Chapter 10

Who am I?

- "Ssikari, please tell me who you really are." – Blazorus asked Ssikari's spirit.

- "Very well…" – Ssikari reflected and carefully composed her story in order not to miss a single detail. – "Long ago, I was in Siaris's position as the Dragon Priestess. I was the ruler of Firestorm due to being the bearer of the Blessing of Zellare, the God of the Fire Dragons. Hs'Sakar here was my counselor.

- "Was Zellare alive back then?" – Siaris asked in curiosity.

- "Yes, he was. He was not only the God of the Fire Dragons, but also the Prime Fire Dragon at the time."

- "I see…" – Siaris said.

- "Anyway, when I was little, I traveled to Basani and started learning Pyromancy. I wanted to harness the same power the Dragons did. That was also when I met Shurpu, the Guardian of the Ring, or should I say, Shurpu's spirit. He had somehow turned into a giant creature made out of lava. I approached the creature, and then heard a voice in my head as it was looking at me. Shurpu's spirit was telepathically communicating with me."

*FLASHBACK*

- "What brings you here, young one?" – Shurpu's spirit asked young Ssikari.

- "I… I want to become a Pyromancer!" – Ssikari said.

- "For what purpose?" – Shurpu's spirit asked.

- "My home land has deep connections to the Element of Fire, and since I am a Dragonborn, I want to harness the same power the Fire Dragons in my land have."

- "Are you aware that the path of a Pyromancer is extremely difficult? Many of those who stood where you stand right now took on this path and all succumbed to the insanity to the power they've possessed."

- "I am well aware of it all, otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here before you, mighty Guardian."

Shurpu chuckled. – "Your words are wise for someone so young as you." – The giant creature stepped aside afterwards. – "Please, step forward towards the altar in front of you." – The altar had a sacred ember on it, ready for Ssikari to embrace.

*FLASHBACK*

- "And that's when I harnessed the power of the Fire Dragons." – Ssikari's spirit said. – "Shurpu took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew."

- "I see." – Blazorus said.

- "Afterwards, when I returned to Firestorm as a full-fledged Pyromancer, I came to this temple to meet Hs'Sakar and be crowned the ruler of Firestorm. Months later, Xan attacked our land. I sent my Living Fires to try and stop him, but only to see them fail and make me leave the temple and face him myself. He had the Ring of Shurpu in his possession and use Shurpu's abilities against me. The only way to stop him was to use my ultimate ability, Blazing Extinction, and sacrifice my Life Essence in order to strengthen it. As I cast it, Shurpu's spirit somehow powered me up, allowing me to defeat Xan. However, even though I relinquished my Life Essence to do so, my spirit lived on, and I had reincarnated into the Prime Fire Dragon living today in the heart of the Volcano."

- "Right…" – Blazorus pondered the whole story. – "And where do I come in? I wasn't able to relate that story to my birth."

- "A few millennia later, our spirits combined both our Life Essences in order to create a new living being, our offspring. He was to be the first Fire Dragonborn in history."

- "Blazorus, you're both a Fireborn and a Dragonborn, are you not?" – Siaris asked Blazorus. He didn't answer. His expression was blank. – "Blazorus, are you okay?"

- "The first… Fire Dragonborn…?" – Blazorus was shocked. – "Are you talking about… me?"

- "Wait, you've mentioned "our spirits". What do you mean by that? Who's the other party in "our"?" – Siaris asked Ssikari's spirit.

Ssikari let out a chuckle. – "The other party in "our" would be the Fireborn himself, Shurpu's spirit."

- "What!?" – Blazorus and Siaris said simultaneously.

- "Are you saying… I am descendent from both you and Shurpu?" – Blazorus asked.

- "That's right." – Ssikari's spirit said. – "You are the result of the merge of our Life Essences. You are our offspring."

Blazorus stood silent, looking at Ssikari's spirit, who smiled at him.

- "Hello, son." – Ssikari's spirit said.

- "Mother…" – Blazorus said, struggling to hold back a tear. There was a moment of silence, during which the young Fireborn snapped out of it and returned to his normal demeanor.

- "That would mean his father would be…" – Siaris said.

- "Shurpu, the Guardian of the Ring." – Hs'Sakar finished Siaris's sentence.

- "My father, huh?" – Blazorus said. – "I wish I could have met him…"

- "Don't worry about it, son." – Ssikari's spirit said. – "You will be able to meet him one day."

- "Well, that explains why you're both a Fireborn and a Dragonborn." – Siaris said.

- "In any case…" – Hs'Sakar said. – "I hope all your questions have been answered by Ssikari's story."

- "They have, High Priest. Thank you." – Blazorus said. Hs'Sakar closed his eyes as if he was sensing something.

- "What is it, Hs'Sakar? Do you sense something?" – Siaris asked the High Priest.

- "I can hear it." – Hs'Sakar said. – "I can hear the Prime Fire Dragon's call."

- "What…?" – Siaris said. – "The Dragon's call?"

- "Huh? What is it?" – Blazorus asked, confused.

- "It would appear the dragon "me" is calling the Dragonborn." – Ssikari's spirit said, causing everyone to look at Blazorus.

- "Wh-What's going on?" – Blazorus asked. – "Why is everyone looking at me?"

- "The Prime Fire Dragon is calling for you, young one." – Hs'Sakar said. – "You must go to her."

- "Huh? Why's that?"

- "So you can receive her blessing." – Ssikari's spirit said. – "You are her son, after all."

- "Right."

- "Siaris, please take Blazorus to the Prime Fire Dragon." – Hs'Sakar said.

- "Very well." – Siaris said, then turned to Blazorus. – "Shall we get going?"

- "Alright." – Blazorus said, his voice trembling a bit. Blazorus and Siaris both left the Temple afterwards.

- "Hmm…" – Hs'Sakar was pondering something.

- "What's wrong, Hs'Sakar?" – Ssikari's spirit asked.

- "With the blessing of the Prime Dragon herself, I sense Blazorus's Dragon Essence will grow with power. I pray for Firestorm to prosper once again as a result."

- "What do you mean by that?" – Ssikari's spirit asked, concerned about her land.

- "A major threat has been terrorizing the entire province of Etherstorm, and Firestorm is no exception."

- "A major threat?"

- "Yes, he has appeared a few centuries after your demise. The creatures of Firestorm have been living every day with fear in their minds. Fear to die. For this threat is as dangerous as death itself."

- "What…? That sounds horrible!" – Ssikari's spirit was shocked by Hs'Sakar's words. – "You don't mean… him, do you?"

- "Who, Xan? I'm afraid not. The threat is a dragon. A dragon different from any other in Etherstorm. He was an outcast to everyone, which eventually led him to his rebellion against his home. Now, every single creature who despised him now fear him."

- "I have never heard of such a dragon…" – Ssikari's spirit said. – "Isn't there any way to defeat him?"

- "There is now." – Hs'Sakar said. – "The Dragonborn with the Prime Dragon's blessing will be able to face and defeat Desoloth the Final."

- "Desoloth the Final?" – Ssikari's spirit asked.

- "Now that Blazorus has arrived and is on his way to Ssikari, a light of hope is glowing over Etherstorm."

- "He is not ready to face such a strong opponent yet." – Ssikari's spirit said.

- "He will be." – Hs'Sakar said. – "He will be…"