Learning the Flame Hero's Past to Help
After everyone had dinner together, they had a little more talk for a while longer until it was decided to go to bed for the night with the adventurers going to back to their guild in the morning to make their report to their Guild Master.
"Excuse me, Miss Shizu. If you don't mind, me and Helen would like to have a moment with you." Opera approached the mask woman.
"You two need me for something?" Shizu asked.
"It's more like you need help with something dangerous and alive inside of you." Opera said without hesitation in their faces.
Shizu became shocked with her eyes widen behind her mask when they said that almost like they knew about her having the powerful great fire spirit inside her body, but how was this demon servant able to know that.
"Do not worry, this is all to ease Lord Iruma's concern for you." Opera assured.
"Iruma was concern for me?" Shizu asked surprise.
"Yes, he informed me about the headache you had earlier with him and Lord Rimuru. And I helped him remembered the feeling of fire coming from you, a fire that is quite powerful than even strong mages. That's when I realize that you might have Ifrit." Opera explained.
Shizu looks down placing her hands together feeling sad about troubling Iruma to worry about her like this, she hopes the boy doesn't pay no mind to her too much.
"Which is why I want to offer you, my help." Opera said.
"Help me, but how?" Shizu asked.
"It's about Helen." Opera mentioned the fire demon.
"You mean one of the summon servants Iruma summoned earlier in the tent?" Shizu asked, she didn't think those girls would be important for this kind of thing.
"That's right, Helen is a high-ranking fire demon with the ability to wield powerful flames and has a way with connecting herself to the spirits to either the living or the dead. Or in your case, having Ifrit within you." Opera explained.
"Truth be told, the summoning was my idea in order to help you." Opera revealed that part of their plan as well.
"You… Really want to help with Ifrit?" Shizu asked.
"All for my Lord." Opera stated with a slight bow.
"You should also know that Iruma did seem to view you as a mother." Opera mentioned which surprises Shizu.
"Me? A mother, but what about his own mother?" Shizu asked.
"Let just say she was not the mother for Iruma, but you will have to ask him yourself if you want the full story." Opera advised to see their master about that.
"So, what do you say? Do you wish to end the burning suffering that you have gone through for so many decades?" Opera asked, having their hand to Shizu.
Shizu looks down at the hand while thinking about what Opera is saying to help her to possibly free herself from Ifrit from within, but she also knew that if Ifrit was removed from her body, then she will only have moments left in life since Ifrit is tie to her lifeforce.
But if there is really a chance for her to truly be free from his burning torment, then she is willing to take that chance.
"Okay, please help me." Shizu decided to go with this help.
"Follow me." Opera nodded.
The two walked over to a private tent that is a little outside of the construction village where Helen is waiting for them from the inside of the tent.
"Hello, I'm surprise you decided to trust a demon to help you." Helen greeted.
"Well, one can't argue from the words of a demon butler who serves a little boy with great concerns for another who he barely knew." Shizu said as she took off her mask.
"So, what must we do here?" Shizu asked as she placed the mask between herself and Helen.
"We will hold our hands onto each other's to connect our souls, then I'll be able to face Ifrit from within hopefully to force him out." Helen answered, but with a slightly sad expression.
"I know that with Ifrit connecting to your lifeform since he took you as his vessel and removing him could mean you'll die. I do know of a way to help with that, but… that would also mean you won't be the same anymore." Helen warned.
"Even so, if there is really a chance for me to be free from "Him" then I'll gladly take it." Shizu determined to see this through to the end.
"(Demon Lord Leon. Just what kind of torture did you put this girl through?)" Opera thought wondered and feeling a hint of anger within his being.
"Just be aware that I may look into your memories for this as well." Helen informed as she held out her hand toward Shizu.
"That's fine, it's best you know what's going on." Shizu nodded and place her hand onto Helen's.
Helen began forcing her magic through her arm to the hand then connecting that magic into Shizu in the hands and to the soul, and that's when the minds started connecting.
(Many Years Ago)
Young Shizune is running through the panicked and chaotic street with her mother trying to keep hold of her little hand. Fire was everywhere and the people were running in fear of the war that has come to their home.
But then Shizune lost her mother when some burning wood suddenly fell right on top of her and dying right in front of the little girl's eyes.
"Mommy! Mommy, please!" Shizune begged calling out to her.
But then something strange started happening around little Shizune, the flames are coming together surrounding her and lifting her up, and then she vanishes within the flame and was taken away to another world.
(Demon Lord Leon's Castle)
Demon Lord Leon just went through a summon ritual that would normally require the usual condition to bring someone from another world, but he can do so with his own demonic powers and was hoping to have summoned a strong warrior to do as he please.
But instead, he ended up getting a weak little girl who seem to have gone through a fire incident with her left arm almost completely burned and that goes for some of the left side of her body.
"Great, another failure." Leon disappointed in the result, walking with the belief that the girl is dead.
"P-Please… Help me." Shizune begged, reaching out her hand and feeling the extreme pain from her body.
This causes Leon to stop upon hearing the little girl who is not dead and turns around.
"I thought she would be useless, but perhaps she has an affinity for fire." Leon theorized and a big floating fireball appeared next to Leon on the right.
This scares Shizune to see this fire, she doesn't know what is happening right now, but she does know that something bad is about to happen, if only her body wasn't so weak to run away right now.
"Ifrit, I'm offering her body to you. Use it well." Leon said.
The fireball forms into a monstrous humanoid figure roaring fiercer than a lion and glares down at the girl, then he consumes Shizune into fire and goes inside her body as the fire bursts for a moment until it stops.
Shizune looks at her herself both scared in confusion at the same time while Leon just stares at her with an emotionless gaze.
Suddenly a slightly glowing green feather came in which got Leon's attention seeing as this is no ordinary feather as it touches the floor, and a small tornado comes out which frightens Shizune and a humanoid monster bird appeared.
"The great sorcerer Koenig is here. I hope you don't mind me dropping in." Koenig laughed announcing himself.
"Leon. I'll defeat you and claim my place as the Demon Lord. It's time to die, pretender!' Koenig declared with his trident ready for battle.
"I see, while that sounds sound amusing… I believe I'll pass." Leon turned down the scum birdman.
"Take care of him, Ifrit." Leon ordered, but Shizune has no idea what this man is talking about as she hasn't process anything.
"What's the matter?" Leon asked, causing the girl to look at him.
Leon's eyes glow blood red and suddenly Shizune gasp as her right eye that is still working turns red with yellow iris and becomes limp.
"You can't just ignore me, Leon! I will have my fight with you!" Koenig angered and notices the little girl is facing him.
"How cute, the child has a death wish." Koenig commented.
"Very well then, I'm happy to oblige!" Koenig unleased his feathery wind attack.
However, that has been easily overpowered by Ifrit's fire burning through the wind and feathers and burning Koenig away into nothing not even leaving any ashes left.
"That was quite impressive." Leon chuckled, Shizune is confused of what just happened.
"Tell me, child. What's your name?" Leon asked.
"Shizue." Shizune answered.
"Shizu… eh? As of today, you will be called Shizu." Leon declared, believing this will be a better name for him to remember.
(Sometime Later)
Shizu is walking through the woods performing her "job" as guard around the castle until she heard a loud barking sound, she follows the barking sound to the source and then found a girl about the same age as her with a little monster that barks like a dog.
"You can eat all you want, okay?" The girl smiled chuckling.
Shizu watches carefully but didn't notice the twig she was stepping on and broke the twig which gave away her stealth position.
The girl gasp turning her head to see a girl about her age walking up to them and feeling a bit scared.
"Uh, he got separated from his mother. Please don't tell anyone about this." The girl begged. She knows that monsters are usually enemies to most, but she just wants to be friends with this little monster.
Shizu can tell this girl is really a caring kid to even share some love for a little monster beast.
"It'll be our secret. Do you think I could help care for him?" Shizu decided to try being friends with this girl and the little beast.
The girl was shocked for a second, but she smiles with joy to have found a new friend.
"Yes, I'd like that." The girl nodded.
Later, Shizu came back with a piece of lettuce hoping to feed the little monster, and he eats the lettuce.
"Look, he's eating it." Shizu smiled and the two little girls share a laughing moment.
"He's so cute. What's his name?" Shizu asked as she picked up the little monster.
"Monster don't typically have names." The girl pointed out.
"Well, we have to call him something." Shizu believed that everybody deserves a name, even the monsters. And the little monster whimpers agreeing with the black hair girl.
"It sounds like he agrees." Shizu said, then thought of a name for him.
"What about "Pizu"?" Shizu suggested.
"Pizu. That's perfect. Right, Pizu?" The girl asked smiling.
The beast now known as Pizu whimpers with joy to finally have a name and he suddenly glows brightly for a moment.
"Look at that. He just got bigger!" Shizu noticed the sudden slight change.
"You're such a good boy." Shizu giggled.
Then a day later, the girl with her revealed as Pirino decided on an idea that just might work as she makes her way to the castle.
"Pirino, you know that you can't take him into the castle, right?" Shizu said, feeling worried about this idea.
"Aw, it'll be okay. He's really smart." Pirino pointed out.
"But…" Shizu hesitated to let them go into the castle.
"Besides, you've seen how friendly he is. I'm sure they'll let him be my familiar." Pirino believed that everything is going to work out fine.
"If you say so." Shizu said, really hoping that Pirino is right.
However, everything is not right the moment they enter the castle, and they see Leon looking down at them with his emotionless gaze again and Pizu started snarling at the man as his instincts are alerting him that this man is really dangerous.
"Hey, uh, what's wrong with you? Stop it, calm down for a second." Pirino begged Pizu to calm down, not knowing this man is actually a Demon Lord.
"It's okay. Uh, uh, just be a good boy, Pizu." Pirino continued to struggle calming down Pizu.
But the situation only grew worse as Shizu suddenly felt the dangerous fire spirit Ifrit taking over her body again with the eyes turning red and yellow again.
"You're alright. Everything is fine." Pirino said, then she notices Shizu is now standing right in front of them with her eyes change and something seems very different about her.
"Shizu?" Pirino wondered if Shizu is okay, but Pizu growls at the girl knowing that is not Shizu right now.
Ifrit-Shizu deem them a threat because of how the little monster is viewing Leon as an enemy and unleash a fire pillar completely incinerating both Pirino and Pizu at the same time, and instantly killing them.
Leon just scoffs, unimpressed with how things turned out and leaves for his chamber, leaving poor Shizu in shock alone as she fell on her knees.
"What did I… just do?" Shizu confused in fear.
"My whole body… it felt like it was moving on its own. And the fire, it wasn't me. I couldn't stop." Shizu cried loudly of pain that she lost both friends. Friends that she finally gained after all this time since being summoned to this world.
(Present, Within Shizu's Soul)
Helen gasped upon seeing everything that happened to the girl, how she was treated by Leon as nothing but an amusement to him and how he would allow Ifrit to make this young woman suffered by burning everything she started to hold dear and cherish.
"To think you had to go through such suffering and pain for a long time, I am sorry for you." Helen said looking sad.
"If I hadn't met Lord Derkila and showed me compassing to others including humans, then maybe I would've just laughed it off and find humans' suffering to be entertaining." Helen hugged herself a bit.
"But I am not that kind of demon anymore, and there is also my new Demon Lord who wishes for the suffering of this woman to be over." Helen determined with a fierce glare as she looks up facing the great fire spirit Ifrit.
"Might fire spirit Ifrit, you have caused enough problems for this woman and it's time for you two to spend some time apart… Permanently." Helen burst her fists into flames with her horns lilting as well.
Ifrit just roars in rage with his fire hair growing more intensely and the heat becoming hotter that would make any person sweat faster than a pig, but Helen doesn't feel much from the heat as she has a high resistance to heat like this and he glares at the demon woman.
Ifrit charges at the woman to destroy her before she could try anything to stop him from gaining his freedom to be in control, not when it was so close for him.
"You should feel honor to be consume by my great fire sealing spell that can seal away even powerful spirits like you!" Helen bragged as she raises her power.
"Burning Containment Solar Wave!" Helen thrusted her arms forward as a giant swirling tunnel of flames goes right toward Ifrit trapping him inside.
Ifrit suddenly felt something pulling him against his will and surprisingly couldn't do a thing about it as the vortex of the flame tunnel is pulling him in, and the spell is pulling him toward Helen and the tunneling fire becomes smaller and then changes into a small orb of fire and trap inside a glass sphere.
"And it is done." Helen sighed in relief.
"But now there's the matter of changing Shizu to make sure she doesn't die, and that would mean she'll no longer be human." Helen said as she looks around.
Helen knew this is going to take some time, but she has confidence within herself to get the job done.
(Outside, with Opera)
"Hmm, it looks like Helen has done a great job." Opera smiled with their eyes glowing red, and the pupils became sharper looking directly at Helen and Shizu.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Helen has learned more about Shizu's tragic past of having been forced to become a vessel for the great fire spirit Ifrit, everything that happened to her was because of Leon and Ifrit but she was able to help put the fire spirit away and now will go about changing Shizu.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!