The Court’s Welcome

Amidst the panic and the fatigue of the situation, Metas suddenly felt a force from within him. It was an unusual warmth, different from the heat of the town that was ablaze. It felt like it came from deep within him, like his own body produced the heat not too dissimilar from his flame. He saw nothing but orange light, he could feel himself disappearing and somehow leaving the area, he could feel Yuria's grip slipping through him and his feet could no longer feel the ground below him. His last thoughts were for someone to catch Yuria as he became incorporeal. A flash of light as fast as a blink, and then a new unfamiliar sight was upon him.

He was in a large, spacious, and circular room. Two red circles which emitted dim red lights illuminated the grey stone ground. There was a light amount of dust rising from the cracked stony floor, and there were more lights shining from above. Shock. Metas was surprised and could barely comprehend the sight afore him. He swiftly looked around the lights trailing in his vision as he kept turning and moving in response to the unfamiliar landscape and could barely focus or take in the entire area. He still gripped the relic in his hand and gripped it tighter as he looked upon the others in the room with him.

They were evenly spaced as they stood in the corners of the diameter of the room. Among in the room with Metas were, Iris who sat up from the ground and attached her arm back as it transported to that place along with her. Her eyes widened as she scanned the room, transfixed as she looked upwards towards the high ceiling. Two giant braziers were hanging from chains from above, their flames providing a light that illuminated the top of the dark room.

Asralyn quickly stood up from kneeling and put a hand on her sword as her gaze quickly moved and turned rapidly towards all areas of the room. "Ahahaha!" Helia exclaimed, as she stood near one of the grey stone walls of the room and took in the structure of the room. She ran her armor-covered hand across the wall, it was rough like gravel, the floors also of the same texture. "The construction of this room is impressive; it must had taken long to construct it." She continued. 'No doors or windows... A prison perhaps? There's a balcony up above. Reminds me of the throne room where we used to look down at our subjects... Whatever kingdom took us here might be using it as the place where they'll look down upon us...' Helia thought to herself.

Enjou was seated on the floor and leaning on one of the walls. He took a whiff of the air and was displeased. "Ash and dust. The air in this place is different from any I've breathed before. Seems hotter and heavier to breath in." He remarked to himself. "Say, Enjou. Their method of instant transportation and capture is brilliant, but to take us without relieving us from our weapons seems foolish don't you think? Judging from the others here maybe they plan for us to fight amongst ourselves and wipe the survivors out!" Helia loudly exclaimed towards the blind swordsman. "Hmph." He paid her no heed.

Helia's smile turned into a frown, and she turned her gaze towards the others in the room. 'But why only us? Is there a limit to the amount that they can transport? And this assortment... Is it random? Maybe their magic is still quite unrefined...' Helia thought to herself. She looked at Metas, who instinctively raised his spear towards her, understandably wary. She then turned towards Asralyn, who gripped her sword tighter as they locked eyes. 'Metas' younger sister. But from what she said earlier, she despises him. I'm interested to see how this goes...' She smirked with that thought. She saw Metas waving and trying to call over towards Asralyn, while keeping one eye and his weapon pointed towards Helia. Asralyn turned away from him disapprovingly and looked down at the ground.

Helia then looked towards Iris who looked back straight towards her to meet her gaze. Her eyes widened and focused as she scanned Helia, she then raised her hand pointing towards her, agitated after scanning her. 'There's her. She was with the other traitors earlier. I can't help but feel that I've seen her before...' Helia then turned towards the next one in the room. 'Now this is where the mystery starts…' She looked towards a seated small boy in dirty rags, who had a blank look and sported grey hair. 'I've heard tell that children born with grey hair are cursed with misfortune and bring bad luck to those around them. I don't believe in that kind of nonsense, but all experience misfortune in droves well enough. Learning to use them against others is the only way to rise out of the murk where all others are.'

She turned to Enjou. 'He's always been an odd one. Blind but a deadly fighter, a useful tool for the kingdom. Doesn't talk much but no matter. If he provides use and serves, I don't care much. I'm wondering what will happen to the kingdom without my capable presence… I'll need to deal with this matter immediately, cutting and burning through our captors and these walls will suffice as an expedient option.' "Stand up, we need to prepare to cut these wretches down if need be. Draw your sword and prepare for battle." Helia quietly said towards Enjou. "I will not." He replied, still seated, and focusing. "What?" Helia asked, angered, and confused. "So, it's treason then?" Helia grinned again but displayed an irked expression on her face. "I thought allying with the others could be an option but only briefly. I decided that disposing of them was a better option because they would be unpredictable and unreliable. But now I can see that is the same for you." She said putting a hand to her sheathed sword. Enjou heard the crinkling of metal and her gauntlet touching the wooden sheath. "I do what the situation calls for, to survive." He replied not even moving his hands toward his sword.

"All of you must have heard or seen it, yes? The rider who came in a flash of flame and announced our fates as heirs of fire? That we must wrest fire itself and may only come out as an heir after rising from the ashes of our presumed conflict or combat with each other? The scent of his armor and his flames mirror this room's, I will not take action until the situation is determined." He said loud enough to be heard by the others. "You're insinuating that you would raise your sword against me? Such traitorous behavior might be the reason why you faced exile; have the loss of your rank and your eyesight not been enough reminders from your homeland? Maybe I shall administer a painful realization to make you remember." Helia answered back and then drew her sword, before raising it up and setting it ablaze. Enjou's eyes moved towards it, the fire reflecting on his pure white eyes.

The small boy was frightened and ran away from Helia's direction, Iris moved in and jumped in front of him to shield him behind her, only to see that the boy ran past her towards Metas. The boy ran behind Metas and tugged at his pants and Metas who had his spear raised towards Helia, looked down and remarked to himself. 'Why me?' Asralyn stepped back and glanced briefly at Metas, before facing towards the blaze and holding her sword with both hands.

"Well?" Helia asked, expecting Enjou to retreat or perhaps beg for forgiveness. He inhaled and exhaled deeply and then pulled his sword slightly from his sheath, his expression was calm and neutral. Helia was angered at his calm response and quickly slammed her sword down towards him. "Hey, hey! No fighting! At least not yet!" A cheery voice was heard from a figure who was suddenly standing between the two of them, seemingly appearing out of thin air. "Wha-" A shocked Helia tried to attack her but found her sword immovably and firmly held by the figure. "Hmm…" Enjou remarked, he was standing up and had his sword pointed towards Helia, but its advance was halted.

The unknown figure was clad in crimson red cloth and armor, but from her neck upwards there was no hide or hair of a face or a head but only a ball of billowing flames. A dark line in the orange flames seemed to form a shape resembling a smile. She wore the same color of dark red as the herald did, with a short-sleeved dress with thick armor plates going down and towards a long skirt she wore. Long flames sprung forth from where the shoulders would be and formed two "arms" and "hands" of flame, ornate red bracelets were solid on the "wrist" of each hand. Helia's sword that was still ablaze travelled only a few inches downward before it was caught by the interloper.

Meanwhile Enjou was standing, quickly transitioning from his sitting position to strike Helia. The end of his sword was mere finger's length from her face, before it was clasped and held in place, stopping its lightning quick advance. Helia tried to wrest her sword free but struggled to do so. She glanced at Enjou's katana, and then back at the flame elemental. "You… Let go of me this instant, I command you…" Helia ordered. "Okay!" The flaming figure then let go of both of their weapons. Enjou calmly stepped back and sheathed his weapon, but Helia who was pulling back her sword was pushed back because of the force, and she managed to avoid falling but stumbled slightly.

"Pfft." The small boy stifled his laughter. Helia head and quickly turned around in rage and forcefully threw her hand forward towards the boy. "Huh?" She looked at her hand perplexed. The small boy quickly hid behind one of Metas' legs, he glanced briefly at the boy and then cautiously looked back up and wielded his spear in his hand with a readied stance, faint heat emitting from it with an orange glow.

Iris was cautiously observing Helia and had her hand forward, flames were flashing bright within her hands and between her fingertips. "Strange…" She said as her pupils widened. "My power… What… What did you do to me?" Helia asked as she turned back around to the smiling specter. "What… Are you?" She asked, raising her sword towards the being. Enjou exhaled and sat back down calmly, cross-legged. "There's no use." He remarked. "Huh?" She remarked, glancing over at him in confusion. She looked towards Metas and Iris, Metas' spear suddenly lost its light and Iris' flames subsided from her fingertips. Both quickly looked down at their arms and then back towards Helia and the specter of flames. Helia then looked towards the cheery elemental and made a scornful scowl on her face, she hesitated for a moment, and then sheathed her sword back into her scabbard. She leaned on the wall nearby and sighed.

"Well, they'll be arriving shortly, so its not long to wait!" The flaming being said joyfully, leaning towards Helia who scoffed at her. The being was taller and had to lean and lower themselves to the level of the humans there. She then disappeared in a flash of flame. Helia was looking down towards the ground arms crossed and tapped at her armored gauntlets with her finger impatiently. Enjou was calmly seated on the floor staring straight ahead and in contemplation. Iris walked over towards Metas and then looked down and waved towards the boy. She smiled at him, but the small child was uneasy and hid behind Metas.

"It's strange." Iris said towards Metas. "She took away the flames in my hands and prevented them from springing out but didn't prevent the flames that are responsible for my movement." Metas looked fatigued, and not paying too much attention. "Sorry… I didn't catch your name." Metas replied. "It's Iris." She replied. "Metas. And you're right, my weapon's fire got put out. And if those two are acting like that I guess theirs are controlled as well." Metas replied. "You're… Not human, are you?" He asked her. "Yes. And this is the first time I've seen another inorganic being fueled by flames. It's quite peculiar to see your reaction to such a being, most people would be utterly bewildered but you only seem slightly surprised. One's only calmly assessing the situation, she's just angry about it, and she's…" Iris looked towards Asralyn who was looking off wistfully, and was seated down, but was still clutching her sword with both hands. "Focused on something else…"

"Sorry… Strange things are the norm recently and… I've just been busy with trying to stay alive and…" Metas suddenly dropped to his knees. "Urk..." He remarked. The small boy was surprised and stepped back, and then put his hands on Metas' shoulders and looked up towards Iris. "You're injured." She said as he looked down at him, her eyes scanning him. She saw blood dripping down his arm on the hand he lost his gauntlet on. It was slightly damaged, but it clearly appeared that it was coming from his torso. "You must be in great pain, enough for you to not be able to stand. Allow me to- "She crouched and tried to take off his scale plate armor, but he raised his hand to refuse. "I… prefer to keep my armor on in these kinds of situations…" He said, pained. Metas briefly glanced towards Helia who was glaring at him, but she quickly looked down once more.

Iris stood back up and put her hand on her chin. "I suppose so… And there's no way right now to treat your injuries…" The gray-haired boy ducked behind Metas' shoulders, looking up cautiously towards Iris. "It's all right kid, you're going to be safe with her." Said Metas. The boy shyly emerged from behind Metas still looking up at Iris. "Hey. Promise me that you'll protect this kid… And her." Metas looked towards Asralyn, who noticed his gaze and gripped her sword tightly. "I'd like to say that you should do it yourself but… I'm going to keep it in mind." She answered.

Helia in the other end of the room, bit her gauntlet's finger and thought to herself angered. 'Hmm… That thing stopped me… What is it? What should I do… Hmph… I don't think I can do well against it if I tried to dispose of the others… Should I just wait?' She then looked upwards at the balcony. "That figure!" She remarked to herself as she saw the tall, bulky herald without his steed and was watching them from atop the balcony and had one hand on the railing. He was as inexpressive as ever, his heavy armor plates covering every part of his body. With Helia's remark, the others looked up at the herald except Enjou.

The herald simply took his hand off the railing, turned around and slowly walked away towards a room unseen. They all recognized, remembered, and realized something about the current situation they were in. 'I see! How couldn't I have realized it faster!' Helia thought to herself. 'Heir of fire. That herald! If what he spoke of is true then… They're gathering those who are potential heirs of fire. From what that thing said… "No fighting yet!" That means… From the ashes of chaos, the heir will rise! Fine then. I'll be holding my bloodlust up during the meantime… I'll be the one above this situation…' She reacquired her wide grin. 'And when I become the heir, I'll finally be able to wield… That.' She said as she stole another glance at the Ruler's Regalia. "Tch." She remarked.

Iris walked around Metas who sat on the floor cross-legged, and the boy stayed at Metas' back. The boy did not inch away from Iris but still looked up at her in curiosity and unease. Iris looked down at the relic and Metas and curiously asked about it. "That weapon… You were surprisingly adept using it earlier, what is it?" "Its… A relic." Metas replied. "A relic, it seems similar to Felkin's sword." She added. "Yes, it is. And I've used it before." Metas answered. "Used it before? Then-" "No! No more questions..." Metas said, agitated as he held his side.

"Urgh!" He gritted his teeth and sucked in air. Both the boy and Iris looked at him silently with wide eyes. "Sorry… It's just…" Metas sighed deeply afterward. "It's… Fine." She responded, sitting down beside him. "How about you, you took some big hits earlier too. Are you… alright?" Metas asked her. Iris reflexively raised her hands and touched her forehead and then touched her arm with her other hand. They were cracked and as she touched the damaged areas, the white porcelain like shell that covered her crumbled slightly. The damage revealed a shiny and smooth chrome material underneath, Iris tried to cover those areas. "Within my internal components the damage is negligible… But in terms of my outer shell, I don't think it can be repaired…" She replied, covering the damaged areas shyly.

"I think you'll be alright. A few scars won't hurt you." Metas pulled down the collar of his armor slightly to reveal a few scars below his chin and on his neck. He forced a smile though in pain, trying to cheer her up. She slowly lowered her arms and placed them by her sides. "So… about Felkin. From what I've gathered from him, you two knew each other. In fact, the reason he went here is because of you and the others, is what he said." Said Iris. "Really? I was… Going to ask you what you knew about him." Metas answered. "Hmm?" Iris was confused. "We've spent some time travelling together, but I barely know anything about him, and I suspect that he knows little as well." Metas answered. "I'd like to answer… But, I think we should continue this discussion later." Iris' eyes narrowed as she stared at both Helia and Enjou.

Helia snickered and looked away, and Enjou merely slowly turned his head away from them. "I agree." Metas concurred. 'Hmm…' Enjou remarked as he listened to the conversation, and to each person in the room. 'Their conversation is interesting… Seems like they're talking about the individual who's been the subject of some buzz by the others aside from the traitors and the witch. If he wields the relic, then he might be the one that Seruvia was speaking about earlier.' He leaned forward slightly to listen better. 'Hmm… He's in rough shape. His breathing is strained… Sounds like he has a few broken ribs… Cuts, scrapes, and bruises all over… Doesn't seem like any of his organs are damaged…' He listened close on how Metas breathed, and the sounds and scents coming from him.

'That thing… I can hear mechanisms and mechanical parts operating inside of it. And a roaring fire, deep within. That scent… Doesn't smell like a living creature. More like a machine…' He thought as he observed and listened to Iris. 'Gritted teeth. Fast pulse. Her finger tapping on her armor. She's angry. Understandable, but oh well.' He had listened to Helia. 'Erratic heartbeat… She's nervous. She's tightly gripping that sword. I'm wondering why she's not going to her brother… She's in some indecision.' Enjou observed Asralyn's internal status.

Metas stood up and walked towards Asralyn, with the boy and Iris following him. The latter and Metas looked at Enjou and Helia cautiously, and while Helia was avoiding their gaze, they could feel the eastern warrior's sharp focus onto them even as he did not look towards them. "Hey." Metas said towards his sister who showed him an antagonizing expression. "I know… That you don't like me, and that we haven't been on the best terms but, we don't have time for that right now. Its best that we stick together in a situation like this, it could be dangerous." He added further. "Dangerous… I wonder if it would be any less dangerous if I were to come with you… Because I'd be branded as a traitor as well." Asralyn backhandedly commented back. "There's no time for this discussion right now. Matters between you two can be settled after we survive this." Iris said to Asralyn.

"No time for this right now? I… could be branded a traitor, a criminal, I could be imprisoned or maybe me and Sethan could be hunted down for the rest of our days if we ally with you. We've been questioned and suspected… And its because of you that he's put into the position he is now… I'm… Going to defend myself. I'm waiting for a life and death situation before I'll…" Asralyn could not finish her words as she spoke with contempt. "I'll… be around whenever, if… You need me." Metas remarked sullenly before turning back around. He stumbled and paused when he walked, but he refused help from Iris as he continued back. As he walked back to a corner of the room, he sat back down as the boy and Iris stood nearby him.

Metas held his side in pain, and then opted to rest while observing the room itself and their surroundings. 'Thick stone walls… This place feels different from the kingdom, and it doesn't feel like the abyss either. No exits, except that balcony over there. We entered this place because of some magic, so it might be possible that this area isn't built with entrances or exits. Maybe we can use her flames to boost us up there. No, with me injured… And the kid, its going to be hard to bring both of us up. And beyond that point, its unknown territory. If that being is one of many… Then even without my injuries, we'd be easily overpowered. Who knows how large this place is… How vast their territory will be beyond here; it would be safer to stay here but… We would be fully subject to whatever whims the beings here have for us. It's a risk not knowing, it could even be more dangerous trying to escape but…' He looked towards the raggedy boy who clung to his arm.

"I've noticed something…" Iris said to Metas. "What is it?" Metas asked. "It didn't matter to me at first but… I've noticed a problem that might occur to you." She continued. "Go on…" "You humans require sustenance, yes? Food, water, and oxygen." "Right." "This place seems to contain breathable air, and as for sleep theoretically even a place like this can suffice. But as for nourishment and waste excretion, this prison has none, and thus if you stay here any longer…" "We'll dehydrate and starve." Metas exclaimed, having his attention drawn away to the other two knights, the unusual environment, and his sister. He looked at the small boy, whose stomach audibly growled.

"They mentioned some event… Something, we're needed to do in order to inherit the flame… Surely they wouldn't let us die of dehydration before that, right?" Metas asked. "If they simply wanted us to die, they could have done so earlier, and in a simpler way." Iris added. "You know, maybe they're just enjoying our extended suffering and deaths?" Helia remarked from across the room. "Hmph." "Tch." Iris and Metas replied with hostile expressions and silence. "Or maybe they don't care if one of us dies… Or if they're testing us." Asralyn said, sullen. Metas sighed and leaned back on the wall.

The group waited for a while, and because there were no windows there was no way to indicate the passage of time, only the dim light of the braziers above and the occasional distant sounds from the outside could be perceived in the time they stayed in the room. Enjou appeared to have his head facing down with his eyes closed in some sort of meditative trance, but he was highly alert and listening. 'There. I hear a plume of flame flaring from the outside. Though I can barely hear it because of these walls… Must be 10 meters of solid material between us and the outside, I don't see myself breaking through this easily… Fire blasting from the earth upwards. I've heard of mountains of fire that this phenomenon is seen in, I don't know any nearby lands that this occurs in. Hmm… I can't hear animals or activity outside, and despite how high those flames spout, this building is much higher.' He looked and faced the direction of each sound. He had his senses tuned to the finest level, he could hear Metas trying to stabilize and control his breathing, as well as Asralyn occasionally unsheathing her sword to look at it, and Helia shifting uncomfortably as she leaned on the wall.

'She should just sit down…' He thought to himself, before a sudden overwhelming barrage of sensations assaulted his senses. "Hmph?!" Enjou exclaimed as he replied to the threat with an attack. He quickly unsheathed his sword and slashed horizontally, with his lightning-flash of flame glowing bright for only a single moment. Helia quickly pointed her sword at the emerged entity, Asralyn stepped back with her sword drawn, meanwhile Iris and Metas stood in front of the boy and prepared to attack. "Hmm… Interesting. Instead of expending a multitudinous amount of energy by coating your sword in flames for a period, you chose to use your energy to increase the strength of your strike exponentially but just for a single instant, clever… For a ephemeral existing human." The figure remarked. "Tsk!" Enjou exclaimed as his blade was extinguished and caught by the newly appeared figure.

It was a tall flame like a candle's fire, vaguely humanoid in shape. Two red orbs that resembled jewels peered at Enjou from where the fire's "face" would be. The voice was deep and uncaring, in contrast to the higher pitched joyful expression of the first fire elemental. A flame "hand" caught Enjou's blade and studied it intently. The figure was clothed in garb like the other elemental, but it was made out of tough cloth fibers instead of metal armor. His clothes were like thick bundles of cords intertwined and wrapped together, painted with colors of deep red and dark grey. The cords snaked and created a weave that appeared to be a long-sleeved connected to long trousers. Burning flames plumed from where the hands and feet emerged from the clothing. The collars were puffy, he had a shield crest on his chest with a symbol which appeared to be a dragon's tongue, or a thin wisp of flame. Flame patterns could also be seen running down the front and back of his clothing. Only a thin wisp of fire comprised his face, but had red jeweled orbs that resembled eyes.

Helia who was agitated, raised her sword towards the being and yelled. "You! What are you people… No, identify your identity and desires of this instant! I command you." "Seriously, you humans are so impatient…" Said the elemental, already tired of the exchange. "I… am the one transporting you elsewhere. It hasn't been a single passing of the sun, and yet you need to be attended to as soon as possible, like a sputtering fledgling flame on its last legs. I don't care for a matter that needs to be resolved this quickly, but as life moves on quickly in the human world… It is a must." The being turned towards Helia while it let go of Enjou's sword. He looked at the condition of his sword, worried that the flames might have affected or warped it. Though there was never a time where his sword was blocked twice in the same day, he remained calm and was humbled by the strange occurrence.

Helia noticed that the elemental was not dissuaded or threatened, she was frustrated. "Now…" The elemental said, and then waved his hand. "Hey!" Helia exclaimed. "Hmph!" Metas remarked, and from their perspective, they were blinded by a flash of orange light before being exposed to an unfamiliar sight once more. Metas let out a grunt as the transportation gave him a slight jolt to his body. Enjou sheathed his sword and sniffed the air, and listened to his surroundings, before sitting back down onto the floor. The humans in the room were sweating due to the increased heat of the new room. The smaller room was an enclosed square in shape, and seemed to be in a different part of the castle they were in.

Enjou listened and heard two viscous liquid sources flowing at the back of the room that emanated the heat they all felt in the room, but for Metas and the others, they saw the orange liquid slowly flowing down from openings in the wall that lead down to a channel of liquid that flowed out into a small opening towards elsewhere. The tall figure of flame floated towards the front of the room which had a slab of black stone which served as a table. On the walls behind the table as well as on the front of it were draped red dyed cloth with the flame crest symbol on them. Asralyn, Helia, Metas and Iris looked around and were ready to fight at any moment but were frozen in place due to unease and confusion. The first three wiped nervous sweat off their brows and were in slight discomfort due to heat while Iris was unaffected.

"Attend to our 'guests'." The tall wisp ordered as he snapped his fingers and a reddish black stone appeared in the air covered with unknown writing which he read silently. In a flash of flame, the cheerful flame sprite from earlier appeared carrying a large grey stone tray with a few small rodents, burnt to a crisp and on wooden sticks. "Here. Humans require sustenance, right? And…" As the elemental held the tray with one hand, she pulled a chain on the wall and then a nearby empty stone basin was filled with water. The people in the room paused and were undecided, they looked at the unappealing nourishment served before them, and did not desire to partake. Suddenly, the raggedy boy walked past Metas and Iris and ran to the tray of food.

"Hey!" Said Iris, grabbing the boy by the shoulder. The boy then looked towards Metas, who looked up towards Iris and said: "I'll keep him here, so check it out first." Metas then held the boy's arm and reassured him whilst Iris walked forward to inspect the "food". Enjou determined the condition of the water and the roasted meats through scent alone but was waiting for Iris' assessment on it. Helia and Asralyn saw that Metas trusted Iris and so even not knowing the extent of her abilities, they were curious on her input. 'This will be interesting. He clearly values the opinion of the doll and would make a decision based on her assessment. I would be wise to listen and observe. Though it will shame me to eat amongst this riffraff, it is all for my survival. Yes… I will rise above this situation as victor. It is important to learn as much from the situation as possible, even from traitors and enemies… I should take this time to probe the others for weaknesses, if they had any sense they would be doing just the same.' Helia thought to herself and quelled her anxieties as Iris raised her hand over the tray and then the water to scan it.

"Hmm…" Remarked Iris. "It seems fine. The temperature isn't too high, the contents… Don't seem to be toxic to the human body. I think it might be unhealthy, or inadvisable to intake but not life threatening…" She said, evaluating the materials using her eyes to scan them thoroughly. Metas stood up and guided the boy with one hand as he limped towards the food and the basin of water. The tall flame ignored them and was busy reading the stone tablet while the other elemental watched the humans, intrigued with a seemingly perpetual smile on her face. Metas stood tall over the items and everyone in the room except the flame elementals.

Metas crouched down slightly strained, picked up one of the sticks of meat and smelled it, before biting a chunk and struggling to chew off the tough meat. He munched earnestly, before swallowing. "It's… Not bad actually, but it kind of tastes like charcoal…" He remarked, before standing and then going towards the basin. He leaned forward and then looked at the surface of the basin, it was clear and serene, but it appeared to be slightly steaming in temperature. He used his hands to cup the water, one of them was missing a gauntlet and then sipped calmly. "This is fine too, its just a bit hot." He remarked. He stated this primarily for the boy who he didn't know if he could understand his words, and to his sister. He spoke calmly, like reassuring a puppy to eat from his hand, or a parent teaching a child something. Though he seemed relaxed, he was still highly on guard of the situation, he simply accepted that he could not do much in the situation as of now and went with the wills of their captors and was observant of what they wanted of them.

Metas let the boy run to the tray of food, who quickly grabbed a stick of meat. Metas was worried that he could injure himself with the stick, but the boy skillfully maneuvered around the meat and munched at it efficiently and with a sense of instinctual skill. He then went to the basin of water and plunged his face into it and drank a few sips of water. Satisfied, the boy went back to Metas, who walked back with the boy to their corner of the room with Iris following. He sat back down and avoided eye contact with the others and focused on his thoughts. 'I need to eat, drink water, and recover my strength. I need to remember what I was taught. Even though, I'm leaving that life behind, its important to use and learn through my experiences. I'll need to be resourceful. Even amidst enemies and threats, I need to be calm!' Metas snapped his fingers, and a small flame emerged before being extinguished before it grew too large.

"It's actually very interesting and very lucky that we still have animals like this in our realm. They may look like simple rodents but they're actually quite hardy, being able to survive in extreme temperatures. I had to burn them quite a while before they stopped moving, that's why they looked charred right now!" The cheery elemental spoke enthusiastically. "Very interesting." Said the other flame, uninterested. "And you may think the water here is useless or even harmful to us! But its actually very useful! We use it to control our own flames, extinguish others, and use steam to operate our machineries!" The flame elemental spoke like she was introducing and explaining the flame realm's characteristics to the humans there and was happy to have new people to talk to. "Mm-hmm." The other flame replied.

Asralyn walked forward and sheathed her sword before picking up a stick of meat and walking away, she looked at Metas briefly with sadness but quickly regained her serious guarded expression. Helia looked down at the basin and the grey stone slab with disgust. 'Ugh. The little street urchin plunged its face and drank directly from the source. That water is probably contaminated with street filth and disease.' She then picked up one of the meat sticks with the disgusted look persisting. 'It's burnt. I'd wager a burned down farm would have less charred fowls. Hmph, I could have done a better job. It looks like even these creatures who are of flame themselves lack control in them. If our powers are somehow related from their kind, then human hands have reshaped and refined control over the flame for the better.' She thought before stripping off a piece of meat somewhat aggressively with her teeth.

'Mhm. Even though the outside is burnt to a crisp, the interiors are cooked to a perfection. If the outside was removed… No, even with the burnt exterior this would be a fine delicacy for those pompous nobles back at the castle. In fact they'd pay large sums over something as strange as this. But… The root of the problem is still present. The fact that the outside is burnt and should still be removed to eat the flesh underneath is still, and will be a persisting issue. Anyway…' She pocketed the thin and sharp wooden stick and felt the suspicious and cautious looks from the others behind her.

'It's just a wooden stick, but anything sharp can still be used as a weapon, even by a child.' She then looked towards the basin before her. 'Is it a trick of the light or… No, its definitely ever so slightly discolored. Could it have been poisoned by them? No, even so I am disdained to drink at the same source where filth and impurity have touched the waters. But rivers and seas connect all over, and are drank by people from all over. The only solution to corruption is…' She cupped both of her hands and then scooped a bountiful amount of water. Her gold and silver gauntlets made the water glisten like jewels due to the sparkle of her armor. 'Is to burn it away!' The water began to slowly bubble and steam faintly rose from it. Metas was cautious and held the relic spear tightly in his arms, and Iris clenched her first ready to attack while the boy hid behind Metas. Asralyn was ready to unsheathe her sword while Enjou curiously raised his head.

Helia suddenly raised her hand upwards towards her mouth, and then gulped with a tremendous amount of force. Her metal gauntlets crinkled as she clenched her fists and stomped the ground hard enough to crack the stone beneath. 'With resolve, and strength… I'll overcome!' The others in the room were shocked at the unusual display. "Hoh…" The joyful flame remarked, seeming to be intrigued over something. Helia looked around to see the elemental crouching down and inspecting the relic that Metas was holding in his hand, the latter inched away cautiously from the blazing being.

"A relic! And its this one, who would've thought that this would still be here!" She said to the tall wisp. "Ooh… To have one chosen from this cycle to have and wield it, interesting indeed." He remarked, now interested. He raised his flame arm and then Metas' relic suddenly flew from his hands and then stuck onto the elemental's. "Hey!" Metas was alarmed. The tall flame held the relic in his hand and raised it high. The once inert item suddenly went alight, and it's runes glowed with an orange brilliance once more. The entire relic was covered in flames, and the blaze that surrounded it grew bigger and formed a shape. It grew long like a flaming lance, but two horizontal flames emerged above where the elemental held the relic resembling handguards of a sword, and the flame above it widened resembling a large blade. The others stared at the looming blade with wide eyes. Though it was blindingly bright, it cast a large shadow over them. '

This light… This fire! This… Is a true flame!' Helia exclaimed, with an ear-to-ear grin of delight. 'I didn't want to look at it… Because I didn't want to see my weakness! I… didn't want to face my inadequacy, but I must!' She raised her hand and clenched it, doing a grabbing motion with her fist. She was the only one not shielding her eyes and retreating from the heat of the flames. "Here." The tall wisp said before throwing an inert spear relic back towards the flame elemental who caught it and handed it back to Metas. "Ah!" He dropped it as the metal relic was smoking, as it was just covered in scorching flames.

Helia stood confidently and defiantly, smiling as if she was facing down some thrilling challenge. "Hear me, beings of flame! Its been clear to me that you are creatures of flame, and of higher power. And that your declaration of an heir of flame's emergence is connected to us, and you are to our powers of flame. And as you have acknowledged our… My, right to the flame you must have some knowledge on us. Why are we being forced to serve as heirs to something we know not of? We are kindred, but this makes you our captors instead of our compatriots, or servants." "Hmm…" The tall wisp said, seemingly unconvinced. "Fair enough, it would be easier to complete the process if you all knew a part of it." He added. "I am what you humans may call… A duke. Of the realm of the blazing kingdom, which rules over the human world's aspect of flame. The one there is…" "I'm just a helper." She answered.

"Well… Now, I've read this information tablet about the heirs, the next part of the ceremony… Must begin." He raised his hand and they were transported once more, the surroundings burning away into outlines and it revealed a grand room which appeared to be an ornate setting before a large throne. The great room was spacious, the main throne area was circular but had wide halls and paths stemming from the area to the left, right, and center path forming a t-like path. There was a large circular aperture atop the throne room revealing an ashen obsidian colored sky, where gigantic grey stone creatures flew overhead and were too far to be seen from below.

The room was painted dark red in color, constructed with smooth and polished stone, and had ornate circular arches in the wide pathways leading to each area, and in front of the throne. The walls were covered in long cloth banners that resembled curtains with the dragon's flame emblem dyed onto them. Multiple black steel chandeliers lined the roof, with half-burnt candles casting a faint light on the room. Long red carpets ran along the floors and up the steps to the throne, which was in a form of a gold and black metal candelabra with a thick cylindrical slab of wax which served as its seat, and its maroon wax dripped and accumulated on the floor below. The group was transported on the ground before the empty throne, and other flame elementals sporting their cloth cloaks crowded at the halls before the throne area and were silently awaiting and watching the group.

'This… Is this a dream? No… It feels… It doesn't feel like something real!' Asralyn thought to herself, the grip on her sword shaking. 'The others… They aren't fazed by this? Its like something out of a legend!' She looked towards the others, and noticed their expressions. Iris had her hands up, and was actively trying to scan the area, her mechanical eyes trying to process the environment all around them, Metas was clutching his side and kept the boy behind him, raising his spear and readied himself to fight, even if he had to fight he could not win. And though Enjou and Helia appeared to be calm and defiant, beads of sweat ran down their face, although the source might be the heat coming from the area.

'They all must be insane if they're reacting to this without immediately faltering or giving up. But… I'll need to steel myself. I need to! I wish… I wish he was here, then he'd be able to think some way out of this… But, I'm going to try to weather this storm! That's… All I can do.' Helia faced the tall duke and his helper sitting beside the empty throne and raised her sword with a determined look on her face. "Hmm…" Iris turned around to the sound behind her, only to come face to face with the "helper" elemental floating midair. "Ah!" She remarked before stepping back and raising her fists, in defense. The flame elemental flew and floated back towards the ground beside the duke of flames. "Look! That one's not a human, it looks like she's an artificial being, a manmade relic of flames!" "Yes, I've noticed and read. It's interesting that she became in consideration as an heir… But let's not delay enough…" The duke clapped once, and a wave of energy could be felt as goosebumps ran along the hairs of the group.

A ring of blazing fire suddenly formed around the large throne area and encircled the group and the other flame elementals walked backwards as the tall flame barrier formed. The group unconsciously retreated backwards and had their backs towards each other as the tall flames loomed threateningly over them. The duke of flames floated in the air above the ring of flame and started a declaration. "Performers, participants… Heirs. My declaration is as follows: The honor, the burden, the power of flame itself is bestowed upon the rightful one. Metas the vagabond, Asralyn of the knights of flame, Helia of the Lodeleth house of royalty, Iris the automaton and Wren, child of the gutters. Your flames have lay dormant but are now awakened to claim the embers of flame and rekindle them once more. Crush and extinguish each other's fire and take what's rightfully yours!" After his announcement, the group of heirs were nervous and were trying process what had been said. All of them were suddenly very tense and did not turn around to face one another.

'Crush and extinguish each other's flame…' 'So that means… No, it can't be!' 'I knew it, we would have to fight amongst ourselves! I've prepared enough…' 'What a bother, am I going to have to cut everyone here down? It doesn't look like we have a choice in this matter.' For the next few seconds they were immersed in their own thoughts. "It's… hot, too hot…" A voice behind Metas remarked. "Hmm?" He was too in thought and was momentarily confused as to who the voice belonged to. Behind him, the boy was sweating profusely and appeared to be in great discomfort. 'If I were to battle with all of them at the same time, I'd…' "Pick the weakest one off!" Helia exclaimed, as she quickly lunged towards the small boy with her sword aimed to kill. Metas faced her as she approached and raised his glowing spear to fight, battling through fear and pain when suddenly, he felt an overpowering presence suddenly spring forth violently nearby him, and he quickly jumped away in response.

As Helia was inches away from slashing down onto towards the boy and Metas, the little one suddenly erupted in a crimson inferno, blowing back Metas and Helia with its shockwave. The one who was nearest Asralyn, happened to be the eastern swordsman. "Fall." He remarked, as Asralyn turned around but only saw the shining steel of his blade. She raised her weapon to block the attack but realized that she would not be fast enough. Asralyn closed her eyes. A loud "clang!" erupted and she opened her eyes to see: "Sethan?" She first thought, but it was a vague humanoid shape that resembled her brother, who interrupted Enjou's attack with a spear of flame. Iris ran up to Metas and was ready to engage with Helia. "Go to her!" Metas said. "I'll handle this." He added. Without hesitation, Iris ran to assist Asralyn against Enjou. "Hmm… We have an unexpected visitor…" The flame beside the duke said, as a red tear above the throne began to be cut open and Felkin emerged.