You prove yourself worthy

The flames erupt in an instant, in impossible tendrils. Your heart fills with fear of what may come, but stay resolute, despite the dangers. With a seeming sentience, the fire lashes out towards you. Once it found your soft skin, it spread all around, every part of you covered in this supernatural fire. The heat is unimaginable, but it doesn't hurt nearly as much as you had feared. Your demonic heritage at play, perhaps. It takes all of your energy and dedication to not pull away and try to make this stop. The flames crawl up to your face, and true panic finally sets in, with a fearful scream.

Just as you let your breath out, the entire world around you goes white. Everything fades away, and you seem to floating in endless void. You can move around, but there is context for what is up, down, left or right. You feel as though you can walk, but without ground beneath you, you're not sure if you're even going anywhere, or if there's anywhere to go.

"Hello?" You call out "Is anyone there?" You look around, **** for some sign of anything. You begin to worry that you're trapped in this blank void, and the panic you were feeling before seems to get even worse. Your breathing quickens, your heart races, and even despite the blank environment, you can sense you're developing tunnel vision from how fast your blood is pacing in your body. Your mind tries to find answers and comes up short, leading you to despair. Just as you begin to give up all hope, a single word comes through your mind, allowing you to rebound.

Dilancia.

She would not put you here if you weren't strong enough, if this was a trap. You have to have faith in her, in her friend, and in Mastro. This is a test, one of many. You take a few deep breaths, and as you do, you temper your emotions into something approaching management. As you do, you begin to hear a thudding sound. Looking behind you, there's an astral army on the march. Other members of the Watch, on some sort of Crusade. As you try to move closer to them, you feel ground beneath your feet for the first time, although you do not see any. A slow walk becomes a run, and as you do, you make your way to the front of the column. There, in resplendant armor, is a woman who looks almost identical to Demetria. A younger version of her perhaps, or maybe a sister? Without a word spoken, she hands you the banner of the crusade, and with some clumsy fumbling, you join in the march, hoisting the flag of Mastro high for all to see.

The footsteps behind you fade away, and as you look behind you, so does the army, including the doppleganger. You wonder what happened, but do not worry or doubt as you did before. You feel your body warming again, and as you get hotter and hotter, the white void fades away, returning you to the world of the real. The heat grows ever more painful, and suddenly stops. Opening your eyes, you see a sturdy suit of chainmail had been built around you. You look it over in utter amazement. You've never worn real armor before, but you know this should be impossible. You look at the Colonel and the Major, and your face clearly showed your confused and stupefied state.

"I know" Vorg said in a dismissive tone "It doesn't seem possible."

"No, it's not that" You respond. "It is clearly possible. I have to trust my own eyes, after all." Demetria gives Vorg a smug look as she crosses her arms across her chest.

"Wise deduction. You'd be the first to grasp it so easily."

"Up to a point, the how doesn't really matter, does it? The fact is that it happened, and take the how as a matter of faith..."

Vorg had a surprised look, and turned to look at Demetria again, who was beaming from ear to ear. "Well, looks like you found one with a good head on her shoulders." Turning back to you, she explains "That is a very good approach to have, and rare for someone so new to the Watch, but there is an answer as to how. I channel Mastro's power as well as blessings through the forge. The flame tests you and forges you, just as it is forged by you. The armor that is created from it is not just a representation of you, but is a literal part of you."

"Do you mean it's alive?" You ask as you look over it again in minute detail, seeing that in the seemingly simply armor, there was a large and prominent heart in your chest area, with a flame encircling it.

"In a sense, yes. " Vorg responded vaguely.

"Demetria, I assume you've gone through this same test?" You ask

"Several times. Yes. Each time it strengthens me and my resolve. There are some stories with some of the more harrowing moments, but those are for another day."

"You're leaving already?" Vorg asked with a huff as the two of you start to prepare to leave.

"Lamentably, old friend. We're on an important mission to rescue her former master, who is a dear old friend of mine."

"You're all the same" She said with a grunt and a chuckle "But I do wish you the best on your adventures."

"Your work is unmatched Vorg, and you are a credit to the Watch. Thank you again."

As Demetria opens the door, the Orc woman calls out one last time "Colonel! I see how the two of you look at each other. I'd like to have a go whenever you're done with her."

Shocked and embarrassed, you quietly and quickly make your way out, hearing her laughter in your ears even as you leave...