Isir was very quiet. Henndar's unpredictable nature caught him off guard and reset his thoughts. Henndar rubbed his chin and then smiled once again, raising his voice this time. "Young man, if you're looking to court my daughter, then keep in mind. My mark is very high, you know. Yes, she's beautiful as her parents but she's still young and I'll allow her to marry whomever she wants. Though you're not on the list"
Kethra shot him a look and Lia showed a slight expression of disgust though embarrassed.
This startled the boy and he tried to hide his embarrassment as some people laughed at Henndar's remark. "I, sorry your majesty. I'm just here to humbly ask for permission to go on with a demonstration. I prepared along with my sister to put up a show in an attempt to please the people. It is only a request, and I would not take it to heart if I am unable to perform." He spoke earnestly with a bow. He sounded honest, genuinely wanting to put on a show, but Henndar knew better. This was all just a plot sent on by Eryndor. He was there to show off and flex his proficiency in using the flames. Flames Lia didn't have. Flames she might not have if fate looked the other way.
"Why...why that sounds delightful! Go on and please everyone here, Isir."
"Thank you," he bowed and turned around. A large space was cleared for the show and in the middle stood Isir. He raised his hands and a flame appeared above his head in a circle. It spread wide and wide then sparks flew from it, each spark forming into a flaming leaf. The leaves spread into the crowd, but touching them didn't burn. It felt warm, just a calm warmth.
The crowd applauded.
He pointed to the ceiling and a dozen rings of flame appeared, swirling and dancing. They came together, forming intricate patterns, beautiful forms, and eye-catching designs. The brilliance of this simple act caught the attention of every eye present. For a boy his age, being able to do that spoke volumes of his skill at controlling the flames. The motion was no easy feat. One needed immense mental skill to be able to control the flames as such. He had to control each ring separately, making it move how he wanted. The people were amazed as the rings doubled in number, moving faster and faster, increasing in size and shrinking at will.
In the center of it all, isir just stood calmly with a smug smile on his face as he flexed his superior control of the flames. With a clasping motion, the flames disappeared once again, turning into tiny sparks that fell like snow.
The crowd applauded him once again, but he was far from finished. He closed his eyes, gently forcing his power to spread out, enveloping him. A gold sheen covered his being and the crowd gasped. He had only entered the world of cultivation four years ago, but he had already reached the gold gate, and from the looks of things he was at the third or fourth step. That was the ability of a prodigy.
Fire appeared around his feet, calmly rising every time he breathed out. The flames continued to rise carefully, reaching his waist. He opened his eyes and pushed the flames to the ground with a palm. That was when the marvel began. With a deep breath, he exhaled and flaming dragons appeared from the ground, jumping into the air and dancing above their heads.
"This is the dragon's breath!" A man exclaimed, pointing at the dragons as if he'd seen God himself. The awe the people felt went several times higher. This was a skill people could learn only at reaching the peak of the Gold gate. The skill was used in battle as the dragons were difficult to control. To use it in a display like this meant he had mastered the flames all too well and could control the dragons perfectly well.
As the crowd murmured and praised the brilliance of the young man, his sister stepped forward.
"Leave some of the glory for me too," she joked then jumped into the sky, stepping on invisible steps of flames that spread sparks with every step.
"That's the emberstride!" Another exclaimed. This was also another high-tier move.
A large fireball appeared over her head. The flame started to shift, changing form and elongating till a fiery sword appeared. With a complicated hand motion, the sword was divided into twelve spiraling swords that shot to the ground. They remained a few inches above the ground, constantly swirling. She willed one to her side, jumping on it and riding it around like a flying sword. The remaining swords followed her, forming a trail of repeating flame swords.
Some people waited, expecting someone to exclaim the name of the move like the other two. When no one spoke, someone nudged the man who exclaimed Emberstride.
"Hey, what's this one called?" He asked. Attention was drawn to him and he felt pride well up inside him. He wanted more of that feeling but unfortunately, he didn't know what that move was.
"Thi...this move is called the uh the claws of the demon dragon!" He smirked, knowing he'd created that name on his own but since no one knew the actual name of the move, he knew he was safe.
"Claw of the demon dragon," the people repeated in awe.
He felt pride as the people looked at him with respect but...
"Claw of the what? I've read all fire books and there's no such thing as Claw of Demon Dragon. The name even sounds stupid! This is the vermillion sword technique!" Another exclaimed. He sounded more confident and the people looked for the man who'd said the first name, knowing now that he made that up but he had disappeared. Now the people nearby wondered what technique he used to disappear.
Iris sped across the room, changing direction and turning in a beautiful display of skill and agility. Not wanting to be outshone by his sister, Isir also willed his dragons to move faster, dancing dangerously in the air. Iris joined the dragons, moving in sync with them. Her movements were like a graceful dance, and for a moment, it almost seemed like she and the dragons were one entity, their fire intertwining in a mesmerizing, fluid rhythm.
But Isir wasn't having any of it. He clenched his fists, and the dragons roared to life, surging toward Iris in a burst of flame. He wasn't about to let her steal the show—he would remind everyone who the true master of flames was.
The crowd gasped as the dragons sped toward her. Iris smirked, knowing she had no intention of backing down. In a swift motion, she spun in the air, her fiery sword crackling as she slashed through the air, scattering sparks in her wake. The dragons twisted, narrowly avoiding the strike, but their fiery tails whipped out dangerously, singeing the air around her.
Isir narrowed his eyes. She wanted to show off? Fine. His control over the dragons tightened. With a flick of his wrist, the dragons twisted into a formation, charging directly at Iris, blocking her every move. The fire was closing in, pushing her toward the walls.
Iris, never one to back down from a challenge, laughed. She twisted her body, using the Emberstride to skate through the air like a comet, effortlessly avoiding the dragons' attacks. The crowd gasped at her speed, her control almost rivaling that of her brother.
But Isir wasn't finished. With a snap of his fingers, the dragons divided into two groups, circling Iris from opposite sides. She was trapped in the middle. The crowd held their breath as the flames swirled tighter, ready to trap her in a fiery cage.
As the fiery cage closed in around her, Iris clenched her fists, her breath steady despite the encroaching inferno. Heat licked at her skin, but she didn't waver. Then, with a deep inhale, something shifted. The air around her shimmered, bending to her will.
Flames surged from her back, unfurling like wings made of pure fire. They weren't just an extension of her power—they were an extension of her very being. The wings flared wide, each ember pulsating with raw energy, bathing the entire room in a golden-red glow. With a single beat, they sent a gust of scorching wind outward, pushing against the oncoming dragons.
The flames clashed, writhing and twisting in a fierce battle of wills, but Iris stood unshaken, her wings burning brighter with every passing second. She wasn't just defending herself—she was claiming her dominance over the spectacle.
Just as the dragons were about to close in, Iris made her move. She flared her wings of flame, expanding them like a radiant shield, pushing back the dragons with sheer force. The room erupted in heat as the flames clashed, a battle of fire against fire. Iris's eyes gleamed with determination, her flames burning brighter with every second, each step calculated to maintain her dominance over the spectacle.
Isir, not one to be outdone, gestured sharply, calling his dragons back to him. They obeyed immediately, forming a massive, swirling vortex of flame around him. The fire roared, but his eyes were fixed on Iris, watching her every move.
But Iris wasn't finished. She charged forward, the fiery swords she summoned slicing through the air with brutal precision. They flew straight toward the dragons, cutting through the vortex with ease.
And that's when everything changed.
The dragons faltered, their movements jerky, as if the fire itself hesitated. Isir's face twisted in confusion. He had never seen his dragons struggle like this. His control wavered for a brief moment, and in that second of weakness, Iris made her move.
She unleashed a burst of energy, sending a tidal wave of flame toward her brother's dragons, scattering them in every direction. The force was so powerful that the audience flinched back, surprised by the sudden eruption of power.
Isir stood frozen for a moment, his eyes wide with disbelief. The flames around him flickered, their strength waning in the wake of Iris's display.
The crowd gasped again. This time, it was Iris who held the stage, her flames radiating with an intensity that left Isir in the shadows.
Then all of a sudden the dragons and swords froze. Iris jumped off as if the sword had failed to obey her. She stood with her brother, back to back, and then the swords and dragons turned to face the twins standing in the middle of the spectacle. They suddenly shot at them, joining to form a huge pillar of fire. The people panicked at the sudden change of events. The fire burned bright, then turned red, the color of the vermillion bird. Suddenly the flames burst out and a vermillion bird came out, flying to the ceiling where it disappeared, turning to red, fiery feathers.
Isir and Iris stood in the middle, untouched and unbothered by the flames.
For a brief moment, they stood there, back to back, the fiery remnants of their power still crackling in the air. Then, as if nothing had happened, they both turned to face the audience, their expressions smoothed into polite, confident smiles.
But the tension between them was palpable, an unspoken rivalry that had just intensified.
The crowd erupted into applause, not quite sure who had won—only that the performance had left them breathless.
They bowed at the King, queen, and Lia then quietly returned to their family.
Lia was dumbfounded and amazed. The sudden display of power made her fear once again. She knew very well, her secret about her attribute that she had to hide. But what if the people looked down on her and hated her like they treated Aramith and Mozrael?
She stared at the twins as they disappeared into the crowd. There was so much she had to accomplish. Could she do it?
The event continued in earnest, people dancing and rejoicing, but with every passing second, Lia knew she was getting closer and closer to revealing her attribute. She needed support, but where was Aarmith? Mozrael still didn't smile at her for hurting Aramith, but she knew they would repair their relationship. She had her parents to support her but what if she failed to?
Eryndor approached them with a smug look.
"Quite a good show, you gave us there," Henndar nodded his approval.
"Hahaha. It was just a little something the children prepared for yesterday," he replied politely. It was obviously a lie.
"They outdid themselves there," Henndar chuckled.
Eryndor directed his attention at Kethra. "The queen is magnificent as always, " He complimented.
Kethra only nodded as she knew this man always had some ulterior motives.
"But I can't stop wondering when your people would show up. I've been hoping to see them for a while," he spoke a little louder, drawing more attention than was needed. The topic of Kethra's people, half elves was a sensitive subject the people never dared speak about. She was their queen, they adored her, that was all. They had never seen her folks apart from the day she wedded Henndar, but that was never a problem to them. They did hope to see the beautiful and charming people of her race but didn't mind when they failed to appear.
Before Kethra could speak, Henndar jumped in.
"Oh, since when did you become the one to mark people present and people absent?
I could hire you here to work if you're interested, " Henndar said with a laugh, but there was an edge to it.
Don't even come near my wife, his eyes said.
People were surprised at his audacity to hire Eryndor, but after all, he was the king.
Eryndor had planned on asking about Gebreth as well, but with the awkward spot Henndar had put him in, keeping quiet about that would be better.
"Hahaha Ah I understand. Let us enjoy the event. It is a great day after all," he forced a laugh, but it was clear he was displeased.
An infectious silence spread across to many groups and Lia's heart jumped to her throat.