The pale yellowish red flame, about twice the size of Alnea’s head, had always been hovering a few inches above the ground, refusing to sway with the winds caused by the battle happening around it. Instead, it moved with its own rhythm, its tendrils silently opposing the fog in its surroundings. That was another thing about the flame that made it different from other fires. It was silent. But that was when it had not begun to change.

  At some point, when no one was looking at the flame, it had begun making creaking noises, like those made by the crackling woods around it. And it had also changed its shade, from a pale yellowish red to a bright yellowish red, making it look much more vibrant. And as if to match that vibrancy, it also began swaying much more violently. Though that could be explained by the violent changes in its surroundings. But nothing could explain the flame growing twice its size.

  Then again, nothing could explain the flame burning on its own either. It was clearly floating in the air, with no contact to anything in its surroundings, except for the fog around it. But that had already been burned away by the Whitebud Wanderer’s flame. Even if they assumed that the flame was eating the fog to survive, what was it thriving on at the moment? And why was it still growing? Why…

  Noticing the strange gaze of the girls, the Whitebud Wanderer turned towards the flame, as did the other Wanderers around them. And just like the girls, they were also transfixed by its changes. Going from half a metre tall to nearly two metres, and half as wide, in just a few moments… Anyone would be mesmerised by such a change. Or maybe shocked. The end result was the same.

  All the Wanderers kept staring at the flame with wide eyes, waiting for its change to stop. It did not. It did stop growing after reaching a height of nearly two metres, but it did not stop changing. Instead, it turned from changing its size to changing its form, giving itself arms and legs, cutting out the excess, remoulding what it had into a more defined shape, until it truly looked like a human. Just a human made of flames.

  Still, there was something missing in the flames… in the Fire. He did look like a human, but he was not truly human. And that was unacceptable. He had made a promise. And he intended to keep it. So, he went ahead and added a face to himself. The one he had discarded a while ago. Although it was not a handsome face, it was his face, after all. And it was what he wanted. So, he kept the face unchanged.

  “…Alnea?”

  The Fire turned towards the girl who called out his name. An unremarkable girl. He could not understand why he kept her by his side. But it was not his place to question. He would be gone in a while anyway. So, he ignored—

  The Fire fixed his eyes on the small creature next to the girl, and stared at it for a couple of moments, making it hiss, and stare at him vigilantly. He finally understood what was different about the girl. And the tragedy that awaited her. Poor girl. Should he remind him? No, it would only make things more difficult for him. It would be best if he faced the tragedy himself.

  “…Is that you…?”

  “Get away from him, Cecilia,” Yuri said, staring solemnly at the familiar figure. “He is not Alnea.”

  The Fire glanced at the girl who spoke. The white haired girl. The one whose Thread of Fate was entangled with his. It was no wonder that she recognised him. Though he never intended to hide himself anyway. There was no need. He could not stay in his current body for long. And even if he could, he had no intention of interacting with these girls. Especially the white haired one. He could smell the danger on her. The world had indeed become an interesting place.

  “Do not move,” Vestia said, notching an arrow—a bright blue arrow, with its head shinning in green and red lights— to her bow, and aiming it at the abomination that had taken Alnea’s body. “Trust me, even if you are made of flames, my arrows will still be able to kill you.”

  Empty threats, the Fire noted, but he complied with them anyway. He had no intention of confronting with the girls. Or with anyone for that matter. Not to mention that the girl only asked him not to move. She did not say anything about the Fire he controlled. It was her fault for not being specific. Though he would not have complied with such an unreasonable request even if she had specified it. His time was running out. He had to be quick, or all his efforts would be in vain.

  “…I know you can hear me, Alnea,” Cecilia said, completely ignoring what Yuri had said. “Answer me!”

  “…He cannot hear you,” the Fire said after a few moments of thoughts. Keeping the ignorant creatures around him distracted while he retrieved his origin from the prison was the best course of action. “Do you have anything to say to him?”

  “…I have nothing to say to a bastard like you!”

  “Cecilia!”

  “…I know,” Cecilia said, and took a deep breath to calm herself, before returning her attention back to the creature that had taken Alnea’s face. “I do not care what race or era you are from. You better get out of his body right now, or I will send you to the Origin Sea with my own hands.”

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

  Again, empty threats. Just because she could hurt a poor imitation of a Fire Spirit did not mean that she could hurt him too. Even if he stood still, the girl would never be able to touch him. And neither would any other creature in the broken world they were in. It was not a matter of strength, but a difference in their level. In their essence. If not for—

  “Shut up!” the Whitebud Wanderer said, glaring at the Serpia girl, before quickly bowing towards the ancient being, prompting all the Wanderers of his alliance to do the same. “Forgive me for my negligence, my Lord. I will take care of these insolent girls right away.”

  “You!” Cecilia said, glaring at the Whitebud Wanderer, as she urged her Aspects. “It is all because of you!”

  “You dare to raise your voice in front of the great Lord—

  The Fire raised his hand, and motioned for the ignorant human—No, he could not be called a human anymore. Though he was not exactly a Fire Spirit either. Maybe it was more appropriate to call him a Fire Servant. The Fire motioned for the Fire Servant to stop speaking.

  “I am not your Lord.”

  “But—

  “I have told you before,” the Fire said, glancing at the white haired girl with interest. Or rather, at the fluctuations of Mysteries coming from her, that reached out to her two companions. She was also special, like the boy he had possessed, but not as special. She would not have been able to bear his essence like the boy. At least not for long. After all, her essence was Fate and Death, with hint of Despair and Regrets. Maybe a little than that. Night, perhaps. Regardless, she did not have what he needed. She did not have ■■■■■■■.

  …Strange. Could he still not think of its name? Was it because he was still in the boy’s body? Perhaps. Or it could because of another reason altogether. The world had indeed changed a lot from what he remembered it to be. It would not be a surprise if there were some changes in the depths of the Origin Sea either. Maybe he should extend the time he was planning to use for recuperation.

  “I am not interested in returning to the world. At least not right away.”

  “Even if you do not plan to return right away, you will still need people to welcome you when you do decide to come back—

  “By the time I decide to return, you would already be dead.”

  “…Please forgive me if my words offended you, g—

  “You take yourself too seriously,” the Fire said, returning his gaze back to the Fire Servant. “I have no intention of killing you… or anyone else for that matter. I just meant that you cannot measure the time of my return with your meagre lifespan.”

  “…I will do my best to grow stronger, and achieve a longer life, so that I can await your return.”

  “There is no need. Unless you can break the limit, no matter how strong you grow, you will still return to the Origin Sea one day.”

  “…Thank you for your guidance, gre—

  “I am not your Lord. And I did not guide you. I just warned you of your imminent death.”

  “…I understand. Then, if you will excuse me, my—I will get back to ridding off these insolent girls that dared to disrespect you—

  “Is it fun?”

  “…What?”

  “Are you having fun testing me?”

  “I would not dare!”

  “There are few things you would not dare, and testing whether or not the great being you fear is still here is not one of them.”

  “…Forgive me for my insolence!” the Whitebud Wanderer said, getting on his knees, and placing his left fist on his chest. “I was—

  “That is enough,” the Fire said, turning his eyes away from the Fire Servant, and looking towards the depths of the forest instead. “I tire of your plays.”

  “…I—

  “You want to know when I will leave, and whether or not I will leave this body with any gifts?”

  “…That is not—

  “Wait!” the brown robed man said, bringing everyone’s attention to himself. “You cannot leave!”

  “Shut up!” the Whitebud Wanderer yelled at the brown robed man, but he did not care. He could not let the only chance he had slip out of his hands.

  “You have not fulfilled your promise.”

  “My promise?” the Fire said, before glancing at the Whitebud Wanderer kneeling beside him. “Did you promise them something in my name?”

  “No! I would never dare—

  “It does not matter,” the Fire said. “It is your problem anyway. I have already fulfilled my promise, and do not owe you anything.”

  “…I know.”

  “As for the Miracle I left for this body… It is not the same as yours. He will return back to being completely human once I leave.”

  “…I… Can I ask what the Miracle that you gave him—

  “Do not test my patience,” the Fire said, and stopped paying attention to the impertinent Fire Servant. If they were in a time when his kind still ruled a part of the world, such disrespect would have been more than enough to incinerate his entire tribe. But those days were gone. As was his race… Besides, impudent as he might be, the Fire Servant did help him, even if only a little.

  Still, there was a limit to what he was willing to bear. And the Fire Servant was not far from crossing that limit. Such arrogance… daring to test his limits again and again… and even inquiring about his actions… If he did not have to use most of his consciousness in exploring the broken world, he would have already taught the Fire Servant a lesson. Though it was not out of the question. If he—

  “And do you really have the leisure to be worried about other things?” the Fire said, staring into the depths of the Forest. No, not the forest. But something that lay hidden in a deeper layer. The thing that the broken world had been guarding for Ages. Including the forest that they were standing in. It was all just a part of the seal, preventing him from retrieving what he had lost. He had found his Origin.