Enflamed (Book 2) (31 page)

As Kaijin saw it, it
disappeared.

“You belong to me, Kaijin
Sora.”

“I belong to ... you....”
Kaijn whispered under his breath. The world around him became a blur, and all
he saw were the flames. He smiled.

He felt Ranaiah’s gentle touch
on his shoulder.

“Kaijin, it is time,” she said
softly.

Her warm breath on the back of
his neck eased his tension. He blinked a few times, and the white fire blinded
him once again. He had to turn away. “I’m ready, priestess.”

Ranaiah’s hand slowly slid off
his shoulder and down his back, and he shuddered.

He heard a gasp behind
him—Zarya. He glanced over his shoulder. Zarya had turned her head away from
him. Ranaiah commenced the ritual before he could ponder her behavior.

She folded her hands and bowed
her head in prayer. Vargas and the rest of the clergy followed suit. “The
Firelord has blessed this day by bringing to us one of His servants. Kaijin
Sora has been deemed worthy as His disciple. May His holy flames forever
burn.
”

“May His holy flames forever
burn,” repeated the rest of the clergymembers, and then Kaijin.

Something took hold of Kaijin
again. His vision blurred, and the world gained a red-orange hue. He heard his
chanting slur until it became hissing that resembled the crackling flames of
the brazier. He couldn’t even understand his own speech.

He lowered the orb into the
brazier. The flames licked his arms and felt wonderful, softer than silk. It
cleansed him, burning away the dirt and dust from his travels. As he leaned
forward, the holy symbol hung above the flames.

“I am your Master.”

Kaijin whispered, “Master, I
beseech your great power. Please send my companions back to Ghaeldorund
safely.”

There was a series of
irritated hisses and crackles before the voice finally replied,
“Know that
they will always fear and respect me.”

“Of course, Master.”

Kaijin stared at the white
fire one more time, and everything went black.

* * *

Zarya watched as Kaijin began
to glow and flicker like the flames around him. He closed his eyes, and a fiery
essence surged through him, igniting every vein in his body. The heat and
brightness intensified, making everyone in the main hall cringe.

Zarya’s heart pounded
furiously. The heat intensified, and she drew back, uttering a prayer of
protection from the goddess. A protective ward appeared around her, Omari,
Aidan, and Nester.

Nester ducked behind Aidan,
who grimaced and shielded his face. Omari stood firm, invoking a translucent
shield of his own. Percival hid between Omari’s ankles, chirring frantically.

Kaijin released the orb into
the brazier. The flames roared, blazing into the atrium. Ranaiah and Vargas
jumped back, gawking.

Zarya’s invisible shield
dampened the heat around them, but as she strained to concentrate, she had a feeling
it wouldn’t last for long.

Kaijin turned away from the
brazier and regarded everyone with a blank stare. His usually sienna eyes
glowed with possession. He extended his hands toward his friends and chanted.

Flames leapt from the brazier
and engulfed the group. Omari and Zarya’s shields collapsed. Aidan fell to his
knees, cringing in fear. Nester huddled himself into a ball, screaming.

Zarya no longer saw Kaijin or
the other clergymembers—only living, swirling white and orange fire. But the
image of Kaijin remained embedded in her mind—as did the sadness. She had seen
him for the last time, and her heart sank with the realization that her
feelings for him had not seemed reciprocated.

That is where he belongs.
He is happy now, that is all that matters. And she is ... perfect for him.

And then she saw black.

* * *

Omari screamed and thrashed,
feeling
himself
burn, but when he opened his eyes and
didn’t see fire on him, he calmed down.
How? It feels so real.
His eyes
watered, and his vision wavered.

The flames were gone. He
wasn’t sure if he were alive or dead—last he remembered, he and his companions
were encompassed in the flames.

Cool night air kissed his
skin. The moon was nearing its apex. He heard crickets, the rustle of grass, and
the scurry of small nocturnal animals. Percival, coiled and shivering, sat in
his lap.

Omari sniffed the air. It was
fresh and crisp—nothing like the pungent coal and brimstone from the Pyre.
Have
I been dreaming?
Did I even pass the test?
His staff lay in the tall
grass beside him, the tip glowing with an electrical shimmer.

Passed.
He smiled.

He looked at the grassy fields
and realized they were familiar. To the north, a path snaked at the base of a
mountain pass.
Gryphon Pass.
Ghaeldorund wasn’t too far
away.

Weary, Omari slowly stood. He
set Percival on his shoulder, relieved that the adventure was over and he could
resume a more stable life.
“Hmph.
For once you managed
to do something right, Kaijin,” he muttered.

Someone groaned nearby. He
turned toward the sound and spied the rest of his companions
laying
in the grass. Omari approached them and nudged each one gently with his foot,
attempting to rouse them.

Zarya stirred. She groggily
opened her eyes.
“Mmm ... Omari?”

“Yes, yes, it is me.” Omari
helped her to her feet and assisted Nester and Aidan.

Nester rubbed the back of his
head. “You mean ... that li’l trick worked? Kaijin did it?”

“Seems so,” Omari said.
“Kaiijn got what he wanted, and so did I. Now, I must return to the Citadel.
Ghaeldorund lies just beyond the mountains there, through Gryphon’s Pass.”

Aidan stretched, making his
knuckles and his neck pop. Omari cringed at the sounds.

“So, Kaijin is still at the
Pyre....” Zarya said wistfully.

Omari huffed. “He is where he
belongs. I am just glad to be home.” He paused and added reluctantly, “I will
see what I can do, for you all to be given some accommodations for the night.
Afterwards, however, I must finish my business.”

“Of course.”
Zarya nodded curtly. “It was an honor to have
traveled with you.”

The group walked the majority
of the way in silence. Omari couldn’t help but stare off toward the southwest,
toward the Pyre.

He is really gone.
Omari found himself wondering how Kaijin was faring.

XXVII

The essence of Ignis left
Kaijin. He sank to his knees, feeling empty, as though his body had been used
and discarded just as quickly.

Kaijin leaned his back against
the bottom of the braizer and groaned. He stared blankly at the polished
obsidian floor.

“Kaijin?”

“Let him be, Vargas.” Ranaiah
shuffled beside Kaijin and knelt down.

She smelled sweet, flowery. He
focused on her. His gaze traced the hem of her robe,
then
trailed upward, noticing the faint outline of feminine curves. He finally
looked into her eyes. Much of her reminded him of Zarya, except she had
imperfections. Miniscule dark blemishes dotted her cheeks, and yet, it did not
detract from her beauty. It was the only thing he saw about her that assured him
that she was, indeed, human. Her natural beauty did not jar him, as Zarya’s
seemingly unnatural one had. Ranaiah’s imperfections were what truly attracted
him. He couldn’t help but smile at her.

Ranaiah’s expression softened.
She placed her hand on his and whispered, “Don’t try to move around too much. The
Firelord has demonstrated his power—and we were all honored to have witnessed
it.” She gestured to the rest of the hall where the clergymembers stood
awe-struck.

Kaijin’s smile faded. His
companions were gone.
Did the spell work?

“How do you feel, Kaijin?”
Ranaiah asked.

His tension eased. He looked
down at her silky smooth hand upon his.

His experience had been far
more powerful than what he experienced at Easthaven. “Words can’t explain how I
feel right now. I’m a Firebrand. I still don’t think I am worthy of such an
honor. I am a mage. Why has Ignis chosen
me
, of all people? Why has He
not chosen you, Ranaiah? You are the Eternal Flame.”
And you are beautiful,
he wanted to add.

The priestess tensed. “He has
chosen me to do other duties as the Eternal Flame. Ignis has chosen you as His
disciple and a conductor of His power. One cannot argue the ways of the gods.
Don’t worry, Kaijin. I will help you in any way I can.” She helped Kaijin to
his feet.

Kaijin slowly stood up and
braced himself against the edge of the braizer. “Is this going to keep
happening to me for the rest of my life?” he asked Ranaiah and Vargas wearily.

Vargas shook his head. “It
will happen for as long as Ignis allows. This is something beyond the control
of mortals.”

“For now, it seems you have
completed His task,” Ranaiah added. “But that does not mean He is done with
you. He is never done with any of us. The Firelord constantly finds new uses
for us and tests us through life. We must always be prepared. The
way of the Flames are
unpredictable; they soothe; they hurt;
and they heal.”

Kaijin stared at the ground
blankly. “People have died because of me. I lost my city—I lost my family.”

Ranaiah tilted Kaijin’s chin
toward the direction of the braizer. “You cannot blame yourself for what happened.
Look deep into the brazier and listen to Him. Call out to Him for these answers
and listen. He will tell you everything you need to know.”

Kaijin had no choice but to
look. Old memories—old wounds—reopened in his mind. Easthaven, his family, his friends,
his enemies, his master—he saw them all. Sighing softly, he stared into the
white flames, looking for that strange figure he had seen before.

The flickering entranced him.

Everything turned hazy, grey
and barren.

“Why?”
Kaijin called out in his mind.
“Why must there be
so much destruction?”
He trekked within the endless, yet familiar barren,
grey void of his mind until he encountered a bright light. He shielded his
eyes.

The light shimmered into an image
of burning white flames that no longer blinded him.
“Purity cannot come
without destruction.
Destiny cannot be made without purpose.”

Kaijin asked,
“What about
my companions? What has become of them?”

“They are where they
desired to be. They are alive and no longer concerned about you.”

“Why did you allow my
family to die?”

“Their deaths were
necessary, for you to begin your path to where you truly belong.”

Kaijin’s gaze wavered. Tears
formed and quickly evaporated, leaving a dry, salty crust on his cheeks.
“No
... I loved them.”

The flames chuckled.
“They
would never understand you, Kaijin Sora. They would forever deem you ‘strange.’
They have always doubted you.”

“No, they loved me.”

“Magic runs deep in your
lineage, Kaijin Sora. Your mother knew what mages were capable of and was
determined to break that line of Ankhram tradition by distancing herself from
the rest of her family. She always worried about your love for magic.

“She also knew she couldn’t
stop the inevitable, so she gave into Ramon’s decision for you to study magic.
But even after you had become adept at the art, you would never have been
welcomed back home.”

Kaijin’s eyes burned. He
wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t come.
Is it true?

“Rorick was always jealous
of you,”
the flames continued.
“He
wanted to learn magic, something he could never understand. He shunned you for
being different. Your family regretted this path you have chosen, but your
undying servitude shall be rewarded soon enough.”

Kaijin cringed. He missed his
brother dearly, and he could not begin to believe that he had been unwanted by
his family. But the Firelord had always seemed to speak nothing but truth. A
lump formed in his throat.

The light brightened, blinding
Kaijin again. He groaned, shielding his face and dropping to his knees. His
hands slid from his face, and he opened his eyes and discovered he was consumed
in darkness.

Kaijin awoke with a gasp.
Where
am I?

A fireplace in the corner and
several strategically placed candles lit the room. It was cozy like a bedroom,
with a bed, a desk, and a bookshelf. Miele stirred in the shadows of the
ceiling above, screeching in an echo to Kaijin’s surprise. Ranaiah stood at his
bedside.

Kaijin relaxed when he saw the
priestess.
“Ranaiah?”

“Yes, it’s me, Kaijin,” she
replied softly.

“Where ... Where am I?”

“One of the recovery rooms in
the Pyre. You fell unconscious shortly after the ritual and have been asleep
for about two hours.”

Kaijin blinked. He let his
hand slip off hers. “Have you been here all this time?”

Ranaiah smiled.
“Of course.
I wanted to ensure that you were all right.”

“But—”

She placed her finger over his
lips, silencing him. “You are important to all of us here. It is my duty to see
to your needs.” She lifted her finger.

He licked his lips, tasting a
hint that was sweeter than the sweetest honey.
What is happening to me? Why
do I feel this way?
The necklace pulsated steadily, but his heart
fluttered. He took a deep breath. “Please, Priestess. Don’t ... Don’t worry so
much about me. You should tend to your other duties.”

She chuckled. “You
are
part of my ‘other duties’, Kaijin. In fact, you are my highest priority.”

“You have done far more than
you should. I am eternally grateful. Please don’t trouble yourself any more
than you have.”

Ranaiah paused, slowly leaned
forward, and kissed his forehead. “You are anything but a bother, Kaijin, but I
will respect your wishes and leave you be. Rest some more. We will talk in the
morning. Don’t move around too much.”

Kaijin stared up at her,
feeling lost in her beauty. He swallowed the small lump in his throat.
Should
I be feeling like this?
“R–Ranaiah ...”

She gazed at him, her eyes
glittering. “I am always here for you, Kaijin.” As she stood, Kaijin gently
grasped her hand.

So enamored he was by her,
Kaijin hadn’t realized he’d done something possibly wrong until he saw the
surprise on her face. He quickly released her hand. “Ah ... forgive me,” he
mumbled, lowering his head in shame.

Damn it. What’s come over
me?!
“I ... I think you’re right. I
need more rest. Thank you, Priestess. Thank you for everything.” He lay back in
bed, and stared up at the ceiling, feeling content. He noticed Miele fluttering
happily.

To his relief, Ranaiah was not
upset. She smiled at him, her cheeks flushing, and then quietly left.

* * *

After shutting the door behind
her, Ranaiah rested her back against it and sighed.
So, he is the one I have
been seeking. At last, I have found him.