Chapter Forty-Six: Embers
The hawk’s body erupted into a blazing inferno, its feathers transforming into flames that crackled and roared, bathing the entire cavern in a furious, flickering light. Its molten eyes, burning with anger, locked onto Yozora, daring him to make the next move. The fire surrounding the creature seemed alive, swirling in chaotic patterns, eager to consume everything in its path.
But despite the fearsome display of power, Yozora remained completely unfazed. He stood casually, arms loose at his sides, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. To him, this raging, fire-cloaked bird wasn’t an enemy—it was more like a temperamental pet throwing a tantrum.
“Really?” Yozora muttered under his breath, shaking his head like a parent dealing with a child’s antics.
With casual ease, Yozora reached out as though petting a harmless animal and placed his hand on the hawk’s flaming head. The fire licked harmlessly at his fingers, but he felt no heat, no pain. It was as if the flames themselves acknowledged his presence. He gave the creature’s fiery crown a light pat, scratching gently.
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you, Mr. Hawk," he said with a dismissive chuckle. His voice was calm, as though he was talking to an overexcited child. "But I’m not here for you. Where’s your boss? We can play later, little buddy.”
The hawk’s wings flared outward, the flames roaring louder, and it screeched with fury, a sound like a piercing war cry that echoed through the cavern. But Yozora didn’t flinch. He gave the bird one more affectionate pat, his expression still completely unbothered. To him, this guardian wasn’t a threat—just a hot-tempered creature trying to assert itself.
As Yozora’s hand left the hawk’s head, his aura shifted. A chill crept into the air, though the heat of the cavern didn’t subside. The hawk froze. In an instant, the proud guardian saw itself not as the predator, but as prey. It blinked, and in its mind, an image of a massive dragon devouring it appeared. Terror gripped the once-fearsome bird, and its fiery body flickered as it instinctively recoiled from Yozora, its eye twitching in silent dread.
With reluctant submission, the hawk muttered, “Yeah... I think I’ll relax a bit. Ha-ha.”
Just as quickly as it had come, Yozora’s dragon-like aura dissipated, leaving behind only his usual calm demeanor. He looked at the now-tamed guardian with a raised eyebrow. “Good. Glad we understand each other." His tone was nonchalant, as if the confrontation had never happened.
“So, what’s your name, Mr. Hawk?” Yozora asked, his voice softening, almost as though he were speaking to an old friend.
The hawk blinked in confusion, ruffling its fiery feathers. “I... I don’t have a name. I’m just the guardian. No one’s ever asked me that before,” it said, its voice tinged with surprise and a touch of sadness.
Yozora crossed his arms, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “Well, that won’t do. Everyone deserves a name. Let’s see…” He snapped his fingers, eyes lighting up with inspiration. “How about Nuri? It means fire, or light, where I’m from.”
“Nuri…” The hawk whispered the name to itself, as if testing the sound. “I like it,” it said, its voice now softer, almost grateful. A single tear, glowing like molten gold, trickled down its fiery cheek. “No one has ever thought to give me a name before.”
As the tear fell, Nuri’s entire form began to glow brighter, igniting in a brilliant flash of light that briefly blinded Yozora. When the light faded, Yozora blinked, his eyes adjusting to the sight before him. Nuri had transformed. Its once-smoldering ember wings now shone with full, radiant flames, its body shimmering with the intensity of a fully realized Fire Hawk.
Yozora stared in awe. “Whoa, that’s... freaking awesome! You changed! How did that happen?”
Nuri stretched its newly ignited wings, the fire flowing gracefully from its feathers. “It’s because of you, Yozora,” it said, its voice filled with emotion. “You showed me compassion. You gave me a name. Because of that, I’ve become something more.”
Yozora couldn’t help but grin, but before he could reply, Nuri spoke again. “For your kindness, I shall grant you two things. First, I give you ten of my feathers. They are powerful—use them wisely.”
Yozora raised an eyebrow, his grin turning mischievous. “Ten feathers? Nah, I’ll take twenty. I need enough to craft a full set—armor and a weapon.”
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Nuri’s jaw dropped, the proud Fire Hawk staring at Yozora in disbelief. “You... selfish-ass," it muttered under its breath before sighing in defeat. “Fine. Twenty.”
Yozora laughed, clearly pleased with himself. “Thanks, Nuri. I’ll put them to good use.”
“The second gift,” Nuri continued, “is that I shall take you to Lord Ignarok, the Untaken.”
Yozora’s playful grin faded, replaced by a look of curiosity. “Lord Ignarok?” He had heard whispers of the name before but had never had the chance to confirm them. “Lead the way.”
Nuri spread its fiery wings, their radiant light casting long shadows over the cavern. “Follow me,” the guardian said, its voice now filled with purpose.
Yozora followed, Nuri leading him toward the magma fall the smaller hawk had flown through earlier. “Hey, Nuri, I saw a miniature version of you go through that magma fall earlier,” Yozora said, sarcastically adding, “Guess I was closer than I thought. So if that’s the exit, why were you napping instead of guarding it? Should I tell your boss?”
Nuri’s face turned a slight shade of purple as he muttered, “Thirty feathers... praying he says yes.”
“I don’t know,” Nuri laughed nervously, “you’ll find out soon enough.”
They burst through the magma fall, Yozora closing his eyes for a moment, half-expecting to feel the searing heat consume him. Instead, the heat was tolerable, almost familiar. As they emerged, Yozora’s eyes widened in awe. They now soared above a vast landscape filled with small towns nestled between jagged cliffs, populated by beings Yozora had never seen before. These creatures had horns—some long, others short—and their skin resembled the crust of a volcano, with magma-like veins glowing beneath the surface. Their eyes were a deep red, their hair ashen gray, and their muscular bodies exuded an aura of raw, primal power.
“Nuri,” Yozora said with curiosity, “who are these beings? Do you watch over them as well?”
“They are one of the five types of Dractuar,” Nuri answered calmly.
“Oh, right,” Yozora nodded, suddenly recalling bits of fragmented memories. “I almost forgot about them... It’s been a long time.” His eyes lit up with excitement. “Think they have Red Sakana Soup at the village?”
Nuri, slightly frustrated, replied, “We must see the Lord first, and then you can have your soup.”
Yozora lowered his head, closing his eyes dramatically. “Oh, so you expect me to fight your boss on an empty stomach, weak and frail from hunger?” he said, his voice dripping with exaggerated sadness.
Nuri, secretly wanting some soup himself, rolled his eyes. “Fine. The best soup is at the temple.”
Yozora perked up instantly, nodding his head eagerly. “Yep, yep. Let’s go!”
A few moments later, they descended to the temple grounds, where they were met by a gigantic Vulcan Dractuar, much older and more imposing than the others Yozora had seen.
Nuri addressed the figure with respect. “Greetings, Elder.”
The elder’s expression twisted into one of distaste as he looked at Nuri. “Guardian, why are you here?”
Yozora, who had been admiring the views of the temple, turned his head sharply, his menacing aura flaring up. “Are you stupid or something? His name is Nuri. Show some respect.”
The elder, flustered by the outsider’s interruption, turned his arrogant gaze toward Yozora. “Guardian, who is this roughian? He smells of wet earth. Disgusting.”
Yozora’s aura dissipated as he smelled himself. “I smell? Right, okay... must be your nose, old man. This place smells like bad eggs. It got stronger the closer we got to the temple.” He nudged Nuri, pointing his thumb at the elder.
Nuri, brushing a wing over his face in embarrassment, said, “Yozora, Elder, please respect the grounds of the temple.”
Yozora, overdramatic as always, shrugged it off. “Anyway, where’s the soup?” His eyes were wide and blinking expectantly.
Nuri, trying to maintain his composure, spoke calmly. “Elder, before you deny us any further, Yozora has been deemed worthy to face Lord Ignarok. Our environment does not burn him, and he can touch my feathers without being scorched.”
The elder’s expression changed slightly. “This outsider... can touch your feathers without harm?” he muttered to himself, bewildered. “Remarkable.”
The elder just now noticing, glanced at Nuri. “You look... different. What happened to you, Guardian?”
Nuri smiled with pride. “Yozora gave me a name. It wasn’t out of selfishness, but out of compassion. That feeling made me evolve into the Legendary Burning Hawk.”
“I see...” The elder nodded, clearly impressed. “Very well.”
Yozora, eavesdropping on the conversation, leaned in and whispered to the elder, “Nuri, It means ‘light’ where I’m from.”
The elder, irritated by Yozora’s constant interruptions, sighed. “Nuri, I’ll get you both some soup if you promise to leave after.”
In a high-pitched voice, the elder called out, “Calida!”
A medium-sized female Vulcan Dractuar appeared, her head bowed. “Yes, Elder?”
“Bring two bowls of Red Sakana Soup,” the elder ordered.
Calida shot a dirty look at Yozora. “For the trespasser?”
Yozora, noticing her disdain, whispered something in her ear, causing her to pause in thought, realizing just how close she had come to making a dangerous mistake. She hurried off to fetch the soup, clearly shaken.
Before long, Calida returned with two bowls of steaming Red Sakana Soup, the heat radiating from the bowls as though they had just been pulled from the heart of a volcano. The soup was filled with rich, flavorful ingredients: Sakana fish, flame peppers, Emberrot, molten cradle lava salt, and Vulcan Dractuar spices.
Yozora wasted no time, immediately digging into the soup while Nuri, the elder, and Calida looked on in amazement. Yozora didn’t seem bothered by the searing heat, and in no time, he had finished his bowl. Looking at Nuri with a mischievous grin, Yozora asked, “You gonna eat that?”
Before Nuri could answer, a deafening explosion rocked the temple, shaking the very ground beneath them. Screams echoed through the air, and the sounds of chaos filled the atmosphere.
“What’s happening?” Yozora asked, his eyes narrowing.
The elder’s voice was grim as he answered, “The Obsidian Dragon.”