The city buzzed with life. Skyscrapers pierced the clouds, neon signs flickered despite the daylight, and the sounds of engines, chatter, and distant music blended into an urban symphony. The air smelled like hot pretzels, street food, and exhaust.
"Man, this city never shuts up," Damien Cross muttered, crunching on a mouthful of chips. Red hair wild and untamed, his red-golden eyes scanned the streets. He wore a dark hoodie, scuffed jeans, and sneakers that had seen better days. "Same streets, same noise, same people."
Citizens walked by, locked in their own worlds. A woman on a phone shouted, "I told him if he's late again, we're done!" A teen muttered to a friend, "You see that new anime drop? Mid, bro. Total mid." Two old men on a bench debated politics with voices just loud enough for everyone to hear.
"These politicians ain't never gonna fix nothin'. Same promises, same lies."
"Back in my day, we didn't have all this tech messin' with our brains. People talked face to face."
A street vendor wiped down his cart and mumbled, "Another slow day. People don't even eat real food anymore. Just phones and protein drinks."
A girl with headphones danced across the sidewalk, spinning to her own beat. Her friend called after her, "You think life's about chasing vibes and playlists? That won't pay rent, Maya!"
"Better than chasing stress and paychecks," Maya shouted back.
Damien kept walking, rolling his eyes. "Everyone's got somethin' to say today... not that I don't."
He licked chip dust off his fingers and grumbled, "What am I even gonna do today? Go home, game a bit, maybe rage-quit something. Eat more junk. Get mad about it later. Rinse and repeat."
He passed a corner shop where a radio blasted music. "Ayo, turn that garbage down," someone yelled from an apartment window.
"This city's a circus," Damien muttered with a half-smirk. "And I'm the clown with the chips."
He looked up at the clouds, one eye squinting against the sun. Am I really just drifting? There's gotta be more to life than junk food and avoiding responsibility.
As he rounded the next block, he spotted a group of kids in a small open lot between buildings, playing catch with a bright red ball.
"Throw it higher next time!" one kid yelled.
"You're gonna break a window again, idiot!" another replied, ducking.
"Bet I can catch it one-handed!"
"You dropped it last time, bro. Sit down!"
"You're all trash. Watch this cannon throw!"
They laughed, bantered, voices overlapping with childish opinions and playful insults.
One kid said, "When I grow up, I wanna be a superhero."
Another scoffed, "Nah, I'm gonna be a streamer and make millions."
"Superheroes are cooler!"
"You just want to fly away from homework!"
Damien couldn't help but smile a little.
At least they still dream. Kinda miss that. Used to wanna be... what, a fireman? A ninja? Heh. Life comes at you fast.
One of the kids spotted Damien.
"Hey, mister! Wanna play?"
Damien waved lazily. "Nah, I'm too old and too cool."
"He scared he can't throw!"
"Bet he throws like my grandma!"
Damien rolled his eyes. Brats. But funny ones.
Then—everything slowed.
The ball flew too far.
One kid, the smallest of them, chased it into the street.
Damien's eyes locked onto him.
"Yo—!" he began.
A truck came from the corner, tires screeching, horn blaring.
NOPE. Not happening.
Damien dropped the chip bag and bolted. "MOVE!!" he shouted with everything he had.
Don't think, just RUN. That kid's not dying today—not on my watch!
His legs pumped faster than ever, adrenaline taking over. The truck's horn screamed like a banshee. Damien's thoughts raced alongside him.
Gotta get there. Gotta get there. Come on—faster!
The kid froze, eyes wide.
Please don't let me be too late.
At the last second, Damien dove forward and shoved the boy with both arms.
"MOVE!!"
The boy tumbled out of the street.
And then—
Impact.
Blinding pain.
Silence.
Everything went black.
...
Damien floated. Or maybe he didn't. There was no ground, no sky—just darkness.
Am I dead? No way... I felt that hit. That should've been it. Lights out. Game over.
A voice, soft and powerful, echoed through the void.
"You have awakened, my Flamebearer."
His eyes opened. There was nothing but endless black—and a single flame, suspended in mid-air.
He sat up, groaning. "What the hell...? Who are you?!"
Why is there fire floating in nothingness? Where is that voice coming from?
"Confused, aren't you?" the voice teased.
Damien clenched his fists, irritation bubbling. "WHO. ARE. YOU?!"
A laugh—melodic, dangerous.
The flame grew larger, brighter. It shimmered, twisted, then began to take form. Fire danced into shape—a woman's silhouette, elegant and powerful.
Hair like a living blaze: crimson at the roots, golden at the ends. Eyes glowing molten gold with rings of pulsing red. Skin kissed with golden-rose warmth. Her body—stunning. Goddess-tier.
She wore shimmering robes of flame silk and obsidian lace, regal and unreal.
Damien's jaw dropped.
Okay... wow. She's... insane. Gorgeous. Dangerous. Fire incarnate. What even IS this?!
She giggled. "Shocked, dear?"
He shook his head, trying to recover. "I-I... Who are you? Where am I?"
She stepped closer, radiating heat and authority. "I am the Goddess of Flame, Wrath, Passion, and Rebirth—Ignis Vermiliona."
He repeated it slowly, stunned. "Goddess... Ignis Vermiliona..."
She snapped her fingers.
The void around them ignited into a radiant flame-scape—molten rivers, burning skies, floating embers.
"Welcome to my domain, my Flamebearer."
Damien stood there, heart pounding, brain spiraling.
What the hell just happened...?
Damien still didn't understand what was going on. His red-golden eyes darted around the burning world of flame and embers, trying to make sense of everything. The heat didn't burn, but it pulsed with energy that made the hairs on his arms rise.
Ignis, the flame goddess, smiled gently, watching him with glowing eyes. "You're wondering why you're here, aren't you?"
Damien slowly nodded, still cautious.
She stepped closer, her voice a soothing crackle like fire in a hearth. "Well, you died when you saved that boy. But instead of going to the Realm of Souls, I pulled you into my domain."
His eyes widened, emotions clashing across his face. Confusion, disbelief, curiosity.
"I... died?" he asked, his voice quieter now. "Did I do something wrong?"
Ignis giggled, the sound teasing but soft. "No, my dear. In fact, you did something very right. You're here because you're being given a second chance at life."
Damien tilted his head. "A second chance...?"
She nodded. "Yes. And not just any second chance. I'm sending you to another world—one that desperately needs help. There, you will help others defeat the Demon Lord who is awakening."
Damien blinked. Then stared.
"Wait, wait, hold on. Did you just say... second chance at life in another world?"
"Yes," she said warmly.
His brain short-circuited. So many thoughts ran wild. New world? New life? Magic? Monsters? Freedom? No taxes?? He smiled—until he realized something.
"Wait, wait, back up. Did you say... Demon Lord?"
Ignis gave him a playful, wicked smile. "Yes. You will be fighting the awakening Demon Lord."
Damien's eyes went wide. "Oh, that's what I thought you said." Then, dramatically, he shouted, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I'M FIGHTING A DEMON LORD?!"
Ignis giggled again.
Damien flailed his arms in disbelief. "STOP GIGGLING! This is not a funny situation! I don't have any powers! I might die a second time!"
She giggled again, clearly enjoying his meltdown.
He screamed louder, "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!"
Ignis looked at him with a smile, almost affectionate. "Don't worry, my flame. You will be given the power to defeat the Demon Lord. You have nothing to fear."
Damien took a deep breath, trying to calm the tornado in his chest. "Okay... okay... fine. So what do I have to do?"
Ignis stepped forward, her robes swirling with firelight. "I will give you the power of the Divine Flame. I will place it directly into your soul. This gift... is called the Flame Soul."
He nodded slowly. "Flame Soul, huh... Sounds kinda cool."
Ignis raised one hand. A shard of divine flame appeared, glowing with immense power, swirling with gold and crimson fire.
Damien stared, thoughts flying through his mind. That's beautiful... terrifying... I'm about to let a literal goddess stick fire into my soul. What is my life right now?
She stepped toward him, eyes glowing. "Brace yourself."
Ignis reached toward his chest. Her hand moved through his shirt, phasing into his body. Damien gasped as her palm touched his heart—and then pushed the flame shard into his soul.
A surge of power exploded outward.
Flames erupted around Damien's body. Crimson, gold, orange. They licked at his arms, his legs, his chest—yet did not burn. Instead, they merged with him.
His eyes flared, and he felt the fire inside him blaze to life.
This... this is unreal! My veins are lava! My heart is thunder! What is this power?!
Ignis watched, proud. "It's not just magic," she said. "It's sentient. Alive with emotion. It's tied to your heart. The stronger your emotions, the stronger your flame."
Damien gasped as the flames calmed, pulling inward. His clothes were untouched—but something within him had changed forever.
"Woah..." he whispered, his voice trembling with awe.
And then—
A floating blue screen appeared in front of him. Like a video game UI.
[FLAMEBEARER SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
The sudden appearance of the glowing blue screen made Damien flinch. It hovered right in front of his face, completely solid despite its ethereal glow.
"What the hell... it's like some RPG game UI," he muttered.
His thoughts scrambled. Am I dreaming? Is this real? This is straight out of an anime. What even is my life right now?
The screen pulsed and shifted. New text appeared before him in radiant golden lettering:
============================== [STATUS SCREEN - FLAMEBEARER]
Name: Damien Cross
Age: 21
Race: Human (Flame-Touched)
Level: 1
Class: Fire Mage (Flamebearer)
Blessing: Divine Flame of Ignis Vermiliona
Titles: Hero of Flame, The Chosen Ember, Guardian of Innocents
HP: 2,000
MP: 3,500
Strength: 130
Agility: 145
Endurance: 160
Mana: 5,000
Luck: 90
Charm: 115
Normal Skills:
Enhanced Reflexes: Sharply increases reaction speed in combat situations. Allows near-instant response to attacks or projectiles.
Danger Sense: Passively detects immediate threats or hostile intent. Grants a sixth sense for survival.
Flame Resistance: Grants natural immunity to heat and fire damage, both magical and physical.
Firestarter: Allows instant ignition of flammable materials and control over minor flames.
Basic Weapon Handling: Grants competence with basic melee weapons (swords, staves, daggers).
Food Sense: Can detect edible ingredients and identify food quality by scent alone.
Culinary Instinct: Enhances intuition for cooking recipes and flavor combinations.
Basic Cooking: Allows creation of nourishing meals with basic tools and ingredients.
Situational Awareness: Increases perception of surroundings, useful in battle or social settings.
Appraisal: Allows reading the status, abilities, or properties of objects, creatures, or people.
Martial Arts: Trained unarmed combat techniques for both offense and defense.
Sword Mastery: Improved effectiveness and technique with bladed weapons.
Ability Skills:
Flame Dash: Instantly propel yourself in a fiery burst in any direction. Leaves behind searing flames that can burn enemies.
Ember Burst: Channel explosive flame through your fists or weapons, delivering a fiery shockwave upon impact.
Inferno Punch: A devastating close-range strike that engulfs your hand in roaring flames. Can break through armor and barriers.
Ember Chain: Summon a flaming chain to whip, bind, or pull enemies or objects.
Flame Smash: A heavy downward strike with fire-infused force, causing localized eruption on impact.
Blazing Spin: Rapid, flame-fueled spinning attack using a weapon or body to strike multiple enemies in a wide arc.
Flame Grapple: Use flame-tethered limbs or whips to latch onto enemies, objects, or terrain for mobility or capture.
Magic Skills:
Fireball: Launch a compressed orb of fire that explodes on contact, dealing area damage.
Flame Shield: Surround yourself with a protective wall of fire, reducing physical and magical damage and burning nearby attackers.
Blazing Pillar: Summon a towering column of fire that erupts from the ground, ideal for controlling the battlefield and hitting multiple enemies.
Flame Flicker: Short-range teleport using flickering flame to reappear nearby.
Ember Trap: Sets delayed-fire rune traps that explode when triggered by movement or magic.
Flame Grapple: (Magic Variant) A ranged spell that fires a chain of fire to pull or lash enemies from a distance.
Unique Skills:
Flame Soul Resonance: Your flame magic is fueled by your emotional state. The stronger your emotions—rage, passion, determination—the stronger your flame becomes. This skill evolves over time and can awaken hidden abilities.
Wrathfire Overflow (Berserk Mode): Temporarily loses conscious control and enters a rage state, amplifying all abilities dramatically but risking exhaustion or collateral damage. → [LOCKED: Unlocks at Level 10]
Flame Rebirth: Upon defeat, user may self-resurrect once by burning their own mana and health to reignite life. Cooldown: 30 days.
→ [LOCKED: Unlocks at Level 15]
Goddess Tether: Forms a spiritual link to Ignis, allowing guidance, emotional support, and rare divine boosts in times of great need.
→ [LOCKED: Unlocks at Level 20]
Cinder Reaper Form (Forbidden Skill): Transforms the user into a manifestation of destruction and flame. Drains mana and soul over time. Unlocked only under extreme emotional and spiritual conditions.
→ [LOCKED: Requires Level 30 + Flame Soul Resonance Awakening]
Weapon: None Equipped
Items:
Flamebearer Cloak (Passive Buff – Minor fire damage resistance, boosts mana recovery), Divine
Emberstone x1 (Mysterious item tied to the Flame Soul)
Damien's jaw practically hit the floor.
"I'm a freakin' fire mage with insane stats! Look at that mana pool! And Flame Soul Resonance? What even is that?!"
His body still hummed with the raw power of the divine flame. It coiled in his chest, ready to burst forth if he let it.
I feel like I could melt mountains with a sneeze...
Ignis floated beside him, smiling with warm pride. Her eyes shimmered with molten gold. "You see now? That power is yours. A gift from my essence, tied to your soul. You're more than just strong—you're meant to inspire, protect, and burn away the darkness."
Damien stared at the screen again, then slowly turned toward her, eyes brighter than ever.
A grin tugged at the edge of his lips. "Alright... maybe dying wasn't so bad after all."
Ignis saw the grin stretch across Damien's face and giggled softly.
"I know you're ready," she said with a voice that crackled like warm fire.
Damien nodded firmly, excitement and fire in his eyes.
"Good," Ignis said, her tone turning serious but kind. "Now you will be sent to another world, right now."
Damien stepped forward, facing her fully. "I'm ready. For a new adventure."
She smiled, radiant and proud. "Good. You are my flame—the light that will burn brightly through the darkness. So enjoy your second life... and when the Demon Lord awakens, I hope you are ready to show him what true power looks like."
Damien grinned wide, full of purpose. "Yes. I'll do it!"
Ignis gave a single nod and raised her hand. A warm, crackling energy flowed outward from her palm. As she whispered in an ancient tongue, glowing symbols formed in the air.
A massive summoning circle of fire and gold appeared beneath Damien's feet, rotating slowly with pulsating light. Lines of divine script and blazing runes spiraled outward.
The energy intensified.
The air shimmered. The ground hummed. A column of light erupted upward, surrounding Damien.
Ignis raised her hand in farewell. "See you next time... my flame."
Damien smirked and gave her a casual wave goodbye as the light grew blinding.
And then—
He vanished.
"Good luck," Ignis whispered, her voice soft and full of warmth.
...
In a burst of swirling flame and light, Damien appeared in a new world.
The first thing he saw was green. Endless trees, tall and ancient, swayed in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting golden patches across a forest floor full of life. Birds chirped. A stream babbled nearby. The scent of wildflowers, fresh water, and earth filled the air.
"Whoa..." Damien said, spinning slowly as he took it all in.
This place is beautiful... like something out of a fantasy novel. Way better than city smog and traffic noise.
He inhaled deeply, letting the fresh air fill his lungs. His Flamebearer cloak rustled behind him in the breeze.
"This is it," he said, planting his feet firmly. "Let the adventure begin."
To be continued...