Within the Blazing Tower of the Venerable of Flames, the Trial that Surtr and his party was undergoing was reaching its climax.
After having gone through the Floor 95's mighty Boss, they made their way through each subsequent Floors.
From Floor 96, a land filled with millions of Inferno Ant Colonies, to Floor 97 which was a Swamp of Burning Toxins, where gigantic Blazing Venom Boas and Volcanic Alligators lived, they had to both adapt to fight against countless foes at once and to survive in incredibly harsh conditions.
The millions of Rank 7 Inferno Ants, which alone were nothing, but together became a terrifying and near endless threat that had to take everything they had to conquer, Surtr having to take down the Queens one after another so they couldn't produce more offspring.
And then the Swamp of Burning Toxins constantly poisoned their bodies and reduced their health points over time. The monsters there lurked in the water, constantly seeking to hunt them and surprise them in every moment… It was a long path, but they managed to get to the end of it.
All the way to Floor 98, where they had to explore the pitch-black Phantasmal Flames Nether Caves, filled with Infernal Skeletons and Death Flame Headless Riders.
These sets of caves seemed like a near endless labyrinth, and it was almost completely pitch-black if not for the faint gleam of phantasmal flames covering some areas, with Undead lurking in every shadow they stepped.
Until their last challenge before Floor 100, Floor 99. This Floor was by far the most challenging and hardest of all trials, it was a castle filled with shadows and flames. The shadows would constantly imitate their forms and skills, attacking them every time they made their way further into the labyrinthian castle.
At the end of the ordeal there was also a Secret or perhaps Hidden Boss, a Shadow Blaze Spirit, which took the form of all the forms the other Shadows took and became a gigantic abomination… Surtr had to break his body apart several times as he fought, constantly bleeding and tearing apart his very soul to gain more power.
If it wasn't for Mina's amazing healing, this challenge would have never been possible, even less without everyone else's support… yet, at long last, once they finally defeated the giant threat, the gate to Floor 100 opened.
"I-It's finally done, it has been so freaking hard and annoying!" Surtr complained, sitting over the floor, exhausted. "Why was there yet another damn Boss in here?! Do you enjoy seeing us suffer, bastard?"
"This Trial is still rather easy compared to what Drake and his party went through." The Flame Emperor's presence emerged right below the Shadow Castle's ceiling. "He had to defeat several waves of incredibly strong monsters, each one with a ridiculously strong Boss, until the last challenge where he had to defeat a Fragment of the Chaos Dragon, Ragnarök that I had once sealed in less than ten minutes. Do you think you could do that too, young fire dragon?"
"That's…" Surtr was taken aback. "Master never told me too much about his trial…! To think it was such a long and agonizing thing."
"Well, it wasn't long, but it must have been really hard…" Nadia commented. "Well, Lord Drake is the Dragon King too, so I bet it wasn't THAT hard for him. His wives are also tremendously strong! Benladann and Miranda are powerhouses on their own."
"Yeah, they also had great magicians and healers such as Pekora and Ruby with them!" Mina nodded. "I bet they had an easy time, heheh…"
"I think you girls are taking this too easy." Agni sighed. "We must work hard so we can be worthy of becoming Lord Drake's allies and companions. He also allowed me to keep the Fragment of the Red Orb, a piece of our God, Lord Logi, despite everything!"
"Well, I'm sure he'll retrieve it once he can get the other piece that Pandemonium has… However, that'll go is another thing entirely though." Surtr sighed, looking at the fragment of the Red Orb he had temporarily fused on his right hand, glowing brightly. "The Elder of the Village also entrusted me this one, and your ancestors entrusted your piece, right? As you were born with it on your forehead. He probably knows the meaning and the emotions these pieces hold for us, and decided to let us keep them until Logi could be revived completely."
"I wonder how strong Logi is~" Leona said, Agni's brother. "Hey Agni, can you talk with him again? Tell him how strong he was! Oh! Was he handsome?"
"I-I don't know if I could ever ask Lord Logi such things, Leona." Sighed Agni. "He's a Divine Being, a God! You can't just bother him with such things."
"Ugh, maybe you're right." Leona sighed.
"I'm quite handsome and strong, yes! You were right in the mark, young Fire Giant girl!" Suddenly, the voice of a youthful man echoed from Agni's voice.
"N-No way, was that Logi?!" Surtr panicked, and everyone else was surprised.
"I've been watching you guys for a while now." Laughed the voice. "I cannot manifest myself yet, but I can speak when there's enough energy for me. This Trial… It somehow reminds me of something, or somewhere."
"Wait, it does?!" Surtr asked. "Wait a second, how should I even address a being like you?"
"Haven't you talked with my annoying little sister already? Aegir? I doubt you address her with respect! Hahaha! Fear not, we Primordial Gods of the Elements don't really care about formalities anyways- Hey, why are you kneeling?!" Logi was shocked to see every Fire Giant that came with them kneeling in front of Agni.
After all, Logi was a figure of reverence to all the Fire Giants! Hearing his voice was already a blessing of the heavens.
"D-Don't mind them, it's our religion after all…" Agni sighed. "A-Anyways, Lord Log, did you said this… Trial reminded you of something?"
"Yes…" Logi's voice agreed. "This place… I think I once saw someone build it, a really huge guy. We were buddies back then. Though he was never able to fully revive me even with all my fragments."
"W-Wait, buddy…?!" Asked Nadia. "Y-You mean…?"
"The Venerable of Flames?!" Mina cried.
"...Ugh, I can't believe the bastard regained his memories." The Venerable lamented.
