It was hot.

He thought he’d forgotten what heat was after working with fire. 

But the heat that was engulfing his hands couldn’t claim to be fire. After all, he was someone who’d digested hell’s flames. He couldn’t lose to a mere Dragon’s Breath. 

A Red Dragon’s Breath was just flames, so he should be able to absorb it. 

I’m melting.

When he saw his hands disintegrating, pieces breaking off to vaporize, the confidence that’d been rising in him disappeared. 

I… I’m dying. 

His confidence had hid rock bottom, and the moment he felt fear, he could no longer resist the Breath. 

Hwah-ah-ahk!

The flames started to consume him. It felt like his hands, feet, and head would all burn away. It might have already happened. 

The only thing he could see were the red flames… 

Ah ah…

It felt like his soul was burning away. He felt his mind start to fade away. Faint memories of his life started to pass in front of his eyes. But as they flickered past him, a voice sounded. 

Sunggoo. 

It was a familiar voice. His parents’? Was it the voice of an angel?

Hey Sunggoo!

He didn’t know whether the voice was real or a hallucination. But his consciousness continued to fade away until finally, Sunggoo fell into merciful darkness. 

***

Hoo-ooh-oohk.

The flames were spreading....