Somewhere in the modern world called Earth, a single figure wandered the busy city streets—nineteen-year-old Damien Cross, a red-haired, red-gold-eyed college student with a bag of chips in hand and a mischievous glint in his eye.
He was a walking contradiction—sneaky and clever, funny and chaotic, a hopeless romantic wrapped in loveable madness. He could charm anyone with a grin, yet he had a temper hot enough to melt steel. He loved food, craved battle, and while he didn't always think in a straight line, he always thought fast. He was loyal, protective, and dangerously unpredictable.
As he walked, munching loudly, Damien muttered to himself.
"What am I even doing today? Home? Yeah, maybe. Microwave some leftovers, or maybe order that spicy ramen from that place on 4th... unless that guy with the weird chin is working. Ugh, no thanks. Or I could just sleep. Sleep's good."
He barely noticed the kids playing catch on the sidewalk ahead. Their laughter and shouts bounced off the walls of the narrow street, full of joy and carefree energy. As he approached, he watched them with a lazy interest, amused by the arguing over who got to throw the ball next.
"I swear, if I get stuck with group math homework again, I'm gonna fake the flu," one of the kids groaned.
"Better than Mr. Hansen's science pop quizzes. That guy's got it out for us."
"Nah, school sucks either way," another said, throwing the ball. "Let's just be pro gamers and quit now."
"I just wanna throw the ball! Let me go next!"
"No way! You almost hit that old guy last time."
"I'm going to get the ball!" shouted one kid, chasing after it as it bounced toward the street.
The laughter faded instantly.
Time slowed.
Damien's eyes widened. A truck was speeding toward the child.
From around the corner, the large delivery truck barreled through traffic. It honked frantically, weaving between slower cars, its engine growling. The driver slammed the horn again as he spotted the kid in the road, helpless.
Damien's mind exploded into a thousand frantic thoughts.
What the hell?! No no no no—come on, MOVE, kid!
Without thinking, he dropped his chips.
"Screw it!"
He sprinted into the street.
Faster! I can make it! Come on legs, don't crap out on me now!
The truck roared louder, the horn a deafening scream.
Just a little more—I can get him!
Damien dove, arms outstretched.
He reached the kid and shoved him hard.
Then—impact.
Everything exploded into noise and pain.
And then—
Silence.
Darkness.
A few minutes—or maybe centuries—later, Damien stirred.
His senses flickered like broken TV signals. His head throbbed. His body felt weightless yet anchored.
He opened his eyes slowly.
Darkness.
No stars. No lights. Just endless black.
He groaned.
"Oh no... no no no. Don't tell me this is the afterlife. Seriously? Where's the dramatic music and golden gates?"
He sat up.
The ground felt... there. Solid. But invisible.
He turned his head slowly.
"Great. I die saving a kid and I end up in the world's most boring screensaver. Awesome."
He walked a few steps.
Still darkness.
Where the hell am I? Why does this feel like... nothing and everything all at once? Is this Limbo? Hell? Did I at least get points for heroism?
He shouted.
"HELLO!? ANYONE HERE!?"
His voice echoed endlessly.
Nothing responded.
He crossed his arms.
"Figures. First alone in life, now alone in death. Classic Damien Cross story arc."
Then, a light.
At first small. A pinpoint.
He squinted.
"Wait... what is that?"
The light grew.
Not just brighter—hotter. It pulsed with power. It wasn't just light. It was flame. Fire itself, shaped into something ancient and divine.
It streaked toward him.
Faster.
That doesn't look friendly. Oh crap. It's coming right at me!
He stumbled back.
The light intensified, filling the void with searing brightness.
"WHOA! OKAY, PERSONAL SPACE! WHAT EVEN ARE YOU?!"
He threw up his arms, bracing for impact.
A roar like a solar storm.
Heat kissed his skin but didn't burn. Wind howled, though there was no breeze.
Then—
Silence.
He slowly opened his eyes.
The void was gone.
In its place was a domain unlike anything he had imagined.
The sky shimmered with crimson smoke and golden sparks. Rivers of lava snaked through obsidian stone. The air shimmered with rising heat, yet it didn't scorch him.
It was... beautiful.
Damien blinked.
"Did... did the void just get a makeover? What the hell is this place? Am I still dead or did I level up into a Final Fantasy cutscene?"
He turned in place, then spotted it.
A massive staircase leading up to a glowing throne, where sat the most surreal vision he had ever seen.
A woman.
Her eyes glowed molten red with golden flecks. Her hair flowed like living flame, cascading in waves of red, orange, and gold. Her skin shimmered golden-amber, radiant and soft with a gentle ember-glow. She wore a gown made of ever-burning flame and obsidian silk, embroidered with glowing runes.
She smiled.
"Hello, my little flame."
Damien's jaw dropped.
He stuttered, words catching in his throat.
"W-who... who are you?"
She leaned forward, watching him with intense amusement.
"Me? I am Ignara. Goddess of Eternal Flame. Welcome to my personal domain."
Damien blinked several times.
Goddess? Eternal flame? Okay... I'm either dreaming, dead, or this is the weirdest anime crossover in history.
He rubbed his temples.
"Why am I here? What is this place? Is this... some divine afterparty for getting pancaked by a truck?"
She only smiled.
The fire around her throne pulsed like it was alive.
Damien's mind swirled with questions, confusion, awe, and yes—a rising temper.
I died. I actually died. What now? Am I supposed to serve this flame goddess? Fight her? Join her cult? Or... is this something else entirely?
Ignara giggled, her voice like a crackle of sacred fire. "No, this is real, my little temper flame."
Damien blinked. He hadn't spoken. Not out loud. His eyes widened.
"Wait—you heard that?"
She smiled wider, as if his confusion delighted her.
Annoyed, Damien crossed his arms. "Alright, fine. Why am I here? And are you actually a goddess, or is this just some... divine prank show?"
Ignara leaned her cheek into her hand, lounging on her throne. "Oh, I am very much a goddess. Opinions and questions are cute coming from you."
She flicked her hand. The air shimmered with embers.
"This is all real. I am real. And you, Damien Cross, have been granted something rare... a second chance."
His jaw dropped. "A... second chance?"
His chest tightened. The weight of her words hit harder than the truck.
"Why me?" he asked quietly. "I'm not... important. I'm not special."
Ignara giggled again. Damien's brow twitched.
"What's so funny?" he growled.
"You saved a child knowing it would kill you," she said, her voice softening. "That moment... that flame of yours, it caught my attention."
Damien narrowed his eyes. "So what? I did one good thing and now I get dumped into Fire Olympus?"
"And yet you question the worth of your soul."
He looked down. "How am I supposed to live in this new world without any skills or powers?"
Ignara stood.
Each step down the obsidian stairs echoed like thunder. Her gown of flame and silk billowed around her. Shockwaves of heat rolled ahead of her with each step, warping the very air. Damien staggered back slightly.
What is happening right now? Why does she feel like... the sun is walking?
She stopped right in front of him. Damien had to tilt his head up to meet her gaze.
"I will give you power you can't imagine," she whispered.
His eyes narrowed. "What kind of power?"
The world trembled.
Floating embers froze midair. Flames halted in mid-flicker. Even the heat seemed to pause.
Before him stood Ignara, her fiery gown flowing like living magma. Her glowing eyes locked with his—ferocious, yet strangely tender.
Damien was speechless.
What the hell is going on? I feel like I'm standing in the eye of a storm. I can't breathe, I can't think...
Without a word, Ignara raised her hand to her chest.
Then—she plunged her fingers into her own heart.
Damien jumped. "WHAT THE HELL?!"
No blood spilled. No flesh tore. Instead, her skin opened like molten gold, glowing brighter and brighter. The sound of cracking reality echoed as she reached deeper into her divine core.
Then she pulled it out.
A sliver of flame.
Jagged. Shifting. Constantly changing form like a living essence. Not just red or orange, but molten gold, solar white, deep crimson, and black-smoke at its edges. It looked like glass, lava, and lightning all at once. It hummed, a choir of screaming and singing voices, ancient and divine.
Damien dropped to his knees.
Not from pain.
From sheer presence.
It was like staring at the first fire ever lit—ancient, wild, divine. A flame that frightened gods and warmed creation.
What... what is this? I can't move. My bones are shaking. What is this pressure?
He gritted his teeth, trying to stand. "What... what is that?!"
Ignara's voice rang out.
"This is no blessing. This is my flame. Raw and untamed. It has burned angels. Devoured kings. And now... it chooses you."
She held it toward him. It floated to his chest, slow and deliberate.
"This is the Sliver of my God Flame."
Damien couldn't move. Couldn't run. Couldn't speak.
And then—it slammed into him like a meteor.
Fire exploded from his body. From his back. His eyes. His mouth. A corona of divine flame engulfed him.
But it didn't kill him.
It rebuilt him.
Bones burned away and reformed stronger. Muscles wrapped in divine heat. His mind expanded like a star exploding.
The last thing Damien heard before everything went white was Ignara's voice:
"From this moment on, Damien Cross… the world will never again know peace where you walk."
Minutes passed.
Ignara watched silently as Damien's form burned in place.
He endures it. Impressive. This one... he may change more than I expected. The Embercore Flameheart is inside him now. Let's see what chaos follows.
Flames burst into the sky in a tower of light, then vanished.
Smoke covered everything. The earth cracked and sizzled beneath the spot he stood.
The smoke cleared.
A silhouette stood in the wreckage.
Damien.
Flames rolled off his body. Shockwaves of heat pulsed with every breath. His hair now burned crimson, and his eyes glowed molten gold and blood-red.
Ignara nodded, pleased.
There he is. Tempered in flame. Still himself... but more.
Damien looked down at his body. Power radiated from his skin.
"I... I feel... insane. Alive. Like the sun is running through my veins."
He opened his hand. Fire danced across his palm.
Ignara smiled. "How do you feel, my little temper flame?"
Damien looked up, a grin forming. "I feel amazing. I feel light."
He stared at his hands. Fire swirled between his fingers.
Ignara stepped closer. "That is your true self. The part of you hidden under anger, loss, and chaos."
Damien chuckled. This... this feels right. Like I was waiting for this my whole life.
Then, suddenly, something materialized in front of him.
A flaming screen.
Floating in the air. Covered in glowing runes and text.
Damien blinked. "Okay... what the hell is this now?"
He leaned forward, reading the words.
Chapter 3: System Overheat
The silence after Damien's awakening was broken by a sudden jarring crack in the air.
A new sound—mechanical, otherworldly.
[SYSTEM WARNING]
[ERROR: BALANCE SYSTEM DETECTED UNCLASSIFIED CORE. FORCING STATS TO RE-CALIBRATE...]
[WARNING: DAMAGE OUTPUT EXCEEDS RECOMMENDED WORLD LIMITS.]
A deep mechanical tone echoed like thunder through the fire-lit domain.
Damien stepped back, looking around.
"What the hell was that? Am I getting hacked? I didn't agree to any damn balance patch."
A second flaming screen burst into existence in front of him. Symbols and glowing red script hovered mid-air, shifting into words.
It looked exactly like a classic isekai status screen.
Damien's eyes widened.
No way. No freaking way.
He started to read aloud:
Name: Damien Cross
Age: 19
Race: Reincarnated Human (Flame-Blessed)
Level: 1
Class: Overpowered Fire Mage
Titles:
Flameborn of Ignara
Ashbringer
Reincarnated Anomaly
Godflame Vessel
Enemy of World Balance
He Who Burns Paths
Blessing of the Flame Goddess (Ignara)
Health Points (HP): 999 / 999
Magic Points (MP): ∞
Strength: 180
Agility: 220
Endurance: 999
Mana: ???
Luck: 404
Charm: 480
Normal Skills:
Appraisal: Allows user to analyze objects, creatures, and people for stats, weaknesses, and information.
Enhanced Fire Resistance (Max): Immune to most fire damage; extreme heat has no effect.
Heat Vision: Detects thermal signatures in the environment, even through obstacles.
Quick Cast (Fire-type): Fire spells have reduced casting time—almost instant.
Mana Regeneration++: Passive regeneration of mana at an exceptional rate.
Magic Sense: Can detect magical energy sources and their intensity.
Unarmed Combat: Highly skilled in hand-to-hand fighting techniques.
Cooking: Exceptional talent for preparing food, especially using heat and flame.
Ability Skills:
Flame Step – High-speed movement cloaked in fire
Danger Sense – Detects nearby threats by heat signature
Flame Domain – Boosts fire power in a 50-meter radius
Flame Mastery – Fire spells have 300% efficiency
Emberstep – Walk through fire unharmed; leaves scorch trail
Inferno Core – Magic attacks restore small HP over time
Fire Magic Nullification – Fire magic heals you instead
Enhanced Strength – Physical blows are stronger than average mages
Pain Suppression – Damien feels only 10% of physical pain; 0% when angry
Combat Instinct MAX – Automatically predicts enemy movements based on intent and aura
Magic Skills:
Fireball MAX: A highly condensed ball of flame capable of melting steel; explodes on impact.
Fire Lance: A piercing flame projectile that burns through multiple enemies in a line.
Ignition Wave: Emits a 360-degree shockwave of fire, knocking enemies back and scorching terrain.
Fire Wall: Summons a solid wall of fire that blocks projectiles and damages enemies who touch it.
Unique Skills:
Flame Devourer: Consumes enemy fire magic to empower Damien's next attack.
Flame Immunity: Completely immune to all forms of fire and heat, natural or magical.
Eternal Flame Core: Magic is self-sustaining; Damien never runs out of mana.
Flame Sovereign: All fire magic ignores enemy resistances, immunities, and reflects.
Blazing God Fist: Damien coats his arm in divine flame and delivers a downward meteor-strike punch with explosive force.
Damien stared, mouth open.
"Okay... what kind of cheat sheet fantasy BS is this? Infinite MP? My punches are basically nuclear? And what the hell is 'Enemy of World Balance'? That's not ominous at all!"
Ignara watched with amusement, arms crossed, her eyes glowing like miniature suns.
"Quite the impressive profile," she said, her voice playful. "The Sliver chose well. You've been given more than power—you are the flame incarnate now."
Damien shook his head, trying to process it all.
This is wild. I'm basically a walking apocalypse. No cooldowns, no mana drain... infinite fire? But what the hell do I even do with this? I just wanted ramen and a nap. Now I've got a flaming god core in my chest and I'm apparently breaking world rules.
He looked at Ignara, eyes narrowed.
"What do I do now? When I get to this 'new world'... where do I even start?"
Ignara simply smiled.
"The world will reveal itself to you in time. And it will fear you."
Damien looked again at the flaming screen.
Suddenly, a new piece of glowing text formed before his eyes.
A third screen appeared, covered in divine flame.
It pulsed.
[DESTINATION: WORLD TRANSFER GATE PREPARING...]
[MISSION: SURVIVE. IGNITE CHANGE. BURN THE OLD PATHS.]
Damien took a step back, still grinning.
"Okay... I think I'm gonna like this."
Ignara gazed at Damien with a knowing look. The divine firelight danced in her eyes as she watched the expression on his face shift from awe to focus.
He was ready.
"You look ready, my little temper flame," she said, her voice soft but fierce, like a fire that refused to die.
Damien looked up at her, eyes glowing crimson and gold. A slow, confident smile spread across his face.
"Yes, my goddess."
Ignara's smile widened, her flames pulsing gently.
"You'll be entering a world called Veltheris," she said. "A land torn by war, ruled by old magic and ancient gods... but none like you. Show them your overpowered flames. Show them what it means to bear my mark."
Damien's grin stretched wider.
Veltheris... a new world, new enemies, new rules to break. Sounds like fun.
"I will. They won't know what hit them."
Ignara laughed gently, fire swirling behind her like a curtain of stars.
"Good. Now—are you ready?"
Damien nodded, fists clenched with excitement. "Yes, Goddess. I'm ready."
"Then go. Good luck in the new world," she said. "Show them your power, my little temper flame."
"Thank you, Goddess," Damien said one last time.
Ignara raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
In an instant, Damien vanished.
She stared at the space where he had stood, flames curling gently around her throne.
He has no idea the storms he'll set off, she thought. No idea how brightly he'll burn. The world of Veltheris has no chance against that kind of fire.
In a blink, Damien reappeared.
The sound of birdsong, the whisper of wind, the smell of earth and flowers all hit him at once. He stood beneath a massive, ancient tree with bark like silver and leaves that glowed with a soft blue light. The forest around him shimmered with mana—like a living ocean of magic.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves. A breeze carried the scent of wildflowers and distant waterfalls.
Damien turned in place, wide-eyed.
"This place... it's alive," he whispered. "Everything's magic. I can feel it in my bones."
He took a deep breath, grinning.
This is it. My new life. My second chance. A whole world to burn, reshape, explore... and maybe protect. Maybe.
He started walking, hands in his pockets, heat radiating softly from his body as the air shimmered slightly behind him.
"Let's see what this world's got for me."
Damien had been walking through the forest of Veltheris for a few hours, but he felt more alive than he ever had. Every step he took seemed to connect with the energy of the world around him. The forest pulsed with magic, and he soaked it in like a sponge.
As he walked, he casually played with a small flame at the tip of his finger. He spun it in lazy circles, flipped it between fingers, and even flicked it into shapes.
"Still feels unreal," he muttered, watching the flame become a miniature dragon before reshaping into a fireball. "This place is like walking through a dream... with cheat codes."
Suddenly, a loud, guttural roar echoed through the trees, far off in the distance.
Damien froze. "Okay... that definitely wasn't a bird."
He turned toward the direction of the roar.
Something big. Something pissed.
Then came the stomping—slow at first, but growing louder.
Getting closer... oh hell yeah.
The forest shook with each heavy step. Birds scattered, and nearby creatures vanished into the underbrush.
Something massive burst through the treeline and landed with a thunderous crash, sending shockwaves of dust, dirt, and broken branches into the air.
Damien shielded his face. "Damn!"
Through the swirling smoke, a monstrous figure took shape.
It was a massive ogre—at least ten feet tall, its skin a sickly gray-green with thick muscles, crude armor made of bone and metal, and tusks like daggers. It let out a roar that split the sky and sent another wave of force through the clearing.
Damien just laughed. "Alright, now this is what I'm talking about."
He held up his hand. "Appraisal."
A red screen appeared before him:
[TARGET IDENTIFIED: Forest Ogre]
[Classification: Monster - Grade D]
[Level: 5]
[Strength: 310 | Endurance: 450 | Agility: 160 | Magic Resistance: 60]
[Skills: Brutal Smash, Earth Shatter Step, Roar of Rage]
Damien smirked. "Come on, you ugly ape. Show me your strength."
The ogre bellowed and charged forward, stomping the ground as it moved.
"Fire Clone!" Damien shouted.
Five fiery duplicates of himself materialized in front of him, each flickering with heat.
"Go, my clones."
The five fire clones dashed toward the ogre, engaging in a blazing melee. Fire clashed against brute force. One clone was crushed, another tossed into the air—but they struck hard, leaving scorch marks and burns on the ogre's thick hide.
Eventually, the clones fizzled out, destroyed one by one.
The ogre roared again, wounded and enraged, blood and smoke rising off its skin.
Damien cracked his neck. "I guess it's my turn then."
The ogre stomped forward in fury, teeth bared.
Damien grinned. "Bring it on, ugly!"
The ogre pulled its massive fist back and lunged.
Damien raised his flaming fist. "Fire Fist!"
Their fists collided in a fiery explosion. The resulting shockwave sent a wave of flame through the trees. The ogre was blasted backward, skidding across the ground for nearly eight miles before slamming into the trunk of a massive tree and crashing into a lake.
Steam and smoke erupted into the sky.
Damien exhaled, admiring his steaming fist. Little amber flames danced on his knuckles.
"Damn... I didn't even go full force."
Back at the lake, the water bubbled violently. The ogre burst from beneath the surface, coughing up water, bleeding, barely standing.
Damien activated "Ember Dash" and vanished in a trail of cinders.
He reappeared just meters away from the ogre.
"Did you have enough, big ugly?"
The ogre roared in defiance, staggering upright.
"I guess you don't have anything left," Damien said, raising his hand. "Let me put you out of your misery."
The ogre tried to take a step forward.
"Fireball!" Damien shouted.
A massive fireball blasted from his palm, slamming into the ogre.
The explosion lit up the entire forest.
The ground shook. Trees were flattened. Steam hissed as the lake evaporated in an instant.
When the smoke cleared, there was nothing left but a massive crater.
The ogre was gone.
Damien whistled. "Level one, huh? Overpowered's an understatement."
Suddenly, a fiery screen flickered to life.
[LEVEL UP!]
[YOU HAVE DEFEATED A MONSTER TWO RANKS HIGHER.]
[+3 STAT POINTS | +2 SKILL POINTS]
Damien blinked. "Well damn. First win in the new world... not bad at all."
He turned, flames flickering behind him as he walked.
"Let's see what else Veltheris has for me."
A few hours had passed since Damien's first victory over the ogre, and he was still grinning ear to ear. Every step through the forest felt like a reward—like the world itself was applauding his power.
"First thing this world throws at me is a giant, ugly ape," he muttered to himself with a grin. "What's next? A volcano? A dragon? Bring it on."
He flicked a tiny flame onto his fingertip and spun it in a lazy spiral, casually juggling the flickering fireball between his fingers as he walked.
Then—BOOM.
A massive explosion echoed through the forest. A shockwave rustled the trees, and birds erupted into flight.
Damien stopped in his tracks, eyes narrowing.
Smoke rose in the distance.
"Well, that's not suspicious at all," he said. "Explosion out of nowhere? Yep. Definitely something interesting."
He smiled wide. "Let's go see what's blowing up my forest."
In a flash, he vanished, leaving behind a flickering trail of embers where he stood.
A few minutes later, he arrived at the source of the explosion. The trees were scorched and broken, the ground cracked with fresh impact craters. As he searched the area, his eyes landed on two figures near the edge of a clearing.
A couple, bloodied and exhausted, leaned against the trees. Cuts and bruises covered their arms and faces, and both were breathing heavily.
Damien crouched near a tree to watch from a distance.
What the hell happened to them? Did something do this to them? What kind of fight leaves two people like that... and what are they even up against?
Loud, thunderous stomps echoed through the trees.
Damien turned his head.
And saw it.
A towering monster of black stone lumbered into the clearing, each footfall shaking the ground. Smoke hissed from the cracks in its obsidian body. Its glowing red core pulsed with magic.
Holy hell, Damien thought. That thing's not a monster. It's a walking mountain.
He watched.
The man, dual-wielding short swords, stood up weakly. He had tousled, ash-brown hair, sharp sky-blue eyes, and a faint scar above his left brow. He wore light leather armor beneath a deep green cloak. A charm bracelet dangled from his wrist.
"Lira," he said to the woman beside him, "We've tried everything. We can't even make a scratch on it."
The woman next to him—a Half-Elf—had long, silvery-auburn hair braided loosely over her shoulder. Her amber eyes sparkled with determination despite her fatigue. She wore layered robes of wine red and charcoal embroidered with elemental sigils.
"We can't back down, Kael," she said firmly. "If we don't stop this thing, it'll crush the next caravan, or worse—one of the nearby villages."
Kael gritted his teeth, eyes locked on the golem. "You're right. Damn it, we need a new strategy... something, anything!"
Damien narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Appraisal."
A fiery screen blinked into existence before his eyes:
[TARGET IDENTIFIED: Obsidian Golem]
[Rank: B]
[Type: Construct – Enchanted]
[Level: 12]
[Description: Towering golem made of enchanted obsidian. Immune to physical damage. High magical resistance. Emits magical shockwaves. Capable of core regeneration. Construct will not stop until destroyed or deactivated.]
[Abilities: Earthshatter Slam, Arcane Pulse, Core Regeneration, Mana Sink, Magic Reflect Field (Partial)]
Damien raised an eyebrow.
B-rank... Self-repairing? Immune to physical attacks? And it reflects magic? Okay, this thing's no joke.
Let's see what these two can really do.
Kael and Lira looked at each other. Kael nodded and charged forward with surprising speed, twin blades flashing. Lira followed behind him, wind swirling around her feet, flames building in her palms.
Kael struck first—a spinning slash combo that aimed for the golem's legs, followed by a piercing jab toward the core. Lira unleashed a synchronized attack: spirals of flame-enhanced wind magic aimed to destabilize the construct's footing.
The golem staggered briefly but roared and activated a magical pulse. A shockwave burst from its core, knocking Kael off his feet and throwing Lira backward.
Their attacks had been deflected.
Kael hit the ground hard, sliding across the dirt, and Lira crashed into a tree, her breath knocked from her lungs.
The golem advanced, heavy footsteps pounding the earth.
The couple was cornered. Exhausted. Bruised. Out of options.
Kael wiped blood from his mouth. "We're not fast enough. We can't crack its defense..."
Lira gritted her teeth. "We need a miracle..."
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the clearing.
"Flame Lance!"
A spear of roaring fire shot from the trees, cutting through the air and striking the ground between the golem and the fallen couple. The impact exploded in a wave of flame and force, kicking up a wall of fire and smoke.
The golem reeled backward, losing its balance and slamming into the dirt.
Kael and Lira stared, wide-eyed.
"What... was that?" Lira whispered.
Then they saw it.
A silhouette emerged through the fire, walking slowly.
Flames curled around his body like a protective aura. Each step he took ignited the ground beneath him with glowing embers. The thick curtain of smoke and fire parted as if bowing to him, revealing more and more of his figure.
His coat fluttered behind him in the heat waves. His crimson-red hair danced like wildfire, and his golden-red eyes glowed with fierce confidence.
Kael's eyes widened. "That's not just any mage... Who the hell walks out of an inferno like that?"
Lira's voice was hushed. "His aura... it's like staring into the sun. That's not normal fire."
"He's not normal," Kael said. "Is he even human?"
Then they heard him speak.
"Hey, ugly," the voice said with casual fire in its tone, "leave the couple alone."
Damien stepped through the last of the flames, revealing his full form, smiling with a grin that said he wasn't just here to help—he was here to have fun.
He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, the flames around him flaring like they shared his excitement.
His smile widened.
"Let's turn up the heat."
To be continued...