Chapter 4

Awakening

Back at the orphanage, the kids were getting worried about Scoria and Blazorus.

- "They're taking a while to come back… I hope they're okay…" – a girl said.

- "They're battling against a lava golem we had run into…" – Andesi said, sounding regretful. – "Mom…"

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the village, Blazorus doesn't move after being knocked down by a strong attack from the golem. Scoria was shocked to see his student harshly injured. The golem turns to her after hearing her words to Blazorus, and attacks her.

- "Argh!" – Scoria lets out a scream just as she dodges an attack from the golem. – "Blazorus! Help!" – Blazorus wasn't listening. He was unconscious.

Shortly afterwards, Blazorus wakes up. Looking around, he wonders where he is. Everything was dark around him, he couldn't see anything. It's like he was drowned in a sea of darkness, with nothing around him.

- "Where… am I? What happened to… Ms. Scoria…?" – Blazorus keeps looking around and around and around… all he saw around him was darkness.

- "Wake up…" – A feminine voice echoed, startling Blazorus.

- "Who's there?" – He asked, looking around him, but seeing no one. It was then that a flaming spirit appeared in front of him. It appeared to be the spirit of the Dragon Priestess Ssikari.

- "You must unleash the Essence lying deep within your heart."

- "Huh…?" – Blazorus was rather confused. – "Essence…? What do you mean…? W-Who are you…?"

- "It is time for you to discover the power you've possessed since birth, in order to be able to protect yourself, as well as the people you care for."

Blazorus didn't reply to the spirit's last sentence, but was glaring at her. He started a train of thoughts. Essence deep within his heart, he power he's possessed since birth, the people he cared for… It was very confusing to him, so, he asked for more.

- "This power you've mentioned… Can you tell me about it…?"

- "You will have to discover it on your own. Close your eyes and listen to your heart. It will tell you not only about your power, but who you are as well."

- "Who I am…?" – Blazorus started feeling a little anxious. He didn't know who he was exactly, so, he closed his eyes and attempted to listen to his heart, like the spirit said.

- "Yes… concentrate… talk to your heart." – The spirit tried to guide Blazorus into discovering his power. – "Your power is that of the ancient creatures that inhabited this world many centuries ago. Awaken it, and you will be able to defeat the Lava Golem you were battling earlier."

At the sound of the Lava Golem, Blazorus opened his eyes and gasped in fright. – "The Lava Golem…!?" – He remembered the lava golem he was trying to defeat. – "Yes, I remember… *gasp*!" – He realized something. – "Ms. Scoria!"

- "If you wish to save your friend from the Lava Golem, you must awaken your power and discover your true self."

- "Y-Yes…" – Blazorus closed his eyes again and concentrated harder than before. He wasn't able to hear anything, but then…

*HEARTBEAT*

His heart had reacted to his concentration, and, as he was seeing his very own heart in front of him, he was also able to see its core. There was an ember burning bright. That was his spirit. His Essence.

- "Blazorus…" – A deep, male voice echoed in his mind. – "By having discovered me in the core of your heart, you must have realized…"

- "R-Realized…?" – Blazorus looked at the ember. – "What do you mean…?"

- "You are a Fireborn, young one." – The ember said, much to Blazorus's surprise.

- "A Fireborn!?"

*HEARTBEAT*

Blazorus's heart had reacted again, knowing that his identity had finally been revealed. Realizing this, he turns to the ember with a look of determination in his eyes, but said nothing.

- "Do you wish to awaken to the power of the Fireborn that is bestowed upon you? Do you wish to become the Master of Flames, and protect the people you love, as well as yourself?" – Blazorus nods at both of the ember's questions.

- "I want to defeat that Lava Golem… and save Ms. Scoria!" – Blazorus's eyes were emitting a bright orange color, as if they were on fire. His fists were clenched, ready to awaken to his power and his true identity.

- "Very well…" – The ember started burning even brighter. – "Arise, Fireborn! May the Flame of Courage burn ever bright within you!"

Meanwhile, back into reality, Scoria was knocked down and looking at the golem in fright. She was completely defenseless and at the mercy of the monster.

- "No! Get away from me!" – Scoria said. Her eyes were wet. She was crying for her life. Just then, a bright light emitted from Blazorus's body. – "Huh? Blazorus…?" – Scoria was surprised. The golem turned to Blazorus as well.

His body was now surrounded by an aura of flames, and his eyes were glowing orange. He got up. His hands were also burning. He had discovered his true self, and harnessed the power of Fire at last. He glared aggressively at the Lava Golem, forcing him to roar and target him.

- "Blazorus!" – Scoria was stunned by what she was seeing.

- "I got this, Ms. Scoria!" – Blazorus showed much more confidence than before. He knew he could defeat the Golem this time.

As the golem smacks his fists hard into the ground, launching the same attack that took him down before, he jumps upwards. He opened his arms sideways and summoned a number of fireballs from each hand.

- "Orbital Flames!" – Blazorus shouts as he throws the fireballs at the golem, hitting it in its head. Furious by the attack, the golem retaliates with a loud roar. But Blazorus doesn't stop there. He summons more fireballs and throws at it, eventually knocking down the golem. He approaches the fallen golem, and points the palm of his right hand at its face, and delivers the finishing blow, a burst of flames similar to a flamethrower.

- "Blazorus…" – Scoria looked at the awakened Fireborn in fright. However, shortly after the golem was defeated, the aura of fire surrounding Blazorus had disappeared, and his eyes weren't glowing orange anymore, but their Iris was now permanently colored orange. He turns to Scoria.

- "Ms. Scoria, are you alright?" – Blazorus asked as he ran towards her.

- "Yes, I am… What happened to you back there…? It's like… Ugh!" – Scoria had injured her leg. It was probably the golem's doing while he was unconscious. – "My leg…"

- "I'll carry you, don't worry." – Blazorus said as he wrapped his arm around Scoria's shoulders and lifted her legs with his other arm, carrying her as if he was her Prince Charming.

- "It's like you were someone completely different…" – Scoria continued, looking at Blazorus. – "And your eyes…" – Blazorus looked back at Scoria.

- "My eyes…?" – Blazorus asked Scoria.

- "They've changed color… Wow…" – Scoria smiled and giggled – "Orange eyes make you look handsome" – She blushed.

- "Haha" – Blazorus laughed nervously.

- "Thank you." – Scoria said, leaving Blazorus in surprise. – "You saved Andesi and the others, as well as me. I owe you my gratitude."

- "It is I who should thank you, Ms. Scoria." – Blazorus said. – "By letting me go rescue the kids, I have discovered my true self… and my power…"

- "Huh?" – Scoria was confused. – "You mean the Pyromancer skills you fought the Golem with?"

- "Yes. It's a long story. I will explain everything after you get some rest." – Blazorus said, looking forward to getting some rest as well.

Meanwhile, in the Ruins of Shurpu…

- "I sense something…" – the exiled Xan said, looking at the palm of his left hand. – "I sense a peculiar presence in the village…" – he was referring to Blazorus. – "So, he's back… I'll be looking forward to meeting you… Fireborn."