---
The battlefield lay quiet, the scent of scorched earth still thick in the air. I stood in the center, Crimson Doom resting in my hand, its blade still faintly glowing with heat.
Ashley stepped into view, his expression serious as his eyes settled on the sword.
He didn't speak at first. Instead, he studied the weapon, watching the faint tendrils of flame curl from its edge.
"You've only just begun to understand what you're holding," he finally said, his tone firm but calm. "Crimson Doom isn't just a sword—it's one of the most important weapons ever forged by flame."
I furrowed my brow. "It feels strong… but it doesn't seem that special."
Ashley's eyes narrowed. "That's because it's still in its beginner stage. Dormant. Right now, you're only using a fraction of what it can become. But its true strength doesn't come from wild power—it comes from control. From mastery."
He circled around me as he spoke, each word cutting like truth.
"Crimson Doom was designed not just to destroy—but to refine the wielder. It reacts to your control, your breath, your understanding of fire itself. The more precise you are… the more it awakens."
He stopped beside me, his voice lowering.
"Mastering Crimson Doom isn't about becoming famous, or building a legacy. It's about learning the discipline of flame. About becoming the kind of warrior who can wield pure elemental destruction—and not lose themselves in it."
The blade pulsed faintly in my grip, as if responding to his words.
I nodded slowly, the weight of the weapon suddenly feeling different—heavier, not in mass, but in meaning.
Ashley stepped back.
"Treat it with respect. Master it. And it'll carry you through battles where raw strength won't be enough. Because this sword... this sword demands more than power."
He turned, walking away, leaving me standing in the silence—Crimson Doom in hand, no longer just a weapon, but a test I had chosen to accept.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
>> Divine Acknowledgment Detected <<
- You have successfully claimed one of the Seven Prime Flame Relics: [Crimson Doom].
- Crimson Doom is now Soul-Bound. Evolution Status: Dormant (Awakening: 1%).
- Weapon Classification: Myth-Tier | Type: Sword | Elemental Affinity: Flame.
>> Trait Unlocked: Soul-Forged Blade <<
The sword is now connected to your lifeforce. It grows as you grow. Its flames mirror your will.
---
>> Milestone Achieved: Awakening of the Divine Flames <<
- Your inner flame has awakened into [Divine Flame: Tier I – Ember Soul].
- All fire-based skills have permanently increased in effectiveness by +5%.
- Breath Synchronization unlocked. You now passively channel elemental energy through your breath and bloodstream.
>> Reward Granted <<
Skill: [Infernal Tempest Slash] – A high-speed, spiraling fire strike that scorches everything in a wide arc.
Title Earned: [Child of the Inferno] – Fire resistance +25%. Intimidation against lower flame-based beings greatly increased.
Passive Buff: Fire Affinity Training Bonus +20%.
---
The night air was thick with heat, yet the stars above shimmered cool and distant. My steps were slow as I made my way back through the cracked paths leading toward the academy, my heart still radiating a faint warmth.
Every muscle in my body ached. The battle with Atretes played on loop in my mind—his colossal form, the endless inferno, the surge of power when—
"You finally noticed it, huh?" Damien's voice echoed in my head, smooth and amused. "That moment when the flames consumed you… that wasn't just adrenaline."
I frowned, brushing my singed hair from my face. "What was it, then?"
"That," he said with a low chuckle, "was your Flame Spirit awakening. My true form emerging from deep within your soul. We've been bonded since the beginning—but that was the first time you let go, fully. When you let the flame become you."
I slowed my pace, glancing down at my hand. I could still feel the echo of red fire dancing beneath my skin.
"So that's what changed my hair? My eyes?" I murmured.
"You didn't change," Damien said. "You became. That was your soul's fire—your core—unleashing its true form. Red flames are the mark of a flame spirit host. You've crossed a line now, Kingston. There's no going back."
I exhaled, unsure if it was from pride or fear.
Then Damien's tone shifted—calmer, more serious. "And don't forget... tomorrow is the Selection. The strongest of the academies will gather. Royal heirs, divine lineages, old rivals… they'll all be there. And they won't be merciful."
"Let them come," I said quietly, the ground crunching beneath my boots. "I've walked through flame and faced a dragon. I'm ready."
"You're getting there," Damien replied. "But remember—this isn't just about power anymore. Tomorrow isn't a fight. It's a proving ground. So rest, recharge, and don't get cocky. You'll need everything we've trained for."
I nodded silently as the dorm came into view.
The fire within me had changed. And tomorrow… the world would see it.
---
The room was dim, shadows cast by the moonlight crawling across the walls. My body ached, my mind restless, yet the warmth of the fire spirit within me kept my heart steady. I collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to undress.
As soon as my eyes shut, the world fell away.
Silence.
—I fell.
Into a world beyond fire and stone, beyond the sky itself.
The stars cracked open above me as if the universe held its breath. I stood alone on a massive obsidian platform floating in an endless void. Heat and silence swirled around me like a storm not yet born.
Then—a sword emerged.
Not from the earth, but from the heavens.
It rose slowly, impossibly tall, gleaming with a divine silver-blue hue. Stars and galaxies curved around it like it was the center of all things. The blade shimmered with celestial power, and a name thundered across the void:
> "The Sword of the Heavens."
The same sword i saw in the cave it's right before me but the aura around it was more intimidating than anything I ever faced
It stood at the center of all existence—unmoving, untouchable, undeniable.
And then came the others.
To the right of the heavenly blade erupted a surge of flame, and from it rose a blade I knew deep in my bones—Crimson Doom. Serrated, radiant with smoldering red heat. It didn't hum—it growled.
Then came more:
A blade of sapphire tides, its edge swirling like ocean currents.
> "Tidebreaker."
A massive stone greatsword, etched with runes older than memory.
> "Verdant Core."
A ghostly blade of whistling air and sharp silence.
> "Skyveil."
A thunder-forged glaive, its body pulsing like a beating heart.
> "Stormpiercer."
These divine swords formed a sacred ring around the Sword of the Heavens. And from behind each one, a God stepped forward.
They were enormous. Elemental. Timeless.
Pyronos, The first Lord of Fire, Master Ashley's Father stepped from Crimson Doom's blaze, his cloak a living inferno, his voice like magma rolling deep underground.
> "You have awakened your flame, Kingston. But fire is only the beginning."
Myralis, Goddess of Water, emerged from a gentle downpour behind Tidebreaker.
> "Your emotions ripple outward. But stillness, too, has strength."
Terrador, God of Earth, rumbled as he stepped forward behind Verdant Core.
> "Stability will be your hardest battle."
Zephira, Spirit of Air, hovered behind Skyveil, her voice barely more than breath.
> "Flame must listen to rhythm. To breath. To soul."
Volken, Warden of Storms, crossed his arms behind Stormpiercer, lightning coiling around his eyes.
> "You're forged in power—but power needs clarity, or it becomes chaos."
They circled me.
Not as witnesses
But as mentors
Then Pyronos raised a burning hand toward the sky, and The sword of the heavens floated forward—its blade reflecting my fire, my pain, my purpose.
> "This sword is bound to your soul. Not a relic. A promise."
I stepped forward, my hand outstretched. The instant I gripped the hilt, flame burst from the circle of blades, and I was lifted into the air.
The Gods spoke as one.
> "Your path will not be straight. It will burn, it will break. You will lose faith. You will question everything."
> "But in the end… you will stand."
> "You will not walk the same road as those before you."
> "You are the road."
The stars trembled. The swords gleamed brighter. Then came a flicker—Damien's voice, a thunderous echo wrapped in flame:
> "What you felt in the battle... that was your Flame Spirit awakening. Your true self. You've barely scratched its surface."
Red fire bloomed behind me. I looked down—my hands now pulsed with heat, my skin glowing like embers. The transformation hadn't ended. It had just begun.
Finally, Pyronos spoke once more:
> "The Selection awaits. The swords will be watching. So will we."
Then—darkness.
I crashed back into my body with a gasp, drenched in sweat.
The image of the Sword of the Heavens, with Crimson Doom burning at its side, seared itself into my soul.
A path of chaos awaited.
But I would carve victory from it.
One breath.
One flame.
One sword at a time.
---