A Blazing Experiment

After surviving Demon History, I thought nothing could surprise me. That afternoon, Yuria dragged me to a secluded courtyard behind the library for a "proper lesson." In the center, a cauldron smoldered as she tossed in firewood.

"Catch," Yuria said, hurling a log at me. I barely caught it with a yelp. "What is this, babysitting bears?" I protested. "It's part of your penalty for flunking core class," she smirked. "Now catch it." Reluctantly, I grasped the flaming log. Already my palms felt like they were on fire.

Lilith's voice echoed from the archway. "Mr. Ren, what an incendiary idea." She stepped into the courtyard, cigarette smoke curling around her head. Flames danced in her crimson eyes. Lilith watched us, amused—and slightly more red in the face than the fire itself.

"Teach him to cook souls next, why don't you?" Lilith teased. "Practical magic only goes so far, dear Yuria. Let's see how Ren handles it without burning down the school." I heard the faint crackle of ash as she flicked her sleeve.

I gulped. The log was hot, though Yuria swore it would grade me harder than Lilith's lectures. Lilith's grin only grew as I offered her the log. Sweat dotted my forehead.

Yuria unscrewed a vial from her belt. "Watch this," she said, tossing it underhand. An icy mist exploded across the wood, quenching one log completely. The remaining flame sputtered and faded into smoke.

"Magic potion, rookie," Yuria said, crossing her arms. "For when things get too hot—literally. Didn't they teach you that in class?" She winked at me. "Just use your head."

Something clicked. If a silly potion could snuff out fire, maybe my Codex could. I took a deep breath, focusing, feeling the Sigil pulse on my palm. Ghostly runes shimmered in the air above the log.

With a snap of my fingers, I rewrote the flame's fate. The fire on the log collapsed inward as if gravity itself yanked it down. Charcoal replaced flame in an instant; warmth faded into a gentle ember.

"I did that," I said, voice strangely calm.

Yuria threw her head back and whooped. "Ha! Even the human can learn something after all." She punched my arm in excitement.

Lilith regarded me, lips curling. "Rather efficient for a mortal," she purred, stepping closer. "Tame, though. I expected something a bit more flamboyant."

Before I could reply, Lilith snapped her fingers. "Very good, Ren. Now let's raise the stakes."

Yuria grinned wickedly. "Oh, I have more." In a flash, she appeared with three blazing logs, each the size of a demon's forearm. She hurled them at me like torches from Hell.

I stumbled backward. The logs felt like dragging living coals between my fingers. Two logs slammed into my trembling hands and I tripped back, forcing the third to spin out of reach. Flames erupted around me, forming a ring between me and Lilith. Heat like a furnace blast hit my face.

"Focus," I muttered, heart racing. The Sigil flared bright. I imagined a breeze. Instantly, the flames leapt upward into a swirling vortex, forming a fiery dome above me. Sparks spiraled harmlessly into the night sky.

Lilith's voice cut through the roar. "Careful with the wind, Ren. Don't blow up the school!"

Next plan: ice. Drawing moisture from the air, I wove streams of steam through the vortex. The flames hissed and dimmed. With a final motion I collapsed the fiery dome inward: one by one, each torch extinguished itself as if dunked in water.

By the time the last log hissed out, the courtyard was deathly silent. I stood panting amid smoldering coals. Yuria and Lilith stared at me, mouths agape.

Lilith stepped forward and applauded slowly. "Brava. Pyrotechnics should not be underestimated." She placed a finger under my chin, lifting my face. "Magic is dangerous, but not when you control it. The power was always yours—you just needed to learn how to handle it."

"But we almost burned everything," I protested weakly. "I'm lucky no one got hurt."

Lilith's lips curved. "I didn't say you're off the hook." Her tone softened. "But you've earned a passing grade. Now clean up, Ren."

"Yes, ma'am," I muttered, relieved that "clean up" didn't involve another lecture.

Under Lilith's watchful eyes, I heaved the charred logs back into the cauldron. My hands still tingled, the Sigil's warmth lingering. I thought about what had happened — the fear, the rush, the power. I wasn't the clueless human who stumbled into this school.

Tomorrow would bring more twisted chaos, but today I'd literally rewritten the rules of flame — and I hadn't even broken a sweat. (Well, maybe a little.)