Sparks Beneath the Surface.

ＦＯＵＲＴＥＥＮ- Fire in My Heart.

"Alright. The temple is just up ahead on this path. Follow it, and in a few minutes, you'll have arrived. Please be careful. As I said last night, the temple has its own security measures. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll have an easy entry. Good luck." Madalena smiles. We thank her and she nods, turning around and heading back to the village. We make our way through the jungle and there isn't much conversation, I think we're all pretty much just buzzing with excitement about the idea of getting there.

After about thirty minutes of what feels like us just walking aimlessly, there it stands.

The jungle was parted like it had been holding its breath. The Temple of Heroes. From where I'm standing, the stone façade looked less like architecture and more like something the earth had grown on purpose. Vines clung to its pillars like veins, flowers blooming defiantly in cracks carved by centuries of storms. The walls were etched with faded runes that shimmered faintly when the sun hit them, as if the elements themselves still remembered the hands that carved them. There's a courtyard of ancient stone and statues, or what remains of it at least. Moss softens the edges of the stairs, but the air around the temple felt sharp, charged, alive, like stepping closer meant stepping into history itself. I could hear the jungle hush, the birds quieting, the wind slowing, as though even nature was reverent. My fire flickered at my fingertips without me meaning to, answering some invisible call. 

"Holy shit," I gape, "I can't believe it's real."

"Same here." Lilah whispers shakily.

"So," Elian sighs, "Are we ready to do this?"

"If we wait till we're ready, we'll never go," Zade replies.

Elian nods and then turns to me, "You wanna do the honors?"

I sigh shakily, nodding my head, "Okay." I slowly begin walking up the steps, going in front of everyone else. We're so close to the end. I still can't actually believe we're here, or that this is actually fucking happening. I can't wrap my head around any of this. It's like my heart has been beating on overdrive for months, when really? It's only been a few days. And it's almost over. We're so close to finally being done with this crazy fucking wild goose chase.

A part of me, the larger part of me, is saying that there's absolutely no way I'm the Supreme Fire Elemental and is trying to figure out ways to do damage control once we get back to the bureau. Like how Delilah hasn't let me forget this entire time that their reputations and credibility are all on the line because of this.

I stop in front of the large wooden doors to the temple, my heart rate speeding up. It's now or never, Dani. I take a deep breath and try to push the doors open, but they won't budge. I try twice more before I turn around to the others, shaking my head, "They won't open."

"What do you mean?" Benji asks.

"Uh, exactly that? I'm trying but the doors wont budge."

"Maybe this is one of those security measures Madalena mentioned," Zade raises his hands, his magic going to the door and unveiling a shimmering puzzle, "Bingo."

"I-I don't...I don't see how it makes sense." Orion says, tilting his head side to side to try and see if he can make sense of it.

"Well, I think... I think the first piece," Ivy comes forward and moves one of the pieces to another spot on the doors, "goes here." The piece glows a shimmering green color and lock into place. Clearly she's right. 

"Nice eye, Ive." Kiyo compliments her.

I take a step back and tilt my head to see if the now correct piece can help me place any others. Suddenly, it clicks, and I see the pieces that connect to it. I move forward and place them, so that they all connect. They begin shimmering a fiery orange and lock into place. A small smile creeps onto my lips at how quickly I was able to see it.