Eventually the two calmed down, noticing the precarious state they were in. While the fire scorched their skin it also took their clothes, leaving them naked in the freezing wind. I already summoned a Firewall blocking the view of the two soldiers. I didn’t want to let them be seen by others like this.

Still it earned me an angry glare from Alice as she tried to cover herself as best as she could with her hands, before she turned brooding, whispering quietly. “I can’t believe I let him see me like this again.”

Sarah instead turned beet red, shyly turning her body away as she didn’t know what to do else.

Now that I regained my freedom to move, I quickly stood up, facing away to appease this situation as best as I could. “How are your wound?”

I could hear them moving behind me, before they spoke out in shock. “What!?” “How?”

“Erase your fire!” Alice panicked voice sounded out.

Sarah on the other hand remained calmly as she observed her state. “It’s not hot, just like your flames.”

I sighed before muttering. “I already tried to erase the flames, but they just wouldn’t stop. If they’re not impairing you let’s ignore them for a moment. We need to take of the burns for now.” I set into motion, walking towards the flaming barrier separating us from the soldiers. “I’ll go ask them what supplies they have left.” Then I stepped into it, flames parting their way only to come back once more after I went through.

On the other side I saw the soldiers, sitting on the ground as they rested before they shot upwards at my appearance. Just like the first time they were quite wary. One of them opened his mouth, but I interrupted him before he could even start to speak.

“Other things can wait, what’s left from your first aid kid?”

Seeing me speak in a hurry they quickly scanned through their bags, taking them out. “I’ve used most of my remains as I bandaged your friend.” The slightly taller one spoke out.

“Still have left half of the supplies, ointment and what not.”

“Haa, better than nothing I guess.” Why is this damn dungeon so low on resources? As I lamented my luck of being in New York when everything started my eyes came across our bag, still holding on to its usage even though it was riddled in cuts by now. They will need it.

As we saw Agni stepping through the fire we started to relax a little, only for it to bite back at us when the pain came after the loss of adrenaline. Still we couldn’t help but smile as we looked at each other.

“He’s back.”

“We saved him.”

I didn’t know what to think of these black flames, but I knew that they weren’t anything good, seeing how he was in agony. It was worth all this pain to bring him back. I looked down my body, looking over all the wounds we got in exchange. But the pain wasn’t what brought me discomfort, it was the heat rushing towards my head as I thought about how he once again saw everything.

Still, it wasn’t something comparable to what the teenage girl in front of me went through as she once again turned like a tomato after looking over her body before she pulled her legs against her chest bending over as if to block any line of sight. It was probably the first time someone saw her completely naked. Not only that, she clung onto him in that state.

I lightly pushed myself, swinging me over to her before I took her into an embrace, feeling her trembling body. “It’s okay.” I spoke, gently rubbing her back. “It’s not like it happened intentionally.” Slowly her trembling stilled as her breathing slowed down.

“And it’s not like it isn’t in your favor. Now he’s got no choice to see you as a woman instead of a kid.” I could see her ears starting to redden once more. I began to smirk as I spoke my next words. “Did you get a good look at it?”

She flicked her head around, nearly smashing it against my chin before she looked upwards, slightly glaring at me. “I didn’t stare at it!”

“It’s just a joke.” I couldn’t help but tease this cute little girl sometimes. “But it did its job to distract you from your thought.” As I said this I pushed her toward me, enclosing her in an embrace once more. Below me a quiet thanks resounded.

Now that Sarah also calmed down, I finally took a look a vision at the message which appeared when we were enclosed in the flames. My eyes shot wide open when I took a look at the content.

I read through the description of the skill before I focused my attention on the flames. They twisted and turned at my will, though I could only move them slightly. As I let go of my attention I saw Sarah staring at me in wonder. Seeing the flames coming from her I couldn’t help but smile.

“I think you should take a look at your messages.”

Carrying the kits in my arm and the backpack over my shoulder I tried around, walking towards the fire once more. Just as I wanted to step into it one of the soldiers called out.

“Hey, wait!”

“Sorry, we can talk later, for now I should check on their injuries.”

“That’s why I’m stopping you! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

I looked back skeptically. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You’re naked for god’s sake!”

Only now I stopped for a moment, noticing that in my worry for them both I completely disregarded my own state. “Damn, not again!”

“Again?” He looked at me suspiciously.

“Long story...” I sighed, laying down the backpack and started searching through it. But opposed to the girls who had taken a wild assortment with them I just lost my last set which were still wearable. “I don’t think you two have an extra set with you?”

I looked at Alice incredulously before I turned to my messages, reading one which I just couldn’t believe. “Priestess of Fire?” I read it over and over again. Even when I started to control the flames coming from my body it didn’t feel real to me.

Sarah on the other hand smiled profoundly. “I knew it! You also got that title! We’re matching!”

I tried to think about the appearance of the title but even without trying hard there was only one possible reason. I knew he was hiding something, but I never would’ve guessed this. “I guess he needs to tell us a few things.”

“Huh?” Alice looked at me questioningly but before she could ask the fire parted once more, revealing a slightly embarrassed god standing there in an slightly too big army jacket, paired with matching pants, staring up towards the sky as he turned back towards the fire. He held out a backpack, stuffed with clothes, two first aid kits peeking outside.

“There’s ointment and bandages in there, take it and cover your wounds.”

Before I could even react Alice shot upwards, skipping over to him. But instead of taking the backpack she stopped behind him, leaning closer to his ear and started to whisper.

“I don’t think we can do this ourselves anymore, can’t you help us?”

“No!” I shot upwards, running towards them to take the backpack and push him through the fire once more. But just as I wanted to grab it my foot got struck in the ground, making me fall over.

I closed my eyes in reflex when I fell, crashing onto the ground. “Ouch!” When I tried to push myself up I heard Alice’s astonished voice coming from beside me.

“My, even I didn’t have the guts to try that. You’re bolder than I thought.”

As I opened my eyes I saw that I didn’t fall on the ground. Instead my hand rested upon Agni’s back. “It’s.” My words got struck in my throat as I felt the heat rushing to my face once more. “It’s not what you think!”