After a short while, Maria calmed down. 

She was fine. Nothing about her status, her health or really anything showed that she had changed in any way.

"And since you started that game, let me guess your gift and your curse. Are you ok with that?"

The fire mage didn't say anything.

"I guess that means you aren't against it. But before that, let me tell you a small bit of history."

"Ahem. Since time immemorial, mortals always sought to achieve greater power for themselves. Some dedicated themselves to studying the arts of magic, the other started to worship both the divine and the corrupted, or others just trained and honed their skills. Interestingly, mages, witches, sorcerers, whatever you may call them, had a strange thing about them. Every time they do use their magic, they risk their very lives when they try to wield the power to shape reality. No mortal should be allowed to wield that power. Not if you aren't divine yourself.

But mortals persevered, and continued to study those dangerous arts. 

It has been reported many times that when a particular magician, let's say, one that can control fire, suddenly lit on fire and burned. Or a wizard that turned into a golden statue when he tried to turn bronze into gold. There are many threats to trying to control magic."

"So what? Why are you telling me this?"

"I was just about to get there. Do you know what the most interesting part about magic is? 

It's that everybody, if he/she wishes do learn magic, and tries hard enough, can do so. I very much believe that if it wasn't for the incredible high death rate, everyone would have been a magician by now.

Even I could try to learn a spell. But I won't, as I believe that I would instantly die the moment I try.

As I said, everyone can learn any spell, at any time, if the mortal or even monster decides to put his heart into it.

That would have been the case, if the deviled ones, the neverborn, demons and devils didn't appear.

When they left their continent, and started their war against the other races, do you know who were the ones that had the biggest chance of fighting back the invaders?

Mages.

And so, the alchemists were tasked with finding a way to make the accidental death's far less common.

And they succeeded.

They created the Flame's Respite Elixir, the Thunderward pill, the Earthen Fortitude Tonic, and so, so much more.

That resulted that much more wizards came into existence. Many could now finally not only study the arts of magic they wanted for so long, but they could now defend against the invaders.

Eventually, when the devil that ruled them was finally defeated, the invaders were pushed back to their continent.

But now, suddenly the kingdoms found out that there are far more rogue mages.

Mages that don't have to fear to suddenly die by accidentally mispronouncing a simple spell.

Many started to become far more powerful, as these magicians could now potentially destroy what the races fought so hard to protect.

And so, the rulers of every race made a stark decision. 

That the alchemists were forbidden to make those potions again. Only if another war were to break out, would they be allowed to make them again.

But it had been over three hundred years now.

Most of those potions that these great alchemists created are now forgotten. And those that aren't are nothing compared to what they were capable of doing."

"That's is all interesting, but what does it have to do with me?" asked the fire mage.

"It has everything to do with you. As I said, everyone can learn any spell if they whish to do it. So, why do you only use fire spells?

Is it because the fire goddess blessed you? Maybe.

She may have made your fire spells far more destructive than others were capable of.

But that still wouldn't explain why you never tried to use any other spell. 

Unless, you simply can't.

Am I right?"

Syzoth was right. Maria had tried many times to learn other types of magic. But she couldn't. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't do it.

"You are right. My curse is to only by able to use fire magic. Wow. And what now. Compared to other mages, I am pretty much immune to all kind of fire magic. No fire can destroy me."

"That's not true. You are right, no other mage can defeat you in fire magic. But that doesn't mean that you are immune to it.  I must admit, I was at first convinced that you were immune to it. But…"

"But what?"

"In the first week when we came here, you came to me. You asked, if I possessed an elixir, serum, or really anything that could make someone resist fire. It has only been a single week, of course I didn't know anything that could do that. 

But that made me ask. Why where you, and nobody else, the first one to ask me such potion?

And all those years later. I saw how sometimes you would go into a particular alchemic workshop every single year.

I saw you drink the same elixir every single week.

And then it hit me.

Your gift isn't just making fire more dangerous.

But it also makes you unable to die from incredibly powerful spells. I saw you perform spells that no other mage could even hope to make, and tell the tale. Yet you can.

But you still drink that elixir.

Which means, you still feel the pain of a mage when he performs that spell.

Your gift, Maria, is the control of fire—the most passionate and destructive of elements. But as you channel its raw power, you inadvertently burn yourself, and the more potent the spell you weave, the more you feel the searing pain. 

It doesn't kill you.

But the pain makes you wish you could die. Am I right?

But I would also say that you can also still conflagrate, if you were to ever lose the control over your essence. If you are not cautious, you risk becoming a conflagration yourself, as many fire mages before you have.

Maria's expression shifted, her brow furrowing. She had always kept the torment she endured hidden from her comrades. Her smile had concealed the burning agony, the blisters, and the scars that marked her from within. Syzoth had seen through her façade, and the revelation cut to the core of her vulnerability.

Syzoth's fingers slid to his side, and with deliberate care, he revealed two items—a vial containing the Flame's Respite Elixir and a scroll of parchment adorned with arcane symbols. He spoke in a voice heavy with implication. "I have knowledge and resources at my disposal, Maria. I can provide you with an elixir, the Flame's Respite Elixir, that surpasses anything you've ever used. It can soothe your pain and bolster your power. In exchange, all I ask is for you to sign this pact. Promise me that you will not pursue me, and that you will keep my presence hidden from the others in Leon's cohort."