Chapter 18: The Fire’s Burden

**Chapter 18: The Fire's Burden**

Jack flexed his fingers, feeling the weight of the newly acquired gauntlet settle against his skin. The metal was warm, pulsing with the same fire that burned within the forge. It was more than just armor—it was a conduit, a piece of Eldrin's past that had now become part of him. 

Shadow circled him once before sitting at his side, his golden eyes watching Jack carefully. The spectral figure remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "The burden of fire is not in its strength, but in its control."

Jack exhaled, turning his hand over, watching as faint lines of light pulsed through the runes engraved in the gauntlet. He could feel the power humming beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed. "So, what? If I lose control, I burn myself alive?"

The figure inclined its head slightly. "Power without restraint consumes. But tempered, it forges."

Jack frowned. He had spent years training in Kendo, learning precision and discipline. But this? This was something else entirely. It wasn't just about skill—it was about understanding the fire itself. 

He turned back toward the forge, the heat radiating off the roaring flames. The Keepers before him had failed. The city had fallen. And now, the burden of restoring Eldrin's legacy rested on his shoulders. 

Jack clenched his fist. "Then let's temper it."

The figure raised its hand, and suddenly, the flames around the forge surged higher. The air thickened with heat, crackling with energy. The cavern trembled, and the runes along the walls flared to life, casting the chamber in an eerie blue and gold glow. 

Jack barely had time to react before something emerged from the fire. 

It was humanoid—barely. Its body was formed from molten rock, its limbs dripping with fire as if it was barely holding itself together. Eyes like twin embers locked onto Jack, and a deep, guttural growl rumbled from within its core. 

Shadow's fur bristled, and Jack instinctively raised his sword, flames flaring along the blade's edge. **This was his next trial.**

The creature didn't hesitate. It lunged, moving with surprising speed for something made of stone and fire. Jack sidestepped just in time, narrowly avoiding a swipe of its burning claws. The heat was intense, searing even as it passed. 

Jack countered, bringing his sword down in a quick, precise arc. The blade struck the creature's shoulder, sending sparks flying—but it didn't cut through. The molten warrior barely reacted, turning its head toward him before swiping again. 

Jack jumped back, cursing under his breath. **Too solid.**

Shadow darted forward, aiming for the creature's legs, but yelped as the heat forced him to retreat. Jack gritted his teeth. He needed to find a weak point, something he could exploit. His gaze flickered toward the gauntlet.

**Fire meets fire.**

Taking a deep breath, Jack focused on the heat within the gauntlet, willing it to respond. The runes ignited, glowing brighter, and for a moment, he could feel the energy of the forge itself pulsing through him. **This was the fire of Eldrin.**

The creature lunged again, but this time, Jack didn't dodge.

He met the attack head-on, raising his gauntlet just as the molten fist crashed down toward him. The moment of impact sent a shockwave through the chamber, the force of fire meeting fire in an explosion of light. 

But Jack didn't falter. He absorbed it.

The flames surged into the gauntlet, spiraling up his arm, controlled but raw. The creature recoiled slightly, its burning form flickering as if uncertain. Jack seized the moment. 

He lunged forward, slamming his fist into its core. The fire within the gauntlet met the molten warrior's chest, and suddenly, the flames around them shifted. Jack could feel the forge's energy, its connection to this creature. 

And just like that, he understood.

The creature wasn't his enemy. It was a fragment of the forge itself, a test of his ability to wield its fire. 

Jack exhaled, loosening his grip. Instead of resisting the energy, he let it flow through him, guiding the power rather than forcing it. The molten warrior trembled, then slowly lowered its arms. Its eyes no longer burned with aggression, but with something akin to recognition.

The forge flared one final time before the creature stepped back, its form dissolving into the flames once more. 

Silence settled over the cavern.

Jack let out a slow breath, lowering his gauntlet. His entire body tingled with residual energy, but he felt… **in control.** 

Shadow approached him cautiously, sniffing at his hand before huffing in what almost sounded like approval. 

The spectral figure finally spoke. "You have learned what the others could not."

Jack turned to face it, the weight of realization settling over him. "They fought the fire."

The figure nodded. "And so they were consumed by it."

Jack looked down at his hands, the glow of the gauntlet still fading. "So what now?"

The figure gestured toward the forge. "Now, Keeper, you carry Eldrin's fire beyond these halls. And with it, the power to decide its fate."

Jack took one last look at the flames before turning toward the tunnel leading out. The trials of Eldrin weren't over. 

They were just beginning.

**To be continued...**