To Lia's disappointment, heading back, she couldn't find Albert. She looked for a whole day, yet it seemed as if the giant dragon had simply vanished, making her dumbfounded and disappointed. She had no other choice but to memorize her questions and hope that there would be another day to ask them in the future. Taking her ship and flying back, her first trip led to Lucian's office, who awaited her with a cup of hot chocolate in his office.
"Good job." He smiled, taking away the little boxes that housed the giant petals, sealed away tightly. "Here."
"Oh? Already?" Lia exclaimed, watching the Headmaster put an elongated box before her. Its lid was transparent, and she could see six completely round, golfball-sized pills sitting on small cushions. They were all different in color, and Lia could see that small strands of flames flashed above their surface from time to time.
"Top-grade fire seeds." Lucian nodded, "Nothing like what you had before, are they?"
"No…" Lia gulped, holding back her hands from grabbing at it and trying out one on the spot.
"Don't eat them raw. It would kill you."
"Errr…" She flinched, looking up at him, watching his playful, ruby eyes. "Then… how?"
"Use them as you would use a bath bomb."
"I don't blow up my bathtub. You are being very rude, you silly fox!"
"Idiot." Lucian rolled his eyes, "I am not saying sit in your bath and fart a hole into it!" He knocked on her head with the edge of his palm.
"Me neither!" Lia yelped, moaning, pursing her lips, holding the top of her head, which was stinging sharply.
"Get a bathtub." Lucian explained, "Fill it with lava and drop one in."
"Waaaiiittt!" Lia exclaimed, turning a shade whiter. "With lava?!"
"Duh. This is concentrated fire!" He continued, crossing his arms before his chest, "You saw Zorgan's office, no?"
"Yeah… he was washing his hand in lava, now that you mention it… Wait… Is he trying to fuse water and fire too?"
"What made you think of that?" Lucian asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Because lava is flowing fire and-"
"Nope." He cut in, raising one hand, stopping her from continuing. "Lava is not related to either. It is molten earth, crystals, and whatnot. Lava is more of a fusion between the element of earth and fire than your idiotic idea."
"It's not idiotic..." She murmured, looking down at the floor, playing with the edge of her skirt.
"They are filled with ingredients that can supply a fire seed and let it burn for an extended amount of time." Lucian continued, ignoring her, "You throw one into lava, and it will start burning; approximately, one of these seeds will burn for a whole day if you use a full tub of lava."
"What should I do after that? Bath in it?" She asked, dodging another palm strike from the Headmaster.
"Manipulate it." Lucian formed a small smile, drawing his hand back. "It is up to you to learn and draw the flame to yourself and take control of it! Absorb it into your body and learn about its state that way. I can't help you with that; I am not a fire magician! Go for Zorgan if you need help."
"That sounds… hard… but... I can do it without him! Hmph!"
"Because it is hard. But that is the only way to learn about it. Low-level pills that you can eat and let transform your fire are good and all, but they are the easy way. You will never learn the reality of those different flames if you let a pill do it for you. Of course, if you are desperate, you can try to eat one of these too."
"You said I would die!" Lia snapped at him.
"Yeah. Most likely. If you are not a Ri, it more than not will burn you up from the inside."
"Ugh… I won't eat them! But… where do I get lava from?"
"Beats me!" Lucian sighed, sitting down, waving his hand, "Good luck!"
"Silly fox… you are not a big help when it matters, are you?" Lia grumbled, putting away the box into her holding bag and leaving his office, biting her lower lip, now thinking where to get lava from.
…
…..
……
Many of the Misfits gathered before their tower a few days later, surrounding a huge, magically reinforced tub with curious glances. Ceiline, with Opparu's help, was transporting lava from the mountains in unique holding bags and slowly filling up the tub.
"Hey… are one of the leaders trying to take a bath in the fire?" One misfit asked whisperingly.
“I hope it is Koadriana… she likes being naked…”
"Or Aurora…" Another chimed in, "Her cold look is way too hot!"
"Boys…" A female voice added, "I hope it is Keily…" She added, making them turn towards her. "What? She looks cute."
"He." They corrected her.
"For now."
While they were whispering amongst themselves, the leaders of the Misfits were gathering around the tub, watching the crimson liquid fill it up. The snow was quickly melting away around them, and from nowhere, Stumpy strolled forward, climbing into the bathtub, rolling happily, and letting out cute, playful noises while splashing lava everywhere like a kid.
"Stumpy! Out!" Ceiline frowned, but Stumpy was not listening, ignoring his master and enjoying the bath.
"Let him be." Opparu chuckled, "He will get out as soon as we put the pill in!"
"Haahh… I can't believe it." Raufon whispered, watching the salamander enjoy its bath in the cold weather.
"Believe what?" Sion asked, looking up at him.
"That the salamanders are nothing but evolved dragon sperm."
"Pft!" Many of them swayed in place, remembering what Lia told them about her little adventure and the meeting with Albert.
"Kinky." Koa grinned.
"They are more than that!" Ceiline spoke up, scratching her throat and fighting against the impulse to turn bright red. "They do have… some correlation to a dragon but not like that! He was just… messing with Lia because he knew she would believe everything!"
"He did?" Lia asked, surprised. "He looked sincere!"
"And a jokester." Aurora wrote, making Keily nod, but he was mostly interested in the tub of lava. "Don't believe everything that an old man tells you! Or you will end up like Koa!"
"Beauty incarnate?" Koadriana asked, swaying her hips, wearing tight, black leggings and a puffy jacket that ended right above her butt for many of the misfits' enjoyment.
"A degenerate." Aurora finished.
"Boss… which one will you put into it?" Keily interrupted, looking incredibly excited.
"Dunno… you choose!" She said, pulling out the box and opening it before him. As soon as she did so, hot air wafted out of it, bringing the smell of burning wood with itself. Stumpy stopped rolling in the lava, sitting up, sticking his head over the edge, and seeing the pills, he licked his lips, constantly hissing like a snake.
"Don't even think about it!" Ceiline said, rolling her eyes, reaching down, grabbing his nape as if Stumpy were a cat, pulling him out of the tub. "Go to the garden, and melt away the snow around my plants! Keep them warm! If you are going to be a good salamander, I will make sure we build you a pool with lava in it!"
At first, Stumpy was crestfallen, but hearing her words, he was already scurrying to the back garden, keeping Ceiline's growing plants healthy and warm in the winter, acting as the guardian of her plants.
"This one!" Keily exclaimed in the end, grabbing a purple pill and raising it up, but his grin quickly vanished, starting to juggle with it. "Hot, hot, hoooooot!" He cried out loudly, throwing it at Sion, who exclaimed with panic.
"Idiot! Ouchie! It is seeeearingly hot!" He also cried, quickly throwing it at Raufon who caught it with his hands, surrounded with an earthly glove.
"Oh… damn! It is burning through my armor!" He said, watching it melt away the earth before giving it to Lia, who grabbed it without hesitation.
"Mhm… it is hot." She nodded, holding it barehanded without summoning her fires. "Good! Do any of you know what kind of fire seed this is?"
"I think it is from a crystalline." Opparu chimed in, walking next to Lia, sniffing a little.
"From a what?" Lia asked, rolling it in her palm, not bothered by the heat as her blue flames kept her hand cool from the inside.
"It is a weird beast living underground. It is like a living crystal, or so we think. Its whole body is transparent but hard as a diamond! They come in many colors, but violet is the most common sub-species among them. They are highly aggressive and cannibalistic. They melt the others with their fire and consume their liquefied remains to grow stronger and larger."
"Brutal…" Raufon whistled, listening to his explanation, while Lia threw the pill into the lava with shining eyes.
A moment later, their unique bathwater started to churn and bubble, and a second later, thick purple flames burst forth, reaching toward the sky, painting the surroundings in a violet hue. It was burning hotly and crackling loudly, making them step back, watching the dancing flames above the tub of lava with apprehension.
"Yep." Opparu nodded, "That is a crystalline's fire. It is a perfect flame for melting rocks and raw metals. I often used a similar fire, creating artifacts in my prime; I could recognize it anywhere."
"Then it is strong against my element, huh?" Raufon asked, not walking closer, feeling it burning way too hot, and it was extremely uncomfortable for him to be even near it.
"Pretty much." Opparu replied, looking at Lia and Keily, "Any fire mage who can master it will have a weapon against mages who use earth or metal in their magic."
"Cool!" Lia and Keily replied simultaneously, ready to go, while many of the misfits looked on curiously.
"Okay!" Lia turned to the crowd, her voice overshadowing the murmur. "Everyone who has a fire affinity, come! This fire should be on for the next 24 hours! All of you come and try controlling it and getting used to it! After that, we are going to refill the tub and try another fire seed!" What she just said surprised everyone present, even the rest of her friends.
"Are you sure?" Opparu asked, hiding a small smile, "With the amount of fire-sensitive people you lot have… this seed may run out of juice before the day is over."
"Oh…" Lia murmured, shrugging, "I thought that it could last the whole day… well, whatever! I have a lot more! Come on, everyone! Let's try them out!" She laughed happily, sharing it, giving the misfits an opportunity that would be impossible for them otherwise.
"Heh~" Opparu chuckled, watching them try and interact with the fire, standing next to the rest. Sometimes some overconfident misfit managed to be engulfed in purple fire, making him roll in the snow, sitting up after it was extinguished and left there naked with a shining, bald head for the laughter of the others. "Good girl. That one pill would amount to a yearly income of a small-sized kingdom."
"She will have enough." Aurora wrote, watching Lia try to draw the purple flames onto her hand with a small smile, "Jarrut contacted our family, and everything is processing smoothly. He should send us the first batch of consumable seeds in about two or three months."
"And she is going to put 80% of that into the treasury." Ceiline added, "For the others to exchange for it with CP. With all of this, she will build up the loyalty in our members that can last for way beyond our academic years."
"Is she doing it deliberately, or is this by instinct? I can never tell." Sion asked, half-seriously, half-jokingly.
"Me neither." Answered Koa and Aurora at the same time.
"But does it matter?" Raufon chortled, "The results are the same. She is a good girl. I like her!"
"Woah, you can't take her as a wife!" Sion laughed, making Raufon blow air out of his nostrils.
"Not like that. But my tribe will be an ally of her House as long as I am alive."
"Don't speak gloomily." Ceiline nudged him, "We are barely adults; we have many LONG centuries before us!"
"Haaahh… True…” Sion sighed suddenly, making the others look at him as it sounded surprisingly heavy.
"What's the matter?" Ceiline asked.
"This is my last year here. Soon I will graduate and…."
"Go humping?" Koa asked, making him twitch his mouth.
"Er…" He shivered involuntarily, not really surprised about it. He already knew that Lorin had told Lia about his circumstances. Especially after he was invited over in the summer. Yet, as of now, nothing seemed to change in his future prospects. It appeared that the House of Berison put down its foot and stood behind Fedra, the kingdom that wants Sion as its newest breeding instrument.
"I thought four out of five boys would be hard and ready!" Koa whispered, honestly surprised, "Are you like Lorin?"
"No." Sion shook his head, "I'm just more traditional." He shrugged, "I love the idea of a good romance and marrying your first love." Hearing him, Aurora let out a long breath with raised eyebrows, eyeing him up and down. "Is it that surprising?"
"A bit." She wrote with her hair, "I am afraid your trip to our family may have had a different effect."
"Hm?" Sion furrowed his brows like the rest, reading her words materializing in the air.
"House Berison has a new leader. A young girl said to have the same potential as their first and only Ascendri, the Ice Queen Kelmina. She aims to break the record of Reyra in stepping into the Three Ri's realm. I think they won't achieve that at all, but they are in direct competition with us."
"Err… that would be my grandfather's fault…." Koa blushed, "He refused the advancement of the previous Berison matriarch. Soooo… there is a bit of a conflict between our Houses because of that. Now it seems they see us as if we want to steal from them."
"Steal? Steal Sion?" Ceiline asked, surprised by the news as she was always left out of the Nerifit and the other Houses' businesses.
"Great… just what I needed!" Sion groaned, rubbing his forehead, "Well… I am already resigned. I am here enjoying my last year…."
"Don't give up yet." Aurora wrote, flashing a smile at him, "Lia wants you as her squad member… Berisons or not~! The current head, Rinzen, may be a genius, but our Lia is one too… Plus, ours is a bit thick-headed regarding her ideas~!"
To Lia's disappointment, heading back, she couldn't find Albert. She looked for a whole day, yet it seemed as if the giant dragon had simply vanished, making her dumbfounded and disappointed. She had no other choice but to memorize her questions and hope that there would be another day to ask them in the future. Taking her ship and flying back, her first trip led to Lucian's office, who awaited her with a cup of hot chocolate in his office.
"Good job." He smiled, taking away the little boxes that housed the giant petals, sealed away tightly. "Here."
"Oh? Already?" Lia exclaimed, watching the Headmaster put an elongated box before her. Its lid was transparent, and she could see six completely round, golfball-sized pills sitting on small cushions. They were all different in color, and Lia could see that small strands of flames flashed above their surface from time to time.
"Top-grade fire seeds." Lucian nodded, "Nothing like what you had before, are they?"
"No…" Lia gulped, holding back her hands from grabbing at it and trying out one on the spot.
"Don't eat them raw. It would kill you."
"Errr…" She flinched, looking up at him, watching his playful, ruby eyes. "Then… how?"
"Use them as you would use a bath bomb."
"I don't blow up my bathtub. You are being very rude, you silly fox!"
"Idiot." Lucian rolled his eyes, "I am not saying sit in your bath and fart a hole into it!" He knocked on her head with the edge of his palm.
"Me neither!" Lia yelped, moaning, pursing her lips, holding the top of her head, which was stinging sharply.
"Get a bathtub." Lucian explained, "Fill it with lava and drop one in."
"Waaaiiittt!" Lia exclaimed, turning a shade whiter. "With lava?!"
"Duh. This is concentrated fire!" He continued, crossing his arms before his chest, "You saw Zorgan's office, no?"
"Yeah… he was washing his hand in lava, now that you mention it… Wait… Is he trying to fuse water and fire too?"
"What made you think of that?" Lucian asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Because lava is flowing fire and-"
"Nope." He cut in, raising one hand, stopping her from continuing. "Lava is not related to either. It is molten earth, crystals, and whatnot. Lava is more of a fusion between the element of earth and fire than your idiotic idea."
"It's not idiotic..." She murmured, looking down at the floor, playing with the edge of her skirt.
"They are filled with ingredients that can supply a fire seed and let it burn for an extended amount of time." Lucian continued, ignoring her, "You throw one into lava, and it will start burning; approximately, one of these seeds will burn for a whole day if you use a full tub of lava."
"What should I do after that? Bath in it?" She asked, dodging another palm strike from the Headmaster.
"Manipulate it." Lucian formed a small smile, drawing his hand back. "It is up to you to learn and draw the flame to yourself and take control of it! Absorb it into your body and learn about its state that way. I can't help you with that; I am not a fire magician! Go for Zorgan if you need help."
"That sounds… hard… but... I can do it without him! Hmph!"
"Because it is hard. But that is the only way to learn about it. Low-level pills that you can eat and let transform your fire are good and all, but they are the easy way. You will never learn the reality of those different flames if you let a pill do it for you. Of course, if you are desperate, you can try to eat one of these too."
"You said I would die!" Lia snapped at him.
"Yeah. Most likely. If you are not a Ri, it more than not will burn you up from the inside."
"Ugh… I won't eat them! But… where do I get lava from?"
"Beats me!" Lucian sighed, sitting down, waving his hand, "Good luck!"
"Silly fox… you are not a big help when it matters, are you?" Lia grumbled, putting away the box into her holding bag and leaving his office, biting her lower lip, now thinking where to get lava from.
…
…..
……
Many of the Misfits gathered before their tower a few days later, surrounding a huge, magically reinforced tub with curious glances. Ceiline, with Opparu's help, was transporting lava from the mountains in unique holding bags and slowly filling up the tub.
"Hey… are one of the leaders trying to take a bath in the fire?" One misfit asked whisperingly.
“I hope it is Koadriana… she likes being naked…”
"Or Aurora…" Another chimed in, "Her cold look is way too hot!"
"Boys…" A female voice added, "I hope it is Keily…" She added, making them turn towards her. "What? She looks cute."
"He." They corrected her.
"For now."
While they were whispering amongst themselves, the leaders of the Misfits were gathering around the tub, watching the crimson liquid fill it up. The snow was quickly melting away around them, and from nowhere, Stumpy strolled forward, climbing into the bathtub, rolling happily, and letting out cute, playful noises while splashing lava everywhere like a kid.
"Stumpy! Out!" Ceiline frowned, but Stumpy was not listening, ignoring his master and enjoying the bath.
"Let him be." Opparu chuckled, "He will get out as soon as we put the pill in!"
"Haahh… I can't believe it." Raufon whispered, watching the salamander enjoy its bath in the cold weather.
"Believe what?" Sion asked, looking up at him.
"That the salamanders are nothing but evolved dragon sperm."
"Pft!" Many of them swayed in place, remembering what Lia told them about her little adventure and the meeting with Albert.
"Kinky." Koa grinned.
"They are more than that!" Ceiline spoke up, scratching her throat and fighting against the impulse to turn bright red. "They do have… some correlation to a dragon but not like that! He was just… messing with Lia because he knew she would believe everything!"
"He did?" Lia asked, surprised. "He looked sincere!"
"And a jokester." Aurora wrote, making Keily nod, but he was mostly interested in the tub of lava. "Don't believe everything that an old man tells you! Or you will end up like Koa!"
"Beauty incarnate?" Koadriana asked, swaying her hips, wearing tight, black leggings and a puffy jacket that ended right above her butt for many of the misfits' enjoyment.
"A degenerate." Aurora finished.
"Boss… which one will you put into it?" Keily interrupted, looking incredibly excited.
"Dunno… you choose!" She said, pulling out the box and opening it before him. As soon as she did so, hot air wafted out of it, bringing the smell of burning wood with itself. Stumpy stopped rolling in the lava, sitting up, sticking his head over the edge, and seeing the pills, he licked his lips, constantly hissing like a snake.
"Don't even think about it!" Ceiline said, rolling her eyes, reaching down, grabbing his nape as if Stumpy were a cat, pulling him out of the tub. "Go to the garden, and melt away the snow around my plants! Keep them warm! If you are going to be a good salamander, I will make sure we build you a pool with lava in it!"
At first, Stumpy was crestfallen, but hearing her words, he was already scurrying to the back garden, keeping Ceiline's growing plants healthy and warm in the winter, acting as the guardian of her plants.
"This one!" Keily exclaimed in the end, grabbing a purple pill and raising it up, but his grin quickly vanished, starting to juggle with it. "Hot, hot, hoooooot!" He cried out loudly, throwing it at Sion, who exclaimed with panic.
"Idiot! Ouchie! It is seeeearingly hot!" He also cried, quickly throwing it at Raufon who caught it with his hands, surrounded with an earthly glove.
"Oh… damn! It is burning through my armor!" He said, watching it melt away the earth before giving it to Lia, who grabbed it without hesitation.
"Mhm… it is hot." She nodded, holding it barehanded without summoning her fires. "Good! Do any of you know what kind of fire seed this is?"
"I think it is from a crystalline." Opparu chimed in, walking next to Lia, sniffing a little.
"From a what?" Lia asked, rolling it in her palm, not bothered by the heat as her blue flames kept her hand cool from the inside.
"It is a weird beast living underground. It is like a living crystal, or so we think. Its whole body is transparent but hard as a diamond! They come in many colors, but violet is the most common sub-species among them. They are highly aggressive and cannibalistic. They melt the others with their fire and consume their liquefied remains to grow stronger and larger."
"Brutal…" Raufon whistled, listening to his explanation, while Lia threw the pill into the lava with shining eyes.
A moment later, their unique bathwater started to churn and bubble, and a second later, thick purple flames burst forth, reaching toward the sky, painting the surroundings in a violet hue. It was burning hotly and crackling loudly, making them step back, watching the dancing flames above the tub of lava with apprehension.
"Yep." Opparu nodded, "That is a crystalline's fire. It is a perfect flame for melting rocks and raw metals. I often used a similar fire, creating artifacts in my prime; I could recognize it anywhere."
"Then it is strong against my element, huh?" Raufon asked, not walking closer, feeling it burning way too hot, and it was extremely uncomfortable for him to be even near it.
"Pretty much." Opparu replied, looking at Lia and Keily, "Any fire mage who can master it will have a weapon against mages who use earth or metal in their magic."
"Cool!" Lia and Keily replied simultaneously, ready to go, while many of the misfits looked on curiously.
"Okay!" Lia turned to the crowd, her voice overshadowing the murmur. "Everyone who has a fire affinity, come! This fire should be on for the next 24 hours! All of you come and try controlling it and getting used to it! After that, we are going to refill the tub and try another fire seed!" What she just said surprised everyone present, even the rest of her friends.
"Are you sure?" Opparu asked, hiding a small smile, "With the amount of fire-sensitive people you lot have… this seed may run out of juice before the day is over."
"Oh…" Lia murmured, shrugging, "I thought that it could last the whole day… well, whatever! I have a lot more! Come on, everyone! Let's try them out!" She laughed happily, sharing it, giving the misfits an opportunity that would be impossible for them otherwise.
"Heh~" Opparu chuckled, watching them try and interact with the fire, standing next to the rest. Sometimes some overconfident misfit managed to be engulfed in purple fire, making him roll in the snow, sitting up after it was extinguished and left there naked with a shining, bald head for the laughter of the others. "Good girl. That one pill would amount to a yearly income of a small-sized kingdom."
"She will have enough." Aurora wrote, watching Lia try to draw the purple flames onto her hand with a small smile, "Jarrut contacted our family, and everything is processing smoothly. He should send us the first batch of consumable seeds in about two or three months."
"And she is going to put 80% of that into the treasury." Ceiline added, "For the others to exchange for it with CP. With all of this, she will build up the loyalty in our members that can last for way beyond our academic years."
"Is she doing it deliberately, or is this by instinct? I can never tell." Sion asked, half-seriously, half-jokingly.
"Me neither." Answered Koa and Aurora at the same time.
"But does it matter?" Raufon chortled, "The results are the same. She is a good girl. I like her!"
"Woah, you can't take her as a wife!" Sion laughed, making Raufon blow air out of his nostrils.
"Not like that. But my tribe will be an ally of her House as long as I am alive."
"Don't speak gloomily." Ceiline nudged him, "We are barely adults; we have many LONG centuries before us!"
"Haaahh… True…” Sion sighed suddenly, making the others look at him as it sounded surprisingly heavy.
"What's the matter?" Ceiline asked.
"This is my last year here. Soon I will graduate and…."
"Go humping?" Koa asked, making him twitch his mouth.
"Er…" He shivered involuntarily, not really surprised about it. He already knew that Lorin had told Lia about his circumstances. Especially after he was invited over in the summer. Yet, as of now, nothing seemed to change in his future prospects. It appeared that the House of Berison put down its foot and stood behind Fedra, the kingdom that wants Sion as its newest breeding instrument.
"I thought four out of five boys would be hard and ready!" Koa whispered, honestly surprised, "Are you like Lorin?"
"No." Sion shook his head, "I'm just more traditional." He shrugged, "I love the idea of a good romance and marrying your first love." Hearing him, Aurora let out a long breath with raised eyebrows, eyeing him up and down. "Is it that surprising?"
"A bit." She wrote with her hair, "I am afraid your trip to our family may have had a different effect."
"Hm?" Sion furrowed his brows like the rest, reading her words materializing in the air.
"House Berison has a new leader. A young girl said to have the same potential as their first and only Ascendri, the Ice Queen Kelmina. She aims to break the record of Reyra in stepping into the Three Ri's realm. I think they won't achieve that at all, but they are in direct competition with us."
"Err… that would be my grandfather's fault…." Koa blushed, "He refused the advancement of the previous Berison matriarch. Soooo… there is a bit of a conflict between our Houses because of that. Now it seems they see us as if we want to steal from them."
"Steal? Steal Sion?" Ceiline asked, surprised by the news as she was always left out of the Nerifit and the other Houses' businesses.
"Great… just what I needed!" Sion groaned, rubbing his forehead, "Well… I am already resigned. I am here enjoying my last year…."
"Don't give up yet." Aurora wrote, flashing a smile at him, "Lia wants you as her squad member… Berisons or not~! The current head, Rinzen, may be a genius, but our Lia is one too… Plus, ours is a bit thick-headed regarding her ideas~!"
