The purple flame

“Quickly! Fill all the bottles with the flame! They can’t hold off that demon for much longer!”
A boy stood inside the cave, keeping watch over the long, dark passage ahead. His eyes remained fixed on the path, waiting for the demon to return.
Suryadipt was busy filling a small glass bottle with the purple flame.
The intense heat coming from it made his skin burn, and sweat rolled down his face. Even through the protective cloth around his hands, he could feel the terrifying heat of the flame.

“If we manage to get out of here safely,”
Suryadipt said while carefully filling another bottle,
“we can merge this flame with our chakras. Then maybe we’ll be able to forge our Agni Tara much faster than other cultivators.”
He paused for a moment and looked at the purple flame flickering inside the bottle.
“As for me... I still can’t properly control my own chakra. Maybe this flame will work well with my chakra. If it does, perhaps I can finally forge my first Agni Tara.”

His companion looked at him and smiled.
“I believe you can do it, Suryadipt.”
He carefully filled another bottle.Suddenly—A deep growl echoed through the cave.“Grrrrrrr...”
The boy standing in the passage froze.His eyes widened.
A huge shadow appeared at the far end of the cave.“Suryadipt!” he shouted.
“Hurry! The demon is coming!”
Suryadipt immediately increased his speed.
“One more... just one more bottle!”
He quickly filled the last bottle and sealed it. Then he placed it inside his Storage Bracelet.
“Done!”
“Then run!”

The two boys quickly hid behind a large rock nearby.
A few seconds later, heavy footsteps echoed through the cave.
BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!
The demon entered.It was a huge creature covered in dark scales.
Purple flames burned across its body, and its enormous eyes glowed with fury.
The demon suddenly stopped.Its gaze fell upon the flame pond.
Only a small amount of purple flame remained.
The demon's expression changed.
“WHO STOLE MY FLAME?!”
Its roar shook the entire cave.

“I will never let the thief leave this place alive!”The demon looked around furiously.
Then purple flames ignited inside its eyes.Its gaze swept across the cave.
Behind the rock, Suryadipt held his breath.
His companion did the same.The demon's eyes stopped for a moment near the rock.
But then it looked away.
“Hmph... There is no one here.”
“Perhaps those thieves have already escaped.”
The demon yawned.
“I should sleep.”
Behind the rock, Suryadipt and his companion silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Suryadipt slowly smiled.
“Looks like we can leave safely now.”
His companion nodded.
“Let's go before it changes its mind.”

They carefully began moving away.
Then—BOOM!
The rock behind them suddenly exploded.
Stone fragments flew everywhere.
The demon stood before them, grinning.
“Found you.”
Its voice was filled with killing intent.
“You two foolish cultivators stole my flame and thought you could escape?”
The demon raised one hand.
A huge ball of purple fire formed in its palm.
“Let me see how you plan to leave this place!
”WHOOSH!
The fireball shot toward them.
“Move!”
Suryadipt jumped to the side.
BOOM!
The fireball struck the ground, sending flames and pieces of stone everywhere.
Another fireball came.
Suryadipt ducked.
A third one flew past his shoulder.
“Too close!”
His companion pulled him away just before another attack struck the ground.

The two boys ran toward the cave entrance while dodging the demon's attacks.
“Suryadipt!”
his companion shouted.
“Get outside! I'll hold him back!”
“What? No!”
Suryadipt hesitated for a moment.Take care, Varun.”
“Don’t worry. Just go!”
Varun rushed toward the demon.The demon launched several fireballs at Suryadipt.
Varun swung his sword.
SLASH!
The fireballs were cut apart one after another.
“Go!”

Suryadipt gritted his teeth and ran.He finally reached the cave entrance.
Outside, he saw his companions and his teacher.
They were badly injured.
Eesha, one of Suryadipt's friends, was treating their wounds.
“Suryadipt!”
Eesha looked up in surprise.
“You're safe!”
Suryadipt quickly ran toward them.
“Are you alright?”
Eesha nodded.
“I'll be fine. But everyone else is badly injured.”
Suryadipt looked at his teacher.
“Teacher, what happened?”
The teacher wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.“
That demon was much stronger than we expected.”

He looked toward the cave.
“Where is Varun?”
Suryadipt's expression changed.
“He stayed behind to stop the demon.”
“What?”The teacher immediately stood up.
“We can't stay here.”
Just then—BOOM!
A massive explosion came from inside the cave.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
Varun came flying out of the cave.
He crashed heavily onto the ground.
“Varun!”
The teacher rushed toward him and helped him up.
Varun tried to stand, but his body was trembling.

“That monster... is too strong.”
The demon slowly walked out of the cave.
Its body was surrounded by purple flames.Everyone became silent.
The teacher looked at the demon and clenched his fists.
“We cannot defeat it in our current condition.”
He turned toward everyone.
“Listen carefully. Everyone run in different directions.”
“But Teacher—”
“We will meet at the river.”
The teacher helped Varun onto his back.
“Go!”

Everyone immediately scattered.Suryadipt ran in a different direction from the others.
The demon watched them disappear.
It hesitated.
“Which one should I chase?”
Then suddenly, its eyes narrowed.It sensed something.
The purple flame.Its gaze locked onto Suryadipt.
“That flame...”
The demon spread its wings.
WHOOSH!
It flew through the air at incredible speed.Suryadipt heard the sound behind him.
He turned around.
His face went pale.
“The demon?!”
He ran faster.But the demon quickly overtook him and landed directly in front of him.
Suryadipt stopped.The demon let out a terrifying roar.
“Grrrrrrr!”
A huge ball of purple flame began forming in front of its mouth.
Suryadipt immediately jumped aside.
BOOM!
The fireball exploded against the ground.
Suryadipt ran again.
Another fireball came.
He dodged.
Another one.
He barely escaped.Suryadipt had almost no combat power yet.

His control over his chakra was still weak, and he could not use any powerful techniques.
He could only run.
“Why is this happening to me...?”
The demon gathered even more energy.
A massive purple fireball appeared in front of its mouth.Suryadipt's eyes widened.
He stepped backward.
His foot suddenly struck a small rock.
“Ah!”
He lost his balance and fell.
The demon smiled.
A cruel, sinister smile appeared across its face.
“Now... where will you run?”
The enormous fireball was launched toward Suryadipt.
Everything seemed to slow down.
Suryadipt stared at the approaching flame.
His face was filled with fear and despair.
Then—SHING!

A figure suddenly appeared in front of him.
A sword flashed through the air.
SLASH!
The enormous fireball was cut in two.
The flames exploded into the sky.
Suryadipt stared in shock.
A girl was floating in the air in front of him.
Beautiful wings made of flames spread from her back.
Her clothes were a mixture of white and pink.
A faint flame burned around both of her hands.
She slowly lowered her sword.
“Attacking a child with such a terrifying technique?”
She looked at the demon coldly.

“What kind of demon does that?”
The demon growled.
“This boy stole my flame!”
“So what? You were going to kill him just because he took your flame?”
“He stole what belongs to me! And now you're protecting him?”
The girl glanced at Suryadipt.Inside, she thought,

*I came here for that flame too...*
*But this demon is far more furious than I expected.*
She turned back toward the demon.
“Listen carefully. As long as I'm here, you won't lay a hand on him.”
The demon's eyes narrowed.
“Then so be it.”
Its flames grew stronger.
“I'll kill you first.”
“Then I'll burn that boy with my flame afterward.
”The girl's expression became serious.
“Try it.”

The flames around her hands suddenly intensified.
Nine swords appeared around her.
Each sword was surrounded by a brilliant flame.
With subtle movements of her hands, she controlled all nine swords simultaneously.
The nine swords shot toward the demon.
WHOOSH!
The demon raised its arms to defend itself.
CLANG!CLANG!CLANG!
The swords struck from different directions.
The demon was forced backward.
The girl moved her fingers.
The nine flaming swords changed direction at the same time.
They attacked again.
The demon roared and released a wave of purple flames.
The girl quickly raised one sword in front of herself.
A huge amount of energy gathered around its blade.

The flames condensed into a massive fireball.
“Let's see how you handle this.”
She swung her sword.
The enormous fireball shot toward the demon.
The demon opened its mouth.
Purple energy gathered in front of it.
A second fireball formed.
“Die!”
The two attacks collided.

BOOOOOOM!

A tremendous explosion shook the entire area.
The ground cracked.
Trees were blown away.
Suryadipt was thrown backward.
The girl was also sent flying.
The demon crashed into the ground.
One of its wings was badly damaged, and blood flowed from several wounds across its body.
It struggled to stand.

The girl slowly landed on the ground, but she was badly injured as well.
The demon stared at her with hatred.
“You...”
It wiped the blood from its mouth.
“I'll deal with you another time.”
The demon spread its damaged wings and flew away.
The girl tried to stand.Her body suddenly lost strength.She fell.
“Hey!”
Suryadipt rushed toward her and caught her before she hit the ground.
“You're injured badly.”
The girl looked at him.
“I'm... fine.”
“You're clearly not fine.”
Suryadipt carefully helped her up.
A short distance away, a river flowed peacefully beneath an enormous Bodhi Tree.

Suryadipt carried the girl toward the tree.He had a few herbs with him.He gathered them together and used the small amount of flame he could control to heat them.
His weak flame slowly melted the herbs together.
After some effort, he shaped them into a small round pill.
“Here.”
He gave it to the girl.
“Eat this. It should help with your injuries.
”The girl looked at the pill.
“You made this?”
Suryadipt nodded.
“My flame isn't very strong yet, but it should still help.
”She swallowed the pill.
For a while, neither of them spoke.

The river flowed quietly beside them.Fish jumped out of the water before disappearing beneath the surface again.
After some time, the girl's eyes slowly opened.
She looked at Suryadipt.
“You saved me?”
Suryadipt smiled awkwardly.
“You saved me first. I was just returning the favor.”
The girl smiled faintly.
“My name is Vishakha.”
She paused.
“I am from the Divine Cloud Sect.”
Suryadipt was surprised.
“The Divine Cloud Sect?”
“Yes.”

She was seventeen years old and was already a talented cultivator of the sect.
Suryadipt looked at the flaming wings behind her.
“So those were Agni Wings...
”Vishakha nodded.“
They are one of the abilities I've learned.
”Suryadipt looked down at his own hands.
“I don't even have an Agni Tara yet.”
Vishakha noticed the sadness in his voice.

“Then why are you trying so hard?”
Suryadipt looked toward the river.
“Because I want to become stronger.”
He clenched his fist.
“My chakra is difficult to control. I don't know if I can forge an Agni Tara like everyone else.”
Vishakha smiled.
“Don't give up so easily.”
Suryadipt looked at her.
“You really think I can do it?”
“Maybe....”

She stood slowly.
“I should leave now.”
Suryadipt reached into his Storage Bracelet and took out one of the small bottles.
“This is for you.”
Vishakha looked at the bottle.
Inside it was a small amount of purple flame.
“You're giving me this?”
“You were injured because of me.”
Suryadipt held the bottle toward her.
“Take it.”
Vishakha hesitated before accepting it.
“Thank you, Suryadipt.”
She spread her flaming wings.
“Take care.”
“You too.”

Vishakha rose into the sky and disappeared into the distance.
Suryadipt watched her leave.
He sighed.
“At least I survived... and got to keep my life.”
After walking for some time, Suryadipt finally found his companions and teacher waiting near the river.
Everyone was exhausted and injured, but they were alive.
The teacher looked at him.
“You're safe.”
Suryadipt nodded.
“Everyone is alive. That's enough.”
Without wasting any more time, the group began their journey back home.
None of them knew that the events of that day would become the beginning of a much greater journey for Suryadipt.