Chapter 293: Chapter 293

Sati floated in front of the statue in the lotus pose Jake was familiar with. Her expression was serious, and her eyes, looking much more like the current ones, were filled with determination. “I am ready now. To challenge the trial and ignite my inner flame.”

“I can see your resolve. I had called you a child despite your age because I could feel your lack of maturity, but I can see that you are a woman now. I wish to commend you for your preparations and effort, but true strength comes from within–not from the praise of others. In the darkest hour, I hope that you believe in yourself and have faith in your love, for I wish nothing but your success. For your heart and your flame are pure, no matter what the Maya tells you.”

The grand door to the side opened, and she floated through the archway. On the other side, it was a round, stone-floored chamber, lightly sloped and shaped almost like a bowl and only a dozen meters from end to end.

The chamber was almost reminiscent of the pill furnace her ego was birthed in–when she had gained her intelligence and became more. The main difference was instead of crazy formations and weird materials and angry spirits, there were a series of statues above her on a second level, looking down on her.

They were ominous beings, with angry, hateful faces. Some were what Jake recognized as demons or asuras, but others were much like Norisa’s statue outside–meditative Buddhists or Hindu practitioners, holding prayer beads and other objects.

Braziers lined what was a second story, with a malevolent smoke drifting from them.

Norisa’s voice rang in her ears. “The Trial begins. Hold onto your gift to your beloved, your Ishvara, and follow the Sutras to ignite your heart flame. May you find enlightenment in your suffering, and may your flame remain unbroken forevermore.”

Sati found her seat in the center of the bowl and sat in her usual lotus pose. Her two hands met in front of her heart, and she began to circulate the energy within her. Flames of yin and yang, purified during all of her time within the special temple, gathered within her heart chakra–along with Jake’s spark of flame and all the Shakti that she had built during this time.

Sati chanted, “My love is my shield. My flame is my truth.”

It ignited as she focused on her love, filling her with bliss as the pure blue flame sparked within her chest, the three fires all becoming one. A pulse ran through her body, empowering her flame and brightening it.

It was just in time for several of the statues’ mouths opening.

They began to spew a terrifying miasma, a thick, black fog or cloud-like flame, into the chamber. Sati could feel the malevolence contained within, a dread filling her spirit unbidden as it gathered in the bowl, roiling as it approached her. The torches also burned brighter, an even darker smoke being released.

It washed over her like a wave at the beach coming from all sides. Much of the miasma was burned away by her heart flame as it encroached on her body, but the black flame was thick and filled with malevolence. And the flames were unending. Sati focused on entering her poses and chanting, but more fell down into the bowl, more waves building as the rest sloshed around in the bowl like a liquid flame.

A wave crashed into her again, causing her to nearly be knocked out of her pose. As the miasma inevitably entered her body from nearly all sides at once, she could only feel one thing.

Pain. She had no flesh, but her body was wracked with a stinging pain, like she was stabbed and torn with something sharp all over her, burning her. Her breath caught in her throat, but still she continued, chanting her mantras as she pushed through the poses, the tapas building heat rapidly within her despite the pain, or perhaps, thanks to it. Get full chapters from 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽

The pain was only skin-deep at first, her increased heat burning the malevolence away and providing more protection against the evil. But as she breathed, it seemed the smoke from the braziers was drawn into her. She started to hear voices as part of the challenge.

And Jake witnessed this, as if he was the one experiencing the pain. It was significant, but then it was dulled down by Sati–there was no way she wanted him to experience her suffering in that way.

She heard whispers. Words strung together to break her resolve or to make her hate, even as she moved from one pose to the next.

A woman’s statue from above suddenly spoke to her, its eyes opening and its mouth moving.

“He will never look at you. He will not love you.”

Despite the statue not saying anything, the words hit harder and carried additional meaning. They strangely affected Jake more than he thought they should, but Sati replied resolutely. “He does not need to. My love for his flame is unconditional.”

The statue sneered, chuckling in derision. “That flame? It is weak and cold, and nothing before what you could become. Observe.”

A pulse ran through her, and she was shown a vision where Sati had become a giant flame goddess, where hundreds bowed in worship. Actually, it was eerily similar to what was happening at the Great Flame’s temple right now, Jake noticed. The crowd of worshiping disciples offered her gifts, including their many flames, which she happily swallowed up. Rather than being the devotee, she was the one being devoted to, becoming enlightened and powerful.

It felt real to Sati. It was not just a vision like watching a movie, disconnected from the happenings. It was more like how Jake was experiencing it, her thoughts and feelings over their bond. She felt the joy, the bliss, the pleasure of consuming such amazing, delicious flames, and the triumph of receiving such worshipful devotion and adulation, and it was very convincing.

Jake was actually receiving the same thing from Sati right now outside the vision, within the fiery vent. It was less than in the vision, but he could feel her devotion through her efforts. He already wished to kiss her now, to return even an iota of the affection she had for him. He was sure that their bond had already hit the fourth level as he understood her, but in his trance and in this state, he didn’t check his notifications.

But in the vision, within the chamber, the immense feelings did not tempt Sati. Instead, it only increased her resolve in her purpose, a smile touching her lips through the pain. After all, wouldn’t this bliss be what her Ishvara would receive? More than anything, she wanted to give that to him.

Sati’s hands formed into seals, mudras, and she chanted, “From love, I burn. From flame, I become. Let all darkness be undone.”

A pulse ran through the surrounding area from her prayer, and the illusion was dispelled. She ignored the vision’s appeal to her vanity and greed, discarding the empty pleasure.

The miasmic flames continued to encroach her spiritual body, reaching deeper than just skin deep as she continued her resistance, her loving surrender for her Ishvara as it headed toward her torso.

More statues showed her illusions and tried to make her hate, but they hardly entered Sati’s heart or shattered her resolve even with their special weight. They showed depictions of hatred, even directly toward her, but she had a hard time believing them as she had never experienced it. Perhaps she would in the future, but she had already learned the truth.

That those who hate were only confused, ignorant. They only needed enlightenment to erase the hate. She would burn away all hatred with her love, for there was no malice in her heart, and she believed in her purpose.

More voices and more temptations accompanied by visions meant to increase her doubt reached her ears. They carried intense meaning, almost like when Nessa spoke. That the words were true, and it was difficult to deny them. Even still, she endured.

“That dragon woman is using you. She twisted you for her own ends. And now she’s left you to die alone.”

“Don’t you see? The dragon woman made you. You were not made to love. You were made to burn.”

“You call it devotion. But isn’t it just longing? He is not your Ishvara. He is only a man, and he doesn’t even know you exist.”

“Even if he loves you, he will not love your soul. His heart is only wicked like that dragon woman, and he only wants your flame of devotion.”

But none even entered her heart, her dispelling the illusions and ignoring the voice’s temptations as the hours passed by in her world of pain. Her heart’s flame grew as it somehow mostly kept up with burning away the constant waves of flames, but it was slowly encroaching further in spite of this. The rest of her body was getting scorched by the blackish flames as it got deeper. The spiritual temple within her was being corroded, even the altar that she had built, the insides of her crumbling and charring just like her body.

The voices continued. “You wish to give him everything… and what has he given you?”

Sati replied, “He gave me my first glimpse of love and hope. He need not give anything else.”

“Doesn’t this hurt? If you don’t give up soon, there won’t be anything left. You can end the pain. Just strike us all down.” The voice laughed.

The flames of darkness continued to invade her, her spiritual body scorching as it was corrupted and melted. The whispers only grew louder as her body was wrecked, somehow hardening like a burnt husk. The flames arrived at her torso and even her face, scarring her. Flakes of burnt spiritual flesh fell from her form. It felt like her body would crumble in with nothing more than a breath.

At this point, her body was little more than a corpse, but back sitting in her lotus pose, a flame of blue in her chest, flickering in defiance.

The voices all laughed. “Look at what’s left of you! You are ugly, disgusting!”

“He will never want you! He will throw away trash like you!”

Her cracked, charred lips hurt to speak. “That’s…okay. As long as I breathe… I am his to throw away.” Tears streamed down her cheeks, the pain from her suffering immense at this point. But as she looked internally with her Divine Sense, the Shakti that she had stored remained, and if anything, it had grown. She was filled with pride for a moment, a small blip of joy and hope filling her.

The statue of the woman sneered maliciously. “Ah…your hard work. You cling to it.”

She felt dread as the flames sought a new direction. While everything was in a sort of pyre formed in her heart chakra, on some level, it was still separate–these were meant to combine when she actually created the soul’s flame.

The flames targeted the Shakti she had stored, burning it away, as if stealing it and taking it from her.

The voice laughed, “You have nothing now! Nothing to give him!”

“Pathetic, scarred forever! How do you feel? Do you not blame me? Do you not hate what I have taken from you? You suffered for nothing!”

All her efforts for the last two years–gone. Her heart wavered, so badly had she wanted to give that to him. She nearly fell into despair; it was like there was nothing left of herself. Could she even be healed? The whispers laughed and jeered at her, taunting her that she would never be healed.

It was like her body was nothing more than a charred corpse. If it was an illusion, Jake understood, it still made it feel like she had nothing left. She could not feel her spiritual body outside of her heart flame any longer, and she could muster no more flame.

All that was left of her was the flame burning within her heart chakra–his flame, she realized. His loving embrace continuing in the face of evil, its flickering candle still burning brightly.

“No. I still have something. I will never give up as long as I have love.”

She protected it with her will, her desire to hold onto the love it represented. If she lost the Shakti energy she worked so hard for, so be it. She would suffer once again and make more. She would burn down to ashes as many times as necessary, and rebuild herself anew to do it all again. She would do everything it took to serve her purpose.

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Sati willed her blackened hands back together in prayer, focused on her devotion, her suffering surrender to her Ishvara. Any doubt, any fear would cause her to lose herself, she knew. The voices continued with their hate, but the love became the sum of her being as she endured the pain and ignored them.

“I do not hate. I will not break. For purpose and love I will burn.”

Her spirit and her will became one as she defended her truth. A white and gold flame ignited within her spirit, her soul and heartflame becoming one, her Inner Flame of her spirit truly born.

The corruption burnt away, following the same path as the evil corrupted her body, as if it were fleeing. Her pure heart flames burned away the malevolence in her, fueling the inner flame’s growth. If it was an illusion, and at this point, Jake wasn’t even sure at he watched, then she just burnt it away with her love and revealed the truth.

Her energy soaring, she drew it into her dantian and she rebuilt her destroyed spiritual temple, the blazing white bricks forming her altar. The purified smoke and blackened flames became the yin and yang flames she had lost, somehow the two returning to her, even more powerful and brilliant than before as Maya was dispelled.

The darkness was drawn in like a vacuum, despite it clawing at the walls and trying to escape. The charred flesh of her body was replaced with her immaculate flame, her joy soaring as the pain was swept away as her spiritual body was healed by the fiery brilliance. She cried tears of joy, and both relief and triumph filled her existence.

Norisa’s voice echoed into the chamber, a joyful tone to her voice. “Congratulations, inheritor Sati. You’ve succeeded in making the flame! Strangely, it is a little different than I expected–perhaps thanks to your Ishvara. I am so happy for you, but your work is not yet done. Only by being brought to nothing can you be reborn. It’s time to remake yourself as you ascend.”

What was left was her core formation, pure white flames of love and devotion spilling out into the chamber, the statues shifting to become several Yoginis that spewed the flames into the room, and waves of love for all things now crashed into her instead. The Shakti energy that was stolen from her was returned, and plenty more. She created her core using the scaffolding and pure energy provided.

The Framework’s Tribulation came, but it was nothing compared to the Trial she had just faced. She was successful in forming her core based around her Path, her dharma, and following the Yogini’s instructions she prepared herself for the future. Some humble robes were provided, since now, she truly looked like a naked woman rather than a flame vaguely in the shape of one.

It seemed Sati did have minor contact with Norisa through her system-sanctioned mentorship, but communication across Sectors of great distances was worse than writing a letter and waiting for it to return. The advice Norisa could give was minimal, but she waited for the day when she could help her once again, once she reached Nascent Soul or left the Frontier Sector.

When she returned to the Celestial Nexus, the battle was largely already won, and her friends had triumphed.

The vision ended, and Jake was brought back to floating in the vent, with her in his lap.

Jake spun her around to face him askew and reached his hand out to brush her cheek. “Now… I understand.”

Sati leaned into his touch, her heart soaring with joy. “I’m glad. I did not require it, but most of all, I hoped for you to understand my love and my devotion for you.”

Perhaps for Sati, it was love at first sight, feel, or taste of his flame for her. But the hope that his flame provided, the purpose for her that he represented was something she clung to, even in those dark hours.

Jake said, “My flame was nothing more than a flickering candle. Flawed and not overly strong, just as the illusion said. But you made it your everything, having no doubts in it–in me.”

“How could I doubt? Your love is pure and bright. You sacrificed your efforts and your sense of self to give it all to your wives, your family, and those you love and care about–the void of family. I believed in it with every fiber of my being. Through my sacrifice, devotion, and service to you, I found purpose, my sense of self. It is similar, but it is different.”

Jake nodded. “Through your devotion and sacrifice, you built a pure, unconditional love for me, your Ishvara. You burn for me.”

Sati’s voice trembled, knowing that finally, Jake could truly see her. “Yes.”

Because of his attention to detail within the story, Jake already understood what to do with this Shakti floating within him. He drew all that she gave him in the last hour and combined it with his hearth flames, then brought it to his lips as he leaned toward her.

Her eyes widened as her whole body brightened in a blush–and that was before their lips even met. When they did, the explosion of joy and love was immense, her fiery lips somehow soft and inviting.

It wasn’t only her emotions that exploded. As the flaming energy mix entered through her lips and into her body and reached her core, her entire body burst into flame, losing her form for a brief moment as she moaned into the kiss.

Somehow, he knew this flame was insanely hot, but the heat washed over him like a loving embrace. He matched it by wrapping his arms around her tightly as the kiss deepened, and her entire body surrendered to his touch, her legs wrapping around him. The kiss was like fuel for her flames, and it was even more than that, as something changed within her, ever so slightly.

But then much of the flames pooling beneath her form suddenly rushed inside of her, drawing much of the Great Flame in. The power within her grew rapidly, and it was like she cultivated half a level in an instant.

And it wasn’t only her that experienced a small change. During the vision, their bond had hit the fourth level, but now it already hit the fifth. The respect and affection Jake held for Sati and her path and her heathflame had only begun to match what she had for him, his feelings growing for her in return. It was not at the love stage yet, according to the Framework, but he knew it was not far off.

He knew she didn’t want him to feel like he owed her, but it was impossible for him to not be moved by her conviction. The illusions felt so real, Maya clouding Sati’s senses and eroding her judgment.

Her heart soared, and it was like a golden flame roiled through her form, but most importantly, it filled her eyes, the light blazing within them. She pulled back from their kiss and looked to the sky above them, and then a small smile touched her lips.

“I know what I must do now.”

Fhesiah’s voice in their minds interrupted their thoughts. [Damn. That was some kiss, huh. Got some kind of enlightenment and everything.]

Ophelia responded, [Shush. You’re ruining their moment, she can hear you now!]

Berri added, [Too late. Hi-hi, Sati-Sati! Welcome to the club!]

Ava giggled. [Hehe, it’s about time! Our mate can really get his mind in the way of his heart sometimes, isn’t that right, sisters?]

Blood replied, [It is true. But once he reaches that stage, he never lets us go. If he was only led by mere whims or passionate moments alone, would that truly be better? I love that he seeks to fully connect with us, his mind and his heart. Otherwise, we’d have swarms of girls to compete with by now.]

Fhesiah hummed, thinking about what was dancing around in her lamp. [Swarms of girls, you say?]

Berri blew a raspberry. [Whatever! It’s fine as long as they’re snake girls or fire girls. Those lamia need loving too!]

Tanda laughed, and Jake knew her tail was wagging. [You differentiate just for Sati? That’s high praise!]

Berri replied, [No, we’re all fire girls. Our hearths. Duh!]

Nessa added, [I’m happy for you, Sati, my dear friend.]

Bree was racing against Avalara, and it was such a strange arms race. [Welcome to the pack, Sati. I’m happy that you too have finally had your feelings returned as well.]

Sati’s smile grew wide, affection for his wives and their connection filling her. She loved them all a lot already, not just because they were all wonderful warriors who were heroes, but also because of an important fact.

They were all a part of Jake–her Ishvara, and in addition, she had long since been an important part of their family. Joining them was a very happy moment, and so was being embraced by Jake.

“So, what is it that we must do?”

“We must go to the moon, but together. Everything will be fine if you are with me.”

Jake quirked his brow. “That was already the plan. From the beginning, there was no way I was letting you go without a fight.”

Sati chuckled. “I know that, but…before, it really felt like my fate was in flux, changing. Now…it is sure.” She looked inwardly at her fiery pure heart flame, which had shifted to have even more gold in its brilliant white. It brightened her whole chest, like a flashlight under her skin. “I’ll have to fix that. But that flame you gave me just now…it made me more. I see that now, and it is only the beginning.”

Jake thought deeply, looking at her Inner Flame with his Umbral Gaze. There was a giant orb of Shakti built within her spiritual body and soul, an immense amount from her years of building it. Including her efforts from the vision, it had been six years in total.

The Shakti was a very curious energy, resembling yin energy. But it was more. It had a form of faith within it, a special, spiritual energy like auril. It didn’t hold a will, but a spirituality that was present.

While Clergy of Divine could build this faith energy within them and it was present in their mana, there was no way they could bequeath it to anyone but their divine. This made what Sati was making special.

And when Jake combined it with his hearth flame, it became much more like Fhesiah’s Celestial Flames of Alchemy, where it contained nearly everything.

He had received the energy and reflected it back to Sati. But there was another step, one that they could do together if they continued. She only sent him a bit of the Shakti she had earned from this session, too. It was not the immense quantities stored in her pyre, her Inner Flame. Her six years of performing her Bhakti Yoga from within the Trial, and then their Refuge and in her travels.

Jake wondered, “Why tell me now? You could have told me this story years ago.”

“I know not. I only sensed that this was the right time, feeling the fate that calls to me. Who can understand its whims? Perhaps I was not ready, or maybe it was you who was not.” She spread her hands wide, gesturing to the flames surrounding them. “Or maybe my fate, our fate, or the world hanging in the balance required a special set of circumstances. It matters not. I only know that waiting to tell you served the dharma–my path and purpose.”

Jake narrowed his eyes, a teasing smile touching his lips. “Hmm…are you sure there wasn’t anything else? I’m betting you didn’t have those feelings right away after you arrived.”

Sati blushed and looked away. “I…may have been a little shy at first. Your flame was even more beautiful in person, and then you were so…” Her thoughts said handsome, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She added, “Then, you sent me to see the world. Your family’s wisdom in this helped me. Then by the time I returned, well… I think you can understand the rest.”

Thinking on it, when she arrived back with Fhesiah from the Celestial Nexus, the girl was certainly new to romantic love. She had read in stories and seen others, but it was not something she had gotten to experience. The fiery girl had only book knowledge and a little bit of experience in the Celestial Nexus, but otherwise she was even more sheltered than Ophelia. She was shy.

Sati had hoped for his love, but he never approached her in that way, and at first, she felt she needed to improve herself to match him and his wives. It seemed she was content that year she spent before he sent her with Nessa, but eventually, she had felt fate looming not long after she finally returned.

“It’s clear you had tremendous conviction in your path when you completed that Trial, but I do think it was for the best that you experienced things on your own before we were together. Purpose is important, but a person is not their purpose alone. I’m glad you got to see the world first.”

“As long as I was able to give you my flame, I would have had no regrets. But now, I see. I am truly blessed. Shall we go, my Ishvara?”

Sensing what she wanted even better now, he immediately changed his posture and got into the same lotus position as before, bringing her onto his lap. She got into the same pose, her smile wide.

Spiritual arms and legs came out from her again, and this time, it was even more than before. As she entered her poses and built the tapas, the pool of flame beneath them started to grow, and Sati started bringing them downward and into the volcano. They dropped beneath the volcano’s vent, and actually plugged the hole completely–all of the rising flame came to a stop, and a pressure began to build beneath him, in a far greater quantity than before.

The heat built, but somehow, with the Shakti she was sending him, it was no problem at all for him. It was like by having these flames being a part of him now, he was immune.

Rashik was alarmed, seeing them drop downward, the goblin man standing and overlooking the lip of the volcano. “What–What is happening?”

The many disciples murmured as they also peered over the lip of the vent–which before, they could not even get close to. That all the flames shooting to the heavens stopped was definitely cause for concern.

Sati waved her hand, ordering them imperiously, her tone brooking no argument. “You must retreat from this room and close the core sanctum doors until we depart. My Lord and I shall go and assist the Great Flame. We will purge it of this wicked taint, and then we shall return. Continue your efforts without pause if you wish to save your Divine.”

Jake arched his brow at that–he hadn’t ever seen her act like that. The disciples stumbled over each other to obey her command, people bowing to her and retreating to the adjacent chamber.

Suddenly, he felt a change beneath him as the pressure of the Great Flame grew. He looked down at the flame and then up at the sky. That was how this was happening?

Just what was Jake’s life? He had a more normal jet-shaped flying device that he could actually use on this world, but now, they were going to fly in a strange, awkward way. Maybe nobody except the disciples would see it?

Fhesiah teased, [Sati, you better remember every detail and hand it over. I am absolutely watching this later.]

Berri sounded a little depressed. [It’s like, I kinda wanna see it? But then I think it will just make me mad, because I didn’t get to go.]

Jake chuckled. “I’m sorry, Berri. I can feel how badly you want to go. If I see the opportunity in the future, I promise I’ll make it happen for you.”

[He said it! I’m going to the moon!]

[Stop extorting promises from our lord; he is busy. Did you know that you are worse than Blaze sometimes?]

The volcano started to tremble from the pressure, even as Sati was converting the flames quickly. More spiritual appendages had joined the original, and some actually headed off in different directions. Seen from above, arms and legs extended in a cross shape.

Suddenlym, he was starting to have an odd dizziness, an altering of his perception that was peculiar.

“Yes, my Ishvara. As you touch the divine, you must keep your mind clear. Your…active mind is making it more challenging for me as well.”

“Sorry.” Jake took a steadying breath, seeking the stillness. The amount of Shakti arriving in him was actually becoming significant, he realized.

Sati smiled. “Ah, there it is. To the stars we go.”

It was like she removed the cap from a soda bottle. They accelerated upward with tremendous force, and Jake felt the pull downward against the condensed flames beneath them like being sucked into his chair in a fast car. It was significantly worse than that, but it seemed Sati had some control and kept their acceleration to what his Hearthian body could handle.

The column of flame pushed them into the sky, and like a person-shaped rocket ship, Jake and Sati flew at the tainted moon.