The journey to the Temple of Embers took most of the day.

Karnan rode with a small escort of knights and priests through narrow mountain roads.

The air grew hotter the higher they climbed.

Even the wind felt warm.

By sunset, the landscape had changed completely.

Green forests were gone.

Only black stone and red earth remained.

Cracks in the ground glowed faintly with heat.

Thin smoke drifted from the mountainside.

The temple stood at the center of it all.

Ancient.

Carved directly into volcanic rock.

Massive dragon statues guarded the entrance.

Their stone eyes stared down like silent judges.

The High Priest stopped near the entrance.

"This is where the trial takes place."

Karnan looked at the temple.

Something about the place felt heavy.

Ancient energy filled the air.

Radiant Sync flickered slightly in his vision.

Radiant Sync: 9%

Radiant Affinity: 1%

The numbers reacted to the environment.

Interesting.

Serelis stepped forward beside him.

"Only you enter," she said.

"The trial must be faced alone."

Karnan nodded.

That made sense.

Tests meant to prove strength rarely allowed help.

The stone doors opened slowly.

A wave of heat rushed out.

Inside—

The temple corridor led downward.

Deeper into the mountain.

Torches burned along the walls.

But their flames looked strange.

Almost blue.

Karnan walked forward.

The doors closed behind him.

The sound echoed like thunder.

Now he was alone.

The corridor eventually opened into a massive chamber.

A volcanic arena.

The ceiling stretched high above him.

Open cracks revealed flowing magma deep within the mountain.

Heat rose in waves.

At the center of the arena stood a circular platform of black stone.

Dragon symbols carved along its edges.

Karnan stepped onto it.

The moment his foot touched the platform—

The chamber trembled.

Flames erupted from cracks in the floor.

A massive shape formed inside the fire.

Wings.

Claws.

A head larger than a wagon.

A dragon spirit.

Its body was made entirely of flame.

Eyes burning bright red.

The voice that spoke shook the arena.

"Who enters the Trial of Flame?"

Karnan stood calmly.

"My name is Karnan."

The dragon spirit studied him.

Its fiery gaze moved slowly across his body.

Then it stopped at his chest.

"The Crimson Mark..."

The dragon's voice grew quieter.

"Another bearer."

Flames around the arena intensified.

"Prove your worth."

The spirit lifted its massive wings.

Fire exploded across the platform.

Karnan barely had time to react.

The flames surged toward him like a tidal wave.

There was nowhere to dodge.

No cover.

Only fire.

The moment the flames touched him—

Pain surged through his body.

His skin burned.

His muscles tightened.

The heat was unbearable.

But he didn't scream.

Instead—

Something inside his chest awakened.

Radiant Sync spiked.

Radiant Sync: 12%

Radiant Affinity: 2%

The dragon spirit watched carefully.

"Resist."

"Survive."

The flames grew stronger.

The entire arena turned into an inferno.

The platform cracked beneath Karnan's feet.

But the fire felt strange.

It hurt.

But it didn't consume him.

Instead—

It reacted.

His chest began glowing faintly.

Not red.

Gold.

At first the glow was small.

Barely visible beneath the flames.

Then it grew.

The fire surrounding him slowly changed color.

Red flames turned orange.

Orange turned yellow.

Then—

Gold.

The dragon spirit suddenly froze.

The flames paused in midair.

Its massive head lowered closer to Karnan.

"What...?"

The spirit's voice no longer sounded confident.

It sounded confused.

Karnan looked down at his hands.

Golden fire wrapped around his fingers.

It wasn't wild.

It wasn't destructive.

It moved calmly.

Like it recognized him.

System text appeared again.

Radiant Affinity: 3%

The dragon spirit stepped back slightly.

Its wings folded.

"This fire..."

Its voice echoed across the arena.

"...is not dragon fire."

The flames around the chamber began shrinking.

Returning to normal red.

But the golden fire around Karnan remained.

The spirit stared at him.

"This power..."

The dragon's eyes narrowed.

"...is older than dragons."

Silence filled the volcanic arena.

Karnan's heart pounded.

Older than dragons?

That didn't make sense.

Dragons were supposed to be ancient.

The rulers of this world.

Yet this spirit was clearly disturbed.

The dragon slowly circled him.

Observing.

Analyzing.

"You carry two flames."

"Dragon fire."

"And something else."

Its voice dropped lower.

"Something we do not remember."

The golden flames faded slowly.

The arena cooled slightly.

Karnan's breathing returned to normal.

The dragon spirit lifted its head again.

"The trial is complete."

Flames across the chamber dimmed.

"The Dragon Mark recognizes you."

The spirit paused.

"But your power..."

"...is not fully ours."

That statement echoed heavily through the arena.

Karnan already knew that.

The voice inside him had said the same thing.

You are not fully mine.

The dragon spirit moved toward the far end of the chamber.

Its body dissolving back into flame.

But before it vanished completely—

It spoke one final time.

"Be careful, bearer of the Radiant Core."

"Ancient fire attracts ancient enemies."

The flames disappeared.

The arena became quiet again.

Only the glow of magma remained.

Karnan stood alone on the platform.

Trying to process everything.

Dragon power.

Golden flame.

Something older than dragons.

Radiant Affinity flickered once more.

Radiant Affinity: 3%

The temple doors slowly opened again.

Cool mountain air flowed inside.

The trial had ended.

But Karnan understood something important now.

This world thought dragons were the beginning of power.

But the flame inside him—

Came from somewhere much deeper.

And whatever created that fire...

Had just begun to awaken.

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