"And then everything had gone white," Primrose said, the dream trailing her tongue.

"Gone white, you say?" Asahi said as he wrapped his arms around her. "I would never fight my own father. But if you need help, here is what I can do."

After embracing Primrose, recalling her dream, all watched as a spire of flame shot across the bright sky, cutting through the clouds like a blade of fire.

The crimson column twisted upward, lighting and painting up the sky as it rose.

Then, the edifice of fire crashed down, sending sparks flying into the shadows like a meteor.

(WOOSH)

As the spire faded, Asahi and Primrose left in a state of awe, the afterimages of fire lingering.

The air felt warmer, and a hush fell over the scene, as if the world paused to process the moment, the beauty of the flaming spires leaving them breathless.

As they caught their breath, the group's attention remained fixed on the fading light above.

The sense of awe stayed with them as Ignatius stepped forward to speak, anchoring the group back to the present moment.

Ignatius pointed up and said,

"Those are flaming spires. They bring warmth to people in need."

As minecarts zipped by, she pushed her orange hair back and went on.

"When the molten moon releases fire into the sky, these spires appear, lighting the night and giving hope to cold individuals. People like us."

Thinking of a particular white and blue dragon, Ignatius pointed at the molten moon.

"Long ago, ancient sages found a connection between the molten moon and the spires. They believed it was a gift from flame lords—a way to survive the harsh winters brought by the invaders."

Kenneth stepped in to finish Ignatius's thought.

"Legends say the molten moon came from a cosmic collision," Kenneth said, "and the molten fragments that rained down created these magical phenomena."

"Poverty? Molten Moon?" Asahi muttered, watching spires dance. "I've lived in Astait, but I've never seen anything like this—or even noticed the molten moon until now."

Ignatius replied softly, her gaze still on the glowing sky, "That's because you haven't been here long enough."

Yet as Ignatius spoke, Asahi's heart stirred with a different memory.

He had lived through these harsh cycles before—the Tumult of the Two Weeks, a period of intense magical upheaval, replayed in his mind.

The failed resurrection, the massacre of snowstorms, the failed ritual—each memory struck Asahi with a force that threatened to unravel him.

His chest tightened, and his hands trembled.

A wave of helplessness hit him. Then, as he remembered people killed, captured, and trapped in chaos, the pain worsened—especially when he recalled nearly losing limbs. Determination followed the despair.

The Orb of Immortality's malfunction and how pain still remained. It had led to catastrophic consequences.

The frozen mimic bears and the encounter with the Orb of Destruction at the world's center.

All these core memories surfaced.

If Asahi could turn back time, he would speak less of Kartara and honor her more deeply.

Without her help, Asahi knew he would be far worse off than he was now.

So, to move forward, Asahi refused to snap his fingers, a symbol of his determination to overcome past hardships and strive for a better future. He had to slow down.

If it meant saving everyone, including Aletha, he would rather do that than fail with no friends and a rush.

Although he may be alone, although he may be separate from his sister, Asahi had friends to shield him from disaster. Friends like Trid, Primrose, and Grandpa.

. . .

After the spectacle of the flaming spires, the group gradually dispersed as the initial noise subsided, signaling the end of the event and the beginning of their movement to new locations. Flames erupted from the new spire of fire, dramatically changing the land and melting the ice in one foul swoop.

A short while later, once the excitement had calmed, Asahi found himself separated from the others on the opposite side of the area, where he was presented with five soil canisters.

While Ignatius led Trid and Primrose to safety, guiding them away from the mine shaft, Asahi walked beside Kenneth toward the moon fragments.

Even as they moved, Asahi glanced upward; the molten moon in the sky seemed to shift, reminding him of the strange energy permeating the moment.

Crossing the steel bridge, the sharp scent of asphalt filled the air. Each step echoed his uneasy thoughts.

However, amid all this, something else grabbed Asahi's attention.

He spotted a crowd gathering around what looked like a training ground.

Some wielded flames and circled snow-covered dummies. Others stumbled, fell back, and watched their efforts falter in the cold training ground.

Asahi, curious, asked Kenneth.

"Who are they?"

"Those are our recruits," Kenneth explained with pride. "We come from the Flameweavers, also called the Fire Clan. It's our duty to keep people warm and safe in Astait." Taking a breather, "There's a prophecy that states the Greater Ruler of Fire, Agnis, would grant power to his descendants. We're still learning this sacred power, even now."

Kenneth paused, flames flickering in his eyes.

"In our culture, we gather around the Fire Ceremonial at every full moon, where we honor Agnis with offerings. It's a time when young Flameweavers learn to master the art of flame manipulation while elders share tales of our ancestors' journeys across blazing lands of Obrus and Freezedry Dunes. The warmth of the fire not only strengthens our bond but reminds us of the life-giving force we are destined to inherit."

Asahi was stunned to witness such a gathering in the snowy expanse of Astait. He guessed the Flameweavers hailed from Obrus, though he was not certain.

"So what did you do all those years?" Asahi asked, tossing a canister at a dummy.

"We save people from the frost demons lurking in the wilderness."

"Frost demons?" Asahi said, squinting his eyes. "Who are they?"

Kenneth brushed his dark hair back, conjured a flame, and shot it at a slime invading the scene.

"That's them. One of the lesser demons."

Asahi gripped his sword tightly, noticing yet another slime bouncing into the training grounds. Kenneth glanced at Asahi, caught his eye, and signaled with a sharp nod before yelling.

"Throw the canister!"

After Asahi threw the canister at the monster, a beam of flame erupted from the spilled soil, swallowing the slime and steadily melting it. Primrose, who had stepped behind Asahi unnoticed, gasped in shock as the frost demons retreated into the wilderness.

(WOOSH)

"Asahi, what did you do?"

Kenneth chuckled, patting Asahi's back, and muttered.

"What he just did...," Kenneth said, handing Asahi more canisters. "..was one of the many steps in the right direction."

As Asahi practiced with the flames, Kenneth watched.

Then he explained and answered his questions.

"Frost demons descended from a Greater Ice Dragon that swarmed the world during the War of the Wish." He took a deep breath. "During those times, vast territories were frozen over by the icy wrath of one of the dragons, ice, altering climates and ecosystems, and leading to the emergence of the Frost Demons. That war had left unseen scars, and I am a survivor of such calamitous events."

He took another deep breath.

"Such things... It was a pivotal event in history, one that shaped the course of many lives from ALL eight nations."

"Ice dragon? War of the wish?" Primrose said in confusion. "Asahi, what is he talking about?"

Like Primrose, Asahi had no idea what Kenneth meant.

He remembered world-ending dragons, but usually it was from The Second Incarnation, not The Last.

After flames engulfed the dummies and chatter filled the area, Asahi asked:

"What is the ice dragon?"

Without thinking, Kenneth blurted out, a chill looming.

"Havaska?!" He said, feeling a cold chill rattle his bones. Eyes peered over from above, footsteps tolling about the gravelly road.

...

Suddenly, the mood changed as Ignatius rushed to Asahi and Kenneth, covering both their mouths. Winds increased in speed and strength, blowing dust out from the roads.

Other Flameweavers rushed over to investigate the commotion, but it was already too late to avoid attention.

Igantius whispered to them as Kenneth backed away in shock, not realizing what he had done.

"Don't you dare mention that name out loud," she said, scratching the back of her head. "See, look what you caused! Everyone is staring at us strangely now!" Her eyes darted around nervously, and she leaned closer, adding in a low tone, "Speaking its name is believed to summon harsh snowstorms."

Then, voices from the distance erupted.

"Who?"

"What're you saying, son?"

"What?"

Ignatius grumbled as she climbed the stone stairs, dragging Kenneth and Asahi with fury. "Great, look at what you've started!"

. . .

Soon, the weather mirrored the rising tension, swelling with a force like a hurricane's wail in the heart of disaster.

As the snowstorm raged, the lively training ground gave way to urgency. The group knew they had to find shelter, fast.

(SWOOSH)

With the storm worsening, Ignatius quickly decided it was safest for everyone to duck into a nearby tavern.

She hurried them from the open grounds, the wind shredding the pine branches overhead. Through winding cobblestone streets and over hills, she led them to safety.

As he walked, other Flameweavers fixed their gazes on Asahi, surprised to see...

"A boy with white hair?" A cold, stern red-haired man muttered as the snow started to fall in thick flakes.

"Haven't seen those types of people in decades." Mentioned a girl with brown hair.

Footsteps echoed as Ignatius's orange hair whipped in the swirling flurries.

Soon, icy mist devoured the town, draping hills and rivers in a ghostly shroud.

All of it, unleashed by Kenneth's careless shout of the forbidden name.

If not for him, perhaps the blizzard would have stayed away.

The blizzard's howl rose to a wild crescendo, forcing everyone to retreat. Overhead, the molten moon shimmered in the stormy blue.

Asahi slammed the door behind him and felt the warmth of the tavern fluctuate inside.

Ignatius led Asahi, Kenneth, and Primrose upstairs in the tavern.

The sharp tang of whisky lingered in the air, but Asahi ignored it, turning to Kenneth with curiosity burning in his eyes.

"Who is... that ice dragon you speak of?" Asahi knew that saying its name would make the snowstorm ten times worse than it was now. So he decided not to mention it. As Ignatius took a sip of her shot, Kenneth revealed.

"The icy dragon, the one that I uttered the name of cluelessly. It was a dragon from beyond the sea of stars. It had arrived and invaded the world during the War of the Wish when the world was at its lowest and caused absolute mayhem." He took a sip of water.

Images of Alaunus's titanic shadow falling over entire kingdoms.

But this was a different dragon.

A memory that hadn't belonged to him began to usher forth.

Havaska's wings eclipsed the sun like Alaunus, but its icy breath froze oceans solid, filling Asahi's mind. Then, its blizzards consumed the land bit by bit, swallowing all the wooden villages and causing absolute turmoil. A man with tan skin and crimson eyes fought back the impending snowstorms, bending fire to his will and summoning several volcanoes that rent the land ablaze. After fighting the snow… it… (Erased)

This memory… it hadn't come from his mind. But from none other than The Ruler of Memories himself, Paxon. Memories surfaced back and flickered back to the present, Ignatius' voice filling the room.

"We were able to survive because of the molten moon that our ancestor, Agni, made," Ignatius uttered. "Without him and his spires, and moon, we never would have survived the Creeping Winter unleashed by... that forbidden name we can't say."

"Creeping Winter?"

"Yeah, think of it as... an ice age. The calm before the storm." Kenneth said. "Before the fire had consumed half the world."

Drawn in by the world's tangled history, Asahi sipped hot, thick milk from the tavern. Warmth spread through him, a fragile shield against the blizzard's howls battering the rickety walls. Then, a companion appeared.

"Master, have you forgotten about me?"

Ames, silent for so long, now offered Asahi comfort against the biting winds outside. After not speaking for a while, he...

"I appreciate going out of your way to come in this form," Asahi said. "I thought I lost you."

"Oh, I was doing what was necessary, Master," Ames said. " It's not like I didn't witness everything beforehand."

That's right.

Ames, Aletha, Paxon, and Telos could spectate all that Asahi had done and did.

It was evident to Asahi that Paxon saw all his actions, and pitied him, and gave memories that hadn't even belonged to him.

Then it flickered to the dungeon, where he was alone. But then Ames emerged, bringing comfort.

The attentive, enchanting cat's presence filled Asahi with gratitude for friends.

Primrose's eyes widened at the blue-eyed kitten, and she squealed with delight.

"Ahh, he looks so adorable!"

"The name's Ames, my lady." He said with a purr, tail wagging.

Primrose quickly pinched the black kitten's ears.

"It talks?"

Asahi shook his head in disapproval, catching Primrose's hand as Ignatius and Kenneth watched in quiet amusement.

"Don't pinch my companion now!" Asahi said as he took another sip of hot milk, grabbing onto the paws of the kitten.

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