Chapter 10: Dawn.

And the Lord spake.

"Let there be light."

And there was light.

*****

The visions of my life came to a close with the words of the old man.

"Heart of domination eh? Not too shabby, though nothing special."

"You can try to forge a ring with that kid, just find the fires of Mo-aaaaaaaaahhhh!"

The old man's wailes brought me back to reality.

A reality where I am about to die.

My body has faded and my mind is crumbling.

It is at this moment that will die.

Or so I thought.

For when my mind and body have failed me, my heart thumps stronger than ever.

A Heart that never wavers.

A Heart that never yields

A Heart to dominate.

Merging Blaze.

*****

The Fire Elemental Lord, Berserk Salamander Augris wanders in a blazing wasteland.

Suddenly, he feels a sensation that he shouldn't feel.

Impossible. The Salamander thought as he paused in his tracks and examined his reptilian body.

Inside him.

Something.

Burns.

Augris's face became full of shock, which soon turned into fear.

Stolen novel; please report.

A hand pierces him from the inside.

Then another hand pierces.

Augris does not understand, his body stands still, frozen in place by the aura the hands emit.

The hands then vanish and a stream of fire gushes out the holes they made.

"What?"

The flames then converge, creating the elemental from before.

The elemental appears in the same, formless flame he devoured before.

But Augris knew, they might as well be two different beings, because he could feel it, deep within his metaphorical bones, something changed.

Augris knows this feeling, a feeling similar to when he is in the presence of the Kings, the sheer pressure, the Authority they exclude. It is similar yet, it is different.

The aura of the elemental is weak compared to the Kings.

But.

For when the Kings bring him fear.

The elemental excludes something more primal.

Something greater.

Reverence.

There is only one conclusion, an answer that should be impossible, after all, he is currently standing on His grave.

Even so, the instincts he honed through combat screams. This is no illusion.

There can only be one who emits such magnificence.

Augris curses in his mind, remembering the imprudence he had done.

He is convinced, for his instincts say so.

Therefore.

Augris bows, no, grovels, and speaks.

"Augris greets the Elemental God!"

*****

A flood of knowledge rushes through me.

Knowledge from my Heart, about my Heart.

The Heart of Domination is simple.

"Rule over oneself"

Complete immunity to anything that affects your will.

While the effects seem barely useful for normal humans, I, a Living Flame, think otherwise.

All because of the Living Flame's Innate ability, "Merging Blaze"

Aren't Salamanders just stronger fire elementals?

So logically, Even if Salamanders have flesh, I should be able to control their "fire" side, giving me enough time to escape.

That was the plan.

But it seems like "Rule over oneself" was literal.

"Augris greets the Elemental God!"

*****

I stare at the hulking lizard that ate me a few moments ago

This lizard, Augris, is easily a dozen times my size and to see such a monstrosity groveling before me is surprising, to say the least.

...Echo, what is happening?

I ask the not-at-all reliable voice inside my head, only to receive.

[Error. Event not on the database]

...Great.

It can't be helped, it seems like Augris is open to dialogue, I'll just talk this one out.

...wait, talk?

I can't talk.

Well, this is awkward.

*****

Augris waits for the response of his Lord, only to receive silence.

The Elemental Gods are the peak of Their element, and the latest Fire Elemental God is easily one of the strongest to ever exist.

With His unmatched knowledge of the element of fire, he had risen from the bottom of the fire elementals and reached the top.

With his destructive strength, even the aloof Goddess of Darkness and the proud Lord of Light need to show him respect.

The Lord of destruction, Ruler of endless flames, Sage of Blaze.

These are a few of His titles, and Augris thought that His reign would never end.

Then He died.

6 Elemental Gods and Their Kings came together and ambushed Him.

Led by the Lord of Light, the Elemental Gods of Nature, Water, Lightning, Darkness, and Ice went against him.

After a long battle and the deaths of the Elemental Gods of Lightning and Ice, they have finally managed to fell Him.

But as expected, Augris thought.

They cannot kill Him.

For He stands before Augris.

Suddenly, Augris had an idea to please Him, and so he spoke.

"This Lord swears eternal fealty to the God of Fire!."