Stepping outside the Inn, we go back to our wagon where I ask, “Hey John. Are we going to go through your hometown too while we’re here?”

  “No, I purposefully avoided that place.”

  “Why?”

  Looking away, he answers, “It…Brings back bad memories.”

  “I see…Do you have any friends or family that you’d like to visit while we’re here?”

  “I don’t have any friends or family here.”

  “Really? Not a single one? You don’t seem like someone that would be unpopular.”

  He lets out a chuckle, “Well, I know you don’t care but most people in this country avoid gay people like they are carrying the plague. I only met one straight person here that truly didn’t care and I doubt she’s still alive.

  Sher Aka seems to think for a second, “Didn’t we move when she was in her mid twenties? That was about forty years ago so there is a decent chance she’s still alive. Timon is only a short detour away from our quest too, so we could try to visit after we’re done.”

  “I don’t know…It’s a bit of a time loss and I was just a kid back then, she probably doesn’t even remember me.”

  She gives him a reassuring smile, “I’m sure she’ll remember you. Come on, it will be nice to see her one last time don’t you think?”

  “Eeeeh…I guess…Fine, it’s only a day or two extra.”

  We then begin traveling north east, choosing to not stay at Inns both to save money and to get there quicker, though Rayla also told me it was because John didn’t like to stay near a lot of people. Whenever we stop for breaks, I continue my daily training and thanks to Sally’s help I’m getting better and better at absorbing the natural fire mana despite the cold weather making it more difficult to do so.

  On the third day of our trip, after I manifest the dark crown, I attempt the fire ritual a few times but every time the flames start to surround me I hesitate and they disperse.

  Sally then puts their foot on my face to get my attention. They point at me, make a grumpy face then shake their head. Afterwards they smile widely, dance and nod their head.

  “Are you saying I shouldn’t think too much and just enjoy myself?”

  Sally nods.

  “But how can I do that? The fire is dangerous. I might get burned again…”

  Sally shakes their head and points at their face. They then close their eyes and start dancing.

  “Isn’t it going to be a lot harder when I close my eyes?”

  Sally shakes their head, taps on their chest and then puts their foot on my face.

  “Are you saying you’ll help me?”

  Sally nods.

  “Hmm…Okay I trust you.”

  Sally nods with a smile and I close my eyes and start to dance.

  I can feel Sally go up to my ear and hear what sounds like a beautiful woman's voice humming a tune. At first I’m a bit surprised but as I keep going, images start coming to mind of a place with many lights. I remember two girls older than me and an even older looking boy laughing while wearing beautiful formal clothing. The girls take me by the hands and we all start dancing together as a warm feeling fills me inside. I can’t see their faces but they still feel warm and being around them makes me happy.

  Without noticing, I say, “Ifrit Spirit King of Fire, hear my plea. Clothe me in your fire so that I may not stand cold and naked in front of the Kings. Fire Dress,” and continue to dance with these faceless people. It is only when the humming ends and I feel a tug on my ear that I open my eyes once again. The first thing I notice is that I don’t have the dark crown active anymore due to lack of concentration. Then, right after, I notice a dress made from flame surrounding my body, it feels comfortably warm. Looking around, the snow in a huge area around me has melted and many spirits have gathered around to dance and watch. Surprisingly, it also looks like Sally has grown from the size of my hand to the size of my forearm, though they still feel light as a feather. They look exhausted and when I pat their back they fall asleep with a smile on their face.

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  Rayla then walks up to me but tries to keep her distance, “Are you alright, oki? You danced for hours. You looked like you were having fun but you were also crying.”

  “I was? I don’t remember crying but I was having fun!”

  “That’s good…Is it safe to approach you?”

  “Oh! Yeah I can mostly decide the range and who it targets. Don’t touch it though it’s still pure fire.”

  Rayla gives a thumbs up to Sher Aka and John and looks me up and down, “Hmm…That sure is a dress. Do they not have a fire suit version or something for guys?”

  “Nope, Uli told me that in the time this ritual was made, Elves didn’t really have clothes just for men or for women they just tailored them differently to fit. Otherwise, everyone was wearing the same sorts of clothes. Also the spirits really like it.”

  I then twirl around for the Spirits which seems to bring them joy.

  A bit apprehensive, she asks, “But does it…Bother you?”

  “Does what bother me?”

  “Having to essentially wear women’s clothes while you fight. That would bother most men I know.”

  “Oh, I don’t care. It makes me stronger and the dress looks pretty!”

  “Pfft, I guess that’s true. It is a beautiful dress.”

  Sher Aka and John walk up as well and John asks, “So, what can you do with this one?”

  “Basically it makes me stronger and it gives off an aura of heat. The closer I keep that aura to my body the hotter it gets and the more I spread it out the less hot it gets. I can also make a burst of heat shoot down in a line. Oh and it makes me immune to heat.”

  “Gotcha, so how hot does it get?”

  “Hm…It depends on how much I concentrate it in one place and how much natural fire mana is available. Right now it’s winter and it’s cold so there isn’t much fire mana available, so the hottest I can get it is about…” I pick up a rock and make it melt into lava in my hand, “...This much. In summer I should also be able to melt iron.”

  Sher Aka, John and Rayla look at this display wide eyed and John takes a step back and asks, “So…Y-You can melt rock when you’re weakened?”

  “Yep, but only if I concentrate it all into the size of my hand. If I want to make a mostly lethal aura I can only make it extend about 10 centimeters around my body but I can extend an aura that will hurt and irritate people up to about 8-10 meters.”

  “That’s absolutely insane Thoma Ahad…So basically you can destroy anything you touch when you are in this form?”

  “Uhm, well in a small area yes. But because my body is pretty weak this is more of a defensive ability than an offensive one. In summer I can even use it to defend against arrows.”

  Sitting down in the snow and gawking at me with awe, John laughs, “Pretty weak he says, haha. Fine I’m not going to question you anymore. Either I’m insane or you are. So how long can you keep this form up?”

  “I’m not sure, with the Dark Crown I can keep it up for up to an hour if I try hard to concentrate on it, I have basically no experience with the fire dress yet so I’m not sure how long I can keep it up.”

  Rayla answers, “So it’s basically not reliable for our fight against the sapphire tigers. It’s pretty damn impressive though, oki!”

  “Hehe, thanks ane!”

  Giving me a smug smile, she adds, “Now! Let me demonstrate what I’ve been working on!”

  She then moves forward and chants, “Airs around me, whirl around create a whirlwind that will blow my enemies away. Whirlwind!” a small tornado the size of a person then appears in front of her, “Fire come to my aide. Ignite!” A small ball of fire flows out of her hand and towards the tornado, when they collide the fire suddenly bursts forth and a fire tornado is created.

  John adds, “A combination attack of two different elements, very impressive!”

  Rayla smirks and answers, “Shut up John, I’m not done yet, I need to concentrate. Earth around me grind small and come forth. Sand Blast.” A blast of sand then comes forth from her hands and into the fire tornado. At first there are only small glowing pieces of sand that can be seen inside the fire tornado but over a bit of time they start to melt creating a moving pillar of fire and molten glass. Rayla slowly makes the tornado slower and smaller until it disappears leaving pieces of glass on the ground.

  John looks to be in awe, “A tri-elemental combination attack…Amazing.”

  “And you know what’s even better? I can make another whirlwind after and use the glass shards with it to create a glass storm! The only downside is that I haven’t figured out yet how to not accidentally make it shoot glass in random directions. Also the problem is I’m a sitting duck while casting. If I move, I lose concentration.”

  “If you could also move while casting freely I’d quit being an adventurer. It’s extremely hard to keep multiple spells going at the same time, especially when they are from different elements. You are already immensely talented in your mana control. As for the glass shard problem, it’s a matter of creating a higher centripetal than centrifugal force. With some calculations I should be able to figure out a proper model. How much myr of mana are you using?”

  “Huh? I have no idea what any of that meant. I just go by feel.”

  John lets out an exasperated sigh and says“ Don’t worry there are ways to measure that, come with me let’s work on some calculations.”

  “C-Calculations? I’m not good at math.”

  John gets a devious smile on his face and puts his arm around Rayla, “Don’t worry it’s simple. A magical genius like yourself should have no problem with some math right~?”

  “I…Sher Aka, Thoma! Save me!”

  “Hehehe, don’t worry it’s just a bit of math~.”