to my bed.

Then she think again that she do not know much about him, were he live, what he have been doing in this 6 years that she did not talk and play together with him, and from all the thought she now know on how little that she know about him, and the thing that she know is the thing when they were still a children.

"That time is very fun, and we play a lot together but that when afternoon come both of us always go our separate way."

Now that I think about it even when we were children I do not know much about him in many why, but then he still very kind to me and always play with me with whatever I want to, but after that as year come is as if he is starting to less and less the time that we span become so little and 6 year ago he even never once talk to me, and he even starting to avoid me.

"Hahahaha. It no use to think about it, but that what should I do in the team battle I can finely in the same team as him than maybe I can get some of the time to talk with him and if possible make our relationship more close."

"Hah...~, maybe I should ask him tomorrow."

Then I thing I should have go to bed now is quite late at night, so she close her eye and hope that she will have a sweet dream, and not that long she than fall in to deep sleep.

The morning sun rise and the morning call from the bird can be heard in the morning.

"Chipp,chipp,chipp."

In the forest where there is the boy Kamito Toma live. He weak up from the chipping of the bird and he still remember that he has to bring the vegetable to uncle Tanin.

Before that he go make something for breakfast, and after he finish it his breakfast, he when to the field and harvest the vegetables that he grow for a long time, and sell it to uncle Tanin in the city market.

"Morning uncle Tanin here the vegetables that I promise you yesterday."

"Oh, you finely here let see, hmm~... as always the vegetables you grow are nice as always."

"Thank you for your compliment."

"Ok here is your payment, I put in some extra in it for you, than do your best in your training and test."

"Thank uncle Tanin, I will do my best see you."

After I give the vegetable and get the payment from Uncle Tanin, I went to a different shop to buy the thing that I will need for my training but before that I think that the one on one battle match up announcement will be post soon.

So I went to the school first, I know that in this time of hour the student would not come this early. But then when I arrive at the announcement board, there is someone that stands there looking at the announcement, it was the girl that I really familiar with the top rank of our school Erina Lesage the only daughter of the Lesage the ruler of Sellion.

"What now should I with for her to go away first or I just went and see what I need to and walk away."

So I think, and at that time she looks at my way.

"What to do?"

As I am thinking she walks close to me, than she looks like she what to say something.

"Toma, I have something I need to ask you, can you give me some of your time?"

"Hmmm...~, ok but can we talk in a place where nobody will see us?"

"Heeeeeeeee!!!"

"(What does he mean by that; a place where there is nobody can see ha......)"

Than Erina Lesage have her mind full of thought of thing that will happen when a boy and a girl alone tougher in a place where nobody can see. At the same time Toma speak up.

"But before that can you wait for a moment? I need to seen the announcement for the one on one battle first."

"Ok."

Her face was bright red until her ear, seeing that Toma do not know what happen to her, so he when to the announcement board and see in the announcement.

Than he was surprise that the persona that he will face were the second rank of our school.

From this he really needs to train his best for this battle if he can win this one on one battle he maybe still have a chance to study at Rexform.

By knowing so he now was burn with spirit that can late him do his vary best in his training. But first he needs to have a talk with her first, than he walks to her and ask her.

"So where should we go?"

"......., Where should we go?......."

As if she was been bring back from her day dream at my question, she replay me with the same question so I made the initiatives to decide the place.

"Than what about at the roof I thing this kind of time nobody will come."

"I have no problem with it."

Than both of them when to the roof top.

"So what do you need to talk to me about?"

"About that, I what to know why do you avoiding me for this whole 6 year?"

"I see about that. It was because I have started to grow up and understand about the thing that was around the society, and I thing you do not know how and where I have live and even now. So I avoiding you because I do not want to let you know too much about me, and I also do not want you that I know as my first ever friend hate me and get away from me after you know about it, the same as the other children that have play with me when I was a children, that was the time when I have not meet you yet all of my friend start avoiding me and I been left by them and then I become alone. Than as you know not long then I meet you and become friend with you. That time was the most happiest and fun time that I ever have in my live, and now that are a lot of thing that I need to do."

"I see, so what is this thing that you do not want me to know?"

"That is ......, I am sorry I cannot tell you."

"Why?"

"......."

I than become silent and think for a while, of the reason that I do not want to tell her about him is not only that he afraid that she will hate or go away from his. It is that he does not want her seeing him with a sympathy kind of eye as if he is the most pitiful human in this world, and I then spoke out.

"Are you sure you want to know, about it?"

After I ask her about it, she than nod to me, but than I tell her.

"Well sorry I think I really cannot tell you about it, but if you still insisted to want to know about it, why do not you ask your family they should have know all about it."

After saying all of that I that walk away from this place, and wave my hand as saying goodbye to her. The princess who hear what the boy have tell her about stun in place for some time as Toma walk away.

"......"

But then not long she than decided to want home and wait for a time when she can ask someone about it or she herself can go and search it by herself, as the clue have been given by the boy.

After Toma walk away from Erica Lesage, he now arrive at the town market that located at the eastern of the town where he will buy some of the thing that he need for sleeping outside, and other thing that can be use for camping in the wild.

"So let's see first I need a tent, and a sleeping bag."

With that in mind Toma than walk in to a shop which sell a lot of kind equipment, from thing that been use for daily life, to thing that is use for hunting and adventure.

"Excuse me."

"Yes how can I help you?"

The shop keeper of the shop come and as is he stopped me from going in father in to his shop than he asks me.

Although his face shows that he is not that welcoming me in his shop. Well I know that it will be like this just as the same shop that a have went except for uncle Tanin shop.

"I need a sleeping bag and a tent of size for 2 person."

After hearing my order the shop keeper quickly bring me the thing that I order as if he want me to get out of his shop as quick as possible, and that I pay him the money than I walk out the shop, than after that I see the shop keeper swapping the place where I have walk and stand at, as if he see me as something dirty.

"Well I should not have to bother about it now it has been like this for many years."

As I thought about it, I walk away from the town and went back to my house to get some other thing that I will need for my training at my house.

After a while of time for me to finish packing some of the thing I need to bring, I than prepare myself to depart from my home for 2 week from today, it is the start of my training, and it is my last chance for me to show some improvement in the test, after strengthening my will, I than done some quick checking once again of the thing that I bring, after I have conform that I have all the thing I need, than I on my way in to the deepest of the spirit forest for my training the place that once I was almost get kill by a monster if not for the magician, that just pass by and save my life from it I may have die at that moment.