Volume 3, Chapter 10: Trial (Part 2)

I looked down from a floating earth platform more than two thousand feet above the central volcano. Beside me, Aqua was following my movements, watching what I was watching.

“So,” Aqua asked, “what is a Lesser Fire Elemental anyway?”

“In this regard, I am as clueless as you, Aqua,” I replied, while measuring the central volcano's activities. The timing between each burst of molten fire from the craters were becoming longer and longer. Even more unpredictable. It was as if the Lesser Fire Elemental was angry.

A few more minutes passed by while I kept measuring the central volcano and trying to formulate plans on how to bind the Lesser Fire Elemental. Navra had told me that even he had failed in binding the Lesser Fire Elemental, so the act of binding the elemental must have nothing to do with defeating it. There was most likely another method.

I turned around, seeing Navra sitting like an impassive statue on a throne-like chair made out of earth. He had created this ten feet by ten feet earth platform and was holding it floating through magic alone. Magic which I could not sense or even feel.

“What is a Lesser Fire Elemental, anyway, Navra?”

“Hmm...I suppose I will be accommodating enough to give you a lesson.”

I stood in a relaxed stance while Aqua sat cross-legged on the platform. Half-naked and no longer using Virdus Vict Sangius, I was taking some time to recover my loss of magic and blood.

“There are various realms connected to the realm we are in,” Navra started. “The Midling Ethera of the Court of Domination, for example, hails from the Ethereal Realm. You can also call it the Fae Realm, if you prefer.”

Multiple questions came into my mind at that.

If that four-horned woman had come from another realm, why did she try to kill me? The only vague and immediate answer I could form to this question was that perhaps it had something to do with the Deathwalker.

It was worth a try to ask the Eldest, since I wasn't too sure myself. I could only hope he would answer my question.

I asked, “Why did that Ethera kill Efari and try to kill me?”

“That is due to a deep grudge between the Deathwalker and the Ethera.”

I felt confused. “Then why did she not try to kill me when she first found out that I was marked, when I had first met her inside a forest?”

Navra smiled at that. “You were lucky then. She must have only thought you were marked by my magic, or perhaps she did not sense the Deathwalker soul in you, only sensing the soul of the Demon Lord.”

In a way, I suppose that made sense. The mark of the Deathwalker had only appeared later after that Midling Ethera had touched me inside the forest, and became more distinct when I met Efari.

These thoughts shed a light inside my mind.

Perhaps Efari, the Matriarch Devourer, had formed and strengthened her bond with me to awaken the Deathwalker soul, who had been sealed away. Then when she had been killed, the broken bond had forced the Deathwalker soul into awakening. And my trust toward Efari was most likely due to a subtle influence from the Deathwalker's soul.

Speculating from that, the Midling Ethera must have only decided to spare my life the first time due to her thinking that I was marked by some different being other than the Devourer's Goddess. She was most likely observing me from far away while confirming whether I was the Deathwalker or not. And as the Deathwalker soul slowly started awakening from its slumber, the Ethera attempted to kill me.

Then why had she not recognized Efari? Was it due to some special ability? Just what was the grudge between the Deathwalker and the Ethera?

There were too many unanswered questions inside my mind.

For now, I forced these questions into the back of my mind. I had the trial to focus on.

When I broke free from my thoughts, I saw Navra patiently waiting for me with an amused smile on his face. Aqua, however, had a worried face.

I had been deep in my thoughts, and had not even realized it.

“It's nothing. Do not worry about it, Aqua,” I reassured her.

“Another realm that is connected to ours is the Elemental Planes,” Navra continued. “That is the realm where the elements can come to life, even forming entities and consciousness. The main five elements that govern those planes are fire, water, earth, air, and the lesser known darkness. There are others, of course, but these five are the most abundant.”

“And you want me to bind to one of these Lesser Fire Elemental,” I almost said with a fervent voice. The trial I was to do seemed more and more impossible to accomplish each second that passed by.

“Do not worry. The Elementals only occasionally cross into this realm and that is only because of an interesting and mysterious phenomenon. The kings, queens and some of the Greater ones, however, can cross at their will, popping out in places where their respective elements are the greatest. But they will never do that, as they are content in their own realm. They would also be severely restricted if they cross into our realm. This fire island is just one of their hidden territories and a likely place for fire elementals to come, as rare as that happens.”

“That said, you need not worry about the other realms. Only the Realm of the Dead, the Elemental Planes, the Ethereal Realm, and Nilfloria are the closest to our world.”

I felt curious.

“Have you ever traveled to these other realms before?” I asked.

Navra fell silent at my words. It was as if he was digging up some ancient memories, long-forgotten, and long covered in dust and cobwebs.

He looked—if I could even dare entertain such a thought—sad. His ancient-looking dark brown eyes slightly changed. The pair of eyes almost looked as if they were about to cry.

Then the expression disappeared in a blink of a moment.

“I think that is enough questions for now,” Navra said. “I will give you one more clue. This Lesser Fire Elemental is bound to the central volcano, and it can never leave it. Being a Lesser Fire Elemental and being restricted by a phenomenon, it can also never go back to its realm. ”

“Thank you,” I said, turning toward the central volcano.

It seemed like such a sad story, never being able to leave this island. Who knew how long that Lesser Fire Elemental had been bound and trapped to the central volcano?

And now that I think about it, Navra had indeed given me multiple hints already. He had said that the third tribulation was “a matter of persuasion, determination, and the will to survive.”

Except this was not the third tribulation anymore. The original third tribulation had become this small trial.

“Are you going to go again?” Aqua asked with a slightly worried tone from beside me. She had been silent for quite a long time, most likely filled with dread or digesting the information Navra had told us.

I nodded at her. “Do not worry.”

“Good luck,” she said.

I jumped off the floating earth platform, instantly spreading my black, leathery wings as soon as I began to fall.

Determination and a will to survive, huh...I thought to myself.

I had plenty of those two qualities.

As for persuasion?

I wasn't too sure. Would seduction count? Not that I was a great seducer or anything...

<><><><><>

Going by what Navra had told me, this Lesser Fire Elemental was most likely intelligent and conscious, an entity which I could most likely speak to.

Navra had also given that one final hint. He had told me that the elemental was bound to the central volcano. This meant that I only needed to persuade the elemental into binding with me.

“Virdus Vict Sangius,” I muttered. In just a brief second, I was covered in a crystallized blood armor and surrounded in my black aura of magic. Drops of blood dyed my wings scarlet, while a few orbited around in unpredictable paths.

I flew straight toward the central volcano, but before I even descended five hundred feet, a large burst of molten fire sprouted out from the largest crater at the summit. The stream of fire and the few rocks mixed within it came straight for me, its trajectory defying the natural path a real burst of molten fire would have undertaken.

I charged straight toward the molten fire, and at the last moment, dodged to one side. From the corner of my eyes, I instantly saw the molten fire change its path and follow me. But by then, I already had a big lead.

“Stop! I do not want to fight with you!” I yelled out in the strongest voice I could muster.

There was no reply.

A few seconds passed by as I tried to outdistance the chasing stream of molten fire, flying closer and closer toward the central volcano.

Then I received a reply.

Four bursts of molten fire shot toward me from the volcano's largest and smaller craters. I dodged to one side, instantly covering every inch of my body in Living Dragon Blood Armor, except for where my eyes were at. To keep my vision clear, I wore a scarlet crystallized blood helmet with two holes for where my eyes were at.

The fire was relentless.

I did not even have time to take a small breath before the other three bursts of molten fire, side by side, came at me. I instantly knew that even if I dodge one of the flare, another would slam into me. This would also make me waste precious time, allowing the first stream of molten fire, which was still chasing me, to catch up.

So be it. The Lesser Fire Elemental wanted a fight.

There was no way to contest with a Lesser Fire Elemental with fire magic, so I would have to rely upon something else, as much as I hated that something else.

I summoned the Flames of Interitum, and jet-black flames soon covered every inch of my body and my wings. At the same time this process was completed, molten fire slammed into my body, surrounding everything and blocking my whole vision.

I was, however, not even burnt one bit by the molten fire. The jet black flames, which were hungrily cold to the touch, protected my whole body. The dark flames were devouring every single last inch of molten fire that collided into me. It was like a stream of water flowing into an underground cave, no longer able to be seen, disappearing forever into some deep, dark abyss.

Ten more seconds passed by and my magic reserves were already consumed more than halfway as more and more molten fire relentlessly slammed into my body, only to be futilely eaten by the Flames of Interitum. It took an insane amount of magic power to cover my whole body with the devouring, black flames.

And although my magic reserves had increased, I was still far, far away from being able to reach even half of its true potential. At most, I could only use the dark flames for thirty seconds. That was my limit.

Six more seconds passed by, and I finally landed at the summit of the mountain, throwing up dirt and dust everywhere. Having devoured all of that insane amount of molten fire, I instantly stopped the consumption of magic by the black flames.

“How dare you!” a voice screeched outward from the very top of the summit. No, it reverberated from the insides of my mind!

The Lesser Fire Elemental must have been mentally communicating with me.

“Stop! I do not wish to fight with you!” I shouted into the crater.

Another burst of molten fire was the only response I received. Just how much fire could the fire elemental shoot out? It was just inconceivable. I would have long consumed my entire magic if I shot out that much fire.

“Die!” the Lesser Fire Elemental mentally shouted inside my mind.

“I want to be friends with you!”

My words gave the Lesser Fire Elemental a brief pause, and I saw the molten fire stop in midair for a few seconds.

“I refuse!”

The molten fire started rushing toward me from the heart of the volcano.

So be it, I thought to myself. I would just have to beat the Lesser Fire Elemental into submission.

Using almost the entire last remnants of my magic reserves, I broke off a large chunk of the volcano from the other side of the edge of the summit and dropped it into its heart. The earth, mixed within it a few rocks, collided with the burst of molten fire and stopped it entirely for a few seconds.

Using that chance, I jumped off from the edge of the summit and started ascending as quickly as I could. I turned my head back a little and immediately saw torrents of molten fire chasing me, quickly closing the distance.

It was only after I was more than three thousand feet high above the air that the molten fire stopped chasing me. The molten fire stayed floating in the air for a few seconds, as if it was fuming in anger, before finally returning inside the volcano.

A thousand feet below to my left were Navra and Aqua sitting peacefully on the floating earth platform. The Lesser Fire Elemental had ignored the both of them entirely.

Seeing this, I felt as if I was dealing with an angry child.

Except I would beat this child into submission. I would break each and every earthen rock of the central volcano into tiny pieces. I would level the whole volcano flat, even if it took me days, even if it took me weeks. I would break the central volcano, until the Lesser Fire Elemental would no longer want to stay bound to it. Then I would forcefully make the elemental bind with me.

For now, I would need to take a few hours, about a little below four hours, to recover my magic.

Down below, I saw Aqua waving at me cheerfully with a smile on her face. Navra, however, was sitting impassively, as if deep in his thoughts. He was as still as a statue. I felt as if nothing could shake him from his stillness—from his reverie. The conversation I had with him had most likely brought up ancient memories.

I was curious about it, but knew that it would only be futile to try asking.

“Hah...This is going to take a while,” I could not help but say out loud to myself.

<><><><><>

I looked toward the central volcano from a safe distance of more than three thousand feet, far out of the reach of the Lesser Fire Elemental.

Each day, for the past whole week, I had fought three battles with the Lesser Fire Elemental. And I could only smile at the result of these fifteen battles.

The central volcano was now the smallest out of the five volcanoes. I had flatten it by more than two thousand and a half feet. The central volcano was now a mere shadow of its former height. It was almost gratifying to see the result.

The time was a little past afternoon now, but even if day had turned night, and the sun had gone down, the lakes of fire, the streams of fire, and the lighting from the volcanoes would have beaten back the darkness. This was an island of fire, one of the hidden territories of the Fire Elementals.

Navra had told me that this Lesser Fire Elemental bound to the central volcano was trapped and unable to go back to its realm.

Then after disappearing for two days, and coming back afterward, Navra had found out that this territory had been long abandoned by the Fire Elementals. This was the reason why such excessive use of magic had not alerted the Greater Fire Elementals. The island of fire was no longer bound to the Elemental Planes.

A sad thought.

The Lesser Fire Elemental had been abandoned by all that it knew of.

And ironically, I was now shattering the only place left to the Lesser Fire Elemental into thousands of pieces.

I stood up from the ground I had been resting on. It was near a fire of lake and the ground was quite warm. My magic had fully recovered.

The afternoon sun would witness the third battle of the day.

“Virdus Vict Sangius.”

At those Ancient words of the dragons, which somehow shaped and influence magic more effectively, I formed a crystallized blood armor, including gauntlets, a helmet with two small visors, and armored boots.

It was time to further beat the Lesser Fire Elemental into submission. There was no one else on this island. Only the Lesser Fire Elemental and I were here.

Navra and Aqua were getting some food at a nearby place, so there was still time before they would come back.

Using magic, I sprouted black, leathery dragon wings from the specially made holes in the back of my Dragon Living Blood Armor. They spanned over eleven feet and could have wrapped around two human bodies easily.

I took flight, ascending more than a thousand feet, before finally stopping in midair, and flapping every few seconds to maintain my altitude.

Taking a small breath, I started flying toward the central volcano. And as soon as I was within a three thousand reach of the central volcano, the ground suddenly cracked open, shooting out molten fire and pieces of rocks that were still melting.

It was a nice try, but I had been expecting such surprise attacks. I formed enormous shields made of earth out of thin air and dropped them downward the multiple rising streams of molten fire. The few pillars of fire that had gotten past the earthen obstacles I created, I quickly dodged with ease. I sped up, and didn't even need to look back to know that the molten fire would now begin its chase.

Up ahead, from the diminished craters of the volcano, jets of molten fire burst out of them, mixing together to from one large mass. The mass of crackling flames and melting rocks came straight at me. It was the largest mass of fire I had seen by far.

The Lesser Fire Elemental was no doubt angry beyond reason.

I smiled a little in amusement.

During the past week, I had realized that as long as I was not in contact with the region the Lesser Fire Elemental was bounded to, the elemental could not mentally communicate with me.

As I charged toward the incoming torrents of molten fire while other torrents of molten fire and mixed rocks chased my back, I formed a half spherical shield of black flames to cover the front of my entire body. Then I folded my wings to maximize the efficiency of magic consumption.

No longer supported in the air by my wings, I instantly fell toward the ground at a breakneck speed. I fell diagonally and went through the incoming blanket of molten fire and rocks. The air and molten fire rushed around me, but I could feel nothing. Everything, except for myself and my armor, were all devoured by the black flames that shielded me.

A few seconds passed by before I was finally out of that blanket of molten fire. I unfolded my wings, stopping my free fall, and instantly started flying toward the central volcano. There was only about a thousand feet or so left before I reached it. I was also far in the lead, so there was still time left before the chasing streams of fire caught up with me.

I turned my head a little and was surprised to find all of the molten fire drop to the ground harmlessly, no longer chasing me. Everything became silent.

I wondered to myself what was happening.

My wondering was soon answered.

Suddenly, the whole volcano and the region it stood on, started shaking. The ground rumbled, pieces of earth were torn, and rocks grated against each other.

Cracks, tears, and all sorts of fissures formed near the ground of the volcano. Jets of magma and fresh molten fire from deep underground sprouted from these holes and fissures, pouring forth like a flood. Then the top of the volcano erupted, along with half of its whole mountainous body. Smoke rose up from the summit of the eruption, covering the sky and clouds for a good distance around. Boulders formed from the explosions due to the eruption, and they went flying for more than a hundred feet before smashing into the ground, becoming swallowed up by the flood of fire.

All of the magma and fresh molten fire started congregating toward the central volcano. When most of the fire and melting rocks were gathered, a vaguely humanoid shape rose up from the combined pool of molten fire.

The shape had no face, nor any distinctive marks. It was just half of a body with two huge, long-reaching arms made partly out of melting rock and molten fire.

“Ashes, I think I made it a little too angry...” I said softly to myself, while staring at the Lesser Fire Elemental. It was most likely more than six hundred feet tall, and far overshadowed me.

The fiery masses of molten rock turned toward me and a primal roar was emitted from the hole where its mouth should have been, Except it did not sound like a roar—the Lesser Fire Elemental had no voice.

No, instead of a roar, it shot out a crackling burst of molten fire that was more than twenty feet tall and twenty feet wide.

I instantly swerved to one side, barely dodging the stream of molten fire. Some large pieces of melting rock smashed against my armor, but there was not much harm done.

A cold state came over me, like cold fire mixed with anger running through my whole body and mind.

The cold state happened frequently when I was in a life-threatening situation or I was severely wounded. But it was still an unpredictable ability like my gift for sensing danger—both abilities came and go, entering and leaving without notice.

For example, my fight with Eden in the Dragon's Duel of Dominance was one such time the ability did not activate. And another time was when I met the Midling Ethera, the four-horned woman.

It was only later on in my life that my suspicions of this cold state, this cold anger, which seemed to enhance my magic and strength slightly, were confirmed. Likewise, my unpredictable gift for sensing danger was no exception.

With this cold state I was in, my physical abilities and my magical abilities became slightly enhanced. My surroundings became sharper and more focused. I became more aware of time passing by and the flames the Lesser Fire Elemental emitted from its body turned a more intense color.

I transformed my hands and feet into their dragon form, the Dragon Living Blood Armor instantly stretching and covering the growth. My talons were now covered in crystallized blood armor, sharpened into deadly points.

“Sangius!”

With my right dragon hand, I held a weapon that could not even be called a sword anymore. The blade was more than ten feet long, three feet wide, and just thick enough to support the weight. The hilt of this weapon was about two feet long and a huge spiraling guard covered more than half the hilt, as if some great beast had swallowed my hand and wrist.

At the same time Sangius finished forming, I felt myself weaken due to infusing blood into the weapon. With my dragon strength, the heavy weapon, somewhat lighter than steel due to its nature which was related to my blood and magic, was lifted easily with just one hand.

I took up the sword stance of the Wandering Flame and started charging through the air toward the Lesser Fire Elemental.

Pockets of molten fire exploded outward from the elemental's body, all of them coiling like snakes and eager to swallow me whole. At the same time this was happening, the elemental moved its enormous, vaguely human arm, which could have flatten a small mountain.

As soon as the surrounding molten fire and the arm and its hand were about to slam down on me, I coated Sangius, my weapon, with thin black flames. Seeing the hand coming, I did not retreat, but instead dodged toward my right and went forward. Then I lengthened Sangius into twice its length, cutting into the arm of the Lesser Fire Elemental. My sword pierced into its gigantic arm, I started accelerating up into the air, ascending and ascending as the molten fire roared and relentlessly chased me. I climbed for more than three hundred feet before stopping.

Having stopped, I quickly shortened Sangius back to its normal length, and coated both my wings and my entire body with black flames. I held it for a few seconds until all the molten fire that was chasing me slammed into the coating, becoming food for the black flames.

Canceling the black flames, I briefly glanced down just in time to see half of the enormous magma-like arm of the elemental split into two. Half of the molten fiery arm studded with melting rocks slammed into the ground, creating shock waves and blowing up dust and small pieces of boulders everywhere for more than a two hundred feet distance. The sound was earth-shaking, as if multiple thunder bolts had struck the ground.

Having glanced at the result for less than a second, I flew toward the head of the Lesser Fire Elemental. It was giving out a roar of crackling molten fire, as if it had been hurt by the severance of its left arm. From the hole where its mouth was, a stream of molten fire came bursting out.

I cut through the entire thing like a sharp knife would to butter. With its more than ten feet length of blade, I slashed across the entire face of the Lesser Fire Elemental.

A few minutes passed by as I dealt similar slash wounds across the elemental's entire body from Sangius coated with brief half seconds of black flames. These few minutes, I conserved my magic reserves like a beggar would for precious gold, only using shields of fire and blood when absolutely necessary.

The rest of the time, I dodged and flew around, dealing slashes and mainly relying on my physical abilities.

As the minutes passed by, I noticed less and less molten fire bursting out and chasing me around. I also noticed the Lesser Fire Elemental moving around less and less, as if it was getting weaker. At the same time, I was also over-exhausting my magic reserves. I had most likely already used more than thirty seconds of black flames, which were separated by brief, second intervals of uses.

It was only due to the cold state I was in that I was even barely able to continue on. A headache was coursing through me, and pain wracked my whole body, but these pains were dampened by the cold state.

I dodged a pillar of molten fire that had suddenly shot out from its shoulder. Then I spun around, charging toward its face and dealt another slash toward it. I flew down, and pierced Sangius into its vaguely shaped neck. With Sangius still pierced into the neck, I started flying across sideways while bursts of molten fire attempted to pierce through my armor.

The first initial barrage of molten fire wasn't very effective, but through repeated attacks and long contact, some areas of my armor broke down, only to instantly consume my blood and replace the damage.

By the time I reached the other side of its neck, which was made out of melting rock and molten fire, my vision had turned dark and blurry. My cold state left me and my armor and sword instantly disappeared as I canceled the small drain of magic my armor and sword fed upon.

I had used too much magic and lost too much blood.

I was exhausted both mentally and physically.

A few burnt marks and spots of blood were on my wings and half-naked body.

I turned my blurry vision toward the Lesser Fire Elemental. It had stopped moving for some time now with its almost severed neck. Most likely, the elemental had also run out of power.

Surrounding the both of us were scenes of destruction, upturned areas of ground, small hills created from the elemental slamming its arm, and pools of molten fire. The whole region the elemental was bounded to could not longer be recognized. Even the central volcano was a scene of destruction. It could not even be called a shadow of its former glory.

With my last remaining strength, I flew toward a relatively safe ground which was not surrounded by molten fire. I landed on a piece of upturned earthen ground, before dropping down onto it face-flat.

“You have destroyed my land, my binding site, and with it...my life,” a weak mental voice resounded throughout my mind. It was from the Lesser Fire Elemental.

Ah, right...I thought to myself. I was in contact with its region.

“You should bind with me then...I will accept you as a partner, and friend,” I said, my voice trailing off as I tried one last time to convince the Lesser Fire Elemental.

I felt so weak. So sleepy.

My vision was becoming darker and darker as each second passed by.

I closed my eyes, hearing a voice coming from above. “I shall bring you toward the dying elemental,” the voice said.

It sounded familiar.

Navra?

I felt my body being lifted.

The last image before consciousness left me was of a shapely form of a woman with two bare breasts. She was entirely made out of bright yellow and orange fire.

Her fiery orange hand stretched toward me, as if trying to reach for me.

“We shall be bound then....now and forever...”

Volume 3 (Chapter 11)