Chapter 109: "Flame, Fire, and Fury – A Sun God's Sassy Descendant"
Ashley Duve strutted up to the priest, her signature smug smile plastered on her face. "What was it you were saying again?"
The priest, now pale and trembling, blinked at her. "He... He is a descendant of the Sun God? How... how is that even possible?"
"Alright, enough games," Ashley said, waving him off dismissively. "I've got better things to do." She spun around, her eyes landing on the altar, where several special lamp boxes, designed to hold the eternal flame, rested. With a nonchalant flick of her hand, she picked one up and sauntered back toward Adrian. "Put the flame in here."
Adrian stared at the flickering flame cradled in his hands. It was as though the warmth of it reached deeper than his skin, tugging at something within him. A part of him. A part he wasn't ready to let go of. He looked at the flame again, feeling a strange connection. Could I use this to end Ashley? The thought danced in his mind for a moment—surely, he could extinguish her consciousness with a swift strike. But at what cost? Tessa's body wouldn't survive... or would the flame recognize her? Was it worth the risk?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a small portion of the flame slip into his body, as if responding to his unspoken wish. Surprised, Adrian tested it, pulling in more, and sure enough, two-thirds of the flame entered his core. Satisfied, yet reluctant, he placed the remaining third of the eternal flame into the box Ashley held out.
Ashley's brows furrowed as she inspected the flame. "Why does it look smaller? It seemed a lot bigger when you were tossing it around in your palms."
Adrian shot her a glare, the kind that said, If you've got a problem with the size, take it up with the priest, not me. Without a word, he turned and started walking toward the group. Beneath his clothes, however, his skin was now marked with a dancing red streak, an ethereal movement that brought a strange sense of comfort to his body.
"That guy's a descendant of the Sun God..." one onlooker whispered.
"You can feel it—he practically radiates fire!" Ronny added excitedly.
"Yeah, right. You wouldn't be saying that if he hadn't managed to snag the flame," another voice retorted, skeptically.
"I don't care. My interest's piqued now. Descendants of the Sun God don't exactly grow on trees!" the first voice insisted.
As the group around Adrian buzzed with gossip, their chatter sparked like wildfire. It wouldn't be long before the entire city knew that a Sun God's descendant had visited the Sun Temple of Stormway City.
Meanwhile, Ashley moved toward Ikehara, who was still staring at the flame in awe, unable to shake his disbelief. "In all the ingredients we needed to revive Rhemon, I thought this one was impossible to get. And yet, here we are, with the flame securely in your hands," Ikehara murmured, weariness creeping into his voice. "Remind me never to cross you, Ashley."
Ashley's eyes glinted mischievously. "Were you planning on crossing me?" she whispered, leaning closer. "I thought you were going to... you know... fuck my brains out and make it worth my while once all of this is over." Her smile was enough to set a man's resolve—and other things—on fire.
Ikehara cleared his throat, struggling to maintain his composure. "S-So, uh, are you- uh, ready for the next trip?" he asked, desperately changing the subject.
"Where do we go next darling...?" Ashley winked as she looked at him, signaling for him to make his voice louder that those around could hear.
"The Sand of Lino," Ikehara announced to the group, though his voice carried a hint of dread. The Rhemonic warriors behind him stiffened, unsure whether to be excited or terrified. Despite the increasingly dangerous missions, they had started to enjoy these escapades, touring cities they had never dreamed of visiting. Northwind, Akanon, Riverdale—now Southern-hill? It was almost an adventure... well, for some.
But not everyone was so enthused. The Big Seven—those in the group who suspected something far darker than mere adventuring—shifted uncomfortably. They knew Ashley wasn't collecting these rare ingredients for a friendly barbecue. Something ominous was brewing, and the only one who might have had the power to stop it—Tessa—was trapped inside her own body.
"The Sands of Lino," Ikehara continued, "can be found in the Southern-hill city, about 208 kilometers from here."
"208 kilometers?" Ecdy groaned, barely concealing his dismay.
"Legend says a beast, the Lino, once terrorized the land, attacking the very souls of men. A deity, whose name has long since been forgotten, killed the beast and reduced its remains to sand. This sand now lies within the Hill of the Forgotten, guarded by strange scorpions. No one dares approach it, which is why the place has been deserted for centuries."
Ikehara spoke with the authority of a man who had witnessed it all firsthand. No one dared argue with him—especially since Ashley, with her control over Tessa's body, could easily turn the situation ugly. Besides, Ikehara had yet to be wrong about anything.
"What's the sand of Lino even good for?" Ashley asked, intrigued.
"They say it can repair a damaged soul. The cloak of restoration can heal almost anything, but when it comes to the soul, its power is limited."
"Oh," Ashley murmured, her curiosity piqued.
Nyala, however, was far less composed. "What kind of insane maniacs are you? Who the hell are you trying to bring back with this stuff?"
Ecdy shot her a knowing look. "Don't tell me... It's Rhemon, isn't it?"
The group fell silent, gasps of horror echoing as the realization sank in. Abdel, visibly shaken, muttered, "Rhemon isn't someone to mess with. If you're really trying to bring him back, you're playing with pure evil."
Their worries lingered in the air, but Ashley's voice cut through their tension like a blade. "Let's go," she commanded, turning on her heel and striding ahead without a second glance.
The group, still wrapped in their uneasy silence, exchanged glances before reluctantly following her lead. The sun might have been setting on Stormway City, but their journey—and its growing darkness—was far from over.