"Whew…I feel cold. Where am I?"
Dogora felt like he was freezing, walking through dried grass and fallen leaves from nearby trees.
He was alone, not exactly sure where.
He made some idle complaints and continued walking through the cold forest.
"Where did he send me…after everything he said about sending me back to the village if I was in danger… Oh! The village!"
The trees and plants were still dry and withered, the weather too cold for April. Then he noticed a tall structure peeking between the trees, the outer fence surrounding the village.
Allen knew what Astrologer Temi had said about Dogora and his trial, and he said he would send Dogora back to the village if he ever got in danger.
No matter the situation, Allen was always attentive to how his friends were doing in a fight, and if any got in trouble he made sure to teleport them away. Dogora believed that had happened with him too.
The gates were closed, but he forced them open and went inside.
"Huh? Why am I here?"
He recognized the village.
It was pretty dark, but he knew where this was.
"What the hell? Why am I in Kurena Village? That Allen, he really doesn't want me back or what!"
Past the gates Dogora found himself in Kurena Village, the place where he had been born and raised until he left for the Academy.
It was a bit dark, but he was certain this was Kurena Village, not Rodan Village.
Anger welled up in Dogora.
His friends were still fighting the Demon Generals, but Allen sent Dogora to Kurena Village, which had no means to contact other places. Just so he would not come back.
Rodan Village was guarded by one of Allen's summons.
It was a Wraith A summon, so that would have allowed him to contact Allen to tell him to bring him back to the fight, or at least hear how things were going. Here in Kurena Village that was impossible.
"Maybe I should just make a run for it and go to Rodan Village? Hm? Is that a light?"
Rodan Village had been created at around two or three days of walking distance from Kurena Village.
After all his training, Dogora believed he could get there in just a few hours if he ran.
He was turning around to leave the village, when he noticed a small glow in the village's square.
For some reason he also had not seen anyone after entering either.
Monsters roamed in that world, so the villagers would always take turns watching the streets at night, but Dogora saw no one.
Dogora began to doubt himself, wondering if he really was in Kurena Village after all.
Something did not feel quite right, so he thought maybe this was somewhere completely different.
But he did not believe Allen would do something like that, so for now he headed to that light he saw.
"This really looks like Kurena Village. Hm? An old woman? Hey, go inside, you'll catch a cold out here."
Dogora recognized the buildings near the square.
And next to the square she saw an elderly woman.
'It…it's fading. My fire, my fire is fading…'
She wore robes and her red hair with white streaks covered most of her wrinkled face.
But that was enough to see she was clearly distressed by something.
Dogora tried talking to her, but she did not seem to notice.
She squatted down, sheltering a small flame under her hands as she lamented to herself.
"I'll take you back home, okay? Hey! If you want that fire so badly just get some firewood. The things I have to do…"
Dogora did not know where the old woman lived, but he did not feel comfortable leaving her outside.
There were many branches and pieces of wood lying around which were perfect for a bonfire.
He piled them one after another, and the fire slowly grew.
Dogora sat down next to the woman and began warming himself with the fire.
'Mm? Who might you be? Why are you in this place?'
The woman finally took notice of Dogora when he sat down next to her.
"I'm Dogora."
He wondered why she only took notice of him now, but he decided to simply state his name.
'Dogora?'
It was like she heard the name for the first time.
Her crimson eyes stared at Dogora through her whitening hair.
She spoke with well enunciated words, so Dogora figured she was the grandmother of some rich family.
But that did not explain why someone from a good place would be in a village in the middle of nowhere, tending to a meager flame.
"Ah, I left the village quite a while back. See that blacksmith shop over there? I used to live there."
Dogora had left the village many years before, going to the Academy.
His family had moved to Rodan Village too, so his old home was now occupied by a new blacksmith.
As he mentioned those bits of his past, his childhood memories began to surface one after another.
The first person he admired was Kurena.
Growing up he had always looked up to knights, and she had somehow beaten one to a pulp in that very square.
It was no mere knight either, but a powerful deputy commander.
Thanks to his friend Peromus, he managed to share a meal with the knights that time too.
But someone he disliked also appeared there.
He was a child with black hair named Allen, who always hung around Kurena.
He had no Talent, but kept sticking to someone far stronger than him, so Dogora got annoyed one time and tried fighting him to teach him his place.
Somehow Allen turned the tables around and completely defeated Dogora, which was frustrating, but somehow Dogora was not angry.
Probably Allen's attitude and charisma had eased his grudge.
Allen did not seem to resent Dogora whatsoever.
For some reason more people began to flock around Allen.
Dogora was also one of them.
'Are you okay? What's on your mind, child?'
"I'm no child, I'm already 15 years old. I just feel like I was of no use in the end."
He kept remembering things.
The memories would not stop pouring out.
Allen had always been amazing.
After they became friends, they would play knights all the time.
He kept gathering people like that, eventually thinking of seriously taking down the Demon King's Army.
Even though they had existed for decades, constantly threatening humanity.
Allen was amazing, but the people that gathered around him were just as incredible.
Kurena was an unrivaled warrior, born with the Sword Saint Talent.
Cecile was a powerful mage, and Sophie could call for the help of spirits.
Everyone constantly grew more powerful, everyone except Dogora who fell behind.
Dogora thought of Merle.
She was just like him, having very little use in the party.
But Allen never ignored her or left her behind, encouraging to continue with them.
He always told her she would eventually get stronger.
When they finally conquered the S Rank Dungeon, her Talent evolved into an amazing one.
Dogora felt like she had been rewarded for her hard work, finally becoming able to create a gigantic golem during the fight with the final boss of the dungeon.
Now he was the only useless member.
Realizing he was the only one holding the party behind, he wallowed in self-hatred.
There was a distress signal from the Holy Land.
Allen instantly decided to go and help them.
Allen never hesitated to help others.
He never looked for gratitude, nor the fame of a hero.
That only made Dogora feel even less worthy.
When fighting Lycaoron he was unable to activate his Extra Skill too, making him scream in annoyance in front of everyone.
Merus explained he simply had a unique Talent and Extra Skill.
That had given him a rush of motivation, but in the end he never got to activate his Extra Skill, and he was sent back to Kurena Village.
Only Dogora could not activate his Extra Skill.
He tried desperately to use it.
Even when fighting a brutal enemy like Basque.
Or a powerful Demon General like Gushara.
Somehow looking at the flame in front of him made him remember every moment of his life.
'...'
The old woman's crimson eyes were focused on Dogora.
Almost like she could see into his mind.
"I guess I simply wasn't cut out to be a hero. But I won't give up. I have to go back, everyone's still fighting there."
Dogora wiped the tears that had started to form in his eyes and stood up.
He had been saved from fighting the Demon Generals, but his friends were still in grave danger.
Even after Merus' ridiculous buffs he still could not match them.
Gushara's magic was overwhelmingly powerful too.
Dogora knew there was more he could do.
Even knowing he could die, he wanted to fight for his friends.
'Dogora, was it? Where is that place you say you're going back to?'
"Ah, we found this floating island with a temple on it. My friends are fighting there."
'I'm sorry, but you can no longer go back there.'
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Dogora accidentally spoke in a more coarse tone than he wanted.
'Exactly what I said. It seems you died out there, and for some reason your soul wandered here on its own.'
"Don't bullshit me! I'm not a soul- what the, ahhhh!! My-my handssss!!"
Dogora moved closer to the old woman, enraged by her words.
But as he did that, the final memories of his fight against the Demon Generals surfaced in his mind.
He remembered seeing the greatsword plunging into his chest, his blood boiling, and his hands set ablaze.
At the same time, his hands suddenly caught fire.
'Just as I suspected then. It seems you have a Divine Artifact in you, my Divine Artifact. It fused with your soul, and that's what brought you here, with me.'
She nodded to herself many times.
"What are you talking about? What's happening to my hands? Wait, what? The fire is gone."
Dogora could not understand what the old woman was saying.
But he noticed the flames on his hands dying down.
'Those are the last memories of your life. Do you understand now? You've died.'
"So what! I'm going back. I'll go back to my friends, I'll help them even if it's just as a meat shield!!"
As the memories cleared in his mind, Dogora realized he truly had died.
But he screamed insisting he would help his friends.
Somehow he did not seem to remember he had already saved Kiel when he died.
'Hmm, so you have no regard for your life? You're willing to wager your life away?'
"I am!! I don't care what happens to me, I'll help them. That's what friends are there for!!"
'Hmm…you sound like a rather immature child, I wonder if this really is optimal…'
The old woman seemed hesitant about something now.
"I'm 15 years old. I'm not a child!!"
'Right, you mentioned that already. Dogora, if you truly hold no regard for your life as you claim, become my apostle. If you do so, I'll grant you my power.'
Saying that, she stood up for the first time.
She raised her head, which had been downcast so far, and looked at Dogora straight ahead.
So far she had looked like an old woman in her eighties, but now she looked like a young lady in her twenties.
Her long straight hair was a deep red, and her crimson eyes were focused on Dogora's.
"Huh? What just happened?"
'I'm Freya, Goddess of Fire. I offer you a pact, in exchange for my power.'
The Goddess of Fire Freya offered to form a pact with Dogora.
