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Chapter — The Fire Hunt Begins
Rosemary's manor felt like something carved from sunlight and roses. Curtains of pale pink shimmered whenever the warm breeze rolled through the tall arched windows, scattering specks of gold light across polished marble floors. Portraits of the Rosefield lineage lined the walls—generations of elegant faces, each wearing an expression that somehow looked proud and gentle at the same time.
Oliver and Sorrel walked beside Rosemary, their boots tapping softly over a carpet that probably cost more than anything Oliver had owned in his old life. Rosemary's magenta hair glowed under the filtered light, her yellow gown moving like flowing silk as she led them toward the great hall.
"You must understand the lay of the land before we set foot in Ardent Hollow," Rosemary said, her voice smooth, like the opening notes of a harp. She unfurled a parchment map, its ink glowing faintly with enchantment. "The volcanic regions are alive. Not just with fire, but with movement—entire valleys shift from week to week as magma channels change beneath the crust. Beneath those blackened ridges lies a network of caverns where gemstones grow from the walls like blossoms, fed by the breath of the earth itself. And… water. Not just the surface pools you may expect, but deep, hidden reservoirs where heat meets the cold veins of the world."
She pointed delicately at a marked circle on the map. "Here is the realm of the Slime Queen. Her kind—gelatinous, resilient, endlessly adaptable—come in colors like gemstones themselves: pinks, blues, yellows, even rare spark-skins that catch the light like crystal. Her palace rests within the Hollow's inner ring of flame vents. But to even approach her, you must earn favor. And there is one who needs help—she is the key."
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "A slime queen, huh? Let me guess, she's not gonna just hand over a salamander for free?"
A faint smile tugged at Rosemary's lips. "Nothing worth having comes for free. But first…" She lifted a hand, conjuring a flicker of flame between her fingers. The air shimmered, and the flicker widened, becoming a rippling oval of heat. In seconds, the portal expanded, revealing a world of molten reds and shadowed rock beyond.
The three stepped through.
The smell hit first—burnt stone, sulfur, and something sharp and metallic. Lava rivers cut through obsidian ridges. Heat shimmered in the air, blurring the jagged landscape.
As they walked, Sorrel unfolded the larger version of the map and glanced at Oliver. "The Hollow's dangerous, sure, but the bigger prize lies past here. The Grand Barrier Reef—see this stretch?" She tapped a patch of deep blue ink along the coastline. "It's so massive, you can see it from the sky. Ancient merfolk live there, alongside the Water Arch Lord himself. If you're clever, you can walk into their oceanic palaces and take anything you like… so long as you avoid the sea guardians."
Oliver gave her a slow grin. "So it's a game of 'touch everything shiny and hope you don't die'? Sounds like my kind of trip."
They turned a bend in the volcanic ridge—and found the strangest kitchen Oliver had ever seen. Pots hung from jagged hooks hammered into the rock. An enormous wooden table was covered in scattered ingredients: crushed peppers, luminous mushrooms, lava-cracked herbs. At the center, a young woman moved with frantic energy, sweat beading down her temple. Her sleeves were rolled up, her hair tied messily behind her head.
Rosemary called out, "Lira. I've brought help."
The girl paused, wiping her brow. "Help? Unless they can cook for a queen and forage for ingredients in a living volcano, I don't know if—"
Sorrel smirked. "Lucky for you, we brought a map."
Oliver, meanwhile, couldn't help noticing the rows of storage crates lining the far wall. And—unbelievably—there was no lock on them. Out of curiosity, he wandered to a smaller, jewel-encrusted chest sitting open.
Inside was a ruby chained in delicate gold links.
And here's the thing: no one stopped him. No alarms, no shouting. He just… picked it up.
(Inner thought): This is better than Earth. Way better. I don't even think I miss that world. When I was twenty-eight—a broke, unemployed guy back in 2025—the closest I got to treasure was finding spare change in my couch cushions. And now? I can just walk into a noble house and take something this beautiful without anyone caring. Who am I kidding? This place is fun.
He pocketed the ruby, the chain dangling slightly from his fingers, and followed as Lira began pointing to different symbols on the recipe map.
"Alright," she said, "to win the Slime Queen's favor, we need three rare ingredients: Ember Blossom petals, which only bloom on the edge of lava flows; Crystal Basil, which grows in gemstone caverns; and an Abyssal Spice, harvested from vents near the underground lakes. You bring me these, and I'll make the dish that will convince the Queen to lend you the Salamander."
The heat of the Hollow seemed to pulse around them.
Oliver adjusted his pack. "Well, sounds like a plan. So, which ingredient wants to kill us first?"
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