That's A Lot of Fire

Wait... Aldo, don't move a second.

What is it?

Some old friends of mine are on their way. Unless you like the idea of becoming a piece of toast, I suggest you stand back.

I wouldn't mind some toast, provided I'm not it...

Yowch! And I definitely wouldn't use that amount of fire to make my toast!

Long time no see, oldies.

Nice to see you too, Gariyu. You're looking full of beans.

That's because I am full of beans. How about you just let me get on with my life? No need to pester me.

Full of beans, full of attitude, and full of disrespect for your elders. Good, very good.

So, oldies? What do you want with me?

It's time. We have come to a decision. We believe you are now ready to take the trial.

About time too. Personally I'd say I've been ready since the day I was born... Well whatever, better late then never! On with the trial!

Don't be daft, Gariyu. One does not simply hold a trial of fire amongst the abodes of peaceful townsfolk. We shall await you in the Vasu Mountains. Meet us there to find out what awaits you.

Gariyu, who were those guys? "Oldies"?

They're priests of the Vaschtalic Church. They worship Vaschtal, one of the Ancient Fire Drakes.

Never heard of him...

He's pretty high ranking in the fire elemental world, just a rung below Salamander himself. He's nothing to be sniffed at.

Well, unless you're me that is, I'll sniff at anything. Now come with me, Aldo! Into the fires of the Vasu Mountains!

Now then Gariyu, m'boy. First, we want you to show us just how much strength you've built up during your travels and travails. If we find you to be excessively wimpy then you shall be denied the opportunity to take the trial.

I'll show you oldies soon enough! Just let me get on with it already!

The first test...is to defeat this monster!

Not much of a trial, to be honest. I'd go as far as to say that was a total waste of my firepower.

You think we don't know that? That was a test of your patience, rather than of your flame wielding ability. The next test awaits you at the peak of the Nadara Volcano. If you can reach us, we'll consider that as proof of your worthiness to take the real trial.

That place is practically my old playground. Guess I'll be taking a leisurely stroll to "reach you."

A leisurely stroll with plenty of fiery encounters for you. We've prepared powerful firebeasts to guard the mountain path.

It wouldn't be a leisurely stroll without firebeasts! You better not disappoint me and send out nothing but pipsqueaks.

Oh, I think you shall find that they are not. We've hand-picked Fire Spirits with power levels that match yours.

Can't wait to incinerate 'em.

Gariyu, look!

These must be the monsters the oldies prepared for us.

We'll soon brush these featherweights aside.

Those foolish old oldies... They really thought those things could out-flame me? Their flames were barely flickering compared with what I'm wielding!

Now at last... At long, long last! I can do battle with Vaschtal himself!

Has this been your goal all along, Gariyu? The motivation behind all your training?

......

Damn straight. That's what all my flaming effort has been for, a chance to show Vaschtal who's really the hottest of them of all.

How come this is so important to you?

I have history with that fire drake. When I was a kid, I got dragged before him. Certain events unfolded, and I ended up with this mark. The idea was for me to be a human sacrifice...

How could anyone do something so inhuman!

My clan, who worshipped Vaschtal, wanted to present the church with a tribute. So, they chose me.

You've really suffered, huh, Gariyu... Where do those three men come into your story then?

They intervened in the sacrifice. I ended up being raised by them, instead of my own clan. They treated me well, and even taught me how to use magic, but I've never been able to trust them.

I've always wondered: "What if they're just raising me up to be an even grander sacrifice?" A fatter cow, as it were.

If that has indeed been their plan then holy smokes, is it gonna backfire. How stupid they'll look when their sacrificial lamb ends up roasting the deity himself.

I've got your back.

That's the spirit! Now off to see the oldies we go!

You present yourself to us amidst the fires of the great magma chamber, thus attesting to your worthiness to undergo this trial.

No need for the pageantry, oldies. You've kept me waiting long enough! I'm properly stoked up now!

Now can you give the acting a rest? You three are no holy men... You're the one we all worshipped. I know it's you, Vaschtal!

So the sacrificial child had realized, and yet...

You thought you could keep me in the dark? I could hardly fail to guess, when my flames' power levels defy all reason. What else could have been powering me other than the life spirit of a godly fire elemental? Without that, my flames would not be able to dance quite so elegantly.

Your conjecture is accurate. It is the essence of my spirit instilled in you which gives your flames such potency. This gift has not satisfied you? You wield power surpassing that of any of your peers, and yet you are not content?

Because of you, Vaschtal! I can't stand having you lording it over me!

And if that's a feeling you've never known, then you're about to get your first taste. It's you that's getting sacrificed this time. Your defeat will make a great first tribute to me!

Victory is yours, Gariyu.

......

Hey, this puts you at the summit of all the flamemancers. I was kind of expecting to hear a victorious cackle here or something.

You don't have a second form or something? There's no way you were that weak all along!

Come on, what was that about? You weren't just going easy on me, were you?!

I regret my heat did not live up to your expectations, my sacrificial child. I'll prepare a second form next time.

What a farce! To think I spent all these years training like a maniac, with the goal of defeating you as my driving force...!

Gariyu, I am not long for this world. With the Great Elementals now vanished from the land, I cannot be sustained.

Huh? Don't you go out on me, old man!

Allow my last act to be...to grant the full remainder of my spirit energy, my Godflame, to you, former sacrificial child.

Agh... This intensity...it's like my soul is being singed!

Go forth with yet hotter flames imbued within you. Your greatness shall be equal to the love I have nurtured you with... My child...Gariyu...

A flame of your caliber should have been keep alight for all the ages... How dare you allow this to happen...

I'd say he saw you both as a family... He cared for you as a son. It's good that you got to hear that before he completely fizzled out.

Sorry, I don't buy into your soggy sentimental interpretation. He'd have had me as a sacrifice one day... If he'd had the energy to keep going. This changes nothing! I stand by what I said. The old guy wasn't trustworthy.

You've got it all wrong, Gariyu. The sentiment in his words was genuine, trust me. I could sense the same kind of affection in his voice that I can hear when my old man talks to me and Feinne.

......

This heat is getting too much for me. Tell him everything you need to say. I'll meet you outside.

Old man... You'd be really put out if you could see yourself flickering away like this. You're barely fit to light a candle now.

My buddy says you really thought of me as your family. What do you say to that? You see, I'm not so sure. I reckon it was pity at best. Backhanded scheming at worst. Come on old man, say something...

...I guess there's no way I could understand now... Well if you're not feeling talkative, I suppose I'll do the talking. And let me tell you...

As long as this flame inside of me burns, I'm gonna keep blazing ahead. I'll do it in the name of all things fiery. Sparks, embers, magma, conflagrations, but above all, in your name, in the name of Fire Drake Vaschtal!

Wish me luck... Old man...

Right then Aldo, lead the way! On to our next adventure!

Uhh... I haven't actually decided what to do next. Anywhere in particular you wanna go?

To the future, to the past, into a space-time rift, anywhere. Wherever there are folk wielding fire there's a job for me to do. Namely: asserting my superiority. There will only be one face that comes to mind when talking about fire mages, mine! It's a grand quest, a worthy endeavor for Gariyu the Unrivaled, the bearer of Vaschtal's Godflame.

...So you want me to serve as navigator of sorts?

Well yeah, you can time travel, so... That kind of helps in terms of finding adversaries of merit. What, you don't want me along? I'm offering to reduce all your enemies to cinders, to send their souls to the flaming pits here! I think I deserve some gratitude!