“Hmm… It seems like we have an unexpected visitor in our midst. We did not provide them with an invitation, yet they still chose to come to the festivities anyhow, let us entertain our guests…” Said the Duke’s “helper” elemental. Felkin emerged from the tear high in the air above the throne area but outside the ring of flames. Felkin fell towards the ground, and he coiled his sword and blasted downwards to break his fall. Kieron fell from the air after him and using the ivory sickle’s power to create a frozen slope that prevented a painful descent. They quickly looked around the area, and at the tall ring of flames before them.

The flames that surrounded the heirs of flame wavered and swirled in the wind, momentarily revealing to them the combatting heirs. “That’s… Metas and Iris!” Felkin exclaimed, his eyesight was remarkable enough to recognize them after a quick glimpse. “They’re… fighting!” said Kieron. “We need to-“ Felkin was cut off by an instinct of something flying towards him at full speed. He quickly turned around to block the flame elemental’s punch with his fist, the strike sending him sliding backwards.

“Take Metas and Iris out of there and we’ll escape, I’ll handle this!” Felkin said, as the elemental sent forth a surge of fire which he spun his sword to blow away the flames. Metas didn’t notice Felkin’s arrival due to the loud flames, the clamor of the battle, and his focus on surviving. “Mag… Magnificent! Who knew that a lowly street urchin could possess such a violent blaze!” Helia rapturously exclaimed. “At first I thought it would be best to take the weakest down first, but what would my flame flower to if I acquired such power!” She yelled, charging towards the boy. Metas had difficulty moving due to his injuries and sent the flame spear towards Helia instead.

The relic sped through the air, Helia noticed its approach and turned around and shot her hand out open-palmed and the spear clattered away as it was sent backwards. “Tsk!” Metas exclaimed as he snapped his fingers and the flame of his spear flared up as he controlled it to change its course back towards Helia. She ran swiftly low and close to the ground, and rapidly approached the crimson blaze that surrounded the small boy, whose powers seemed to be violently yanked to the surface.

The boy appeared only to be a dark outline, a shadow within the flames. She shot out her left hand towards the boy as she held her sword with her right, but her flames did nothing to affect the raging wildfire. ‘This flame… Its overpowering. But the greater the challenge, the greater I can overcome my fear. I must take it in my hands and burn it away myself! Then I will claim it and make it my own!’ She then tried to pull the crimson flames towards her and absorb them, but the boy saw her approach and his crimson flames blasted towards her, scorching, and cracking the stone floor.

Helia quickly rolled out of the way and sent out a paper-thin sheet of fire at the blaze’s side. It moved as the boy turned towards her, like the entire flame was alive itself, as it turned and twisted towards Helia. She noticed Metas’ spear flying to strike her down from afar and ran swiftly behind the blaze to get it between her and the spear. Metas tried to pull the spear back, but it stopped just short of the blaze, causing the boy to feel threatened and his flame raged towards Metas’ direction. “I’m not your enemy!” He yelled, but as the boy’s flame was focused towards Metas, his back was exposed.

“Behind you!” Metas yelled, and the boy quickly turned around to see Helia charging with her sword raised and set alight. The blaze formed into a shape of a large, clawed hand which scratched at Helia, who stepped backwards barely avoiding the attack. Iris rushed to Asralyn’s aid, witnessing swift slash after slash made by Enjou blocked by a humanoid figure of flame defending Asralyn who was watching bewildered. “Hmm…” Enjou seemed perplexed and inconvenienced as his slashes were defended against and blocked by the humanoid flame. ‘Is this another one of the elementals? No, it seems like a mere projection…’ He thought to himself. He casually leapt backwards to avoid Iris’ jet of flame towards him. Iris watched him cautiously as he turned towards her, and readied to blast another of her flames.

Suddenly, Enjou lunged towards her at a blindingly rapid speed, only her split-second immediate reaction could register, which was to use her built-up flame to propel her backward. Enjou slashed at her with his flash-fire coated sword, he aimed low towards her legs intending to sever them, but instead slashing straight through the stone ground. “Hmph…” He was disappointed in the result of his slash. ‘Forget receiving damage to my shell from his attacks… A slash from him could slice right through me!’ Iris thought to herself. “Hey!” Asralyn exclaimed as she raised her sword to strike Enjou. He put his sword behind him to block the strike calmly, and then retaliated quickly.

Asralyn covered her eyes in instinct but found herself defended by the knightly apparition once more. “What a pain…” He remarked as he dodged Iris’ flame once more. Kieron was standing outside the ring of fire and was attempting to freeze a path into it, to pass through. Try as she might, the fires melted the ice, and she could not freeze a way through. The nobles watching backed away from the throne area, and the duke watched disinterestedly at the whole ordeal.

“We can’t freeze these flames!” Remarked Nox. “Maybe there’s another way through.” Said Solis. Kieron looked upwards and saw the ring of flames extended high but not to the roof of the palace. “Let’s go up!” She exclaimed, before freezing the ground beneath and boosting herself up above the ring of flames. But as the nearby fire rapidly melted the ice, she leapt off and entered the fray.

Felkin dodged individual repeated fireballs and sent out his lengthened sword towards the elemental, who dodged effortlessly. “Hello!” The elemental greeted as she lunged once more to strike Felkin, who ducked and slashed at her with his coiled-up sword. She dodged a blow, and blocked another one, before raining down cinders down onto him. “How dare you interrupt our ceremony!” She said cheerily. “Sorry, but I won't just let them die!” He replied, before whipping his sword wildly like an iron cyclone. She raised her “arms” up to defend against the onslaught, before levitating up above the ring of fire.

Kieron rushed in and looked at the combatants. ‘Hmm… Metas, a tall man with black armor and grey hair… Iris, a girl with pale porcelain-like skin…’ “Her and Him!” Nox and Solis pointed towards each of them. Kieron quickly ran towards Metas first as he was the one closest. “You… Will impede my reign no longer! After I gain this strength, I’ll be finally rid of the trouble that you are once and for all!” Helia exclaimed. Helia exclaimed as she ran around the crimson blaze to avoid the boy's attacks as well as defending against Metas' spear. She circled the blaze and went towards Metas, whose relic flew in the air after her. She kept the giant blaze between her and Metas' spear, meaning it always chased after as it could not puncture straight through in Metas' fear of striking the boy or attracting his ire.

Helia was probing for weakness, absorbing, and launching her flames towards the boy possessed by a sudden fervor. She suddenly turned towards Metas and charged straight towards him. He was surprised as she rushed towards him, he panickily recalled his spear back towards him to defend himself. The spear whizzed past Helia as she launched flame after flame from her hands towards him. He clutched and recalled his spear, and slashed away the blankets of flame that were trying to envelop him. 'Her technique... Her flames form a sheet that can rapidly envelop someone... It can set a person alight without them realizing it, using it at this extent... She's out for blood!' He thought as he slashed and used his segmented spear to extend his range slightly so he wouldn't get burned up.

Helia ran and quickly opened her fist and set her sword alight once more with a fiery flash. She quickly ran towards Metas and sent a burst of her flame towards him which he blocked with his spear, but she raised her right hand to strike him down as she created an opportunity where it would not be blocked. Suddenly, a volley of golden arrows sped through towards Helia. She used her flaming sword to swat and knock away some of them, but she was impacted by a few, blasting her back. "Who..." Metas asked, confused. "I'm with Felkin, we're here to get you and uh... Iris out of here!" Said Kieron as Solis and Nox hovered above her. "We need to leave; he can't hold that thing off for long!" She exclaimed as the elemental floated upwards enough that they could see her, and then the infernal being shot a jet of flames down towards Felkin, who used his sword to propel himself upward and strike at her.

"We need to get that boy, and my sister out of this place as well. I assume you have some method to escape right now?" Metas answered. "Uh... Sort of." Kieron answered. "Wait, if that's your sister... Then where's the boy?" Solis asked Metas. "That's... him." Metas pointed to the inferno. Helia was sent laying down on the ground, which she quickly sat up and dusted ashes off herself. She looked down upon herself and saw her cloak had been tattered and torn, with some of the arrows denting her tough armor. 'My... Fine silk cloak! And... my armor... I'd have to replace these again!' Helia furiously thought to herself. As she stood up, the inferno that enveloped the boy roared higher and then shot forth rolling balls of flame that zigzagged erratically across the ground, threatening all the fighters within the ring of flames.

Helia held her hands out and sent out a stream of flame towards one of them that approached towards her at a rapid speed. "Hah!" She exclaimed as she blasted the rolling flame in an attempt to stop it. As the flame orb sped closer and closer, she focused her flames harder, and then quickly redirected her hands to veer it to another direction. She breathed deep sharp breaths and sweat rolled down her face. 'I... Must! Not! Falter!' She remarked, banging on her breastplate with her fist repeatedly.

"Look out!" Said Kieron. "I... can't move... that well." Metas disgruntledly remarked, as his moist blood stuck and sloshed within his armor. "Prepare yourself." Nox said as a ball of fire rolled towards them. Kieron lowered the shotel to the ground and a wall of ice quickly rose from the ground and shattered, absorbing the impact of the fireball. The ice broke apart, throwing shards and fragments towards the two of them, but Metas stood in front of Kieron and blocked with his spear to shield her from them. "Urk!" He remarked as the pieces of ice showered him.

The rolling flames barrelled all over the battlefield, and many of them moved and rolled in multiple directions, often running into the circular wall of flames and dissipating with a violent fiery explosion. But the other fireballs that rolled past Kieron and Metas, went towards Asralyn, Iris and Enjou.

The eastern warrior unleashed a flurry of slashes towards Asralyn, whose flame defended her from every single one, but Enjou sensed that his blade was being repelled and blocked with less power every time and that Asralyn's breathing was becoming faster and more erratic as she became more and more worn out. 'Two more entered this realm just now, one fighting with one of the elemental beings, and the other entered this ring of flame. If there's a means of escape, it would be preferable to wasting my time against this lot...' He thought to himself. As he finished a series of slashes, Asralyn swung at him with her sword with him easily dodging the attack.

Iris blasted a spray of flame towards him, and he sprinted away to avoid it. 'But the more pressing issue is those balls of flame rolling towards us. Based on their speed and trajectory... It'll be difficult to avoid them with these two around me. Maybe I ought to get rid of one of them this instant.' Enjou remarked to himself. He sheathed his sword and then swiftly struck at Asralyn. The humanoid flame that emerged from her was beginning to lose shape and form and was wavering as it blocked Enjou's blow. 'Wait, that's... Not his sword!' Asralyn thought to herself. Enjou pressed on the flame summon with his sheathed sword, and then quickly drew it to slash at Asralyn. 'No!' Iris thought as she used her flame to blast herself forward and punched down onto the ground, with Enjou quickly dashing out of the way.

Enjou quickly rebounded and then slashed at Iris. 'This speed! I... can't dodge!' Iris' cognition processed and rapidly analyzed the situation, finding out that she could not move away fast enough to dodge Enjou's attack. With a loud bang, Iris was blasted backwards with her arm flying away in the air, separated from her body. Asralyn's eyes widened as she silently gasped in shock. Iris then swung around and grabbed Asralyn behind her and ran holding her with one arm. "We need to avoid those rolling flames!" Iris said to her. "But... Your arm!" Asralyn exclaimed before looking down onto Iris' arm socket. "What!?" She exclaimed confused at Iris' mechanical exposed shoulder. "I shot it off." Iris remarked.

"Clever..." Enjou said to himself. 'She shot her arm off and it simultaneously made it blast away from my slash and propelled her backward. But... Its time to deal with this other problem.' He said, turning towards the tumbleweeds of fire. As Iris blasted her arm in the air, she steered Asralyn and ran curving left and caught her arm and reattached it before it hit the ground. "Here it comes!" Asralyn said as balls of flame wildly careened towards them. As one crimson fireball blasted towards them, Iris quickly pushed both of them out of the way as the flame struck the wall of fire and exploded. "I... can't keep using my flames!" Iris remarked. Another fireball blindsided them and rolled from behind them. Asralyn instinctually sent forth the flame projection, which dissipated as it shielded them from the immediate blast. The wave of energy from the blast though, pushed them away. "Mine... too." Asralyn said, tiring.

'The path where it’s going, where it is now... The breeze moving the flames...' Enjou sensed and observed the flames, then dodging them as necessary. His swiftness and agility did not falter as he avoided them. "How... are we supposed to get him out of there? Provided that he doesn't kill us of course." Kieron exclaimed. "Maybe... we can can use my ice to freeze it?" Nox suggested. "The boy... doesn't mean it. His flames suddenly erupted from himself and suddenly emerged out of his control..." Metas replied. "Out of his control..." Kieron suddenly thought about Grisham. "Alright, we're going to try to get him out of there, then we'll escape." Kieron said, emboldened.

"I'm not letting what's mine get away!" Helia yelled as she stood and ran towards Metas and Kieron. "Hmph..." Solis exclaimed as she drew arrows made out of golden light and shot them towards Helia. She shot out her palm and a blanket of flame blasted out and stopped the arrows in their tracks. "You're not-" Helia's flame obscured her own vision, and she screamed wrathfully, but Metas spear whizzed quickly through the flames and struck her down. A spurt of blood from where the relic struck her head, and she fell backwards on her back and laid still on the ground. Blood pooled on the stone ground, and Metas recalled his spear back to him and they turned to the boy without another thought.

Metas and Kieron ran to the blaze and then Nox thrown a wave of frost towards the inferno. The blaze surrounding the boy formed giant fists of flame and then punched away the encroaching ice. "We're not your enemies!" Kieron yelled as she dodged and pulled Metas out of the way as the blaze slammed its fist down towards them.

Outside the ring of flames, the elemental made small flaming orbs emerge out of the ground and surrounded Felkin, who held his sword and was starting to get fatigued. The flames speedily flew towards him all at once, and then Felkin swung his sword around and extended it to block the orbs of flame that shot towards him, but a few flames struck his arm, his leg, and then his shoulder. The fight currently happening left him with burns at the few spots he failed to protect, his charred flesh he chose not to heal, he gritted his teeth. "A fly like you... Flew all the way here, just to ruin our little party?" The flame asked.

Felkin was silent, and then extended his sword to slash at her, and the flame elemental flew up and avoided the attack. "Oh... You've interfered quite greatly now, things aren't going to proceed as they were going to be..." She remarked as she looked down upon the ring of flame with Helia on the ground, Kieron and Metas trying to free the boy from his own flame. The elemental then snapped their fingers, and the large ring of fire suddenly disappeared, and then a cord of flame suddenly wrapped around each of the heirs' torso, trapping them in place.

The blaze surrounding the boy was squashed and extinguished, and he became motionless as his flame was supressed and he became trapped. He appeared to struggle and writhe, he cried out and growled like a cornered animal, but Kieron did not know who to turn to as Metas suddenly became trapped as well. "Argh!" Metas exclaimed, trying to struggle against the binds.

"..." Enjou was silent but had a frustrated look on his face as instead of wildly struggling against the binds, he pushed against them with a calculated force. "Ah!" Asralyn shouted as she was trapped in place, the heat and the pressure of the binds held her still and made her drop her weapon. Asralyn's flame manifested and tried to tug and pull at the binds with no avail. Helia's limp body was forced into a standing position and held in place. "Hmph!" Iris remarked in shock as she the flame cord wrapped around her arms and midsection. Thinking quickly, she shot her arm off and thrusted herself upward using flames directed through her legs making her become loose and escape as the coil restrict onto itself.

The flame elemental floating in the air twirled her finger around and the coil of flame snaked and swirled in response. But she was immediately interrupted by Felkin's extended sword reaching upwards towards her. Felkin was momentarily distracted by the disappearance of the flames and the binding of the heirs, but quickly focused once more. "You... Please do not interrupt our important ceremony any more..." The elemental said as she caught the blade behind her and then turned around to face Felkin. She sent flames rapidly trailing down the sides of the sword and forced Felkin to let go as he singed his hand on the sword's handle, the sword retracting as it fell to the ground.

"Ah!" Felkin exclaimed as he dropped his sword and hurt himself unsuccessfully attempting to pick it back up. "This ritual... Is a natural unavoidable ocurrence, the selection and ascension of the heirs are like the spinning of the spheres and stars er... Like the rising of the blazing star and setting at the end of the day for you humans... It is not something to hate, fear, or struggle against..." Said the flame elemental. "You say that... Like you're not the one doing and forcing it upon them yourself. You've imbued them with their flames from birth, and they've been under your control until now." Said Felkin looking down on his sword.

The flame elemental turned towards the heirs and spoke down towards them. "The flames, yours and ours... Are one and the same. It is both a gift to you, and a benefit to us." Felkin looked towards the others as the elemental spoke. He looked at Metas struggling, and Iris crawling on the ground towards her limbs she shot off with only one arm and leg before looking down on his weapon once more. 'The opportunity is afforded to you... The power is here should you choose it.' A voice spoke like a chill in Felkin's ear.

"Ugh..." Helia remarked, blood streaming from her forehead down her face. "Our purpose... and our existence differs little from those living in flesh and blood. Propagation of ourselves, extension, exploration and expansion. The urge and instinct, to grow and consume all others... Like a flame wavering wildly and burning all in its path to keep itself alight... Strength, power, position... The flames within us burn brightly!" The elemental burned excitedly and brightly.

Enjou frowned at the elemental. 'Spouting pleasing-sounding nonsense... But, I agree that there is a modicum of truth in those words. A flame burns within us all..' "Heh, heh... Flames..." Helia formed a smile as a spark of flame formed on her head as her wound sizzled and seared shut. She looked upon a banner on the room's wall. "Dragon... and flames... You! What is your connection, our connection to the dragons... To the flames!" Helia said loudly to the elemental above. 'Tch. She's still alive?' Metas thought. Kieron turned to Helia as she was still struggling to try to break the cord of flame that trapped Metas in place.

Kieron noticed Metas' disgruntled expression. "We won't have to worry about her if we escape." She said to Metas. "Dragons and flame... How long has it been that you all have forgotten! Your lineage, your history... The memory of the spark that started the blaze no longer lingers... Though the fact that the embers still aren't extinguished is commendable." The flame elemental answered. "So... They are connected. Enlighten me." said Helia. "Dragons... are our kindred. They are harbingers of the flame, and they have existed in the crimson earth beneath our feet and in the ashy plains for as long as we have. They helped us get a foothold in the human world and became attendants to the humans who worshipped us and them, and carried out our wills." 'Some magical being... This palace, and now the legends and myths are real? And now I'm trapped by a ring of flame... If not for the pain and struggle, I'd think I was in a nightmare!' Asralyn thought to herself.

"But... Why? Why help us humans? Why expand into our world?" Helia asked. 'To know the roots of the flame, will deepen my understanding of it. Thus, I can make my blaze even more the brighter.' She thought with a grin forming on her face, her own blood dripping onto her teeth. "Why do you humans go on conquests and conquer? Our flame is fickle and will be extinguished without fuel or could be blown away by a violent gust of wind. Our kingdom grew not just to further our own ambitions... But to prevent others' from trampling upon ours as well. The human world is one of the vastest, with its territory for the claiming. Direct interference from all sides was tiring and losses were high for everyone, fighting not only with each other... But with the humans, who managed to make up their lack of power with numbers and craftiness. Then... all the realms decided that it would be better for the humans to fight for them, on behalf of them." The flame elemental said with a fiery smile.

"And that brings us here..." Helia exclaimed, she was the only one not struggling and not attempting to break free of her bindings. "But what of the selection?" Helia asked. "Quite apt for questioning are you not? But it seems that our conversation is about to come to an end..." She said as she looked down upon Felkin, with a dark miasma permeating from him. "Using people who aren't involved... As pawns, to fight in a war they'd know about... for beings who only see them as tools to extend their influence. That is something unfair... Something I absolutely cannot let continue!" Felkin exclaimed with his eyes closed, but their red glow could be seen even as his eyelids blocked them.

"Oh... It's starting..." Kieron remarked. "What is?" Asralyn said to herself curiously. "Something that could be our last hope." Metas remarked. Felkin coiled his sword around itself, and the floating elemental expressed a surprised realization. "Ah, how didn't I realize the catalyst of this entire situation lays before us here!" She exclaimed. "Ah... I remember, the one spoken about by the dragon in the snow..." The duke remarked. "Dragon in the snow?" Felkin exclaimed. "The selection starts in response to the reign of fire being threatened. And from the few remaining embers of the flame, a new fire will rise that ensures that it is not extinguished..." He added. "And an avatar of flame, a dragon that slumbered in the kingdom of flame's rightful territory... It had been ages since it was threatened, but a force belonging to the abyss emerged and contested with it, along with a warrior with a blade that could extend nigh-infinitely..." The elemental said.

"So... It's my fault that this situation came to pass... Then... It's my responsibility, to put an end to it!" Felkin said, looking upwards and opening his eyes. "Cover your eyes!" Metas yelled to the others, with Asralyn and Kieron complying, shutting their eyes. The boy turned his head away and closed his eyes on instinct, but Iris turned around as she grabbed her leg and reattached it. "This tremendous energy signal... Its unlike anything I've ever seen before!" She said as her yellow eyes detected Felkin . After reattaching her leg, she stood up and quickly and ran towards her arm.

"Not on my watch!" The elemental exclaimed as she sent another thin snaking thread of flame towards Iris. Felkin stretched his left arn upward and used his hand to gauge distance while he sent out his extended coiled sword for a corkscrew attack. The flame elemental blocked it with her arms, but the attack sent her slamming backwards and cracking the wall. The flames on her arm became slashed, as their form started to separate, and the duke stepped forward in concern.

"I have this!" The elemental yelled, before slamming her arms and breaking the wall behind her, propelling her forward downwards towards Felkin. She twisted her arms within themselves, turning them into coiling bands of flame, and as she moved downward, flames enveloped her from her head downwards, revealing a more regal form. Flames erupted from her head forming a three spiked crown on her head, as well as flowing flames resembling bright orange hair streaming from the crown. A smile formed on her face, from the space where flames did not burn, an upwards crescent appeared and allowed one to see right through her face. Her dress extended down and billowed in the appearance of bright orange petals, covered in her flame. Her hands ended in long claw-like flame talons, the court's insignia was burned onto the back of her red steel armor.

"Here we go..." The Duke remarked as the elemental propelled itself down towards Felkin. His eyes were wide, and he was closely alert towards the elemental. He dodged her blinding speed, as she had struck the ground and cracked the stone. Felkin looked downwards at her as her fist broke through the ground, the cracks reaching up to his feet. He raised his sword to strike her, but he saw bright orange light flashing from the small fissures beneath him. He swiftly jumped backwards as the elemental violently raised her arm, causing a portion of the ground to erupt upwards. Felkin swatted away the burning rocks flying towards him, but before he could act a ray of orange flames blasted him backwards, he blocked the blast with his sword but the energy diverted into two beams that burned his sides.

"Arghh!!!" Felkin yelled loudly, the deafening noise of the scorching flames soon dissipated as the flames burned his elbows and the exterior sides of his legs began to be scorched as well. His hearing disappeared as the flame scorched at his ears and at the sides of his face, and pain overwhelmed all else. Kieron ran quickly and threw her daggers at the matriarch, and Solis shot arrow after arrow at the elemental with their efforts leading to no avail. "Our physical attacks aren't working!" Kieron yelled. "Then... Get us closer to it!" Nox remarked towards her.

Kieron sprinted towards the flame matriarch and and swung her shotel, Nox quickly waved his hands and created a chilling mist in the air, blanketing the elemental. The matriarch's flames started to waver and dim, but she quickly turned around and shot a giant fireball towards Kieron. Nox touched the ground and a wall of ice formed but the ball of fire shattered it undeterred. Iris jumped and pushed Kieron out of the way as the fireball made a trail carving the stone beneath away and barreling towards the throne.

The duke held his hand out and immediately absorbed the ball of flame. The flame matriarch waved her arms and shot out another ray of flames towards them. "You two... Will interfere no longer!" But before the blast could extend further, Felkin pulled her from behind by coiling his sword around her, dragging her downwards and making the ray of flames blast through the walls upwards and out of the ceiling. Felkin continued to extend his sword to lengthen the coil he had around the elemental, to wrap around and restrain her arms as well as her mid-section. He clenched his teeth and sucked in air as he anchored himself to the ground with his feet cracking through the stone as he struggled to hold the matriarch of flames down. His burns healed as quickly as they were scorched and as he pulled back, his arms and his legs started to break and rip as he over-exerted himself and outputted as much strength as he could.

She relented by trying to raise herself upwards, and tried to break free using her arms. As she exerted more and more strength, she grew brighter and brighter, becoming a blinding radiance within the room. "This brightness... This conflict... This radiant flame!" Helia cried out, being the only one who didn't close her eyes due to Felkin's dark aura. She glanced towards Felkin and winced instinctively. "This darkness... It feels like that presence draws out the darkness from within my mind, it feels like my fear... The fear that the fire will overcome!" She exclaimed. The elemental "inhaled" with her mouth and the coils of flame that trapped the heirs of flame in place suddenly came loose as she absorbed them. The heirs of flame dropped to the ground and to their feet as they were freed from the bindings as the matriarch reclaimed her strength.

As soon as Helia's feet touched the stone, she sparked her flame alight, Enjou quickly unsheathed his sword, and Metas lifted the boy who had exerted all of his energy and went limp. Asralyn worriedly looked at Enjou who had his sword raised in a stance, she readied her sword awaiting combat as well. Kieron and Iris were running towards Felkin careful not to look at him, and as they were running in to assit him he said: "Take the others and go! They've been freed and they're in danger, I'll... I'll handle this!" Kieron tried to look Felkin in the eyes but stopped short only seeing the brief red glare from them, and the darkness that surrounded him.

Kieron stopped in her tracks and hesitated for a moment. "Go!" He yelled as the flame matriarch started to push away his blade that was coiled around her. "Let's go!" Iris said to Kieron before they both ran back towards the others. Helia charged towards Metas and the boy with an ear-to-ear grin, blood lusted and with her sword raised. 'The child is unconscious, and he's injured... Now's my chance!' "Urk, she's coming straight for us!" Metas remarked to himself. Helia sent out quick flashes of flame towards Metas who set the boy down quickly and slashed away the sheets of fire. He then quickly threw his spear forward towards Helia, who blocked its flight with her sword, and then sent it upwards with a slash. The relic stopped from travelling away mid-air, as Metas fixed it in place and intended to strike down Helia from above. She then blasted another sheet of fire towards Metas, as her thoughts raced wildly. 'That is your weakness, you cannot attack and defend at the same time.' She looked up at the spear which flew back towards Metas. 'You might be able to take one of my flames, but would you risk the life of the boy in your arms to strike me down?'

Metas recalled his spear to his hand and slashed away the flame, and Helia ran close and sent out another flash with her left hand and raised her sword arm. "You're finished!" She exclaimed as Metas blocked the flame with his spear and was vulnerable to a strike from above. As she brought her sword down, she had a wide grin, but her expression quickly soured as her blade was stopped short. "Finished, huh. You sure about that?" Metas exclaimed as he blocked Helia's blade with his dark flesh and bone wing, emerging atop his shoulder. "Heretical witchcraft!" Helia exclaimed in response, before Metas swung his spear of flame upwards towards Helia. She quickly raised her sword to block the weighty blow, but her blade shattered because of Metas' strike.

Helia jumped backwards and ran back, but as Metas tried to give chase he dropped to one knee in sudden weakness. His wing dissipated as he gritted his teeth in pain, and Helia saw this and threw away what remained of her shattered sword. "Fine then, my flames will suffice!" She exclaimed, with flames sparking atop her hands. Suddenly, a group of golden arrows flew towards her and she blasted them away with her flames before a wave of ice swept across the ground making Helia retreat back. Iris and Kieron ran towards Metas with the latter standing guard over them as Iris talked to Metas. "We've got the boy, now let's go, we'll need to leave as soon as possible!" "My... sister..." Metas said, struggling.

The group looked towards Asralyn who was having a standoff with Enjou, both of their weapons held out. 'Hmm... That group is gathered together and allied... And it seems like that one is rebelling against that flame elemental... Would it be wise to continue to contest against them? Or to place my trust onto these mythical beings of flame?' Enjou thought to himself. 'Whatever the case, I won't let my guard down...' He shifted his stance and held his sword raised closed to his chest. As he moved slightly, Asralyn was alert and held her sword high ready to strike back or defend against Enjou.

'He's... Not moving... Is it because he's wary of the others acting against him? But... I can't rely on them to act for me, but I'd lose if I went on the offensive. I... just need to keep my guard up and don't lose sight of him!' Enjou turned his head towards Felkin and the flame matriarch. 'I suppose I'm waiting as well. Dealing with all of them at once will be pain, and unnecessary if I don't have to. If that being bests him, then it will likely punish the others. Escaping, fighting... It looks like I'll have to wait for the best possible course of action.' He turned his head back towards Asralyn. "Carry... him." Metas said to Iris as he attempted to lift the boy up from the ground. Iris quickly and gently received the boy into her arms as Metas clutched his side in pain. "Go... Go to her, get my sister. I'll stay here." He added.

"Wait, we're not leaving you behind. That woman could still be out there waiting for the opportunity to strike." Said Iris, observing their immediate surroundings. "I'd... be a burden, you'll just be slowed down trying to drag me along. I... can protect myself. All that matters is that she's safe." Metas replied. "That's nonsense..." Said Kieron, keeping her scimitar and lifting Metas' arm onto her shoulder. "Hmph. You're... pretty heavy." She exclaimed. "Are you sure... You're alright like that? You're restricting your movement, on top of that you're putting away your other weapon." Said Metas. "You two, protect us." Kieron said to the twins. "We'll certainly try..." "But, our power isn't exactly limitless." Nox and Solis remarked. "Let's move. She's just around the corner, it's likely she's waiting for us as much as we're waiting for her." said Metas. On the other side of the ice wall was Helia, crouched and silently listening to them.

'Damn, I was so close... I'm outnumbered! Maybe if I wait I can seize an opportune time to strike. But...' She glanced towards Felkin holding and pulling back the flame elemental. 'If I wait long enough that being will surely punish these interlopers. But... If 'he' wins that I will surely lose. Should I wait?' She asked herself. As Felkin pulled back the flame matriarch, his arms began to tear apart at the forearm. "Grrr..." He growled as his eyes glowed brighter than his surroundings, and his healing tried to keep up to the extreme pressure it was enduring. The flame elemental cried with glee as she used her flames to blast forward, and severed muscle, sinew and bone. At an instant, Felkin's arms were severed with a spurt of blood, the force of which sent him flying backwards and freed the flame matriarch from his grasp. "Ack!" He cried out as mere stumps of his arms remained which bled like the currents of a stream. He looked upon his own arms and the bleeding immediately stopped.

The flame matriarch flew away quickly but her leg was caught by Felkin's steel sword. "Urk!" She remarked as she was kicked back and stopped in her tracks. She looked behind her and saw Felkin far behind with his sword coiled around his own leg as his arms were still healing. He had some rudimentary control over his sword even when he didn't hold it in his hands and he used it to stop the elemental. She replied with kicking him with such force that he was blown through a wall to the outside. He landed and clattered on the black stone outside, which cracked and broke with every impact on the ground. He stood up quickly to pick up his retracted sword that landed nearby but he immediately fell to the ground.

Felkin was just about done healing his arms, it immediately went to work healing his leg which had been torn off. As he was forced on one knee he quickly snatched his blade from the ground before the flame matriarch flew and reached him. She flew swiftly and held her hands up to shoot a blast of flames towards Felkin. He jumped back in response to the attack and when he landed, both of his feet touched the ground fully healed. He once again made a portion of his blade extend and made slack, before spinning that portion to fan away the flames. As he was being pushed back, the matriarch of flames spoke to him.

"Apologies if I seemed weak because I only used my strength there, its just that its been long since there was somebody who could contend to me somewhat, even though if its only physically." After she spoke, she swiftly flew above and behind Felkin, and quickly blasted him in the back with a beam of fire before he could defend himself. He was blasted backwards and fell face first to the ground. He could hear her swiftly fly towards him and he swiftly slashed behind him anticipating her flight straight towards him. He stood up and slashed, behind him, with a hole in his waist from the blast. But his attack bore no fruit as his slash phased through her arm. Felkin was shocked as she made her arm intangible and made its flames temporarily disappear and then reappear before doing a jab towards him. He blocked the swift strike with his sword, but she followed up with a chop to the shoulder and a flurry of punches.

"I was just warming up! And to think the court's weakened over the years because of the pitiful worship of those humans lessened!" Felkin swung his sword wildly but each of his slashes hit naught but air and missed each one. Burnt skin and flesh, bruised and broken bones. His ribs pierced through his lungs, and he could not move his non-dominant arm. He quickly glanced down at himself, the burn at his side and the various scorchmarks left on his torso were barely healing. 'Is my ability not working? She isn't even affected by my eyes, is it because she's doesn't have any?' The flame matriarch then sent out a fireball which he blocked with his sword, throwing him backwards to the ground.

As the two combatants exited the throne room, Helia ran to the opening in the wall and tried to conceal herself as she observed their battle. The flame matriarch stood over the battered Felkin who could barely stand or move. "The people of the meager kingdom of flame could barely expand or sustain itself beyond its own little area. Memories, emotions, worship. They are energy given off by the people, and when done by the masses, strengthens us greatly. But over the years, they have forgotten their roots, their source of strength. They squandered their strength and refused innovation. That is the purpose of this ceremony, to herald a new heir and to rekindle their flames as well as ours. This benefits them as it does us!" She exclaimed to Felkin. He slowly crawled backwards and then looked back towards himself. His flesh was burnt and fused making his arms and torso attached to each other and unable to move them. Half of his right leg's leg pant was cut off when his leg became torn off, his shirt was in tatters because of the onslaught of strikes he received. 'My burns... I'm expending so much more energy healing them, using my sword and my strength... I need to do something, or I won't be able to move!' He looked down at his sword that he held with his right hand, and he had a morbid and uncomfortable idea.

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The elemental walked towards him and stood over him, and he turned his sword towards himself. "Argh!" He cried as he slashed himself, his torso and his arm, sticking his sword and the splashes and spurts of his blood landed on the elemental whose flames began to sizzle and recede. She jumped backwards with the "smile" on her face turning into a frown as she tried to flick off the blood.

"Arghhh!!! Haaa.... Haarrghh!" Felkin screamed as he breathed over and over heavily as his wounds healed and he tried to regain his composure. He stood up, what remained of his clothes stained with his own blood and his hair soaked with it. He faced the blaze in front of him, and his vision suddenly changed into darkness, seeing nothing of the area ahead except a few flashing lights in the distance, and an amorphous blob of light in front of him. Suddenly, a spiky tendril from that mass of light spiked towards him and Felkin dodged to the side in response. He sidestepped right before the matriarch of flame lunged and extended her limb of flame to strike at him and his vision returned to normal. 'Was that the light I keep seeing in people? It moved the same way as she did, but it seemed to move earlier...' 'Those who possess darkness see the light the most, as it is exactly what they wish to extinguish and pull into the murk... It is the intention of the soul and precludes action.' He could hear the girl's voice in his head once more. His vision suddenly changed into his vision of the darkness. He saw the overpowering radiant light of the matriarch suddenly form a flurry of strikes towards him.

Preparing quickly, he observed and anticipated the attacks. And as his vision returned to normal, he used his quick senses and enhanced physical ability to dodge and deflect every one of the flurries of blows against him. He then extended his sword and then whipped it around wildly, but the flame elemental merely weaved, dodged, and floated between his attacks. She made sure that her flames blasted away and dodged, or briefly disappeared them in order for Felkin to miss his attacks. Her bracelets flew in the air as she briefly disappeared her flames, only to catch them with her flame "arms" after each extinguishing dodge. Her limbs and head poked out from her armor and metal clothing, ultimately emerging from the center where a human's chest and heart would be.

Felkin noticed that even though the elemental would become intangible with their limbs or head as he slashed, but she would always retreat into her armor, or her limbs would always emerge from it. Felkin's vision reverted back towards that darkness, he saw the large wisp of bright light that represented the flame matriarch flying backwards. 'She's... moving backwards, is she retreating? I can't see those blasts of light that shot out from her when she attacked.' He remarked to himself. But as soon as his vision reverted, he saw her flying backwards but launching balls of flame downwards towards him.

'She's attacking alright!' He exclaimed to himself as he quickly ran away from the blasts that cracked the landscape open. The flame matriarch floated down to the ground, and Felkin ran forward and slashed with his extended sword. She quickly blasted upward using jets of flame from her arms, and made her flame legs and skirt disappear to dodge Felkin's strike. 'If I can't strike at her limbs...' "Then I'll go straight for the core!" He exclaimed as he raised his sword upwards and struck the metal armor housing where he thought the "core" was located. With a loud clang as the sword struck metal, the flame matriarch was pushed backwards, her confident smile turning into a scowl, but then into a cocky smirk.

As Felkin's sword shot out towards her into a thrust, and she quickly created a chain of flames which she controlled remotely, thus making her catch the blade without risking harm to herself. She then swung around with her arms outstretched, swinging Felkin's sword locked in her chains, and him along with it. Felkin was shocked as he and his sword was swung around, and thrown back towards the direction of the court's palace. He flew and extended his sword which flowed freely in the air. He shot his sword out towards the earth below him, to try to stop his rapid descent towards the earth and from slamming into the palace's walls or ground. His blade punctured through the earth and went deep into the thick rock, and then he stopped the extension of his sword to try to quickly stop his flight. His extremely rapid movement was halted in an instant, but the shock hit him greatly and his shoulder and arm's flesh separated but the bone remained attached making his hand extend further than where it was.

"Arghhh!!!" He screamed as his arm rapidly sent out nerves and muscles to reconnect both halves of his arm. After stopping midair, he quickly fell face first to the ground and his scream became muffled. He retracted his sword and pushed himself off the ground with his eyes and face expressing fury and determination. 'Anger... Is simply a tool for people if they don't want something. It makes them have the ability to take that thing back for themselves or right a wrong that's happened to them.' A voice rang in his head, though it wasn't from the girl's. "Anger, huh. If its something that'll help me, I'll gladly use it." He remarked, with crimson eyes glowing brightly, staring down the rapidly approaching flame matriarch.

After Felkin was thrown outside, and Helia watched their scuffle for a while, she looked back at the Metas' group walking towards Asralyn and Enjou. "Move not a step more, or I will attack." Enjou remarked, his head tilted slightly having heard the group walking towards them. Helia noticed as she hid in the rubble. "We... outnumber you, surrender and let her come to us, and we'll spare you." Said Metas. "Be careful, even alone he's a threat to all of us combined." Iris whispered towards Metas. Enjou's head tilted and he smirked as he heard Iris' comment. "She is correct, though I will admit that it will be troublesome dealing with you lot all at once... It is not impossible. But in any case, I won't rush in headlong, but I won't allow you to get any closer." He replied.

"Tch." Metas remarked. 'He won't attack us outright, but he won't let us get nearer either. It’s like he's waiting for something to happen... And Helia's still lurking around somewhere so we must hurry. Is he... Waiting for her? He seemed to brush her off earlier, but if he's only concerned about his survival, then he might work with her to fight us. With both fighting us, there's a good chance that I won't be able to protect them... Even if we win there's going to be casualties. If we wait for Felkin and that being of flames to conclude their battle, with him we can beat them. But if he loses, we'll certainly lose. But if they have some way to leave this realm right now, then after we reach her, we can leave this place. Only thing though, is he's blocking our way. He must be waiting as well.' Metas thought to himself.

Kieron shifted uneasily as a bead of sweat ran down her face. 'We're... waiting. That woman could appear any second now and we're standing still. If... Felkin was here, we could win and leave. But that's... A gamble. I... don't even know if I can pull of and travel away from this place. Assuming Felkin loses, we'll have to fight all of them off. So is the best choice to rush in and attack him right now? He's injured... And we have an unconscious boy. Maybe I could try transporting us out of here right now and coming back later? But its already a slim chance of me doing it once, could I risk leaving here and leaving them behind?’ Kieron grit her teeth in frustration.

"He's waiting... for her." Metas said to the two. "Yes, I noticed." Iris replied. "He can hear us." said Kieron. "Its fine. If he assumes we aren't dumb, he'll think we've figured that much out." exclaimed Metas. Helia watched the standoff in the shadows and behind fallen debris.'He's cornered by those fools. But he's not attacking. Could he be awaiting the rescue of the proud and mighty heiress of the flame? Even though he was rude to me earlier, he seems like a person who has some knowledge of survival and common sense... Surely he'd be wise enough to join me, and I perhaps might forgive his indisgressions. Should I jump in now and help him take care of the lot? Or maybe I should just bide my time until one of them makes a foolish decision. When all is well and done, those who survive will be surely battered and weakened... Then I can dispose of them and have no competition.' She thought to herself with a wide grin. 'Although... If that matriarch of flames arrives, I won't need to wait it out as they'll surely be dust in seconds. But... If that boy wins their encounter somehow, I'll be in danger. Instead of waiting for the outcome of their battle, should I jump in and end this now?' She asked herself.

All of them were still, impatiently waiting for the situation to shift or change to their favor. For a while, they were at an impasse. Metas' legs began to waver, as his strength was slowly waning, Kieron was beginning to buckle under his weight. Iris carried the boy with one arm and pointed the other at Enjou, her eyes were transfixed and could detect any miniscule movement. Asralyn stood ready, she had the temptation to look back at the others, or move away, but she shook it off, and held her sword firmer. The ice wall Nox created was now mere fragments on a steaming puddle, sweat trickling down their faces like water off an icicle. Enjou was still, the only movements from him were the beads of liquid rolling down his cheek.

The duke tapped his fingers as he crossed his arms. Though keeping their distance, the heirs felt a multitude of eyes upon them. It is then that Felkin was violently tossed back towards the palace and rose from the ground to face the speeding flame matriarch. As she blasted herself forwards with a jet of flame from her legs, she also shot at Felkin with a beam of flames from her hands. He quickly raised his sword to defend himself, and blocked the torrent of flames. He was blasted back into the interior of the palace, to ths surprise of those in the room. As he landed on the cracked floor, the matriarch flew in from the hole in the wall, and threw a fireball towards him, creating a small blast and throwing up debris.

Nox quickly waved his arms and created a wall of ice to shield those nearby from the explosion. Asralyn's impatience took this opportunity to rush away amidst the chaos. Enjou rushed in after her, but the flaming rocks that scattered momentarily overwhelmed his senses, and he stepped back as a number of them rained down nearby. As Metas' group was under the shade and cover of Nox's ice, Asralyn ran away from swiftly from Enjou towards Metas and the others. The flame matriarch threw down one fireball after the other, shaking the walls and unsettling the roof with each one. "Hmph... It'll take years to rebuild all the damage you're causing." The duke remarked. "There's never been a ceremony like this for decades, nay, centuries. For a challenge like this, years of rebuilding this palace is nothing!" She replied. She continued floating, and shot a focused beam of flame towards Felkin who angled his sword and held the back of the blade with his other hand to redirect it. The beam was redirected, and it blasted wildly towards the direction of Metas and the others, startling Felkin.

Helia ran swiftly from her hiding place, with her hands raised, and sights set on throwing flames towards Asralyn.'They're distracted, now's my chance!' She thought, but the beam Felkin deflected suddenly blasted through, cutting through the thick right wall of the palace. Helia had her palms opened with flames emanating from them, when she spotted a bright flash of light from the matriarch's blast towards Felkin. Her instincts immediately kicked in, and she used her flames to blast herself backwards to barely avoid the thin reflected beam that cut through the palace. "Ah!" Asralyn exclaimed as she fell to the ground barely being missed by the blast. 'Did I trip?' She thought to herself as she looked back, but she saw the faint humanoid specter of flame had pulled her to the ground.

Enjou leapt high in the air and landed on his feet and easily dodged the attack. The blast struck the ice covering Metas, Kieron, and Iris, and showered them with the small fragments. Metas saw the flash of orange flames slice through, and then quickly covered Kieron with his arms and body. "Ack!" "Are you alright?" Kieron asked. "My armor... Stopped the attack. Is... he okay?" Metas asked. "He's fine." Iris replied, covering the boy with her arm. Metas fell to his knees, with a charred line running along the back of his armor. "Get the boy, get Lyn, and get them out of here. You can come back for me later, I... can still take care of myself." His eyes smoldered like a fire was kindled within them, as his spear floated in the air, feebly alight with flame. "Go!" He yelled.

After deflecting the matriarch's flame beam, Felkin glanced for a moment and saw the destruction he had unintentionally wrought. "Unwise of you to look away!" The matriarch said gleefully, as she attacked Felkin from behind. "Shouldn't announce your attacks either." He replied, sidestepping a lash from a whip of flame. Felkin quickly slashed upwards towards the matriarch who easily evaded his attack. "Missed." She exclaimed, but Felkin rushed towards her undeterred.'This is probably going to endanger them, but... I have no choice!' He remarked to himself. He glanced upwards towards the roof, and then to the walls nearby the others as he ran. 'What... Is he looking at?' The elemental wondered, before realizing. 'The roof!' She looked upwards as the large pieces of stone from the ceiling crashed onto her. She quickly blasted the stones away with her flames, but Felkin quickly sent out his sword and coiled it around the metallic mid-section of the matriarch. He pulled her in close, and then used his left arm and cut himself on the blade, coating the elemental with a spurt of blood. 'My blood, something happened to the that thing in the abyss, and to Grisham... and she was affected by it... It hurts, but only for a moment!' His wound healed almost immediately, and she covered her face as his blood sizzled on her flames and armor.

The matriarch slashed horizontally with her arm, and Felkin ducked. She then slashed low and sweeped the ground, Felkin then leapt over and behind the matriarch, still holding his sword all the while. Felkin tightened the coil of his sword around the matriarch, with the metal armor she wore slightly bending in response. The matriarch then expanded her flames, creating a blaze that caused Felkin to move backwards, but extending his sword so he won't lose his grip on her. The matriarch then grasped the blade with her arms and then sent another trail of flames along its body sending it towards Felkin who still held the sword in his hands.

"Mhmm!" Felkin exclaimed as he gripped his sword with both hands and got burnt by the matriarch's flames. His teeth chipped and grinded into powder as he grit them and continued to manipulate his blade to tighten around the elemental. His hands became burned and scorched, causing him a great deal of pain, but his hands forcefully healed and endured. The power of the abyss that coursed through his body gave him not only great strength, but the ability to defend against stronger attacks. The matriarch swung Felkin to the side, slamming him on a wall, then slamming him down to the ground, and then to a large stone pillar. He spat out blood impact after impact, but his grip did not falter; rather, his hand was now seemingly stuck to the hilt of his sword.

After the flame beam blasted through the palace, the duke sighed, and soon he and the other elementals stepped outside of the palace. Asralyn quickly rose and ran towards Iris and Kieron, but Helia gave chase. "I'm... running out of steam." Nox said to Kieron, as his form was slowly beginning to fade. "It's fine, if we're lucky its only going to be a short push." Solis replied. Helia shot her flashes of flame towards Asralyn. 'I'm not letting this chance pass!' She panted, like a ravenous beast. 'She's taking this opportunity to attack them. In these circumstances, It would be wise for me to either escape... Or attack. With that flame being here, the eventual result of this conflict is tenebrous. But... Removing enemy factors here right now might sway the situation to my favor.' Enjou thought, and ran calmly with his sword readied.

Kieron swung the ivory shotel and created a chilling gust of wind that extinguished the sheets of flame. Kieron pulled out a set of her daggers and threw them towards Helia, who protected herself by raising her armored hands and creating a thin defense of flame. Kieron then looked to the side as Enjou swiftly made their way towards them, and she readied her scimitar as she and Iris ran towards Asralyn. Solis drew her bow and sent out a flurry of arrows towards Enjou. He anticipated and slashed away every projectile and continued without slowing. He then sheathed his sword, intending to strike down Asralyn who he was gaining on.

'He's running fast, he'll reach her in a moment's time! Should I jump in and push her? No... I might be compromising the boy's safety. Should I leave him here? No... that would make him vulnerable to that woman. Should I blast flames towards him, or launch my arm? What If he would easily avoid or deflect the attack? I'm... running out of flames, soon I won't be able to use them, and if this drags on, I won't be able to move...' Iris thought to herself as she ran. 'This is... What I have to do!' She then aimed her left hand and raised it, before launching it off, with the boy safely being carried with her right. Her arm flew through the air and struck Asralyn, blasting her backwards.

"Ack!" 'Did she... Intend to hit me, or was it a misfire?' Asralyn asked herself, confused. Enjou swung his sword downwards, with the sound of his flaming sword slamming the ground like lightning. "Jump!" Iris said towards Kieron whilst the two of them had the momentum of still running towards Enjou. Iris analyzed Enjou's stance, his posture, and saw that he was about to slash horizontally towards the both of them. Kieron made a light-footed leap and went straight over Enjou, while Iris dove to the ground, the boy was kept safe as she struck the ground on her elbow and knees. Iris' legs became alight with her flame, and blasted herself forwards towards Asralyn as Enjou slashed towards the ground.

As Kieron was falling behind Enjou, he started to turn around to slash at her, but as he did, he was met with a volley of golden arrows. Iris' hand had grabbed Asralyn and clutched onto the scruff of her clothes, propelling her backwards without damaging her. Kieron landed, and Enjou became preoccupied with the arrows but after a few seconds, gave chase after her. Iris' knees and elbow became chipped as she dragged them across the ground, but she soon reached Asralyn.

"Sorry!" Iris said to Asralyn. "It's fine, but what's the plan?" Asralyn asked quickly, as both of them stood with her readying her sword. "We're leaving! But if we can't, ready yourself!" Iris replied. "Look out!" She yelled towards Kieron who was running towards them. Kieron turned to where Iris was facing, to see Helia blast another of her flames her way. She raised her hands to cover herself, but Nox created a quick icy mist which blocked the blast. "Argh!" He remarked, as he faded and lost his corporeal form.

Helia cried out with glee before one of Solis' arrows struck her, sending her falling backwards. "Attach my arm!" Iris said, as she and Asralyn ran towards Kieron. Asraln held her sword with one hand, and then grabbed and stuck Iris' arm in the socket with the other. Enjou was right behind Kieron, and Solis drew her bow and shot arrows towards him. He calmly tilted his head, sidestepped and slashed at each arrow without slowing his pace, and Solis was beginning to fade as well. Enjou raised his sword over her, and with a glance back, Kieron threw her scimitar in a last-ditch effort to deter him. "Take my hand!" She yelled to the other two. With a single slash, Enjou snapped Kieron's scimitar in half, and Iris and Asralyn went towards her with their hands outstretched.

"What about me?" Asralyn yelled, as Iris was moving faster. "Touch her shoulder!" Kieron exclaimed, and Asralyn put her hand on Iris' shoulder. Helia shot up from the ground, ripped the arrow from her shoulder before the golden projectile faded into dust, and put her flaming hand on her wound. She then charged with her preparing her flames once more. And though exhaustion and fatigue had caught up with her, rage and bloodlust overpowered those sensations. Enjou turned around as he heard an object speeding towards him. He heard the speeding flight of Metas' spear coming straight towards him. He continued running as he anticipated the attack, he dodged first, and then as it blasted back towards him, he deflected it. With each swat of the flying projectile, Metas' relic only flew back towards Enjou. Slightly bothered, Enjou sent out a slash of flame at Metas' spear, which did not break the weapon, but sent it flying towards Helia. She blasted it away with her flames, and it clattered on the ground behind her.

Beneath the cover of ice, Metas breathed heavily, fatigued. "I... can't make it work!" Metas remarked as he lost control of the weapon, with each feeble snap of his fingers only creating sparks within the weapon. Kieron had her hand outstretched, reaching for Iris' as Helia and Enjou converged upon them. 'Please work, please work, please work, please-' Kieron was silently chanting to herself as her hand neared Iris. The ivory shotel in her hands began to faintly flash with blue and yellow light. Enjou's sword of flame slashed downwards towards Kieron's back, as flames flew in the air towards the three of them. Clap. The sound of two hands clasping one another made the sound resembling it. Enjou slashed horizontally, and Helia's flames flew in the air, but their attacks touched naught but thin air. The four of them: Iris, Asralyn, Kieron, and the boy had disappeared without a trace.

After they disappeared, Enjou and Helia turned to each other. He raised his weapon towards her. "Such... Such insolence!" Helia exclaimed, highly offended. "We are under the same kingdom, the same loyalty, and have fought the same enemies. We are hunting the same traitors and have allied... And yet... You dare?" Helia asked loudly. "It's just a precaution. Knowing you, you could take any opportunity to strike, I'm not foolish enough to let my guard down around you." Enjou exclaimed. "Our enemy is there... We shouldn't let foolish squabbles stop us." Said Helia. "I believe you can understand, but-" Enjou was interrupted by Helia throwing two small fireballs towards him. He noticed the marble sized flames were not flying directly towards him, but their trajectory would miss him and only pass at his sides. 'What is she aiming for?' He quickly wondered before realizing.

Helia clapped loudly, and then the small fireballs that floated to the sides of Enjou's head suddenly exploded with a loud bang, the flames doing little physical damage, but it affected him greatly. Enjou fell to his knees, and covered one of his ears with one hand, while still holding his sword in the other. "Argh!" He exclaimed. "You... might be one of the strongest warriors that the kingdom possesses, but everyone has their weaknesses. A dog that has no leash to control and prevent it from biting its master is more dangerous than useful." Helia said, standing over him.

"It's important to know the vulnerabilities of those you command over... With the flames and energy, you expended, exhaustion is likely, even for one such as you. And now..." Helia took a single step. "Now..." Helia's voice trailed off, as her knees bent and she slowly lost strength resulting in her lying motionless on the ground. 'I... I can't move my body. Is this... What my strength amounts to? My prey... Is right in reach...' Helia tried to lift herself up, but her armor felt like boulders weighing down onto her. "Grrr..." She growled as her limbs and body trembled as she tried to force herself to move. "Argh..." Enjou exclaimed. 'I can't... Hear anything... I can't locate myself... I'm vulnerable to attacks from her, or from them...' He raised his sword and began to slowly move backwards.

Enjou tried to ascertain his situation and tapped the nearby floor with his sword. 'Damn... I didn't think she'd pull something like that... She must be around here somewhere... If I can find her, I'll be able to remove her from the equation for good...' He thought to himself, as his ears still rung. His hearing began to return, and with each tap, he ascertained the environment clearer and clearer. 'Blood, metal, smoke, and fire... The scent of them is mixed together and spread out... It makes it harder to pinpoint... There.' He exclaimed to himself, as he located Helia to the right of him nearby. He briskly walked towards her; the rigor of battle had worn him out. But as he approached her ready to strike, he suddenly heard and felt the heat of a rapidly approaching object. He jumped backwards as a fireball scorched the earth before him and created a shockwave. The attack did not hit Helia, but the force had flipped her over face first. "Cross fire... It's dangerous to remain here with them still fighting." Enjou remarked.

"Tsk. The others have gotten away... I don't want all my pieces to leave or to be collateral damage from my fight... I thought I would be able to handle this alone... But I don't think I'd be able to handle it myself. Can you shield the heirs for me?" The matriarch said to the duke. He entered from a hole in the wall and walked past the crumbling rubble and debris on the floor. His flaming arm extended up in the air and orange force fields appeared around Metas, Helia, and Enjou. "Hmph!" Metas remarked, banging on the barrier with one fist, and trying to activate his spear with the other.

Enjou jumped backwards, and hit the wall of the small barrier, and he ran into the other side of it after striking the wall behind him. Helia seemed unresponsive and still stirring. Taking the opportunity, Felkin was rushing towards Helia, he kept his distance as he tightened his coil around the matriarch. He raised his sword, intending to strike her using the part of the blade close to the hilt. "Don't think I've forgotten about you!" The elemental said to Felkin, whose hands sparked ablaze before reaching down towards Felkin's sword. Felkin quickly uncoiled his sword around her and retracted it before the matriarch could set it aflame once more.

'This... Isn't working! I have to try another way.' Felkin jumped to the side to avoid another fireball. 'Her armor is barely affected, her weakness is what's within the metal. I need to reach it, or... around it.' He said to himself. He ran towards with his sword pointing upwards. 'What's he up to...' The elemental wondered. She launched blasts of flame that razed the ground, which Felkin leapt over and dodged, and ducked each one. He lengthened his sword and slashed at the ground and sent out a blast of rocks towards the elemental who smacked them away. He continued to extend his sword and slashed at the ground, the wall, and the ceiling, sending rubble and stone the matriarch's way. With his extremely lengthened sword, he struck at the elemental and battered her around with his sword as she struck and blocked the debris, he blasted towards her.

Metas continued to snap his fingers to spark awake his spear, and he smirked as he saw Felkin's strategy. Felkin closed the distance as he slashed deliberate, but powerful strikes across the room. He had extended his sword and slashed all around her, making lengths of sword surround the matriarch, and be above her multiple times. 'He has her surrounded!' Metas exclaimed to himself, still trying to awaken his weapon.

'Hmph... These petty distractions, he's trying to corner me...' The matriarch remarked to herself remaining purely defensive. As the side of Felkin's blade struck the matriarch from behind, she swung around and tried to snatch it with one of her arms, only to be met with a shower of rocks. "Tch. Its time to end these games of yours!" She said to Felkin. She strengthened her blaze once more, making her entire body erupt brighter and hotter. She got struck by Felkin's blade at her side, and then she lunged in to try to catch the retreating blade. She ignored and powered through the stones that Felkin blasted at her and chased after the point of Felkin's sword which traveled backwards towards the snaking lengths of Felkin's blade that were all around her.

"Now." Felkin mouthed under his breath. Metas snapped his fingers, and sent the relic into the flame matriarch's side, pushing her forward. Felkin suddenly pulled his blade backwards and the entire body of his lengthened sword snapped and coiled towards where the matriarch of flame's head was . The duke quickly took control of Metas' spear as it bounced off the matriarch and slammed it to the ground, holding it in place. "I'm not going to allow that." He remarked. Felkin's sword coiled within itself and formed a tight bundle of a spiraling cone of metal.

"Missed." The flame matriarch mocked as she extinguished the flames that formed her head, causing the coil that Felkin formed to affect nothing. A single length of the blade from the hilt was attached to the coiled steel at the sword's tip, and after the elemental dodged the coil snapping together, Felkin brought it downwards towards her. "!" The elemental was surprised and was unable to dodge in time as Felkin slammed the heavy bundled steel downwards towards her torso and where her core was located. "Ack!" She remarked as her arms shot out from the neck hole of her armor; her face also manifested as she pushed Felkin's bundled blade upwards. "Arghh..." She struggled pushing the blade as her arms had little space to push it away.

Felkin put his strength into pushing his sword down, his arms began to tear and heal as he did. The struggle continued, and it appeared as Felkin had the upper hand. Suddenly, the matriarch's resistance stopped and Felkin's blade passed through her armor and slammed on the ground below. 'Did he get her?' Metas asked himself. Felkin looked down the armor, perplexed. He saw that the metal vessel was devoid of flames and retracted his weapon whilst looking to the ground and the area around him.

Unbeknownst to him, faint flames rolled beneath his feet and went past him. He used his soul-vision and followed the faint wisps of white light that flowed all around him, and congregated high in the room behind him. He saw the flames rise up from the ground and swirl around a single object in the air: A circular object like amber, encasing an orange rose in a similar colored substance. The orb was translucent, and the bright flower and its green stem could be seen clearly, though the casing was cracked slightly.

'The core!' Felkin said to himself as he quickly shot out his sword towards it. His sword was blasted back as flames swirled around it and created an inferno that repelled his weapon. 'This force! I'll have to get close or coil my weapon...' He ran beneath the floating flame and coiled his sword. But as he prepared to extend his sword and strike the flames above him, tendrils of flame suddenly shot down towards him and he struck uncoiling his sword to drive them back. 'That attack was fast!' He thought as more tendrils shot towards the ground, which Felkin deflected and barely avoided each one.

It was like a hail of attacks which pushed Felkin back and forced him from moving closer. 'It’s no use... Even if I can see the attacks coming... I can't counter them all. I have no opportunity for a counterattack!' He said as an innumerable amount of limbs struck towards him, he swung his sword back and forth repeatedly to deflect them. He leapt backwards, and then the inferno started to rise and emerge into a sizeable form. The elemental's skirt was like massive wild tendril-like petals, which resembled an upside-down crown. Two thin legs poked out below, but she had no use for them as she floated. She had a large, spiked collar for her dress, and had multiple puffy sleeves and six arms, four on both of her sides. "Finally! I've rid myself of my restrictive form!" She remarked.

Felkin slashed and extended his sword, but it was quickly swatted out of the way with her arms, but with his other hand he threw a piece of rubble from the ground towards her. The rock simply passed through the flames that comprised her clothing and body. Felkin ran and avoided a shower of fireballs from her arms, then he tried to strike her with his sword once more. She caught the blade with her arms, but Felkin retracted his sword backwards before she could set it ablaze. 'Hmm... She could disappear when I threw the stone earlier... But she keeps blocking and countering my attacks... Is it because of instinct?' Felkin asked himself, as he leapt over a wave of flames that swept over the ground. Midair, he slashed across the waist of the elemental, who appeared to be unaffected as Felkin's sword passed through and retaliated with a blast of flame. He used his already extended blade to anchor to the ground below the matriarch and avoid the flames. As he did, she dropped to the ground and slammed it, creating a fiery blast which Felkin leapt out of.

'She's not letting me close...' Felkin then cut his arm slightly and then shot out his sword once more. She noticed this and became agitated, and quickly sent out a gust of hot wind that evaporated the blood on Felkin's sword as it blew the blade backwards. 'I... aimed for her chest that time... And used my blood. The reason she wears that armor, not just for a ceremonial one... Is probably to protect herself... And my blood seemed to have an effect on her.' He surmised.

"Now that I've taken this form... The limits to what power I can expend are no longer held back!" She then blasted herself forward using two of her arms and then lobbed dozens of fireballs towards Felkin. He sent out consecutive slashes to defend himself, but the occasional stray flame and the pressure from all sides struck him, the minor burns he was receiving were mounting. She held up two more arms and shot blasts of flame towards Felkin and he spun his extended blade around and spun around to blow the flames back, but the matriarch attacked relentless.

Metas was frustrated as he banged on the barrier. 'I... Can't do anything! If only I...' He said to himself. Enjou tapped at the base, the walls, and the roof of the enclosure. 'This place... Its uniform in its defense... Breaking out will be a tough task. But... With the things going on outside, maybe it would be wiser to stay here for the meantime?' He thought. The elemental then lengthened and stuck two of her arms into the ground and then the ground erupted in an infernal blaze beneath Felkin. "Arghh!" He exclaimed as he was sent flying upwards as he was scorched by the flames. Felkin shot his sword out towards the matriarch and the sword passed right through her forehead.

Felkin struck a stone pillar and then retracted his sword backwards, meaning he pulled himself towards the matriarch as the hilt moved back towards the tip of the blade. As his blade was dragged downwards and gravity pulled him down, the blade lowered and threatened the core in the matriarch's chest. She quickly caught and held the blade and lifted it up so it wouldn't touch her core, but Felkin was still on a collision course towards her in a rapid speed. He cut his left forearm as he held onto the hilt of his weapon with his other hand, which the matriarch responded with setting his sword ablaze with her other two arms which dissolved the blood.

"Grrarghh!" He let out a primal yell as his hands caught aflame, covered his arms and then his body. His hair and face combusted, and he was silenced by the flames entering his mouth. His hair was like a blazing bright candle and his eyes were like red suns in the fire. The matriarch raised her remaining two hands to slash at Felkin who barely held on, his healing would not matter if he was burned to ash. He telepathically raised and extended his sword to strike at the ceiling above. As rocks fell onto both, the matriarch quickly looked up. 'The roof again!' She said to herself as she blocked her head as they fell to the ground. The rocks knocked both away. She quickly used two arms to blast away the rubble on top of her, to see Felkin charging back at her with his sword raised, with his charred face and body cracking apart to heal themselves.

He let out a bloodcurdling cry as he charged towards her. He shot out his sword towards her core, which she responded by leaping upwards and attempting to fly backwards. Felkin relented by striking the ground behind the elemental and throwing rocks upwards towards her, preventing her from going upwards or retreating backwards. He quickly raised his sword up her flame body and she once again caught his sword with her arms. She sent flames towards his way once again and scorched him through sending flames down his sword. She swung him around quickly and let go, throwing him back, but he shot his sword out towards her and anchored the point of the blade in the ground behind her. She caught his sword once more.

'If I let go... He'll be able to slash me! I only need to rely on my flames to burn him away...' Felkin was bathed in flames once more, and he was running towards her with all his strength and struggled to push on due to the flames. 'As he gets close... I'll slash him with my arms!' She thought to herself as she raised two of her arms. 'I'll... push on! I... need... to push!' Felkin's thoughts swirled wildly. 'Why... Why! For them... So, they can get away! Where... Where are they... are they safe? I... Need to push until they're safe!' He glanced around briefly and saw Metas. 'He's... He's still here... I... need to...' He looked back towards the matriarch and his tears evaporated as he completely coated in flames. 'My healing... Is it still working? All I can see... Is orange... Have I gone blind? Its... so hot... I'm so... tired... I want to give up...' Felkin thought as his legs buckled as he tried to push forward.

'Don't give up... Keep going... There's still something you can do...' A voice suddenly spoke in his mind. 'Who's... that?' He asked himself. 'Think... You need to get out of this situation... Think about what you want to do... What you want to be...' The voice said to him. 'Is that... me? With the fire I can't hear... I can't think clearly anymore...' Felkin thought. 'You don't need to think... You just need to push on... That flame, its hurting you... It’s killing you... If you just push on you can stop it...' The voice replied. "You're right... I just need to push on and remove this thing in front of me. Then... Then I can decide..." Felkin muttered to himself.

Felkin inched closer and closer, the matriarch was ready to cut him down. 'Closer... Closer... Once you're in reach I'll be finally able to cut you down...' She said as Felkin moved in tantalizingly close. "Argh... Arghhh!!!" Felkin groaned and roared. 'It's... Not enough... I'm... being pushed back!' Felkin said as he began to feel weakness in his legs and lose his footing. 'Think! Think about what you want... What's most important to you in life! Think about it... Think about what gives you your strength!' The voice cheered him on. 'What I value... My friends... I want to see them safe... I want to see them again... I want to find out what I am... What I'm supposed to do... I'll be abandoning it all if I give up here!' He screamed in his thoughts.

"Arghh!!!" Metas remarked as he slammed his fists against the barrier, injuring his hands as he furiously struck at the field. Helia was able to raise his head and look towards Felkin and the flame matriarch. 'This... This flame! It’s so bright! Powerful and beautiful! A flame like this... Will burn everything away!' She exclaimed. Felkin had his arms close to his torso as he struggled forward. 'My clothes... are gone... I don't have my memories... All I have is my sword... And my life! I'm not losing anything anymore!' He said to himself. 'That's right, you can do it!' The voice empowered him.

'He's... Getting closer... Closer... Now!' The elemental said to herself as she slashed downwards with her arms towards Felkin. Suddenly, the blaze that clouded Felkin's vision had disappeared, and he saw someone behind the matriarch. "You?" Felkin asked as he saw the girl in wrappings standing and had raised her hand and waved at him. 'Go.' She whispered in his ears as she disappeared. As the matriarch quickly slashed her hands downwards towards Felkin, four of her arms had disappeared suddenly. 'What... Just happened?' She asked herself. Felkin's sword suddenly glowed bright orange as her two remaining arms held onto it. 'My sword... Did it absorb her energy?' He thought to himself. 'This is my chance!' Felkin remarked as he pushed his sword ever upward. His glare was filled with furious determination, his left eye remaining crimson, but his right was like an orange blazing star.

"The flame! What did he do to it?!" Helia remarked surprised. "He took her flame from her and used it against her!" Metas exclaimed. 'I... Underestimated this creature... To think that he could do something like this!' The matriarch looked down onto his blade. 'Of course! With this tool... I should have noticed earlier!' "It looks like its time for me to step in..." The duke remarked as he raised his arm and set it ablaze. "No!" Metas noticed and struggled harder against the barrier. Out of thin air, Kieron entered the realm and leapt down where Metas was. "Hey!" Kieron exclaimed. "Free me!" Metas replied. Kieron struck the barrier as her sickle glowed with blue energy, breaking the barrier open. She looked around and saw Felkin. "Is that... Felkin!"

"Pest. You dare return? Fool." The duke said as he raised his arms. Kieron quickly pulled Metas back in reflex as a barrier just barely formed on where Metas was. "Hmph." The duke exclaimed as he blasted a flame towards the two. Kieron quickly swung his shotel and sent out an ice wall to block the attack. Felkin saw them as he was pushing his sword upwards and yelled towards them. "I... can take it! You're in danger! Leave!"

"But..." Kieron remarked, as she saw the duke raise his arms, and she pushed away Metas as a coil of flames formed around where they were. "If he says he can take it, then-" Metas replied. "But what if he can't!" Kieron objected, but as she turned her head, she came face to face with a fireball tossed by the duke. But the flame hit nothing as the two disappeared from the area. "Tsk." The duke exclaimed. 'They're... gone... Now... I just have to... win!' Felkin exclaimed as he pushed upward, his sword absorbed the flames and stopped the matriarch from burning him or creating more arms in her form. He cut his hand and flicked blood onto his sword and onto the matriarch. The blood affected her but evaporated quickly.

Felkin pushed harder than the matriarch could prevent his sword from reaching her core and so, she devised a plan. 'A huge risk to be certain, but mandatory if I were to win!' 'Come on... Just a little more...' He remarked. Suddenly, the flame matriarch let go of Felkin's blade with one of her hands, leaving the sword to rise quickly with only minimal resistance pressing down on it. As Felkin's sword rose upward, it reached inches away from her core when his blade fell towards the ground. "Hmph!" The flame matriarch had sliced off Felkin's arm and his eyes followed the blade as he dropped it.

'My arm... Can't heal fast enough! I need to reach-‘ He lunged forward and reached for his sword with his left arm. The flame matriarch then quickly slashed off his arm and sent him backwards. She jumped away as Felkin's sword flopped about like a fish out of water. Felkin quickly tried to jump to his feet, but he was brought back to the ground with a blast of flames. The matriarch grew to her full size and formed arm after arm as her flame strengthened and scorched Felkin to the ground.

Felkin groaned. His body was armless and burnt black. With cracks forming on his charred body, his hair was burned off and he was motionless. His eyelids were burnt off, and he stared back at her with his crimson eyes, filled with wrathful fury. His gaze followed her as she walked closer, and she blasted him once more with glee. His body became still and unresponsive, with his eyes hollowed and burnt out. Enjou leaned on the force field and comfortably waited. 'Silence... Is the fight over?' He questioned.

The flame matriarch walk away towards the duke who had his arms crossed, with a wide grin. "Hmm... The others seemed to have escaped. Shall we gather them once more to continue the ceremony?" The duke asked her. The flame matriarch paused. "Tsk. Looks like they're not in the human world." She remarked. "Not in the human world, so there might be another realm supporting them?" The duke asked. "That would explain the intrusion that was made here... And that boy... And his tool..." The elemental wondered. She floated towards her throne and sat on it, with one hand on her "chin" in contemplation. "Well... What will we do with these two?" He asked her. "Free them for the meantime... I'll need some time to think." She answered.

The force fields disappeared, and Helia managed to sit upright while Enjou was still seated comfortably. 'Hmm... The smell of burnt flesh, the lack of struggle, and those two beings' discussion... It looks like the fight is over. But... I can sense something, coming from him...' Suddenly, Iris and Kieron appeared before the throne. Kieron was brought down to one knee and was panting in fatigue. "Are you alright?" Iris asked. "I'm... fine. Let's just stick to the plan." She answered.

Sitting on the throne, the matriarch raised three of her right hands and created a ring of fire that rapidly encroached upon the two. "You have cheated death once, twice even. And now you bring what you brought out of this world and have returned to die? I knew humans could be foolish, but to this extent? Implore me, why have you returned?" "We... can offer something you want... Something you don't want to refuse." Kieron said, with an undaunted expression. "Really? Elucidate me." The flame matriarch replied. The ring of flames retreated back, and she leaned forward with her hands on her chin with a smile on her face.