As soon as Kyle whispered, "I'll face the flame," the ring glowed—so brightly it was as if dawn had broken in the dead of night.
The air around him twisted, reality warping. The space surrounding Kyle began to swirl violently, making his head spin. His feet lost touch with the ground as he floated, weightless, in a void.
The light was blinding, forcing him to shut his eyes. Strange noises filled his ears. His body felt as if it were folding inward, twisted by an invisible force—until suddenly, everything stilled.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the Forest of Orcan.
'Is this still Earth?', he wondered.
The place was nearly indescribable—an uneven, scorched land of cracked black stone glowing with heat. It felt like the heart of a volcano. Fiery jets burst intermittently from jagged peaks, lighting the heavy orange sky.
Kyle turned in slow circles, searching for any clue—any direction—but all he saw were endless craters, flames licking the air.
He fought to remain calm. The heat here wasn't just hot—it was oppressive. Dangerous. Unnatural.
This had to be it. The Trial of Flame the diary had warned about.
But how was it triggered? What was he meant to do?
Before panic could set in, the diary in his pouch began to glow again. It floated from his hand, flipping through pages on its own. Words began to etch themselves in shimmering gold across the page.
"For the chosen one,
Amber of Cave is for the brave.
Flame can heal—and it can kill.
Face your trial.
May success be upon you."
The moment the final word appeared, a guiding light burst forth in the distance—a trail of soft gold, winding through the scorched terrain.
Kyle followed.
The path led him to the edge of a vast crater. Flames surged from its core, a blazing inferno. He hadn't even stepped close, yet the heat already stung his skin.
No way…
His pulse quickened. His breath caught.
Is this it? Am I supposed to jump in?
No answer came, but somehow, deep inside, he knew.
It made sense. This was the Trial of Flame. And flame demanded sacrifice.
Kyle thought of his fifteen short years—of all the things he hadn't done, the life he had just begun to live.
What if I die?
What if I'm wrong?
No—stop.
He shook the fear from his mind.
He wasn't a coward. He wanted this. He needed to awaken. If this was the path to claiming the power of the ring, then so be it.
Without hesitation, Kyle ran forward—and leapt into the flames.
Fire swallowed him whole.
Agony tore through every inch of his body. The heat sank into his bones, his veins burning as if molten lava had replaced his blood. He screamed—or tried to—but no sound came. Only pain.
Unending pain.
Time lost meaning. It felt like hours. Days.
Then—through the pain—a whisper.
"Persist, and you will be born anew."
A voice. Soft. Distant. Not his own.
Kyle gritted his teeth. He held on. He persisted. This might be the only chance he'd ever get—and he would not waste it.
The fire didn't stop. It destroyed him. Tore him apart. Then slowly, rebuilt him.
Again and again.
Until, finally, the pain began to fade.
Coolness washed over him like a river of ice water, soothing his scorched body. He gasped for breath.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the crater.
He lay curled on the ground, back in the forest. His limbs trembled. His breath came in ragged bursts.
But he wasn't alone.
Flames danced in the air around him—soft and gentle, as if alive.
Kyle smiled faintly. He had endured.
The forest was still, but he was no longer the same.
The Ring of Nol pulsed gently on his finger, its red rune now glowing faintly.
Somehow, he could feel the flame. Not just around him—but within him. The knowledge of it had etched itself into his mind, like a language he had always known.
He wanted to try it—to feel its power—but his energy was nearly gone.
Dragging himself upright, he caught sight of pale light on the horizon.
Dawn.
He had survived the night.
Emotion swelled in his chest—joy, relief, awe. Despite everything, he had made it.
The light of Livia Town glowed faintly in the distance. He pushed forward, feet unsteady, heart still racing. He walked until he reached the forest's edge.
The sun had risen.
So had he.
Kyle stepped into town.
His destination? The hotel. He needed rest—badly.
No one knew what he had endured tonight. The pain. The fire.
But he didn't regret a single second of it.
He was grateful.
He had awakened.
His footsteps was light as the sun rose to greet him, casting golden warmth over the town.
Behind him, the Forest of Orcan was still - silent, dark, and mysterious.
Deep in the shadow, something stirred.
Something is watching from the dark.
And Kyle did not know.