ESSENCE OF FLAMES

Hills of endless sand rose like waves through the desert while the sun scorched it. In its depths, a set of three footprints dragged on for miles, the bearers being three who carved out a small, makeshift cave beneath the desert and hid from the warm sun. Lynne sat in the corner, panting heavily, while Thalia rested on his lap, sleeping. Gru sat across from both, his body wound with scars across.

“Goddammit, the storms are restless!” Gru exclaimed angrily. “Do the Gods of Desert hate us so much?!”

“Huh? There are Gods of Desert?” Lynne raised his head as he looked at Gru; his eyes burned like fire, full of hatred and anger. “Where are the bastards?! Tell me!! I’ll go castrate their mothers for making me suffer so much!”

“Ah-Boss, it’s, uh, it’s a figure of speech.” Gru said, smiling awkwardly.

“Aah,” Lynne sighed dejectedly. “How ironic is it that two Empyrean Mages are suffering because it’s too hot? And too sandy? Fuck, I’ll never go to desert ever again! Hey, monkey, did you find anything?” Lynne asked.

“Fuck, there’s only sand!!” the monkey cursed immediately. “Sand, sand, more sand, whoever made this place, I hope they died a thousand deaths! How can there be so much sand?!!”

“How far away are we from the Tower, Gru?” Lynne asked.

“Aah, probably a month or so…”

“A month?!! We’re already been in this god forsaken place for nearly two months! I can’t take this shit anymore! Goodbye cruel world, Lynne bids you fare---”

“Ai, shut up,” Thalia slapped him across his head as she got up, yawning. “It’s just a bit of heat and sand. What’s the big deal?”

“How are you so fine? Share the secret, oh Goddess of my Heart!!” Lynne said, crying.

“Ugh, shut up,” Thalia grunted. “How can you be so whiny? Just endure it. There. That’s the secret.”

“…”

“What, you’re not satisfied? Do you want me to satisfy you more?!” Thalia asked angrily.

“Well, if you’re okay with Gru watching…” Lynne smiled wryly as he spoke.

“I wouldn’t dare Boss!” Gru exclaimed as he suddenly got up. “I’ll go outside and wait until you are done!!”

“Sit down!” Thalia exclaimed angrily. “We’ll stay here for a week,” she continued talking to Lynne. “You should train. Even if you’ve entered the Grand Realm, it doesn’t hold much water in the grand scheme of things. I’ll call you once we’re ready to set out. And hey, you furry shit,” she then turned to the monkey. “Go and actually find something. Don’t come back until you do.”

“… humph, horny bitch,” the monkey snorted as he leapt toward the exit. “Even if I find something, I’ll never let you know!”

“Who’s a horny bitch you—aah, he’s gone,” Thalia sighed, shaking her head as she leaned onto the wall of the cave. “Let’s just relax… relax, relax.”

Meanwhile, Lynne dove into his Soul and soon found himself in the field of green, where seven doors appeared. He looked at the first, one leading to Garden of Flames, and sighed lightly before shifting his eyes to the second.

“Are you ready?” the Spirit appeared next to him and asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be I guess.” Lynne said, walking slowly toward the second doors, once leading to Essence of Flames.

As he passed through the doors, he only felt a massive heatwave douse him before everything turned to a blur. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a round, bright room. It was rather small, with only a staircase leading upward and no windows or doors.

“Essence of Flames,” the Spirit appeared next to him shortly after. “The Master designed the second world as a form of sharpening. Everything you’ve learned so far about the Flames will be tested as you climb this tower.”

“Tower?” Lynne asked, curious.

“Hm,” the Spirit nodded. “There are 28 floors in total to conquer,” he then continued solemnly. “The reason why this world is called Essence of Flames is because what is stored on every floor: Essence Flame of some of the greatest individuals to ever come from the Sect. When an Empyrean dies, they leave behind an Essence Flame; the generations that come after would fight the Essence Flame Projection and, if they win, they’d be able to absorb it. Only when you clear all 28 floors will you conquer the second world: Essence of Flames.”

“Oh? Is it similar to that youth I fought before?” Lynne asked.

“Not even close,” the Spirit shook his head. “All of the 28 were some of the strongest individuals ever. For instance, on the 9th floor, Essence Flame belongs to the Master’s nephew: Eggon Flame. At the peak of his strength, he was Empyrean Creator who specialized in Hellfire Flame, and could burn down an entire realm if he wished so.”

“Eh?!” Lynne exclaimed, stunned. “Then what the fuck is above the 9th floor? How the hell am I supposed to defeat an Empyrean Creator?!”

“Ha ha, of course you won’t be fighting Empyrean Creators,” the Spirit said, laughing. “You’ll be fighting their remnants. However, even if their strength is much lower than at their peak, all their understandings about the Flames remain.”

“… so it won’t be much of a strength-based battle as one based on understanding, huh?”

“Correct,” the Spirit confirmed. “The second world was built so that you could sharpen your own understandings, as well as witness the myriad of other possibilities that lie within the single Law. Of course, if you manage to conquer all 28 floors, you’ll receive a gift: Empyrean Battle Armor.”

“Oh? What does it do?!” Lynne’s eyes immediately began to sparkle. “Is it expensive? How many Mana Stones can I get for it?!”

“… you’re… ah, whatever,” the Spirit sighed, shaking his head. “You should first see how difficult it is.”

“Hah, if it’s just understanding of Flames, I can definitely clear it in no time!”

“… you’re basically setting up a joke about yourself.”

“That’s the aim,” Lynne snickered. “If I succeed, great! If I fail, I get to make an awesome joke about it! Reincorporation is important when telling stories!”

“… just go.”

Lynne took a deep breath before ascending the staircase in the room. After a few breaths of time, he found himself in yet another round room, but one much larger than when he first entered. It was clearly a simply designed arena meant for fighting, and Lynne immediately spotted a figure on the other side.

It was a man seemingly in his mid-thirties holding a two meters long spear. The spear was rather odd, as its shaft appeared to be alive, reinforced with crimson scales, while its spearhead was burning brightly red. The man himself had similarly red, long hair and beard, and wore simple, crimson coat.

“Ah, a challenger has finally arrived?” the man spoke as he opened his eyes, smiling widely. “Ha ha, good, finally! I thought I’d rot off here before someone came! What’s your name brat, huh? How old are you? Ah, how long did it take you to pass the First World? Do you have a girlfriend? A wife? Kids? No, you’re way too young for that. Ah, are you one of those eternal virgin types? Aah, how sad! What was the Spirit thinking, allowing an eternal virgin to inherit the Master’s legacy! We need a person with a heart that burns! Soul that never sleeps! A--” Ugh, he sure talks a lot.

“Hey, old fart,” Lynne interrupted him, smiling widely. “Are we in a contest of words or strength? What the fuck are you talking so much for, huh? Are you scared? Did you piss your pants when you saw me? Aah, it’s fine, all men underneath the sky fear me while all women love me! Who’s an eternal virgin, you dead bastard? I’ll virginize you back to your grave! Shut the hell up and give me your flames so we can move on! Ah, wait, do you even have flames anymore? Considering just how old you are--” Ugh, this brat sure talks a lot.

“Ha ha, fine,” the man gripped his spear tightly as he took a step forward towards Lynne and raised his weapon, pointing it at the latter. “Rygone Flame, Eight Commander of the Inner Division, Empyrean King, accepts your challenge!” Fuck, we’re starting with Empyrean King?! Just how fucking strong was this sect?!

“Good!” Lynne sneered as he extended his arm whereupon a scythe appeared in it. “Lynne Hyorn, inheritor of the Emperor Flame’s will, Empyrean Child, challenges you!”

“Come!”

Rygone swung his spear forward, causing flames like coiling serpents to move towards Lynne. The latter immediately sliced his scythe sideways whereupon brilliant, golden flames erupted like pillars and devoured the incoming fire.

Still smiling, Rygone – not to be outdone – burst forward, breaking the tiles beneath his feet as his entire body began burning crimson. He spun his spear sideways and attacked Lynne, while the latter didn’t retreat and instead pushed forward as well. Swinging his scythe, the two weapons clashed in the midair, procuring shockwave that burst the tiles beneath apart and caused the entire room to shake. At the epicenter of collision, golden and crimson flames erupted from two sides like two Dragons, trying to devour each other.

Less than a breath later, the two bolted toward opposite sides due to the massive explosion of energy. Lynne somersaulted in the air and landed onto the ground, sliding backwards for nearly twenty meters before stopping. A thick line of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth, but he quickly wiped it away.

On the other side, Rygone landed gracefully, but without even stopping to catch a breath, he immediately bolted toward Lynne while laughing. Wherever he went, crimson flames burned, aiming to devour all and everything. Aah, this old bastard is tough… Lynne thought inwardly, but smiled immediately after. Good, otherwise it wouldn’t be fun…

He spun his scythe circularly, firing off a massive beam of golden flames towards Rygone as he quickly moved sideways; as if he wasn’t even affected, Rygone blasted through the beam and landed where Lynne was, hoisting his spear into the ground and forcibly stopping himself, while using the weapon to rotate and propel himself towards Lynne’s direction. The latter sliced out with the scythe, causing a massive gash in the ground beneath, as a massive arc of flames dove from above toward Rygone.

“Ha ha, not bad kid, you’ve got talent!” Rygone said, laughing. “But it’s not enough. Allow me to show you true meaning of Flames!!”

Rygone suddenly stopped and pointed his spear upward for a moment before slicing down with it. Pressure akin to ten thousand mountains suddenly descended upon the entire room and, a mere moment later, crimson flames erupted from everywhere. The arc that Lynne sent out was immediately destroyed as Rygone’s flames moved as if alive and conscious toward the brown-haired youth.

A glint of shock passed through Lynne’s eyes; he quickly noticed the difference between the flames of the two, but didn’t back down. He cast Pyre, whereupon his entire body began burning golden, and he poured nearly all Mana he had into the scythe. The weapon screeched happily, as if to reply to its Master, as Lynne swung it against the incoming, crimson flames.

There was a brief moment of silence and stillness in the room, after which it all erupted into a massive explosion that shattered the floor beneath. Golden and crimson flames devoured everything as they fought, nearly consuming the room itself. Lynne held on for a few breaths worth of time before the crimson flames finally devoured the golden. The following explosion blasted him into the wall, causing him to vomit blood like river and feel weakness overtake him. A moment later, all flames disappeared, as if they were never there, leaving behind only destruction. Rygone walked up to Lynne calmly, still smiling, while holding the spear on his shoulder.

“Not bad kid,” he said, crouching down. “But, you are merely controlling the flames,” he continued, his expression turning serious. “That way, no matter how strong you are, and no matter how many flames you can summon, you will always lose to me, and everyone else in this tower. Flames aren’t just tools; they’re alive, much like you and me. They have their own will, their own path. While they bow to you, they don’t respect you. While they fear you, they don’t surrender to you. Ha ha, but you’re still young,” he laughed as he slowly moved back to where he first was. “Work hard, and meet me again when you’re ready.”

A moment later, bright light flashed and Lynne found himself back in front of the seven doors, panting heavily. His body wasn’t injured, but he felt extremely weak because he used up all Mana he had. He sat onto the floor, slowly recovering, as he thought back to what Rygone said.

“Hm? You’re not making a joke?” the Spirit said as he appeared next to Lynne.

“Ah, shit! I forgot!” Lynne exclaimed, sighing dejectedly afterwards. “Oh, whatever. That old bastard is strong. His flames… they felt different.”

“They were,” the Spirit said. “You know how sometimes you can control the flames of others?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you know why that’s the case?”

“Because I’m stronger?” Lynne asked.

“Yes,” the Spirit nodded. “In ordinary cases, flames listen to the stronger call. However, in higher realms of understanding, you would never be able to control the flames of others.”

“I’ve noticed…”

“That is because Rygone’s flames didn’t obey him.” the Spirit said.

“They fought together with him.” Lynne said after.

“So you understood it.”

“More or less,” he sighed, shaking his head. “There’s still a long road for me, huh?”

“Ha ha, relax,” the Spirit said, laughing, as he hit Lynne gently on his back. “Rygone wasn’t wrong. Considering your age, you’re still one of the most talented people I’ve ever met in my life. For instance, Rygone himself only became Empyrean in his thirties, and learned to properly use fire in the eve of his life, by the time he was reaching three thousand.”

“… what the fuck?”

“So, just work hard,” the Spirit said, encouraging him. “And the rewards will always come.”

“Yes.” Lynne nodded, determined.

As he slowly recovered his Mana, he began to ponder on Rygone’s and Spirit’s words about flames, trying to unveil the first layer behind them. I hope the monkey finds some ingredients finally… otherwise I may even forget how to concoct pills. Of course, his thoughts never stay on one topic for too long.