Alexia sighed, rubbing her chest with an annoyed frown. "Ugh, I hate this feeling." She shook her head, quickening her pace as she moved deeper into the tunnel. "Hope that baby bird is still alive. Would be a shame if he broke before I got bored of him."
The rocky cavern floor soon gave way to smooth flagstones, their surfaces lined with lava-scorched arcane engravings. As she ventured further, towering emerald-hued panels flanked her path, casting a soft glow.
"Now this," she murmured, twirling once, "is a proper distraction."
Her gaze lifted to the ceiling, her golden eyes narrowing with intrigue. Suspended above her, like an open night sky, were countless floating white spheres, dusted with veins of gold and red. The sight was mesmerizing, but curiosity burned brighter.
Lifting her hand, she summoned a small fireball, its heat licking at her fingertips. "Target locked." With a flick of her wrist, she sent it soaring toward one of the spheres.
The moment flame met surface, the sphere burst, dissolving into a cascade of glittering dust. Alexia blinked—once, twice—before grinning.
And then, with a delighted laugh, she unleashed chaos.
Fireballs shot in every direction, striking sphere after sphere. Glitter rained down around her as she spun, dodging and twirling through the shimmering storm like a dancer in a festival of destruction.
By the time she finally stilled, her breath was light, her hair dusted with golden flecks. She grinned to herself.
"Much better."
Her laughter echoed off the cavern walls, sending a soft tremor through the air. The little flame hovered beside her, pulsing once as if sighing.
Lost in her amusement, Alexia didn't notice when she walked straight into something solid. With a soft thud, she stumbled back and landed unceremoniously on the ground. Rubbing her head, she scowled at whatever had dared to interrupt her fun—only to pause as she took in the sight before her.
A massive set of doors loomed ahead, framed by towering stone columns. The dark wood was carved with intricate scenes—figures locked in battle, serpentine dragons coiling around warriors, and celestial symbols woven into the design. But what truly caught her attention was the glowing sigil at the center.
Runes, sharp and ancient, pulsed with an eerie cyan light, forming a geometric web of circles and intersecting lines. At its heart was a sun-like emblem, its edges flickering like trapped lightning. Smaller glyphs floated above the surface, shifting slightly, as if adjusting to her presence. A thin stream of light trickled down from the sigil's core, pooling faintly at the threshold.
Alexia exhaled, stepping closer in awe. "Huh. Fancy."
The little flame floated beside her, watching in silence.
She shot it a look. "What?"
The flame remained motionless.
Scoffing, Alexia pushed herself to her feet and dusted off her clothes. "Much better." She patted her chest in mock relief before stepping toward the door.
Knock.
Her knuckles rapped lightly against the glossy wood.
She turned to the flame, raising a brow. "Can I get a little help, my dear tour guide?"
The flame drifted forward and, without hesitation, slipped through the door as if it weren't even there.
Alexia's eyes widened with enlightenment. Oh.
Without a second thought, she strode forward—only to smack directly into the solid wood.
"Ow."
She staggered back, rubbing her forehead. The flame reappeared, hovering in place. Then, in a slow, deliberate motion, it twirled.
Alexia blinked. What's that supposed to mean?
For some reason, she felt deeply offended.
Taking a step back, she sighed, shaking her head. "I tried that method, so let's use something else." Drawing her silver sword, she ran a finger along the gleaming edge. "Let's see which is tougher—my diamond or ancient obsidian steel."
With a determined smirk, she wedged the blade into the central crack of the massive double doors. Pressing her foot against the stone for leverage, she strained, muscles flexing as she tried to pry it open.
At first, nothing happened. Then—just as she thought she was making progress—the runes carved into the door flickered, pulsing with an ominous glow. A low hum vibrated through the cavern, sending a strange pressure rippling through the air.
Alexia barely registered it. "Just a little more," she muttered through gritted teeth, her golden eyes glowing as her nails extended instinctively. She pulled harder.
The hum deepened. The door trembled. Then—
A sudden pulse of force surged through the steel, locking her sword in place. A numbing sensation crawled up her arm, and her eyes widened.
"Uh-oh."
She yanked at the hilt. The blade didn't budge. She yanked again. Nothing.
"For Lugus' sake—!"
BOOM.
The door blasted open, releasing a shockwave that sent her flying. The last thing she saw was a blur of stone before she crashed onto the flagstone floor, rolling to a painful stop.
For a moment, she just lay there, twitching.
The little flame hovered over her, watching. Then, it nudged her.
She groaned. "Wait. Just give me a minute."
With trembling hands, she pushed herself up, pouting as she blew at the strands of hair covering her face.
The hair moved. Then smacked her right back.
"Why?!" she huffed, flinging it away.
Alexia stomped her foot, narrowing her eyes at the towering onyx doors. With a huff, she rolled her black sleeves up, revealing smooth, red porcelain skin. Then, with a sharp tug, she yanked off her gloves and smacked them onto the ground.
"The gloves are off. It's just you and me now," she declared, pointing at the door before dramatically turning the finger toward herself. "It's about to go down." She cracked her knuckles, eyes practically sparkling. "I've always wanted to say that."
Drawing a deep breath, she retrieved her sword—only to dismiss it a second later. In its place, a massive ruby battle axe materialized in her hands, gleaming under the dim light.
"Fate cannot be controlled or prevented, huh? Alright then, let's see what fate has in store for me."
Grinning, she hoisted the axe over her shoulder. "Let's give this baby an initiation ceremony." Her golden eyes darkened, flickering with barely restrained excitement as she swung.
The moment the axe met the door, a shockwave erupted. The air howled like a raging storm, flinging her backward.
Alexia tensed midair. With a sharp twist, she black-flipped, landing smoothly on the glowing purple stone. She skidded back slightly before coming to a stop, grinning wide.
"Now that's what I call cool."
Adrenaline surged through her veins. Without hesitation, she lunged at the door again, the ruby axe roaring through the air.
Bang!
This time, the onyx doors swung open—but she was ready. As they attempted to push her back, she wedged the axe between them, rolling through the narrow gap before they could slam shut.
With an echoing boom, the heavy doors closed behind her, their crushing weight snapping the battle axe like brittle glass.
Panting, Alexia watched as crimson shards scattered across the stone. She solemnly placed a hand over her heart.
"You were a good soldier," she murmured. "Rest in peace."
Then, as she dropped her hand, a familiar flicker of light drifted beside her. The little flame had effortlessly phased through the doors as if solid barriers meant nothing to it.
Alexia twitched. A wide, dangerously sweet smile spread across her face.
"You're so amazing," she drawled, her voice sugar-coated. "Just walking through like it's nothing, while some of us actually have to put in effort."
Casually, she gestured toward the shattered remains of her weapon.
The flame flickered innocently.
Alexia's eye twitched harder.
The little flame glanced at her with what could only be described as pity, puffing out its tiny chest before waltzing away—completely ignoring the throbbing vein on Alexia's forehead.
Behind it, she inhaled sharply, scooping up a jagged ruby shard from the wreckage of her battle axe. Her fingers curled around it, tightening just enough to draw blood. She raised her arm, fully prepared to hurl it at the smug little fireball—
But then she hesitated.
Instead, she glared.
Sensing the shift in energy, the flame turned around. It found Alexia smiling at it, wide-eyed and sweet, the picture of innocence.
Suspicious, it lingered for a second before floating away.
The moment it turned its back, Alexia's fake smile dropped. She flicked the shard aside, wiping the blood off on her sleeve. Whatever. One day.
With a dramatic sigh, she trailed after it. "I really need a spa day after all this," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.
Her irritation didn't last long.
As they entered the cavern, her breath hitched.
Blood-red crystals jutted from the ceiling like incandescent stalactites, their glow painting jagged patterns across the cavern walls. They hung like the fangs of some great beast, their razor-sharp edges both beautiful and unforgiving.
Alexia's lips parted, her golden eyes reflecting the eerie red glow. "How can something so beautiful seem so deadly?" she murmured, voice tinged with both confusion and admiration.
Then, a slow smile.
"…I kinda like it."
The little flame noticed she had stopped walking and bounced twice in place, trying to get her attention.
Alexia blinked, snapping out of her daze. That's when she noticed it.
A long, narrow slab of stone stretched forward, leading to a towering marble statue shrouded in shadows. Even from here, she could make out the faintest details—flowing robes, an outstretched hand, something held delicately between its fingers.
She squinted, straining to see past the darkness.
"…Is she holding a star?"
"Greetings, Challenger."
A melodious, serene voice pulled Alexia back to the present. She whipped her head around, searching for the source.
"Since you have been chosen by fate, you may proceed with your challenge."
Her brows furrowed. "Great. Either I'm hearing voices again, or this is real."
She took a step forward, only to immediately grimace. A wave of heat washed over her, and sweat began to form on her forehead. "Is it just me, or am I getting fried in here?" She muttered, tugging at her collar.
Stopping at the start of the narrow path ahead, she scrunched her nose. "Sulfur and coal?"
"You, chosen one, must prove yourself by reaching me—" the voice continued, as if reading from a script "—by crossing the lava gorge. Your success will be richly rewarded. Your failure… will prove you are unfit for the legacy."
Alexia frowned, looking down the narrow stone slab leading to the distant marble statue. "I don't see what the big deal is. Just gotta walk a straight line, right?"
Her gaze flickered to the molten gold bubbling on either side of the path. She exhaled sharply, feeling the heat intensify.
"And besides," she continued, rolling her shoulders, "I'm not interested in some random legacy. I just came for my Fire Heart Stone."
The voice remained unfazed. "Failure to complete the trial reveals that you are not fated."
A pause. Then, its tone shifted—eerily soft, yet dripping with something sinister.
"The unfated will be judged. My verdict?"
The cavern seemed to darken.
"A gruesome death."
Alexia blinked.
'Did it just say gruesome death?'
Slowly, she turned her head to the little flame. It floated beside her, silent. When it finally twirled in place, she swore it was shaking its head.
Her lips parted.
Then, she scoffed.
"Oh, come on. Are you seriously this desperate for people to play your little game?" She crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "I have a baby bird waiting for me, you know."
Without further hesitation, she stepped forward, walking straight into the trial.
"Let the challenge begin."
The voice rang out again, accompanied by a deep, ominous rumble.
"What the heck?" Alexia's eyes widened as she bolted forward. A massive chunk of rock crashed down right where she had been standing, exploding on impact into a million sharp vermilion shards.
"Huff—Oh, come on! Falling rocks? You really meant it when you said gruesome!" She jumped aside, barely dodging a surge of molten gold from the disturbed lava pools.
Then she looked up.
Her breath caught.
The entire maze of stalactites was collapsing.
"This is insane—oh!"
Her words cut off as she slid sideways, narrowly avoiding another falling boulder. Lava waves surged past her, licking at the edges of the stone path. The air smelled of sulfur and burnt rock, clinging to her skin like a second layer. Sweat dripped down her temple, but she didn't dare wipe it away—her focus was locked ahead.
The path behind her was disintegrating, crumbling into the molten abyss below.
"I have to reach that statue. Not because of some dumb legacy, but because—"
The ground trembled violently.
"Give me a break!"
She barely had time to react before another stalactite plummeted toward her. Instinct kicked in. She rolled, slid, and somersaulted past it, feeling the scorching heat lick at her skin. Then—pain.
A burning sensation seared through her shoulder. She glanced down. A splash of lava had grazed her.
Her lips curled into a cynical smile.
"It's... showtime."
A faint white gleam pulsed across her body. Beneath her tattered clothes, her skin hardened—smooth, pristine scales rapidly covering every inch. Her nails elongated into lethal claws.
Much better.
She took off, her speed doubling as she blurred across the crumbling path.
Then an idea struck.
Her eyes flicked to the boulders crashing down around her.
"Time to go crazy."
She leaped—landing with a heavy thud on a falling rock. It wobbled beneath her, plummeting fast, but she didn't hesitate. She launched to the next one, leaving the first to vanish into the bubbling lava with a hiss.
A scorching pillar of molten gold shot up, barely missing her. She twisted midair, her claws slashing through smaller debris, carving a path through the chaos.
Adrenaline pumped through her veins.
"This—this is just like my favorite action novel!" she laughed, her golden eyes gleaming as she sliced through a falling obsidian stalactite.
"I'm living the dream! Who knew I had an inner action hero?!"