My mind was numb to pain. The researchers rammed yet another needle into my body for ‘research purposes’ and, of course, to make sure the evil Outsiders hadn’t infected me with anything nefarious.

  As much nonsense as they sputtered, they didn’t look worried. If anything, the doctors had been curious and confused about how the flames of an Emperor-ranked beast had washed over me without inflicting any harm. The researchers, on the other hand, weren’t even trying to hide their excitement. They couldn’t care less about my well-being either.

  If they did, they wouldn’t have kept me in the research facility of the Grand Camp’s Sanctuary for the last few days, examining every inch of my body. They went as far as to extract my soul energy to analyze it. They studied my world and scrutinized me from the inside out.

  It was disgusting, yet my complaints and curses met deaf ears.

  I was sure the researchers would have cut me open if they were allowed to, and in a way, I guess I was lucky nobody had granted them that permission.

  “His body is perfectly healthy. All physical parameters indicate he is an Expert. That does not match the last physical reports and statements, which put him at the higher end of the Journeyman Rank.” One of the researchers compared the notes and statistics displayed on several holographic screens. “If we take into consideration that his physique acquired a minor resistance to fire without forming any new Ether Gates, we can conclude that he has undergone significant physical empowerment in the last few weeks. Adding the strain on his muscles, skin, and weave, we can narrow the time frame to one week–maybe ten days, to be on the safe side.”

  “That aligns with the information we have about sacred flames,” a younger woman said giddily, ignoring my icy glare.

  “That is correct. Our young patient, Adam Savier, seems to have acquired a sacred flame.” An older, third researcher nodded flatly, tapping the screens around him, revealing more information. “And depending on the potency of the Sacred Flame’s baptism, the empowerment and fire resistance may grow further as he nourishes it.”

  Dismissing the screens with a wave, he approached me, his long, bony finger pressing firmly against my chest. A mark resembling an azure flame was etched there, trailing up toward my neck.

  “It’s cold,” he said matter-of-factly, cold and emotionless eyes swiveling to me. “Can you conjure a flame for me?”

  I felt like spitting in his face, but followed the request instead. A flame flickered to existence before me. It was easy–natural. Much more than controlling the Earthheart’s elemental Aspect.

  The researchers nodded eagerly and made odd sounds, appearing more like Neanderthals than well-educated Blessed. They gasped, pointed at the flame, and then at the mark that had started to glow. It was a dim glow, but a glow nonetheless.

  “That confirms it. A high-grade sacred flame,” the old researcher said, the faintest hint of emotion flickering in his eyes.

  Not that it mattered to me. He could be as giddy as the others for all I cared. I, for one, couldn’t have been more indifferent if I tried.

  Fucking hypocrites.

  We all were. How could we do that to the Caldera after they treated us so well? How could we–

  Meeting the Caldera for the first time had been a coincidence. My group had been out on a mission to finish the Group Combat class as quickly as possible when we were pushed into the depths of the Giant Forest. Too weak to fight the Unblemished beasts there, we had to run and hide–until we met the Caldera.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  It was also the first time I had met one of the Outsiders. Truthfully, I had only learned about other sentient races a few months prior. The instructors said they were dangerous. Of course they would say that.

  Reality was different. Sure, we fought the Caldera, but it was more like a spar between two honorable parties than a clash between enemies. There was no nemesis. Just… curiosity.

  If only we never met them, I thought, gritting my teeth in regret.

  The Caldera had been kind. Too kind for their own good, as it turned out.

  They invited us to the Katrak, which turned out to be a sacred battle that eventually developed into something akin to a tournament. I trained for months under Ruler Kazriel for the Katrak, after he had taken a liking to me. I knew he only chose me because of the Caldera’s interest in my strength, but his opinion of me changed. If not for that, he would never have paid so much attention to my training, my World’s growth, and my Soulkins’ development.

  If not for Ruler Kazriel, I wouldn’t have been strong enough to win the Katrak. The Caldera’s interest in me would have never deepened, I would have never won the Katrak, and I would have never gained the respect needed to be introduced to the Elemental Phoenix.

  If not for the Ruler, nothing bad would have happened.

  I told the researchers the same things–not about the Ruler’s betrayal, but about his training and the time I spent with the Caldera, swimming in the Pyrosh. There was no need to tell them everything, but it was not as if I could avoid talking about it forever. So I told the researchers what they wanted to know–just enough to satisfy their curiosity.

  But a researcher’s curiosity was insatiable. So was their stupidity at times. At least, that was what it looked like when one of them approached me for the umpteenth time to ask about the Pyrosh.

  “How did you know you’d survive swimming in a pond filled with lava? Did you consume a Resistancy Serum? Please go through the process again,” she requested, batting her eyes.

  The researcher was beautiful. She had bright eyes and a cleavage that could turn heads, but the hatred I held for myself and everyone around me burned deeper than lust ever could.

  Memories of the Pyrosh washed over the tide of hatred, softening it–if only slightly.

  “At that time, I didn’t know the Pyrosh was liquefied ether. I just wanted to wash my filthy body. But maybe that was just an excuse.” I met the woman’s eyes with indignance. “It felt as if I already knew it would cleanse me and that it wouldn’t kill me immediately.”

  It had been the right decision to enter the Pyrosh, to cleanse my body over and over again. It had been perfect. Growing stronger was great, but the respect the Caldera showed me when I succeeded had been far more valuable.

  “If everyone who swam in the Pyrosh acquired a sacred flame…” the old researcher murmured and turned to the others.

  “That would explain the Caldera’s fire resistance and physical prowess.” The femme fatale straightened up, her smile spreading wide. “Their Ether Gates are probably larger and reach deeper into their weave. I would love to analyze them!”

  That would never happen. No Caldera would allow a human to touch them. But I didn’t think for a second that the researchers expected the Caldera to volunteer for their research program. They’d capture some alive or collect their corpses to experiment on, and I hated that thought from the bottom of my heart.

  But I was glad the researchers were ignorant. For all their ether machines, analytic tools, experience, and knowledge, nobody knew the truth.

  Nobody knew I had not actually acquired a sacred flame in the Pyrosh. Maybe I had been on my way to forming a sacred flame in my World, but that was no longer important. I had something far stronger–far more dangerous–bound to me.

  It was not a sacred flame, but the very beast that killed Ruler Kazriel and Ruler Maximilian. The Elemental Phoenix chose me. It bound itself to me when it killed itself to escape the Ruler of Fire’s tyranny and–just thinking about it made me angry.

  I didn’t understand the Phoenix’s decision, nor the Rulers’ betrayal. One day we were negotiating with the Caldera, hoping for peace and for both sides to prosper through trade, and the next, everything was over.

  Maybe I should have been sad about the Rulers’ deaths, but they left me unfazed. It was only just that they suffered the consequences of their actions. But if everyone were to suffer the consequences of their actions, why did the Elemental Phoenix choose me?

  Why did it bind itself to me when I was the one who started the war?! Tears welled in my eyes as the thought carved itself deeper into my consciousness.