He goes there hoping to find other people to help him.
He was hesitant to go, but as he was walking there, he kept convincing himself he whispered to himself
"united we stand divided we fall",
His hand was shaking, the last encounter shocked him to his core
He felt unworthy, he felt like his entire body was refusing him
He felt off his game but the only direction he could go was forward
He reaches the fire, hesitant and shaky but still willing to look around and see
He looks around before he is able to see who's there; an arrow is fired at him.
He sidesteps out of instinct the arrow barely grazing his body and taking a chunk out of his cape
He tries to open his mouth but words just won't come out for some reason it's like they are all stuck in his throat
Before anything, he sees uncanny creatures surrounding him
They looked to have weird horned masks that were red and white.
They were covered with this brownish-green bushy material; not an inch of them was uncovered.
He realized 'WAIT.. that's how master described demons'
But something felt off…
Their size and figure look human.
Something wasn't adding up
Before he could come to his own conclusion.
One of them takes her mask off they're…human,
She says, "everyone calm down he's probably a human too…
but may also be….a shapeshifter."
Stay alert. Don't let your guard down for even a second.
He notices he is completely surrounded he tells himself 'They seem like a warrior but I can probably take them on'
His eyes being narrow his breath being fast and his hand not being able to tighten says otherwise
He thinks to himself 'I understand Their suspicion but what can I do about it'
He said, 'Y'all, I swear I'm not a shapeshifter; I swear on my sword."
She riposted "If you're not then you will survive this test"
They all raised their hands every single one of them had burn marks
They all looked the same brown all seeming old marks
Every single one of them had it around their wrists
She said, "Humans don't have any innate weakness nor strengths, so fire to them is normal.
Shapeshifters, on the other hand, they were born in the northern iceths,
well, back when they were frozen, that is, a small spark of flames melts them easily."
He thought to himself, 'Northern iceths? Melt through them? Fire and burn mark? This is actually too much'
He said, "So you want me to burn myself?"
She responded "Yeah pretty much"
He was like "Are you crazy"
She said "You gotta do what you gotta do, or you could just leave"
He sighed
He thought about it
But he realized after what just happened what other choice did he have
He opened his mouth to confirm yet he stuttered even after that he pushed it out of his mouth saying
"I will not fight this wasteland alone"
She yelled "Everyone ready your bows"
And 10s of soldiers atop cliffs pulled the strings with arrows planted on the bows
Aiming them right at his head
He felt heavy as he saw this like his life was out of his hands
She grabbed a stick from the ground and said "私は地獄の底から神の力を引き出す" It caught flams
—pyromancy?! Our hero exclaimed!
he said "didn't know you were a mage class"
trying to distract himself from the fact he is about to be burned alive
She said "You think I survived out here by being what? A damsel in distress?"
Looking annoyed and offended the statement seems to have an effect on her as appearing on her face
she said "Give me your hand"
he held it out
She put the flaming stick of fire on it
He felt the most intense pain he ever felt he screamed while his skin was being scorched by the fire
But…..he didn't melt
She said "Huh I guess you're human then
but rest for now the trials shall be held soon
it will decide your fate."