The flames, the heat, the struggle, the inevitable. To most living souls, such a mission would be suicide. There are those of us who take that state of mind and run with it. A life without risk is a life without change, without ambition. Would the world truly reach grander heights were it not for those select few who push beyond their limits, staring death in the eye and making a mockery of it? These flames, the flames of the Infernal Pass, are a death sentence to all who dare come close. Indeed, what was once a sprawling locale full of life, color, and potential, is now little more than a blazing hellscape of what once was. Cursed to burn now and forever, the fire within has never ceased, not once. If anything, it spreads further, endangering life itself and everything one may hold dear. But again, there are those of us who would risk life and limb for the betterment of all. The incredible trio of battle-worn fighters, the dragon, the coyote, and the leopard.

“There it is, guys. I can already feel the heat from here.” Zenchi, the hardened leader of the group, takes note of the wildfire in the distance. This was a quest that befitted no one, until the trio caught wind of the catastrophe that lay ever-present right in their homeland. “That’s…a lot of fire…I don’t even think my Winds could stop something like that.” Ithaca, the Wind-Gifted adventurer, felt her worries made manifest upon the grim sight. When they took up this quest, they had no idea of the scale, the absolute magnitude of the situation at hand. Roseland, the more analytical, collected head of the group, held her determination high, “Having doubts now, Ithaca?” The coyote gulped under her breath, “G-give me a break, Rosie…don’t pretend you aren’t at least a little scared.” With her arms crossed, looking over the horizon, Zenchi stowed her fears in preparation for the hellish battle that awaited, “The smoke, the ashes, and the flames. It reminds me of our home. At one point, we were helpless, unable to make meaningful change in The Lands. But I’ll be damned if I said the same thing about us now.” Zenchi turned to her worried friend and gave her a more hopeful, upbringing look, “We have the power to beat this, and we’re going to do it. You understand me?” Ithaca shuddered before regaining the spark she needed, “Chi-Chi…alright! We’ll make this work!” As her scarf blew in the wind, Roseland further encouraged her friends, “That’s more like it. So, we’ve got our plan of attack, the path forward, and the end goal. Whenever you’re ready, leader.” Zenchi nodded, before making one final bit of preparation, “Yeah. Oh, and Ithaca, these fire-resistant potions better work. I’m not about to let my ass get burned because you threw in a wrong ingredient.” Indeed, Ithaca presented the trio with her latest concoction, a set of potions intended to shield them from the flames of the Infernal Pass. “Trust me Chi-Chi! I know my potions aren’t always a hit, but I’ve tested these up and down and all around! I can guarantee they’ll work, but the only problem is…I reckon the effect will only last us about an hour or so. And the ingredients are super hard to come by, so…we really need to make this count.” As Roseland drank her orange, somewhat spicy potion, she made another observation, “Phew…is the spice really necessary? Anyway…while these should shield us from the overall heat, I wouldn’t count on them to protect us from…whatever is in there.” With the team now ready for action, Zenchi summoned the Draconic Wing, “Alright, enough talk. Time for us to get in there.” The other two nodded in agreement, summoning their weapons and jumping headfirst into the thick of it with their headstrong leader.

The path to the Infernal Pass was empty, with very few signs of life. Everything was burned, turned to ash or rubble. They knew not of what, or who, awaited them within the bright flames, but whatever it may be, they would fight tooth and nail to overcome it. After a brief moment of running forward, the first flames of the Pass came to life around them. The Emberpine trees loomed over the trio, their branches overrun with flames rather than leaves. The heat was increasing, and danger was suddenly imminent. “Better prepare to sweat, ladies. This isn’t gonna be a walk in the Queen’s Parkway.” Zenchi gave her comrades one final warning before they reached the point of no return. As they made their way deeper into the woods, the flames crept up behind them, blocking their way out as if it were a door being shut behind them. “No going back now. Come on, let’s stomp out this fire for good!” Ithaca emphatically announced to her friends, determined to make the most of the situation they found themselves in. The overall plan was to put out the flames of the Infernal Pass, but not in any sort of traditional way. No, according to legend, the source of the flame was something…real, something tangible, and vicious. The Grand Flaming Beast, a hulking, violent creature cursed to forever remain in the captivity of the Infernal Pass. It is said to be a remnant of the Higher Gods, some sort of creation of theirs that went mad, forcing them to imprison it in a place it may never leave. As time has went on, the Beast grew deadlier, fierier. Then again, it is all merely hearsay, as no one has dared challenge the Beast themselves. Before long, the trio were no longer alone, and the first signs of enemy movement had come about. As the land around them burned, the flames seemed to come to life, become sentient, in a way. “Umm, Chi-Chi, what the heck are those things?!” Ithaca panicked, coming to a standstill while analyzing the figures. They stood upright, rising from the ashes and flames as almost lifelike beings. They took the appearance of a man who had set himself ablaze, with no physical body to speak of. Where one would normally find a man’s head clean on his shoulders, there was little more than a fireball coating a dark, evil aura. Zenchi prepared for battle, taking her Comet Buster in hand, “These guys are going to be our new friends for a while. I say we get to know them.” “Hmph. Allow us to introduce ourselves, then.” Roseland taunted. With that, the trio charged into battle, taking on the swarm of flaming figures as best as they could. Vision was limited, with the smoke and flames nearly blinding one’s eyes. ‘Twas just enough for the trio to make out their immediate surroundings and the dangers that lurked. Zenchi was challenged by two of the figures. They were fast moving, and surprisingly adept fighters. They hurled balls of fire at Zenchi, and so she retaliated accordingly. “RRRRAAAHHH!!!” After shielding herself with her wings, she performed Raid Strike, a heavy leg sweep, putting her opponents off-balance, followed by a diagonal slash, her massive greatsword cutting right through the flaming figures and dissipating them for good. Roseland nimbly crept in and out of danger, laying hundreds of bullets into her foes as if they were nothing. “Hmm?” One of the flaming figures managed to catch her from behind, attempting to latch onto her, consuming her with the intense heat. With her quick wit, she gracefully performed a front flip, putting her just out of reach from her would-be attacker, “Think again!” She gave a circling motion with her hand, leaving Salvo suspended in the air via her Magnetism Magic, before forcefully pulling the figure towards her and using her Cyclone Kick, a spinning handstand as she kicks outwards with blistering speed. As she recovered from the heavy attack, more of the figures rose from the outskirts. Roseland looked over to Zenchi, commenting on the relative ease of their opponents, “They’re nothing to us, right Zenchi?” As Zenchi shoots one of the figures point blank in the “head”, executioner style, she answers, “Don’t get too cocky now, Scarlet, wouldn’t want you to burn your fur off or anything.” “YAHH!!! HRRAHHH!!!” Ithaca, while on the lower side of the spectrum when it comes to sheer offensive capability, still makes the most of her superior mobility and floaty movement to win over her foes. An idea comes to her head: perhaps she could use her Wind Magic to quell the flames or at least push them back somewhat. “I got it!” She jumps up, above a large group of the flaming figures, ready to unleash her next attack. “Backdraft!” After holding her sword inward, she slashes it in an outwards motion, sending a large projectile of Wind at her opponents. The resulting gust of Wind is heavy enough to blow out the evil flames. She lands in a triumphant pose, celebrating amongst herself for her small victory, “Nice one, me!”

Zenchi, amongst the rampant fighting, is caught off guard by another one of the figures, with it managing to get a clean blow to her leg with a fireball. “GRRRHHH!” Ithaca hears her friend’s cry of pain, concerned for her, “Chi-Chi! Are you alright?!” “Yeah, I’m fine!” Zenchi retaliates with a swift spinning slash with her greatsword, dispelling her surprise attacker. “I hate to admit it, but those potions actually aren’t half bad, Ithaca! I can still feel the heat, just enough to keep the adrenaline going.” Ithaca, proud of her alchemy turning out positive for once, revels in her friend’s praise, “Hah, yep! Nothin’ but me, the potion-cooking extraordinaire!” After dispatching another set of flaming enemies with Salvo and Impetus, Roseland joins in on the conversation, “Hmhm, don’t get too ahead of yourself. Your potions are like a lottery sometimes.” “Hey! I’m learning, okay?” Ithaca pouts over the leopard’s light joke. Finally, the excitement seemed to be dying down somewhat. The figures were no longer rising from the flames, as the trio had fought their way to a clearing for rest and respite. Though, they opted to treat it as the calm before the storm, for they were still on a timer due to Ithaca’s potions. “*SIGH* Alright then, we’ve made good progress so far. I’d say we have maybe another half hour before those potions wear off. So, I say we make haste.” Zenchi, while stretching to keep herself prepped for battle, continues to give directions. As Ithaca used her Wind Magic to heal herself and her friends, she brought up an interesting point, “Sooo…those weird flaming guys. I figured we would be fighting something here, but those things? Ehh…they’re kinda creepy.” Roseland pulls her mask down, cracking her knuckles and adding to the conversation, “They sure are something. They don’t seem to talk, more so they just wander around and attack whatever they deem a threat.” Zenchi takes a drink of water from her container to rehydrate amongst the intense heat, “Unlucky for them, we decided to show up. Though, I imagine they really are being controlled by something. No way they’re totally aimless in how they act.” Referring to the Grand Flaming Beast, Zenchi seems to have reached the conclusion that something more is at play. Finally finished with her healing procedure, Ithaca asks another important question, “Yeah…but y’know, what should we call them? Fire Guys? Hot Heads? Ummmmm…Flaming Monsters?” Almost in sync, Zenchi and Roseland both reply disapprovingly, “We are not calling them any of those.” Ithaca chuckles, “Hehe. Well, do you guys have any ideas?” Roseland puts a hand to her chin and ponders for a moment before coming to a conclusion, “Hmm…perhaps, Burning Spirits?” Impressed by such a grand naming convention, Ithaca bolsters with excitement, “Oooohhh, that’s a great name, Rosie! But, what makes you call them spirits?” Roseland stands up and looks to the barely visible sky, explaining her thought process, “Well, they’re clearly not something of man or woman. They have no physical body to speak of and they seem to rise up from nothing. They’re tethered to the Infernal Pass, unable to leave the burning hellscape they call home, whether they like it or not.” “Alriiiigghttt…colorful words for what’s basically a bunch of living campfires. That must be the bookworm side of you talking.” Zenchi annoyedly comments on Roseland’s innate ability to overword simple concepts, leading Roseland to once again take a jab at Ithaca, “Tch, come on, Zenchi. Let’s at least be creative about naming them. Unless you’d rather call them the Flaming whatever-the-hells like she said.” “Hey!” Ithaca, disgruntled at the offhanded comment, puts a hand on her hip. Zenchi then rises up, brushing off her gloves, “Yeah yeah. Anywaayyy…I don’t know about you two, but I say we get back out there before our asses get cooked.” Ithaca adjusts her headband before heading out as a team, “Yes ma’am! I’m gonna tear it up out there!” The trio stare down the intense flames outside the clearing, mentally preparing themselves for another series of hard-fought battles.

As the trio draw out their weapons again, they are once again ambushed by the fires, now promptly named the Burning Spirits. These ones though, are different from the ones before. They seem more vicious, more determined to keep the three women from progressing further. “These guys are getting kind of crazy here!” Ithaca takes note of their heightened sense of aggression, concerned that they may have bitten off more than they can chew. A series of *BANGS* and *POWS* come from Roseland’s direction as she runs and guns down the Burning Spirits, too fast for them to touch her, “We must be getting closer to the source! Keep it steady, you two!” “Easier said than done!” Zenchi holds off her attackers with her Comet Buster but is forced to take evasive action when she gets backed into a corner of fallen trees and debris. Roseland notices their leader being overwhelmed by the enemy horde, “Zenchi! Get out of there!” Never backing down from a fight, Zenchi stamps her foot and spreads her wings, “Trying to corner me, huh? Try a little harder than that.” In a flash, Zenchi performs a majestic, almost picturesque backflip over the Burning Spirits, an advanced technique of hers dubbed Moonsault. Mid-jump, she continues firing at the enemies, ensuring that no moment is wasted on applying the pressure to them. As she lands on the opposite side of the enemy horde, now she has the advantage, “Help me out here, Roseland!” “On it!” Roseland hastily makes her way over to Zenchi’s position to provide supporting fire. Then, the two rained a hail of bullets down on the Burning Spirits with their guns, properly tearing them to shreds. In a show of mutual respect, the two performed a friendly fist bump together. “Nice work, you guys!” Ithaca complimented her friends’ stellar teamwork from the sidelines. “*SIGH* Almost there, Roseland, Ithaca.” Zenchi inhaled heavily, knowing that the battle still wasn’t over.

The fighting continued until the trio reached a particularly tree-dense area, with many of the tall Emberpine trees seeming like they could snap at any moment. The trio managed to stick together thus far, utilizing their well-coordinated teamwork to overcome any and all challenges. Roseland, looking further ahead on the path, noticed that the trail became increasingly narrower. “Rrrghh…I can see a bottleneck up ahead, watch your surroundings!” “I’ll try to clear us a path!” Zenchi stayed at the front of the group, ensuring that she would be taking on the brunt of the enemies’ aggression, such was the price she was willing to pay to keep her friends safe. Eventually, The Lands Trio made their way to the narrow pathway through the fire and flames. Moving on from this point would be tricky, but they would have to make do with the circumstances. Ithaca remained towards the middle of the trio, so that Zenchi’s and Roseland’s superior offensive capabilities would shield her from most of the enemy’s attention. The three had continued to quell the flames of the Burning Spirits, but they had reached a roadblock. In front of them was an array of fallen trees and debris, impeding their progress. “Damnit…we’re gonna have to break through this somehow.” Zenchi quickly thought of how to overcome the obstacle. They could brute force their way through the blockade or get through it more methodically. Zenchi opted for the former, given that their fire-resistant potions would likely run their course in the not-too-distant future. “I’m gonna try to break through this with Tachyon Punch, get back and cover me!” In this temporary team formation, Ithaca was now the one towards the back of the pack as Roseland dispatched the Burning Spirits from a distance. “Good idea, Chi-Chi! I think we’re almost- *GASP*!” Suddenly, Ithaca’s words were cut short by a terrifying sound. *CRACK* *CRUMBLE* From above, the Emberpine trees crumbled and fell, falling right in between Ithaca and her friends. Narrowly dashing out of the way, Ithaca was now separated from the other two due to the fiery debris. Right as Zenchi was about to unleash her Tachyon Punch to clear the way forward, she noticed the bigger problem at hand. “ITHACA!!!” Zenchi and Roseland both panicked, unable to see their friend on the other side. They could just barely make out her voice, reassuring the two in a way, but her next words were even more worrying, “Uhhh…guyyssss, there’s s-so many Spirits!!!” Roseland’s heartbeat accelerated, as their efforts now shifted to rescue mode for their coyote friend. Normally, she never let fear overcome her, always maintaining a professional and serious demeanor, “H-hang in there, Ithaca! Try to hold them off! We’ll get to you!” Roseland turned to Zenchi, asking her, “The way forward can wait, you need to break through this debris now!” Zenchi stepped up without hesitation, charging up her Tachyon Punch, “I’m already on it! Get out of the way!” As if her life depended on it, Zenchi punched through the debris with enough force to level a mountain. The two quickly made their way backward, out of the narrow pathway. Zenchi called out to her friend, “Ithaca!” Once the dust and ashes cleared away, she could get a better view of her surroundings. The Infernal Pass seemed to be falling apart around them. Roseland could just barely make out Ithaca amidst the smoke. Standing in front of her was a much larger, more menacing Burning Spirit. Zenchi knew Ithaca wouldn’t stand a chance by herself against the foe. “Over there! We have to get to her!” “Guys!!! Help!!!” Ithaca cried out for her friends, pleading for their support. Without so much as a shred of hesitation, they sprung into action. They dashed in headfirst, attempting to get the attention of the large Spirit with gunfire. It didn’t seem to be affected by their efforts, leading them to become more desperate. “Damn! That thing isn’t even budging!” Roseland, frustrated by the Burning Spirit’s stubbornness, ran through other potential ideas in her head. And then, as if their minds were in sync, the two reached a conclusion together. “Roseland, let’s do this!” Roseland nodded, “For Ithaca.” The two put their impromptu plan in motion. Flying up to get a better shot at the Spirit, Zenchi fired off a series of powerful shots from her Comet Buster to draw its attention away from Ithaca. “Ithaca, pierce your sword into the ground! You’re going to have to trust me on this!” Roseland gave Ithaca a strange order, but realizing she had no other choice, she complied, stabbing Evergreen Soul into the ground and holding on tight, “A-alright!...please work please work please work…” Roseland threw out a Magnetosphere to pull the Spirit away from Ithaca and throw it off balance. From her vantage point, Zenchi noticed that the giant foe was stumbling due to the strong Magnetic pull, meaning it was time for their finisher. “Roseland! Magnetostorm!” “Got it. Steady…” Roseland kneeled down, preparing to unleash one of her most devastating attacks. She dashed into the Burning Spirit’s position before jumping high into the air, almost to Zenchi’s height. She performed a stylish series of flips in the air before holding her left leg up high and plunging downward with a strong Magnetic flair pulsating around her. “Magnetic Axe!!!” From high above, Roseland delivered a heavy flying axe kick powered up with her very own Magnetism Magic. As her heel impacted the ground, it sent bits of debris flying outward and left a sizeable hole at the point of impact. The overwhelming force of the kick launched the Burning Spirit straight into the air. Now, it was Zenchi’s turn to finish the job. Zenchi, overcome with sheer adrenaline in the effort to save her friend, growled before grabbing the now-airborne Spirit with a single hand and flying high into the sky. It was easily three to four times Zenchi’s size, but she carried it as if it were nothing. At the height of her climb, she became empowered by the Azure Lightning, leaving the Spirit hanging in the air for a brief moment as she stared directly into its would-be eyes, “You made a huge mistake, burning bastard. Don’t. You…EVER, lay a hand on Ithaca.” Her Draconic Wing pulsed with immense amounts of Lightning before she impaled it vertically through the Burning Spirit, “I’LL KILL YOU FOR THAAAATTTT!!!” and swiftly descended back down to the ground below with one of her most potent attacks, Hyper Drop. Back on the ground, Roseland and Ithaca notice the strong blue hue from above, signifying Zenchi’s final attack. “Ithaca, behind me!” Roseland jumps in front of Ithaca, using her Magnetism to build a makeshift shield of trees and debris around the two. In the blink of an eye, Zenchi’s sword met the ground, immediately killing the giant Burning Spirit and sending out a shockwave of Lightning. As her sword still pulsated with electricity, Roseland disbanded the makeshift shield to be greeted by their friend. “*HUFF* *HUFF* *HUFF*” Zenchi huffed and panted as she kneeled on the ground, regaining her composure after the massive tag-team attack. “My goodness…that was a little too close for comfort.” Roseland puts a hand on Ithaca’s back, glad that they were able to get to her before it was too late. “Y-yeah…thanks, you guys. I might’ve been a goner if it weren’t for you two…” Zenchi, still kneeling, said sternly, “Don’t say that.” Ithaca brushed herself off as she looked to her childhood friend, “…Chi-Chi?” Finally, Zenchi rose up, collecting herself, “I couldn’t live with myself if we left you behind. I will never let anything happen to you, Ithaca.” Zenchi took Ithaca’s hand with her own, giving her a firm, heartfelt handshake. “Chi-Chi…I don’t even know what to say…” A slight tear starts to form in her eye, incredibly grateful to have such a supporting friend in her life. Zenchi reaches out to Roseland, not to leave her out of the moment, “And that goes for you too, Scarlet Heart. Get your ass in here.” Roseland chuckles, somewhat taken aback by Zenchi’s uncommon display of Heart, “Hmhmhm, you’re adorable when you get emotional on us, you know that?” Zenchi, displeased with her leopard friend’s joke, takes her hand as well, “Pfft, don’t push it, Roseland.” “Ahahaha, I’d never want to get on your bad side after that display. Now, what do you say we finish this, leader?” Roseland proposes that the trio finish up their business in the Infernal Pass, with the Grand Flaming Beast still awaiting their arrival. “Agreed. It’s time to extinguish these flames for good.” Zenchi looks ahead, determined to finish what they started. Ithaca stretches, still somewhat wound up by their close encounter with the giant, “If that Beast is really through that path, then the worst is still yet to come. What are we gonna do, Chi-Chi?” Zenchi cracks her knuckles together, sending out a spark of Lightning, before summoning her Draconic Wing once again, “We fight like Hell and don’t back down.” Undoubtedly, powerful words to live by on the journey to the Heart Of The Lands.

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