22 Chapter 22. The primordial flame

"Boy, Whilst you were headed to Griamore I collected a few materials that should help. This is all just a theory so it could not work."

"What couldn't work?"

"During my travels, I had met a man named Mimir with such wisdom of the cosmos that I was awe-struck. I asked him if there would be a way to connect to a primordial being the origins of magic. He told me of a story of a being that is made of fire that lives inside the stars that created the original flame."

"What's so special about the flame? A flame is a flame."

"Well, the fire gets hotter when you add materials to make it hotter and burn brighter. The primordial flame cannot be put out or extinguished. It can be turned into less hot controllable flames like the smiths use to forge but the original can only be put out by the being that created it."

"Oh so why don't you just find it and ask it to put it out."

"It's not that simple boy. The primordials have hidden from titans and gods alike. "

"Let me guess the titans tried to overthrow the primordials right?"

"No, The primordials terrified all the titans because they're beings of pure magic and unlimited power. We tried to lock them away and no matter what we tried it didn't work. They're too powerful and I think they hate us, titans. With all there power they could be anywhere in the infinity of the cosmos or anything."

"And you want me to connect to that thing?"

"Exactly you're a human with fire affinity and not only is that incredibly rare it's unheard of. I think you'd be the only one that could connect to that being no matter where it is."

"I have no idea where you get such a ridiculous notion but I'm willing to try something pretty mad. At least it won't be boring."

"We must meet up with an old friend of mine."

Hiro and Theo travel to the center of Dwarvenguard to the Holy forge. The approach a giant iron door. A glass shaped orb appears and the face of a dwarf appears on it.

"State your business!"

"I'm looking for Mioteeg. He's an unbearable drunk with terrible jokes and a tendency to be quite the lecherous man."

Mioteeg appears pushing the other dwarf out of the way.

"Move it! Is that you Theo? I haven't seen you since that time in Gloria with those twins and the ..."

Theo interrupts Mioteeg with clearing his throat.

"Anyway, I have a favor to ask you old friend?"

" Hold on"

The Iron door opens revealing Mioteeg standing proudly in front of it.

"Why kind of favor were you looking for."

"I'd like to see the primordial flame."

Mioteeg is astonished.

"WHY ON ALTERA WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE THAT? DO YOU KNOW THAT FLAME CAN DO TO YOU?"

"Do you trust me, old friend?"

Mioteeg scratches his head.

"Mmmm it's not that I don't trust you it's that the primordial flame is dangerous we have lost countless smiths trying to get a spark for our forges and it takes at least 50 dwarves with high-level dwarven fire magic to get close to it."

"Don't worry about it we'll be fine."

"Who is that young lad with you anyways?"

"He's a very special human with a certain affinity for fire."

Mioteeg thinks to himself for a moment.

"You don't say? There was a rumor going around that some creature with a fire affinity took out the Yakioni and nearly destroyed all of Griamore. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"

"Yes. That was me."

Mioteeg bursts out laughing.

"That's pretty impressive. You have a fire affinity, took out some of the strongest demihumans around and you're still just a human. That's unheard of. Say Theo you've found yourself quite the rarity you have. It's about time someone showed those gobby little elves a thing or two. I'm honored to have you in Dwarvenguard. If this old lecher has some plan with the primordial flame I'll show you to it just to watch the madness. Just don't blame me if ya die."

Mioteeg takes them to a hallway where the temperature is slowing increasing the closer they get to the door.

"This is about as far as I can go without an army of dwarves. Once you open that door you'll meet the primordial flame. The door is protected by magic that can only contain it. That's why we only stick a rod in a slot to reheat out forges. Anything other would-be suicide."

"Thank you, my old friend. I'll make this up to you with a cup of ale later."

Mioteeg is walking away.

"5 cups."

"Fine, you old drunk. "

Mioteeg walks safely way and Theo begins to write symbols in the air and they attach themselves to Hiro and Theo.

"This will protect you from the heat but not the flame itself. That's when you'll have to blend your flames with it and the heat will hopefully temper your fire to the heat of the primordial flame."

"Hopefully? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, on the other hand, you get consumed by the flames and burned into ash but I think that might not happen. "

"I'm starting to feel like this was a very bad idea."

"Oh, one final thing there's a scale in the middle of the fire it's the origin of the flame. Grab it if you don't die."

"What do you mean if I don't die?"

"Well, it's not like any anyone has tried this before so we're treading new territory. I'm 65 percent sure it will work. "

"Well I wish my odds were higher but oh well."

They open the door and neither of them is affected by the heat which is enough to burn a person to ashes.

"Boy imagine a cloak of fire flowing from your body continuously and it pushing the flames away from you. You must do it continuously in the flames and also imagine it slowly merging with the flame.".

Hiro closes his eyes and starts to imagine a cloak of fire and starts to walk forward. He reaches inside the flames.

*Sisssssss*

The flames start to consume his fire cloak and burn his hands.

"Focus boy! If you let up for a second you will die!"

Hiro gits his teeth and marches forward until his whole body is In the flame his fire cloak is instantly consumed completely and flames are burning off his skin and hair. His eyelids were burned off and so was most of his skin leaving behind a mass of muscle and bone. Hiro is in extreme pain and wants to scream because every inch of his body is on fire. He stays focused on his mission but the fire doesn't burn his muscle or bone.

"...Just a little further"

Hiro arrives at the scale.

"I'm going to die here. Thank you for all of your help I'm sorry I couldn't help you in the way you helped me."

Hiro grabs the scale and is burned to ashes and those ashes were burned into nothing.

"Noooooooo Hiro boy. I thought this would work. I should have known better this flame could burn a god why did I think this boy would survive. Your death is my fault from my selfishness. I am truly sorry. The weight of your death is on me."

Hiro arrives in space. He is surrounded by stars and deep space. His body is orange and yellow like a flame and his skin looks like are coming off his body. He sees a creature curled up into a ball and floats over to it.

"Who..... are.... you?

"My name is Hiro and I'm not sure how I got here."

"It seems some way you found a way to touch on of my scales but it has cost you dearly. "

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you felt the agony from the flames. They engulfed you leaving nothing behind not even your soul."

"So I'm dead?"

"No you need a soul to be dead your conscience traveled a great for distance from the earth to me. This place cannot be found and your body and soul are now destroyed you are here for the time being."

"I guess that I did die. or not die I don't understand."

"Your body and soul were burned but your conscience merged with the flame and was transported here. To everyone, you'd appear to be dead even the gods"

"Oh, I see."

"Why would you throw away your life so carelessly?"

"I was really in a place where I felt a little confused. I had gotten revenge against the clans that killed my village but I felt empty. So I didn't care if I lived or died."

"I have existed since the creation of primordial magic. Even before the old gods. Since I didn't have a purpose I've felt for several millennia that feeling of being lost without purpose and alone."

"Why alone you have existed since before time right? You could have met at least one other person."

"There are many primordial beings that were created through the original magic just coming into existence without a purpose. There is no limit on the magic we have because we create magic in our bodies and parts of those magics for the fundamental magic that everyone uses. In the old gods' eyes, we were terrifying monsters of pure magic and the wanted to control us. So we fled to the farthest reaches of existence so that we wouldn't hurt anyone."

"That's a tragic story. You did nothing but exist and you were isolated and feared for no reason. "

"That is the nature of power. Strength creates admirers and enemies. Some envy the strong others fear it. Because with enough power you could rule even if you had no interest in it."

"I understand that but doesn't that just make everyone suffer? The strong are burdened with power so that they will only be feared or admired and the weak will always seek strength as to no fear or admire the strong. The weak are always at the mercy of the strong and the strong are forced to be trapped to be feared or admired. Neither of them seems to be happy. "

"If you had true power what would you rather do, be feared or admired?"

"If I could I'd make the world a place where the strong and weak could be equals without burdens of power and live happily."

"That would make you the strong ruling over the weak wouldn't it?"

"True strength is being weak and telling destiny to hell with what you have in store I'll define myself to be weak or strong!"

Hahahaha

"You are a funny child. I can fix everything that was destroyed by my flames if you would like."

"You mean you can bring me back to life?"

"Yes, but you'll be a little different. Humans are made from earth but there is no earth here, only flame. I could make your body out of that flame. A body and soul truly meant to change destiny."

"Very well but I'll only accept it on one condition."

"Oh, and what is that?"

"You become my friend so you'll never be alone again."

"Hahahaha you're entertaining child. Very well my name is ....umm I've never really had a name because no one has ever asked. Hmm, I am Kaen Ichiji."

"Hiro kurokumo nice to meet cha!"

They shake hands and Hiro's body is recreated into the room where he had died. He picks up the scale and closes his hand over it eliminating the fire. Hiro walks out of the room naked with the scale in his hand.

"I thought you had died boy."

Hiro smiles

"I did but I made a new friend instead."

"I saw your skin burn off and then you turn to ash. But there's not a single mark on you you look better than before actually. And you stopped the primordial flame like it was nothing. "

"My new friend gave me a gift. I'm not sure how to use it just yet but I have a new goal on mind."

"Oh, and what might that be boy?"

"A world that's free from burdens. I'll become the king of our world and free everyone from the restraints of power."

"Those are some lofty goals boy."

"Yes I know but everything needs his advisor. I can't have my advisor be a golem, can I? Let's free your real body. "

"I know you can survive the primordial flames but I don't think you can defeat that beast."

"Right now I feel like I can do anything. "

An intense heat starts to emanate from Hiro. It causes Theo to step back because he felt that his golem would melt if he didn't.

"Very well boy if you can free me I'll become your advisor. "

"Deal!"