The corridor warmed with each step. The faint smell of singed dust lingered as Krans del Leon guided his companions forward. They'd conquered air's gusts, water's depths, and earth's heavy guardians. Now a subtle glow, ruddy and dim, danced along the stone walls. It whispered of flames waiting ahead—of the Fire trial that would complete the Fourfold Sanctum's test.
Levara Salion pulled her coat collar away from her neck, fanning herself with a hand. "Hotter by the step," she muttered. Her voice carried a forced bravado, masking a flicker of nerves.
Arrix Velhar tugged at his sleeves, eyes darting around. He dared ask, "We'll have to face living flames, won't we? Or something worse?"
Danek Torren stayed quiet, knuckles flexing. He was always the quiet one, strength in silence.
Krans inclined his head, acknowledging Arrix's question. "Likely. Fire yields no easy path," he said calmly. "But we know how to adapt. Remember: as Summoners, we can conjure counter-elements or protective creatures."
The passage opened into a broad chamber, its walls curving to form a dome. Overhead, vents let in a mild draft, and above them danced flickering lights. The floor was a mosaic of cracked tiles, some blackened as if scorched. At the chamber's far end, a metal grate covered what looked like a drain or channel. Opposite that, a door glimmered behind a red haze, presumably sealed until they passed the trial.
Levara narrowed her eyes. "No obvious lever this time," she said. She stepped forward, boots tapping. "Don't like it."
Arrix hovered behind Krans, voice low. "You think it's another puzzle with summons?"
Danek grunted softly, pointing to a set of iron sconces mounted at intervals. Each sconce held an unlit torch. Odd, in a room already so warm.
Krans approached one sconce, running a finger along its edge. "We might need to light them—carefully. Fire trials often hinge on controlling the blaze, not just surviving it." He glanced around the empty chamber, suspecting hidden triggers.
As if on cue, a deep rumbling filled the dome. Sparks danced in midair, coalescing into three shifting shapes of flame. They took on bestial forms—salamanders of living fire. Their eyes glowed white-hot, and their tails swept embers across the floor. One hissed silently, rearing up with bright flares licking its spine.
Levara stepped back, fists clenched. "They're pure flame. Claws will pass right through," she warned.
Arrix's voice shook. "We must summon counters. Water or protective shells. We can't let them burn us out."
Danek dropped into a ready stance, breathing through his nose. His silence was answer enough: he stood ready to fight.
Krans raised his hand, and mana threads shimmered around his fingers. "We can't just beat fire with brute force. Maybe we should use controlled floods or earthen shells. If the torches in the sconces must be lit, perhaps these salamanders can ignite them—but on our terms."
He summoned swiftly, weaving mana into a stout crab-like creature with a shell of damp clay. The crab scuttled forward, steam hissing where sparks fell upon it. Levara caught the idea, shaping a water-aligned bird that carried droplets in shimmering wings. Arrix called forth a small amphibious spirit, half-lizard, half-frog, exuding a cool mist. Danek formed a thick-armored beetle that could dig channels to funnel flame away.
The salamanders rushed in, tails whipping. One lunged at Danek's beetle, flames roaring higher. Another darted toward Levara's water-bird, causing it to flap frantically, scattering droplets that sizzled on hot stone. The third circled, searching for a weakness.
Krans guided his clay-crab to pinch hot embers, smothering them with damp earth. Sparks dimmed where it passed. Levara's bird dove over a salamander's head, scattering cooling spray. Arrix's amphibious spirit hopped onto a sconce, dripping moisture. Danek's beetle burrowed slightly, loosening a tile that revealed a shallow trench beneath.
The salamanders shrieked without sound, frustrated by these countermeasures. One tried to set the floor ablaze, but Danek's beetle shoved debris into the flames, dampening them. Another lunged at Krans personally, forcing him to sidestep with calm grace. He didn't flinch, only guided his crab to create a barrier of clay.
"Focus on controlling their movement," Krans called, voice clear. "We must use them to light the torches in the sconces. If they strike the torches, they'll ignite them for us!"
Levara caught on instantly. She whistled—an odd habit—and guided her bird to tease a salamander closer to a sconce. The fiery beast chased the bird, tail flicking. When its tail brushed the sconce's torch, the wood ignited with a sharp crack. One torch lit.
Arrix, seeing the pattern, maneuvered his frog-like summon to taunt another salamander near a second sconce. The amphibious spirit hopped around, each jump pulling the flame-creature along until it lashed out, grazing the torch. A second flame rose, adding more light to the dome.
Danek's beetle shoved a loose tile aside, forcing the third salamander to shift its footing. Krans's clay-crab pinched at its tail from behind, herding it toward the remaining sconce. With a bright flare, the salamander recoiled against the torch. The third and last torch burst into flame.
At once, the salamanders paused, turning their blazing eyes to the newly lit torches. A soft hum filled the chamber. The iron grate at the far end shook loose, and the sealed door's haze shimmered before fading entirely. The salamanders wavered, their forms shrinking. One by one, they guttered out, leaving only faint sparks that drifted upward.
Levara let her bird vanish in a swirl of mist, smiling in relief. "That worked. Clever thinking, del Leon."
Arrix grinned, exhilarated, as his amphibious summon faded. Danek's beetle crumbled into dust. Krans's clay-crab dissolved into motes of mana drifting like dust motes in lamplight.
Krans stepped forward, inspecting the now-open path. "Well done," he said, voice warm. "All of us. Fire tested our ability to guide enemies, not just defeat them."
Danek nodded silently, respect plain in his eyes. Levara stretched her shoulders, tension easing. Arrix stood taller, pride softening his earlier fear.
They passed through the newly opened door, leaving the embered dome behind. The corridor beyond felt cooler, quieter, lit by a gentle white glow that suggested they neared the Sanctum's heart.
Arrix adjusted his sleeves again, but this time his movements were calmer. "We overcame all four elements. That must mean…"
Levara interrupted, voice eager, "We're nearing the final judgment, the place where we earn our rank."
Danek just inclined his head, a subtle agreement.
Krans led them on, mind steady, heart certain. The Fourfold Sanctum had tested their cunning, their cooperation, and their will. Now, as they ventured deeper, he carried not only his own confidence but the trust and skill of his allies. The Empire's Summoners were forged here in trials of elemental strife. He would emerge ready to serve, to shape and protect.
With each step, he embraced the future they were walking toward.