The sky above the Fire Canyon was dyed a deep orange, as if the sun itself were reflecting the fire veins coursing beneath the ground. Little Fire and Spirit Fairy stood at the edge of a molten chasm, the air thick with heat and spirit pressure. The glow of the Fire Lotus pulsed beneath them, buried within the heart of the canyon.
"I'll go first," Little Fire said, stepping forward with his blade glowing in crimson flames.
"Wait," Spirit Fairy's voice stopped him.
He turned, and for a moment, she hesitated—fingers reaching up toward her veil.
"I don't want to hide anymore. Not in front of you."
With a soft motion, she removed her veil.
The veil fluttered down like ash in the wind, and for a breathless moment, time itself seemed to pause around them.
Her hair fell in elegant waves, a unique blend of deep crimson and silver-blue, like molten flame laced with moonlit water. It shimmered with each motion, catching the glow of the lava like woven strands of fire and mist.
Her eyes—he hadn't seen anything like them in his life. One was a burning gold, like the sun at its zenith, fierce and proud. The other was a tranquil ocean blue, deep and still, as if holding the weight of countless memories. Emotions flickered through them—grief, warmth, strength, and a quiet, fragile hope.
Her face was breathtaking. Pale yet glowing with a faint warmth, her cheeks were smooth and soft like porcelain kissed by fire. Her lips held a natural pink hue, neither cold nor smiling but poised with elegance and silent emotion. A faint fragrance rose from her—a blend of wildflowers touched by steam and ash. She didn't look like someone from the mortal world. She looked like a being born between fire and rain, forged by contradiction.
And Little Fire... he felt it.
A strange warmth rose in his chest—different from cultivation flames, different from battle heat. It was gentle yet wild, a burning that started in his heart and crept up to his neck, making his breath catch. Not from fear. Not from pain.
From her.
He blinked, eyes briefly wide, as his body tensed without reason.
Why is my heart… burning?
He quickly looked away—but only for a second. His gaze returned to her like a flame drawn to kindling.
Spirit Fairy noticed.
Her eyes softened, and a faint, knowing smile curved on her lips. She tilted her head slightly and said in a light voice,
"Oh? Is something wrong, Little Fire? You're staring quite intensely…"
He froze. "I-I wasn't—staring. Just observing. Strategically."
"Strategically observing my face?"
He coughed. "Observation is important for team dynamics!"
She chuckled—soft and low, like a breeze slipping between leaves. "Mm. I see. Then, as your teammate, I'm relieved to know you're paying… close attention."
Little Fire groaned internally and turned back toward the canyon. "Let's just get the Fire Lotus and forget this happened."
"Oh no," she said, amusement still in her tone. "I think I'll remember this forever."
Still smiling faintly, she tied the veil around her arm like a symbol of trust. Then her voice regained its usual calm, though a faint glow lingered in her cheeks.
"Now… the test awaits."
The moment of warmth between them faded into the blazing roar below. The Fire Lotus's trial had begun.
They leapt together from the cliff edge, descending in synchronized motion as steam and flame rushed past them. The canyon's heat intensified, making it hard to breathe. Little Fire wrapped himself in a shield of qi, while Spirit Fairy's body shimmered with a balance of cooling water and flickering flame.
At the base of the canyon, a platform of blackened stone awaited them, floating above a river of slow-churning lava. In its center, a circle of ancient runes pulsed rhythmically—this was the Fire Lotus's altar.
The second their feet touched the platform, a resonating hum shook the walls.
The runes flared.
A fiery illusion formed, rising like a flame-made specter. It took the shape of a young man in battle robes, wielding two curved swords wreathed in magma.
"The Trial of the Lotus begins," a deep voice echoed through the cavern. "Only those whose will burns truer than the flame shall earn the right to awaken its heart."
Spirit Fairy's dual aura rose behind her in response. "This is a spiritual trial—one that tests our inner fire."
Little Fire grinned, stepping forward. "Perfect. Let's show them what we're made of."
The illusion struck without warning.
Its first attack came like a wave—twin blades dancing with scorching heat, slashing through the air. Little Fire parried with his crimson sword, the clash sending sparks in every direction. The force of it pushed him back, but he dug his feet in, sliding only an inch.
"Fast!" he growled.
Spirit Fairy launched a counter—her hand forming a watery-flame spear that she hurled with incredible speed. It pierced through the illusion's side, causing it to flicker—but only for a second.
"Don't hold back!" she warned.
Little Fire roared, igniting his flame core to full force. Flames twisted around his arms as he vanished and reappeared behind the illusion. With a wide arc, he slashed across its back.
But the illusion turned to smoke, reforming behind him.
"Watch out!" Spirit Fairy cried.
Too late—the illusion's kick landed on his side, sending him crashing into a stone pillar.
He groaned and stood, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Okay," he said, "that hurt."
Spirit Fairy narrowed her eyes. "We need to synchronize."
He nodded. "Follow my rhythm. I'll charge in and push it back—you aim for the core."
They moved together, like dancers in a blaze.
Little Fire's attacks were wild and relentless—his blade slicing in arcs that drew afterimages in the air. The illusion focused on him, parrying and attacking with near-equal speed. Spirit Fairy circled, forming sigils midair. Her dual-element aura glowed brighter—water feeding the fire, fire shaping the water.
When the moment came, Little Fire feigned a stumble, baiting the illusion to strike his exposed side.
"Now!"
Spirit Fairy shouted, "Lotus Flame Seal—Converge!"
From above, a glowing lotus of steam and flame spiraled down, slamming into the illusion's core.
The cavern flashed white.
The illusion screamed and burst apart into motes of ash.
Silence returned.
The altar rumbled again. The runes expanded outward, revealing a hidden chamber beneath the platform.
At the chamber's heart rested the true Fire Lotus, blooming with elegant fury—its petals flickering between red and soft blue, the mark of dual acceptance.
Spirit Fairy stepped forward, drawn by the lotus's pulse. As she approached, her eyes shimmered again. "It's calling to both of us."
Little Fire stood beside her, still catching his breath. "Then let's answer."
Together, they reached out. The Fire Lotus pulsed in approval, and its core burst into radiant energy. Twin streams of qi—one crimson, one cerulean—shot into their bodies.
Little Fire's flames grew hotter, more focused, no longer wild and scattered. He felt his meridians widen, the flame within him stabilize—his body inching toward the late Core Formation realm.
Spirit Fairy's body glowed, her dual elements merging more fluidly. The turbulent storm within her calmed—no longer battling, but dancing.
Tears welled in her eyes.
Little Fire saw them and asked gently, "What is it?"
She turned slightly, a rare, soft smile on her now-unveiled face. "I feel… like I'm no longer divided."
He looked at her again, heart stirring, not just from the flames this time.
"…You're not," he whispered. "You're whole."
They stood there, side by side, as the energy faded. Lava calmed, the altar cooled. The Fire Lotus had accepted them.
And in the flickering warmth that remained, the air between them shifted—closer than before, yet still fragile.
"Next trial?" Little Fire asked, breaking the silence.
Spirit Fairy exhaled, her voice still soft. "Not yet. I want to sit here… just a little longer."
He nodded and sat beside her, close—but not quite touching.
Outside, the stars began to return. And within the depths of the volcano, something quiet and precious began to bloom—perhaps even more rare than the Fire Lotus.
---[To Be Continued]---