The wind that swept over Fire Land was dry, scalding, and perfumed faintly with sulfur. As Little Fire followed the Spirit Fairy down a narrow path of scorched red stone, the silence between them thickened like molten tar.
She hadn't spoken since leaving the inn—only glanced over her shoulder a few times to make sure he was keeping up. Her veil fluttered with each step, a silver wisp amid the heat haze. Despite her slim frame, she moved like someone born of fire itself, confident and untouchable.
Little Fire scratched the back of his head, muttering, "You sure you're not leading me into a trap?"
She didn't turn. "If I were, you'd already be dead."
He blinked. "Well… true."
They traveled deeper into the volcanic range. Every so often, a flower of burning petals would bloom by the path—small crimson plants that flickered like candle flames. Spirit Fairy knelt beside one and murmured, "We're close. These only grow near the entrance of the Fire Lotus Grove."
He crouched beside her, watching the petals glow.
"Are they dangerous?"
She gave him a sidelong glance. "Only if you're an idiot."
He reached out to touch one. It flared. A small puff of flame singed his finger.
"Ow—dammit!"
She smirked. "I warned you."
They kept walking. Around midday, they reached a stone platform etched with ancient fire runes, half-buried in ash. A broken statue of a phoenix loomed nearby, its wings crumbled but its eyes glowing faintly red.
Spirit Fairy paused, frowning. "This is strange."
"What is?" Little Fire asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"There were supposed to be guards here. Trial beasts. Even a spirit warden. But it's all… empty."
Little Fire looked around warily. "Empty places in cultivation stories are never good."
Then the ground trembled.
A low groaning sound rose from below. Suddenly, the statue's eyes blazed like twin suns—and a pillar of lava burst up from beneath the platform.
From within the lava emerged a creature, half-hardened rock, half-liquid fire—a Lava Warden, eight arms wielding molten blades, its head a swirling mask of flame.
"Speak the password or perish," it roared.
Little Fire and Spirit Fairy exchanged looks.
"Did you get the password?" he asked.
She glared. "It wasn't supposed to be active!"
The Lava Warden advanced.
"I'll distract it," she shouted. "You look for a weakness!"
Before he could protest, she dashed forward, her ice-blue sword slicing through the air. The blade hissed as it met lava, steam exploding like geysers around her.
Little Fire circled wide, scanning the runes on the stone platform.
"Okay, okay," he muttered, "you were always the smart one, Little Life, so what would you do?"
He noticed that the runes formed a pattern—like the shape of a lotus. And at the center of the formation was a single glyph that pulsed slowly.
He channeled his qi and touched it.
The glyph exploded with light, and the platform beneath the Lava Warden collapsed, sending it plunging into a lava pool below. The ground rumbled for a long moment… and then went still.
Spirit Fairy sheathed her blade. "Not bad."
"Not bad?" he grinned. "I just saved us both!"
She turned away, hiding a small smile. "Keep your voice down. We're not done."
Beyond the platform, a wall of fire parted like curtains, revealing a hidden valley.
Inside, hundreds of Fire Lotus flowers bloomed atop glowing magma streams. They pulsed with life, petals dancing like flame spirits. At the center floated a single golden lotus, the size of a boulder. The Fire Lotus.
But they weren't alone.
Three other cultivators were already there—two young men in crimson robes and a girl with orange twin braids. All bore the emblem of the Blazing Eagle Sect.
The leader, a smug youth with flaming tattoos on his arms, stepped forward.
"Looks like we've got company," he sneered. "Spirit Fairy… and some trash."
Little Fire cracked his neck. "You wanna repeat that, tattoo boy?"
Spirit Fairy's voice was cold. "Jiang Luo. You shouldn't be here."
Jiang Luo grinned. "Neither should you. But here we are. First to reach the Fire Lotus wins the tournament, right? That means... no rules now."
His companions attacked without warning. The girl flung out fire needles while the second man summoned a chain of flame snakes.
Little Fire moved fast, deflecting the needles with his wrist bracers and drawing his short twin blades. Spirit Fairy met the flame snakes with her ice blade, freezing their heads mid-air before shattering them.
The fight raged in bursts—flames roaring, steam hissing, petals drifting through the air like fireflies. The Fire Lotus pulsed brighter with every second.
Then, unexpectedly, Jiang Luo lunged not at Spirit Fairy or Little Fire—but at the lotus itself.
"Stop him!" Spirit Fairy shouted.
Little Fire dashed forward, leapt, and threw one of his blades with all his strength.
The blade embedded itself into Jiang Luo's arm.
He screamed and fell back—but not before his qi brushed the lotus.
The petals flared wildly.
A phoenix-shaped flame burst from the lotus, shrieking into the sky, forming a fiery dome that locked them all inside.
From the lotus's base, a will echoed:
> "He who dares to touch must bear the trial. Burn away your sins or burn away your soul."
Jiang Luo trembled. "Wh-what is this?"
Spirit Fairy answered grimly, "The Lotus Trial. You activated it without being chosen. Now we're all caught in it."
Flames rose from the petals, forming visions in the air—scenes of their pasts.
Spirit Fairy's projection showed a younger version of herself, kneeling before a man in chains, crying. Her hand reached out, but the chains pulled him away, vanishing into darkness.
She flinched, eyes hard.
Little Fire's projection showed… a wooden sword, cracked, with a face faintly reflected in it. A familiar voice echoed:
> "You're me… but you're not me… Protect the others."
Little Fire gritted his teeth. "I remember… the clone..."
The lotus began pulling in qi violently. Their memories, regrets, and fire essence surged into the petals. One of Jiang Luo's companions screamed and collapsed, his body crumbling into ash.
Spirit Fairy stepped forward, biting her thumb, letting blood fall onto the lotus.
The fire pulsed. The phoenix hovered above her, calm now.
The lotus turned.
It looked to Little Fire.
He stepped forward, holding nothing back. "I am fire. I've lost, I've burned, I've suffered. But I'll never stop."
He poured his qi into the lotus.
The phoenix shrieked once more—then vanished.
The dome fell.
The lotus settled into the air and slowly floated down… into Little Fire's hand.
Jiang Luo collapsed, unconscious.
Spirit Fairy looked at Little Fire, and for the first time, her eyes softened.
"You passed," she whispered.
Little Fire blinked. "I… won?"
He looked at the lotus. It shimmered in his palm, alive with warmth and light.
And he realized—this wasn't the end.
It was the beginning.
[To be Continued]