Enflamed (Book 2) (30 page)

He glanced at one of the
portraits as they passed. It depicted a regal man in flaming armor, posing
victoriously with a spiked chain in one hand. Fire burned in his
soulless-looking eyes. The background was washed with gradients of oranges,
reds and yellows, which gave the illusion that the man was practically made of
fire.

Kaijin felt some familiarity
with the being in the portrait. He stayed silent and relished the warmth of the
corridor they walked through.

Vargas opened ornate brass
double doors that led into a secluded room at the far end of the corridor—an
extravagant two-story library, or perhaps it was simply a pristine office. A
cozy sitting area of plush, red velvet couches and chairs was in one corner. A
desk sat in another corner of the room, while two floors’ worth of bookshelves
stuffed with old, thick tomes lined the walls and extended to the ceiling.

Miele flew to the ceiling and
remained there, watching Kaijin and Vargas.

The smell of old and fresh
parchment made Kaijin salivate in delight. He breathed in the papery scents and
closed his eyes, briefly remembering the days he spent studying magic and
visiting the booksellers in Easthaven’s marketplace during his early childhood.
His daydreaming came to a halt when he heard Vargas’s voice. Kaijin opened his
eyes.

“I thought someone like you
would find solace in a place like this.” Vargas indicated for Kaijin to sit.

“That’s an understatement,
sir.” Kaijin sat on one of the couches. The plush velvet almost completely
swallowed him; it was more comfortable than anything he’d ever felt. “So many
books.... This—all of this—is truly amazing!”

Vargas laughed. “These books
are just a few of many. Below us is another library: the largest Ignan library
in all of Exodus. It is our sacred vault of recorded events, extending almost
as far back as the days when the gods walked Exodus.”

Kaijin gasped.
“An entire
vault
dedicated to Ignis?!
I can’t believe
it! I am honored that you have entrusted me with such valuable information.”

“Of course,
Kaijin.
You are a Firebrand and a
chosen of Ignis. It is your right to know. The Celestials have been the primary
contributors to many of the older works in the sacred vault. They have been
known to be the race of creatures, second to the Dragons, to have the closest
connection with the goddess. Through
Her
, they are
provided essential information about the other gods, as well—like Ignis.”

“I think I’ve found my new
home.”

“Perhaps you have, Kaijin. Do
you wish to stay here?
Though I do not think your companions
would feel the same way.”

“My companions have their own purposes
in life. And I now seemed to have found mine. I can finally learn the answers
to the many questions that have been plaguing my mind for so long. Before, I
thought I had lost everything. But here ... I feel as though I’ve gained the
world. I came to know Ignis when I was very young. Strange things have happened
ever since I acquired this necklace.” He indicated his holy symbol. “I see
things. Feel things. My magic behaves oddly.”

“In what
way?”
Vargas raised a curious
brow, eying the necklace.

“Sometimes I feel as though
something has a hold of me, making me cast fire-based spells that I know are
beyond my level of study. Sometimes my magic feels stronger than it usually is.
Many times, I cannot control my own power. My former master says my magic is
‘tainted’ somehow—manipulated by a divine power. My companions and I met a
Dragon recently, and
She
spoke of Ignis most likely
being behind it all.”

Vargas looked surprised. “You
met a Dragon, you say? The Dragon was, indeed, correct. A divine presence has
made its way in you, leaving behind a powerful aura. The Firelord feeds on
strength, not weakness.”

Kaijin pursed his lips. “A
voice speaks to me, Honored Priest.
A strange voice that
sounds like fire.
It toys with me—with my mind. It is very destructive.
I’ve been labelled ‘mad’ and ‘strange’ and ‘a threat to society’ because of
what happened in Easthaven....” He bit his tongue. The memory burned.

Vargas’s eyes narrowed
slightly. “We have heard that people blamed magic as the cause of Easthaven’s
destruction. What impact did you have on that city?”

“Undead invaded the city,
afflicting many people and creating utter chaos. I helped fight back the
creatures with my magic, and something took over. My magic was much stronger—so
much so, I lost control. The next thing I knew, I woke up and found the city
completely destroyed.”

“The power of Ignis manifested
in you, giving you the ability to cleanse the city of its evil,” Vargas
whispered, as if to
himself
.

Kaijin scowled.
“‘Cleanse’?
You mean ‘destroy’! I lost my entire family!
They were not evil!”

“And how do you know the
undead did not afflict them, as well?”

Kaijin’s stomach lurched. His
parents had been mutilated beyond recognition. Kaijin tried consulting the
presence in his mind, but no one answered.

“Kaijin?”
Vargas called.

Kaijin suddenly broke from his
trance and blinked several times. “I ... I don’t know what happened prior to
discovering their corpses. I just know what I ...
felt.
If Ignis favors me,
then why has He allowed me to witness the death of my family? Why has he used
me to destroy?”

“You cannot question His
actions, Kaijin. It is in His nature to destroy, in order to purify the world.
You have my condolences for the loss of your family. You must understand,
however: You, as a Firebrand, are being used by Ignis for His agenda.”

Kaijin looked up helplessly.
“And what is His agenda?”

“That is something only He can
reveal to you. But know this: All that you have experienced and endured has not
been a mistake.” Vargas placed his hand on Kaijin’s shoulder.

Kaijin shivered. The touch was
comforting but confusing.
It was not a mistake to lose my family?!
His
blood boiled. The world around him shifted to a red-orange hue. Feeling the
presence manifest within him, he gritted his teeth.

Vargas gently squeezed
Kaijin’s shoulder.
“Kaijin.
Calm yourself.”

Kaijin saw a reflection of two
glowing fiery orbs in Vargas’s eyes, and he mentally gasped.
Are my eyes
glowing? Have I been possessed?

“Kaijin!”

“Kaijin.”

“No,” Kaijin responded aloud
to the fiery voice. “What do you want? Have I not done what you asked?”

“Kaijin!”
Vargas barked.

The two voices around Kaijin
become a jumble of words. “No, I don’t want to lose control ... Not again ...”

He saw Easthaven burning; his
brother’s pale, bloody face as he died; his parents’ mutilated bodies; his
master, Jarial’s disgust in the aftermath of the city’s destruction.

Death.
Too much death.

Kaijin’s breathing went
ragged, and he slumped.
Please, put me out of my misery. Take me out of this
nightmare.

Vargas
lay
hands on Kaijin’s head. “Almighty Ignis, we beseech your holy flames for
guidance.”

Energy surged through Kaijin.
The sensation was both familiar and impossible to resist.
“It’s you.”

Another voice, hissing and
crackling like flames, spoke from Kaijin’s lips. “I have brought this boy to
this sanctuary to fulfill
My
work. He is
My
disciple.”

Vargas promptly released
Kaijin and fell to his knees, fear washing over his face.
“Y—yes,
Almighty Ignis!
Your will be done! Your holy flames shall burn brighter
and stronger than ever!”

Kaijin’s head
canted,
and his eyes narrowed, staring at the priest. Kaijin
saw a glimpse into Vargas’s heart—it seemed unsettled, perhaps from his fear.
“See that it is so. Fail in this task, and you will be consumed in my raging
whitefire; your life will be forever forgotten in the blaze of death.” Kaijin’s
lips curled into a smirk.

A small part of Kaijin’s
subconscious spoke out to the possessor.
“Was that a threat?
A forewarning?
Do you see something in him that he does
not?”

But Kaijin received no
response.

“By your holy flames, I will
see to it that he is educated and trained,” Vargas groveled.

Kaijin regarded Vargas without
sympathy. “There is no room for failure—there is no room for weakness.”

The divine presence left
Kaijin. He slumped back into the couch and exhaled, feeling something let go
inside.

He gazed up at the pristine
ceiling and the walls of portraits and tapestries. In the corner of his eye, he
noticed the bookshelves and soon remembered where he was. The hazy world around
him reacquired its natural colors. Somehow, he managed to decipher Ignis’s
strange context, and it made him feel stronger than before.

“Part of the process of
learning your seventh, eighth, and ninth-tiered spells is seeking the knowledge
yourself,”
Jarial once told Kaijin.

Was this what he meant?
Have I finally reached that point in my understanding?
Kaijin felt alive, renewed, beyond anything he
thought himself capable of.

Vargas slowly looked up, his hands
still shaking. He took slow breaths to regain his composure. “K ... Kaijin?”

Kaijin mumbled. “He said—”

“Yes, I know what He said.”

Kaijin frowned. “Does this
mean I must join the clergy? Do I have to give up my magic in order to do so?”

“No, Kaijin. Your abilities
are heavily influenced by Ignis’s divine flames, and you must be shown how to
harness it. You must also be further educated about His ways, to better
understand both yourself as a Firebrand and this power you’ve been blessed with.”

Kaijin nodded slowly, still
rattled.

Vargas helped Kaijin to his
feet. “Why don’t we speak more
later
? You must be
exhausted. Come. You need some food and rest.”

Momentary light-headedness
made Kaijin groan as he stood. He fingered the flap on his haversack.
“A moment, Honored Priest.
There is one other important
matter.”

Kaijin retrieved the fire orb,
which pulsated with life.

XXVI

Zarya, Nester, Aidan, and
Omari sat at the long dining table of the refectory, where they had been
offered an exquisite meal, fit for nobility. The immaculate brass tableware
shone brightly enough that it appeared to be reserved for special guests only.

Zarya ate slowly while she
took in the place, which seemed large enough to easily hold a hundred people,
despite the single long center table that only accommodated fifty seats. A
plush red carpet ran down the center of the room to the massive fireplace in
the rear. Flames danced, and the popping and crackling light provided a
coziness, comfort, and warmth. Torches lined the walls, amply lighting the
refectory.

“Aidan, ’ow many more of those
are you going to eat?” Nester asked.

Ignoring his question, Aidan
filled his plate with samples of everything except the sweets. He didn’t seem
to have a sweet tooth, most likely due in part to his Dragon heritage. He
guzzled his third goblet of almond milk, which Zarya assumed was his favorite
beverage.

“Enough to fill that
bottomless pit of a stomach he has.” Omari feasted on helpings of mutton,
cabbage, bread, and custard
tart,
and he washed it all
down with spiced apple cider. Next to his chair, Percival happily feasted on a
plate piled high with meat.

Zarya hid her smile behind the
rose wine-filled goblet she brought to her lips. She’d found the soup, cheese,
and bread more to her liking. “Oh, leave him alone, you two. Aidan can eat as
much as he wants. He’s earned it.”

“Hmph! Easy for you to say,”
Nester grumbled. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, staring at his
own two plates he emptied faster than he’d put food on them. “That’s ’is third
’elping. You do realize ’e intends to eat everythin’ in sight?”

The rear doors creaked open,
and two silhouettes strolled in.

In the firelight, Kaijin
looked refreshed and renewed. Miele flew off his shoulder and latched onto the
ceiling above.

Zarya grinned.
“Kaijin!”
She scrambled out of her chair and ran over to
him. “Have you found what you were looking for?”

“I have and more.” Kaijin
gestured to the man beside him. “Vargas and I were talking.”

Vargas nodded to the group in
greeting.

Omari rose from his chair.
“Great, now we can finally get out of here.”

Kaijin shook his head. “No,
Omari, I can’t leave. There’s just too much for me to do here. This is where I
belong.”

“Well this is where
I
do
not
belong. I am not a follower of Ignis. Besides, I still have my
own business to take care of.
Now.
I am leaving.”

“Wait.” Kaijin retrieved the
fire orb from the haversack. “Remember this?”

Omari glared at the object.
“Of course I do.”

“So ’ow much is it worth,
Kaijin?” Nester rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

“Have you learned more about
it?” Zarya inquired.

Kaijin nodded to her. “I have.
This fire orb is used in specialized druidic and cleric rituals dedicated to
the Firelord. One of the rituals involves transport from one place to another.”

“’Ow much?”
Nester asked again.

Kaijin looked at Omari. “I can
use this orb to transport you to the Citadel, Omari. The holy flames will carry
you there.”

“The what?”
Omari raised an eyebrow. “No, I will not—”

“It’s a form of magic that is
both arcanic and divine in nature—like the elements,” Kaijin explained. “And
the Threads of Magic are comprised of the elements that make up the base of our
spells—like my fire and your lightning.”

Nester cleared his throat.
“’Ow much?!”
When all eyes turned to him, he huffed and
crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.

“It’s worthless to you,”
Kaijin said.

The brownie scowled.

Kaijin acknowledged the rest
of his comrades. “I must thank you, everyone. Coming here was the best thing
that could ever happen to me.” He graciously bowed his head.

Omari threw his hands up.
“Great. I have helped you, now what about me?”

Zarya sighed. “Did you not
hear Kaijin? He said he would send you home. Does it really matter how it’s
done?”

“Yes,
actually.
I would like to be
certain I get back in one piece.”

“Don’t worry. You will,”
Kaijin said,
then
he and Vargas exchanged a glance.
Vargas nodded to Kaijin, then turned and left.

* * *

After the doors closed, Kaijin
slid into a seat next to Aidan, who was still eating quietly. Aidan looked too
into his meal to be listening to the conversation, but one could never tell for
certain.

Kaijin smiled at Zarya, Omari,
and Nester. “I’m going to use the orb to send you all back to Ghaeldorund. That
was our original destination, was it not?”

Omari raised an eyebrow
skeptically. “How will the orb do that? What if that afriti comes out and
torments us again instead?”

“That won’t happen,” Kaijin
assured him.

“Are you sure this is going to
work, Kaijin?” Zarya asked. “Do you ...
really
want to stay here?”

Kaijin nodded. “My magic is
influenced by Ignis. He has manipulated my powers so I feel stronger every time
I use them. What I must learn now is something only these people can teach me.
I feel like I belong here. I must stay.”

Nester made a face. “Eh ...
Not like we ’ave much of a choice, do we? Though, I don’t know where in
th
’ soddin’ ’ells we can stay in a city like Ghaeldorund.
You realize ’ow expensive it is?”

“Maybe Omari can vouch for us,
yes?” Zarya suggested with a smile. “After all, we
did
help him with his
test. Perhaps someone there will be generous enough to offer us room and board
for a night.”

Omari bristled.
“Hmph!
If you think for one minute that I am going to help
you people—” A loud clank interrupted him.

Aidan had dropped his fork
against the edge of his empty plate. He glared at Omari. “Aidan thinks that you
should stop being so selfish. It is least you can do—if not for us, then for
Evan and Sephiya, who died honorably in battle so that you could successfully
finish test.” He took the large soup container from the center of the table and
drank the rest of its contents.

“Do not scold
me
about
selfishness, you big oaf!
You,
who has not even the decency to leave
Kaijin anything worthwhile to eat!” Omari gestured to the empty plates and
pitchers of food and drink. Only the sweets remained.

“I will be fine, Omari,”
Kaijin assured. “Besides, I’ve been so excited about coming here I’ve not been
very hungry. Are you ready to go back now? We will need to gather around the
altar in the main hall so that I can properly perform the spell.”

“Yes, let us get this over
with,” Omari grumbled, brushing past Kaijin as he headed toward the door.
Percival scampered after him, a hunk of pheasant in his mouth. Nester and Aidan
followed, and only Kaijin and Zarya remained.

Zarya stared at the doorway a
moment before facing Kaijin. Her cheeks flushed red. “Kaijin, I just ... I just
wanted to say that despite the problems we might have had, I am glad to have
been able to travel with you.” She paused. “I will ... miss you.”

Kaijin raised an eyebrow,
taken aback. “Miss me?
For what?
You are a priestess.
You will always be busy with duties to fulfill. Don’t worry about me.”

He felt amusement from Miele.
She swooped down from the ceiling and out the door.

Zarya tilted her head to the
side. “I am never too busy, Kaijin. I do hope I can see you again someday.”

Kaijin gathered his thoughts.
“Uh, I will be here, Zarya. I’ve no intentions of leaving anytime soon.”

Zarya looked away a moment,
then stared at the floor. She slowly raised her gaze, leaned closer to him, and
planted a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Kaijin froze.
She kissed
me?!

His first
kiss.
His heart thumped, and a
tingle ran through his body. He felt his face heat, and Zarya chuckled.

He covered his cheek with his
hand. “What ... What was that for?”

“In case I never see you
again.”

“But I told you that—” Before
Kaijin could finish, Zarya had already left.

What did she mean by that?
He swallowed and followed after the others.

* * *

When Kaijin and his friends
arrived in the main hall, he found the other Ignan priests gathered around the
altar waiting for them. At the top of the stairs on the raised platform, Vargas
stood beside a tall, lean woman dressed in a ravishing satin flame-colored gown
with sequins. Her red belt was likely trimmed in gold metal. Around her neck,
she wore a golden holy symbol. She had dark skin, big brown eyes, and soft,
full lips. Her dark hair was braided back into two twin plaits.

Kaijin stopped before the foot
of the stairs and the two priests. His gaze settled on the woman. Her beauty
rivaled Zarya’s, more natural than the Celestials’ beauty. Something about the woman
drew his eye, made him notice her, and made him hope she noticed him.
Surely
someone so beautiful must be important.

He sensed Miele hiding not far
away, watching. She eased his pounding heart with a feeling of assurance. He
took a deep breath and relaxed.

He’d been so fixed on the
beautiful woman. When he finally tore his gaze away from her, he noticed more
clergy had gathered and stood on either side of him and his companions,
creating an aisle that ran from the base of the stairs to the top step. Kaijin
knelt before the stairs and lowered his head. He heard his companions draw
closer. Zarya knelt down beside him and bowed her head. He smiled. He would
miss her.

“Have your companions
decided?” Vargas asked.

Kaijin raised his head
slightly. “Yes, honorable one. They will return to Ghaeldorund.”

Vargas nodded and whispered
something to the woman beside him. Afterwards, she smiled to Kaijin, revealing
a set of pearly-white teeth. Her smile was beautiful and perfect, much like
Zarya’s.

“Arise, Firebrand and allies,
and stand before the altar of holy flames,” The woman spoke regally.

Without hesitation, Kaijin
stood and ascended the stairs, his companions not far behind. As he drew closer
to Vargas and the woman, his steps slowed. His gaze remained drawn to the
woman.
I can’t stop looking at her. Her face ... so stunningly beautiful....
He realized he’d been staring for far too long and finally managed to tear his
gaze from her and look at Vargas.

Smiling, Vargas gestured to
her. “Kaijin, this is Ranaiah. She is the high priestess—the Eternal Flame—of
the Pyre.”

Ranaiah bowed her head.
“An honor to meet you, Firebrand.”

Kaijin gulped.
The Eternal
Flame—the highest religious authority in the Ignan clergy!
“The honor is
all
mine
, great priestess.” He was about to kneel down
when she placed her hand on his shoulder. He froze. Her touch was perfect—like
Zarya’s.
Is she a Celestial, too?
He couldn’t find a flaw about her. He
took a deep breath and straightened. “Forgive me.”

Ranaiah graciously nodded and removed
her hand. She stepped to one side and gestured to the large brazier before
Kaijin. “Are your friends ready?”

Kaijin looked back at his
companions. Nester slowly raised his shaky hand.

“What is it?” Kaijin asked.

Nester bit his bottom lip. “Ah
... it ... it’s not gonna ’urt, is it?”

Vargas chuckled, then
responded for Kaijin, “Of course not. The holy flames of the Firelord will take
you to your destination. The trip will be faster than a blink of an eye.”

When there we no more
questions, Kaijin drew closer to the brazier. The heat invigorated him. He
peered inside, and the white fire nearly blinded him. He took the orb from his
haversack and held it aloft. The swirling fires within it flickered and moved
in various patterns; it became more alive. The heat traveled down his arms and
to his chest, where it warmed the necklace.

“Come closer,”
called a voice from the flames.

The brazier’s white fire no
longer blinded him. The dancing flames entranced him.
“So
beautiful.”

Kaijin wanted to feel the holy
flames of the Firelord. He wanted to touch Him. He leaned over the brazier, the
orb in his hands. His necklace burned, as if in response to the heat of the
white fire.

In the heart of the flame,
where it burned the brightest, Kaijin glimpsed a faint outline of a figure. Its
shape varied.