Jack was now sitting cross-legged on a floor cushion with the others in an admittedly much nicer room than the previous one. This room was more spacious, more decorative, and more well-lit---a total contrast from the hellish coal-smoked sauna from before. The curtains and walls were adorned with a consistent theme of crimson red flames and a heavy smell of aromatic incense permeated in the air. Offered in front of him was a cup of tea served in a simple red clay teacup. Jack took a sip of tea and found it remarkably refreshing, a nice way to calm the nerves after a long tiring day of traveling.

Sitting across from him was Suraj, the actual real leader of the Crimson Flame. Next to him was the plainly but elegantly dressed green-haired elven woman---who was supposedly Suraj's wife---serving tea for all to enjoy. Behind Jack sat Dingo and the others, who all seated patiently and enjoying the tea along with him.

Jack didn't know what to think when he first met Suraj with his own eyes. This lean-bodied brown-skinned man donned in simple clothing seemed less like a leader of a rebellion and more like an impoverished monk or guru. And yet, he was the head of an organization that was strongly revered by the magic-wielding militaristic Elrinthians.

Even so, Jack supposed that it's not entirely impossible for someone like Suraj to be the head of such a rebellion. Back in his previous life, Jack had heard of many rather unassuming historical figures who'd led rebellious movements that had greatly influenced the course of history, with the most notable one off the top of his head being Gandhi. This person could very well be just a magical Gandhi. He even looked the part!

"Thank you, Gaelinel. You are too kind," Suraj said to the green-haired elf with a warm smile.

"It was my pleasure, dear," the green-haired elf replied with a warm smile of her own before returning to accompany Mitra, allowing her to sit snugly on her lap. The young girl would fidget occasionally as she sat but was always managed to be calmed by her mother's tender embrace.

Since Suraj was lacking arms, he used his feet to pick up his own cup of tea to drink. The way he picked up that cup with his feet was surprisingly dexterous, almost to the same level as a regular person could with their own hands.

After taking a relaxing sip, Suraj turned his attention towards Jack. "So, Mr. Jack Slater, I've heard a lot about you from Dingo. It seems you are quite an interesting man."

"It depends on what you consider as 'interesting'," replied Jack. "I'm certainly not the type of 'interesting' that can pick up a cup of tea with his feet. By that metric, you are more interesting than me."

Suraj merely chuckled. "A man with a sense of humor, I see. I do appreciate that in a person."

"Well I, on the other hand, don't appreciate it as much when your little brat of a daughter tried to trick me into some convoluted scheme involving dragons and chicken."

"Hey! Who are you calling a little brat?!" Mitra snapped at him. She seemed almost ready to lunge at him but her mother thankfully held her back.

"Mitra, don't be rude to our guest," Suraj ordered in a gentle voice.

"Yes, papa," Mitra muttered begrudgingly before sticking her tongue out at Jack, causing Jack to give her an annoyed glare in response.

Suraj sighed. "Like I said before, I do apologize for my daughter's behavior. But you know how children can be. I try to be as best of a father as I could but sometimes I wonder if I've spoiled her too much."

"Yep, I get you. Kids can be quite a handful sometimes. Though, now that I think about it, they aren't the only ones who can pull a rug from under you." Jack turned his head and shifted his gaze towards Frilbert, causing the lizardman to react with a small pang of astonishment and guilt. "You went into that room before I did. There's no way you didn't know she was in there. You were in on the prank, weren't you? You help set everything up!"

Frilbert let out a nervous chuckle, his frills receding back into his neck as an indication of his shame. "Well, what's the harm in a little practical joke between brothers-in-arms, am I right?"

"Seriously?! I could have died if I'd listened to her and actually went through with the trial."

"Ah, come on. We were never actually gonna let you go through with it. We were going to reveal ourselves to you afterwards. It's all just harmless fun, I swear."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, remind me to never trust you again."

"Hey, it was little Mitra who suggested it. I couldn't say no to her."

Jack switched his attention towards Dingo. "And I bet you had something to do with it as well, didn't you?"

Dingo held up his hands in defense. "Hey, don't look at me. This was all their idea. I took no part in it. Besides, I'm way too cool to be doing these silly childish pranks."

"As if!" rebuffed Frilbert. "You were as much of an accomplice to Mitra's pranks as I was! In fact, I'm usually the backup in these situations because you were out on missions most of the time!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Mitra affirmed. "Uncle Frilbert is good and all, but he's nowhere near as fun as Uncle Dingo!"

"Oh, am I sensing a bit of jealously here?" Dingo asked Frilbert with a sly grin.

Frilbert merely scoffed at that accusation as he crossed his arms. "Who do you take me for? I'm not that petty."

Suraj cleared his throat, prompting everyone in the room to stay silent. It was impressive that such a benign man could command a room like that. "Like I said before, Mr. Slater, you are quite an interesting person and, in my personal opinion, would be a great addition to our cause. As you can see, our establishment is a bit more modest than what people might have expected but I can assure you our resolve is strong."

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He got up and walked towards a wall to his right, facing a certain painting that was hung on it. Interestingly enough, it was a portrait of a dwarf with some rather distinguishing features---most notably, his hair and beard were composed entirely of bright orange flames. It was a magnificent portrait of a magnificent man and yet Suraj gazed at it with an odd sense of longing, as though he was staring at a picture of a beloved family member.

"This here is Bjoran the Firebeard, considered by many to be the true founder of the Crimson Flame," he continued. "He is also my mentor and my father figure---taught me everything I know about magic. Twenty years ago, shortly after the signing of the Treaty of Ilvandar, the law of prohibiting the usage of magic to non-elvens took into effect, causing an uproar amongst the populace of Halandril. As a dwarven citizen of Halandril and a well-respected professor of magic himself, Bjoran of course took issue with the prohibition and thus became a political opponent and fugitive of both the Elrinthian and Halandrilian government. He established the Crimson Flame as a way to rebel against the injustices that non-elven magic users face. When he'd passed away---may the Gods bless his soul---that responsibility now lies upon me. He has passed the torch to me, so to speak, and I will do everything in my power to make his dream a reality. A dream in which the right to use magic is not reserved to the elves but is granted to everyone equally."

Suraj returned to his seat on the floor and faced Jack with a determined expression. "Being a member of the Crimson Flame is no easy task, my friend. Even though we are desperate for members at the moment, I will not accept anyone into our group unless that is what they truly desire. If you are to join us, I need to make sure that you are wholeheartedly committed to our cause, that you are aware of its dangers and be ready to face them, and that you treat your fellow team members with loyalty and respect. Your dedication must be stronger than divinium and your spirit must burn hotter than the sun. So I ask you, Jack Slater, are you willing to join the Crimson Flame?"

The way that Suraj described being a member of the Crimson Flame gave Jack a bit of pause. Even before this meeting, Jack knew that joining a gang of rebels wasn't going to be a cakewalk. But then again, he couldn't think of any better options. Right now, he was practically clueless as to how this world works and was barely scraping by as it is, even with his unique powers. If he becomes part of the Crimson Flame, he'll have access of some pretty helpful benefits---things like allies, shelter, and information---that would make his life in this world less of a pain in the ass. Joining the Crimson Flame could be considered a great risk but it's a risk that offers him more benefits than drawbacks, at least in this very moment.

Now that the choice had been laid upon him, Jack considered for a long moment before giving a final answer. "Hell yeah I do."

"Really? Are you absolutely sure?"

"Absolutely! I mean, I basically owe you guys a debt for breaking me out of jail, so there's that. Plus, I can't wait to kick those elves' asses for locking me up. Other than that, I really have nowhere else to go. So sure, why the truck not?"

Suraj gave a pleasant smile of relief. "Excellent. I am truly appreciative of that. Let me be the first to welcome you to our new family with open arms."

"Umm...open arms?"

It took a while for Suraj to get the joke. He didn't seem offended by it. In fact, he found it rather hilarious. "Ahahaha...touché. I feel like we are going to get along just fine. Now all we need is for you to pass a initiation trial before you officially become one of us."

"Wait, an initiation trial? I thought that was just a prank. You mean I actually have to do all that."

"Oh no, this initiation trial was nothing like the one Mitra told you about from before. I wasn't going to have you trek the Scorching Path of Ignis or climb to the top of Mount Huoyan or anything like that. That would be absurd! No, this trial I have you partake is much simpler and easier. It's more of a formality than anything else."

"Really? Alright, I'm game. What do I need to do for the trial?"

Suraj turned to his wife. "Gaelinel, would you be so kind?"

Gaelinel simply nodded and went to the back of the room in order to bring back a small bowl and place it in front of Jack. Inside the bowl was some sort of curry, bright red and steaming hot. Jack stared at the bowl of curry with inquisitive eyes before looking back at Suraj.

"The trial is simple. All you need to do...is eat this bowl of curry."

Jack quirked his brow. "That's it? That is all?"

"That is all. And remember, you have to finish every bite. We here at the Crimson Flame do not waste food. Though, fair warning, the level of spice in this curry is quite high. Probably more than most people can handle."

Jack shrugged nonchalantly before puffing up his chest with a sense of manly confidence. "No problem. I can handle spice. Not to brag or anything but I once ate a Carolina Reaper on a dare. Handled it like a champ. Besides, I'm kind of hungry anyway." He picked up a spoon next to the bowl and used it to eat a mouthful of curry. The spice hit him like a truck to the face. He felt as though his entire mouth was on fire. "AAAHHH! Hot! Hot! Hot! HOT!"

Mitra snickered wickedly, taking pleasure in watching Jack in pain, while Suraj merely smiled. "I did warn you, didn't I? This signature Crimson Flame Curry is made primarily of dragon pepper and has been a family recipe for generations. My papa used to cook it for me when I was young. The heat helps cleanse the soul, don't you think?"

"Water! WATER!" Jack cried out in a hoarse throaty voice, his lips swollen and his reddened face drenched in sweat. He tried taking a sip of tea to wash down the heat but it only made it worse.

The level of spice in this curry was unlike anything he'd ever imagined. He had tried a Carolina Reaper once. It was perhaps one of the most miserable food experiences he'd ever had in his entire life. This curry felt ten times hotter than that. In fact, he could honestly say being pepper-sprayed in the face felt less painful than taking a bite of this curry.

Frilbert looked at him with a bit of concern. "Woah, your face is changing into some weird color. I know a cousin of mine who could change color like that. But then again, she's a chameleon scalyfaun."

"You don't have to continue eating if it's too much to handle," suggested Dingo. "You could call it quits if you want."

"Yeah, underling. Don't try to force it. Admit defeat," Mitra taunted with her shit-eating grin. "Surely, someone who can't even take the heat of our Crimson Flame Curry could never be considered a true member of the Crimson Flame. I guess you just don't have what it takes."

Jack knew what she was doing. She was egging him on to quit the trial. He refused to give her the satisfaction. In fact, he's now more determined than ever to finish this bowl of curry just to wipe that smile off of her goddamn face!

"What? Who said I was quitting? I'm just getting started," Jack grunted.

Mustering all the willpower he had, he ate another spoonful of the curry. And then another. And another. Each bite more painful than the last. Pools of sweat dripped from his increasingly reddened face. The inside of his mouth felt like a volcano and the curry might as well be lava. If there is a God, he is the Devil, and this curry is the excrement of that Devil. Oh, the pain...the pain...the mothertrucking pain. How can, after all of this, do I stay sane? Is this to test that my spirit doesn't wane? Oh, the pain...the pain...the mothertrucking pain.

After finishing the entire bowl of curry, Jack collapsed to the ground, his lips swollen red and his face drenched in sweat.

Mitra stared at the empty bowl in surprise. "Woah, I can't believe it. You actually finished it. Impressive."

"Well done, Mr. Slater. You have proven yourself worthy. I am proud of you," said Suraj before turning to his wife. "Gaelinel, get this poor man some milk, will you?"

Jack didn't know what his future will bring. He didn't know what challenges he might face. All he knew was that that curry is probably going to hurt even more once it leaves his digestive tract at the other end.