The stairway into the third trial burned with a heat that had no source. The air itself shimmered, and every step sizzled beneath their boots. The stone was blackened obsidian etched with runes that pulsed like beating hearts. Auron led his harem through the infernal descent, the weight of divine scrutiny pressing down on them with every stride.
At the base of the stairs awaited a colossal hall — a cathedral of flame. Pillars of fire soared upward, licking the ceiling, casting shifting shadows across murals that depicted angels and demons locked in eternal war. At the far end, upon a throne of molten gold, sat three celestial judges: beings cloaked in robes of fire and shadow, their faces obscured, voices unified and thunderous.
"Auron Valarion. You, who have defied fate. You who bears the sins of power, lust, and conquest. Are you worthy of transcendence?"
Auron stepped forward, undaunted. "I don't need your permission to be worthy. I am transcendence."
The judges said nothing. Instead, the floor cracked open, and from below, a massive arena emerged — carved of dragonbone and bloodstone, its center flanked by braziers burning with soulfire.
"Then you will be judged. Not by words. By trial of flame."
Trial Begins – The Burning Arena
Flames exploded around the rim of the arena. From them emerged warriors — champions of the old gods, long dead but reborn in divine fury. Twelve in total, each wielding weapons forged in judgment.
Seraphine raised her sword. "Permission to unleash hell?"
Auron grinned. "Granted."
The clash was immediate. Steel sang. Magic roared.
Isilyn froze half the battlefield in a sweeping wave, her frost resisting even the godfire. Azhara, leaping with impossible speed, tore into enemies like a feral goddess. Seraphine danced in flame, her every strike a song of divine vengeance.
But Auron… Auron walked.
Calm. Confident. Power emanated from him in waves.
When one champion struck at him, he caught the blade bare-handed. It shattered.
He raised a single finger, and with it, unleashed a beam of annihilation that vaporized three foes in an instant.
The judges whispered among themselves.
"He wields destruction like a sculptor wields a chisel." "But will he conquer his own fire?"
The last of the champions fell, and silence claimed the arena. Auron stood at its center, body marked by the heat, but eyes alight with something fiercer.
Then, the floor opened again — revealing a woman.
The Final Flame: Emberis, Goddess of Passion and Judgment
She rose in a pillar of fire. Naked, radiant, eyes glowing with molten fury and lust. Her long crimson hair whipped like flame, and chains of burning gold wrapped her arms and thighs. Her body was divine temptation incarnate, and her power was undeniable.
"You seek dominion over flame," she said, voice like burning honey. "But can you tame me?"
She rushed him with blistering speed. Auron dodged, barely — her strike scorched the ground. She was faster than any enemy he'd faced.
He laughed. "Finally. A real dance."
Their clash was not just of fists and flame — it was a battle of wills. Every blow she landed came with temptation, every movement a seductive assault on his resolve. But Auron's fire was older. Darker.
He caught her at last — grabbing her by the wrists, spinning her around, and pinning her against one of the fiery pillars. Their eyes locked.
"Submit," he whispered.
Her breathing trembled. "Never."
He leaned in, lips close to her ear. "Then I'll make you beg for it."
And he did. Not just with strength — but with dominance, with understanding of what drove her. He didn't burn her out. He consumed her.
She collapsed in his arms, body trembling, face flushed. And then… smiling.
"You are the flame. You are judgment. I yield."
Ascension
The judges rose.
"The third trial is complete." "He has bent passion to his will. Judgment now follows him."
Flames wrapped around Auron and his companions, but they did not burn. They clothed them in divine radiance, armor and silk fused from light itself. Emberis knelt before him, placing a fiery kiss on his palm.
System Update:
"Trial 3: Tribunal of the Ascended Flame — Complete"
"Divine Favor: 63%"
"Trial 4: Vault of the Forgotten Kings — Pending"
Auron turned, his voice thunderous.
"Onward. We are not yet gods. But we will be."