Agni could not escape the swirling storm that surrounded him. He had tried to run out but was thrown back in each time. He had exhausted all his options when he suddenly got another idea. He remembered the Abyssal prison that he had been trapped in. Could the same strategy work? He decided to try, for there was no other choice. His hands began to be scorched in flame. His eyes began to glow brightly. Agni yelled and shot fire throughout the storm until nothing but the flames surrounded him. As he cast, he felt a surge of wind behind him. He immediately swung out his fist full of flame. When he saw nothing, he began to look around frantically. He knew Jhensei was hiding somewhere in the storm.

“COME ON!” Agni yelled out. “FINISH THIS!!”

Shortly after, the storm grew more intense; Agni tried to cover his eyes, then suddenly saw something jump out at him. He tried to dodge but got knocked to the side.

He yelled out in pain and tried to pick himself back up. He momentarily put his hand against his side and looked at it. His entire palm was filled with blood. He tried to pressure it as Vartan had taught him, but the injury was too big. He would not be able to continue fighting. Suddenly, the storm began to calm down. His field of vision began to increase as all the dust and dirt disappeared. Before he could stand, He heard a footstep behind him. He turned to see Jhensei standing there with his blade reaching out to him. The crowd had gone silent and stood in awe of what they had witnessed. Agni began panicking. He looked around and noticed one of the guards speaking with the Host. After a moment, Jhensei turned to look as well. When he did, the Host slowly shook his head. Jhensei grunted and hit Agni in the back of the head with his sword’s hilt. The crowd groaned in disappointment as Jhensei dragged away Agni’s unconscious body.

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Bright. Everything around the room looked bright as Agni regained consciousness.

He overheard Vartan’s voice talking with someone else. Their stern voice echoed throughout the room.

“So, Vartan, will you speak now?” Agni overheard. After a brief silence, the man spoke again, “Very well,” He said, “ Kill the boy.”

Agni immediately got up and looked around. The guards raised their spears at him before he could move any further. He saw Vartan speaking with a man sitting on a throne with Jhensei and the Host at his side.

“Woah, what’s going on?” Agni asked.

The man looked at Vartan,

“One last chance. I will not ask again,” He warned Vartan. “I have held my end of the deal.” He added after Vartan remained silent.

Vartan sighed, “We are here on a mission to free our Goddess Anemos, my Lord Calisto,” he finally admitted. The Host’s eyes shot up toward Vartan, “My lord, he lies.

The Gods and their Prodigens were said to have been slain.”

The Host began pacing around and pointed to Vartan in anger. “He said we would not have to worry about them again!”

Calisto signaled him to relax and then pointed toward Agni. “What does this boy have to do with any of this?”

Vartan hesitated to speak and remained silent. After a moment, he figured a way out of the question.

“My lord, I prefer to speak of this matter privately.”

“I understand.”

He ordered everyone to leave the room, including Jhensei and the Host. As the Host walked out of the room, Agni noticed him staring. The Host smiled and then finally exited.

Calisto got up from the throne and began walking toward a portrait. He examined it with great care as he spoke.

“I am not a fool Vartan. I can sense when a God Soul is near me,”

“How did this boy attain one when you told me they were all destroyed?”

“My lord-”

“You can stop with the flattery,” Calisto interrupted; Vartan nodded and continued.

“The Gods were never destroyed; they were imprisoned,” He resumed."Anemos has warned us of their inevitable escape..”

Calisto turned his head to face Vartan. His stern face looked into Vartan’s eyes.

“Do you trust her?” He asked.

Vartan looked at Agni, silently listening next to him, and nodded.

“Very well, Vartan.” He turned toward them and began walking forward. “You still have not told me,” he chuckled. “Who. Is.This. Boy?” he asked in a slight rage.

“He is the son of the Fire God," Vartan finally admitted.

Calisto immediately stepped back in shock. His eyes widened as he stared at Agni.

“That’s… Not possible.”

“Please, Calisto,” Vartan begged. “There is still much we don’t understand.

This boy could be the key to defeating the Ancients.” He added.

Calisto laughed, “This boy, the son of a deserter?!”

“Watch how you speak of him,” Vartan warned him.

“Aghh, you scholars. Have you learned nothing?”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“I have learned enough, do not worry about the boy. Right now, there are bigger problems.”

“Right, the corrupted Ancients. I have no interest in freeing Anemos.”

“She could help us-”

Calisto interrupted Vartan before he could finish, “Bring me Prince Therum, and you will have all the aid of the Kingdom.

“There is no guarantee he is alive,” Vartan told him.

“Well then, I guess you are alone."

He walked out of the room and left Vartan and Agni alone.

Vartan sighed in relief.

“I heard that you caused trouble at the Colosseum.”

Agni gulped. He feared he had angered Vartan. After a moment, Vartan’s frown turned to a slow grin, and he began to laugh.

“So, how did you do, kid?”

Agni softly smiled, “I struggled against Jhensei.”

“Aghh, don’t worry about that. You held up pretty well.”

Vartan could see the injuries that Agni had sustained. He began to examine his head.

“Let’s get you some rest,” he said, walking toward the door. Agni followed along while explaining his battle with Jhensei.

“You must have had him by the ropes if he had to resort to spells,” Vartan commented. He scratched his head in curiosity, “What did you do?”

“I tried to melt his sword.” Agni snickered.

Vartan’s laughter echoed throughout the hall they were walking through. “Yep, that will do it!”

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After walking through the grand hall, Vartan stopped at a room and let Agni inside.

The room was grand, with a door leading to a balcony. A painting of a great tree stood over the bed. Agni figured that Vartan had found a guest room for him, for it was too bland to belong to someone.

Vartan warned Agni to cause no more trouble. Agni reassured him, and Vartan left. After a while, a guard brought Agni food, which he enjoyed overlooking the rest of the Kingdom.

In the distance, he could see the Earth King’s grand spire standing tall. The plaza was quiet, with most shops closed due to the night sky. After finishing his meal, he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

In his dream, Agni found himself back at the Cavern of Anemos.

The wind was more violent than usual as it shook the cavern walls. Agni looked toward the purple crystal and smiled. He began walking toward it when Anemos's voice caused him to stop.

“No, no, no.” She repeatedly said.

“What’s wrong?” Agni asked.

“You should not be here, Agni.”

Agni’s eyes widened in fear. His hands began to tremble. “Why not?” he asked.

“There is another presence in the room with you. They are going to kill you.”

Agni gasped. His fear immediately jolted him awake, and he returned to the room.

He heard a man giggling beside him, and he struggled to get up.

He tried desperately to move, but something paralyzed his entire body.

“Having trouble there?” the voice asked as it giggled. Agni could only move his eyes; he saw a shadow standing by. They slowly walked up to reveal themselves: the Host of tournaments.

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After he disappeared, Agni immediately got up in relief. He checked to make sure he could move his arms and legs.

“Thank you,” he told Calisto.

“Don’t mention it,” he replied. Agni asked how he knew he was in trouble. Calisto then sat down,

“I was here to check and ensure you had not burned the room down.”

Agni sat there quietly, taken by surprise at Calisto’s response.

“Oh yeah, I heard all about the incident in Yankton.”

“It was an accident,” Agni admitted.

“I know it was. That is why you are dangerous. Vartan thinks he can control you, but I know better.

Imagine the fire in the forest happening to the entire Kingdom. All of it engulfed in flame and chaos.”

“I can’t possibly be strong enough to do that.”

“You aren’t...yet, but you almost beat Jhensei today. You underestimate yourself, kid. One day, all will be fine. You will walk carefree; the next moment, the world will be burnt to a cinder.”

“I would never want to do that,” Agni told him.

Calisto chuckled, “Heh, your word means nothing to me.”

He assured Agni that he could rest safely. Before he could walk away, Agni stopped him and asked, “Who is the Lady of Darkness?”

“There is a cult out there that worships the Abyss,” Calisto replied. “They refer to the Abyss as their Lady of Darkness. Bunch of deranged lunatics if you ask me.”

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Since Agni had been unable to sleep, he was up early. He gathered all his stuff and headed out.

He eventually found Vartan staring at a portrait.

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“I heard about what happened.”

“I’m okay, Vartan, I promise,” Agni replied.

“I was a fool. I should have known there would be consequences.”

Agni grabbed his chest, “Are you talking about my soul?”

“Yes, and now that they know who you are, they will never stop hunting you. I never should have brought you here.”

Agni tried convincing Vartan that he would be okay. He tried not to seem rattled by what had happened but could not convince Vartan or himself.

They walked through the Kingdom’s gates as Calisto and Jhensei stood by. Vartan looked back and bowed down to both of them.

“Good luck out there,” Calisto told them. They walked out into the vast land, continuing their journey towards the Frost mountains.

“Calisto is always so stern,” Agni commented once they were further away.

“Well, you would be, too, if you had fought for the throne.

After King Therum and his son disappeared, nobody was left to look after the Kingdom.

Calisto stepped in, but everyone contested his right to rule.”

They walked further into the land until the frost mountains stood within their view. Agni noticed a giant stone wall that stretched across.

“Is that where we are going?” He asked as he pointed toward it.

“No,” Vartan replied. “We are going to Helia’s Tree.”

“So it’s just a tree in the middle of nowhere?” Agni asked while they walked together. By now, they had walked far, with the Kingdom barely in sight.

“Well, it’s more complicated than that,” Vartan responded. “Remember the scholar I mentioned long ago, Kaito?”

Agni nodded. “He had this incredible ability to create portals that led to other places. They are scattered all over Arosia.”

Agni scratched his head, “Couldn’t we have used them to, you know, get here a little quicker?” he asked. Vartan laughed, “I see your point, but no, it’s not that simple. Argus damaged most of them, but Helia forbade him from destroying this one. This tree was her treasure.”

“Still, though, couldn’t you just repair them?”

“Kaito was a very gifted scholar. Someone has yet to master his sorceries.” He laughed when he noticed Agni’s annoyance, “I know it’s been a long trip, but I promise we are close to our destination.”

The ground they walked through seemed to lose its color as it got colder.

“You’re lucky,” Vartan told Agni. He noticed Vartan had been shivering. He huddled his arms together.

“Yeah, I guess so, or maybe you’re just getting old,” Agni smirked.

They stopped at a pond below a small tree. Vartan began to channel a spell. His hands began to glow golden. He began to cast the same symbol that Jhensei had shot him with.

“What’s that symbol?” He asked.

“It’s the King’s Seal,” he replied with his eyes closed. He shot the tree with the spell, and a golden portal suddenly formed before them. The other side was masked by darkness.

“The tree is on the other side,” Vartan said as he walked into the portal. Agni refused to enter. He stood there silently until Vartan peeped his head through the other side.

“You coming?” He asked.

“Fine,” Agni decided. He slowly reached out to the portal, and his hand went through.

He gulped, closed his eyes, and ran through.