Kai stood behind his station, arms loose, eyes steady. The Emberflame Trials had earned him the Flamewright title and the respect of the Guild's inner circle—but today's challenge was unlike anything he'd faced before.
This wasn't about ingredients or technique.
It was about memory.
The competition hall brimmed with warmth and murmurs as the final round of the Emberflame Cook-Off began. Four chefs remained, each with their own specialties. A wide stone ring separated them, marked by ancient sigils of fire, wind, and spice. At the center sat the judges, including Instructor Havia and a guest from the Royal Culinary College.
A tall official stepped forward. "Final Challenge: A Taste of Home. Cook a dish that reflects where you come from, who you are, and what you carry within."
Kai blinked.
He wasn't from Braisenhold. He wasn't from the Emberpine forests, either.
He was from Solara's Reach—a tiny coastal town known for its fishing docks, summer oranges, and smoked river rice.
He hadn't tasted that rice in years.
But he remembered the smell.
Begin.
The signal flared, and firestones hissed as every contestant got to work.
Kai didn't rush. He closed his eyes and conjured the scent from childhood: salt in the air, grilled mackerel smoking on the pan, his mother's laughter behind him as she stirred rice over a driftwood fire.
He set out three things:
Salted sunfish fillet
Dried citrus peels
Wild river rice
Then he added a final touch—smokebark resin, not traditional, but close to the driftwood aroma he remembered.
[Activate: Heat Control III – 3 MP]
[Activate: Flame Artistry I – 13 MP]
Mana: 12 → 0
The flames wrapped around the rice pot, slow and deliberate, like ocean tides licking the shore. Kai infused the citrus into the broth as it simmered, layering sweet atop the brine.
The fish was seared skin-side down and basted with a glaze made from crushed berries and smokebark. Crisped just enough to hold, but soft in the center.
He plated it on a ceramic shell from his supply pouch, garnished with a single orange blossom from the Guild garden.
Simple. Honest.
And full of memory.
Judging
The judges moved slowly. The first two dishes—a blistered flamebird confit and a charred umberroot terrine—received murmurs of approval.
Then they came to Kai's.
Havia took a bite. She froze.
"This…" Her voice faltered.
The guest judge leaned forward. "This tastes like something made beside a fire during a storm, wrapped in the arms of someone who still believes in tomorrow."
Kai didn't speak.
His food did.
[Quest Complete: Emberflame Cook-Off Final Round – A Taste of Home]
+100 XP
+Guild Favor +10
New Title Acquired: Memory Flame
Current XP: 120 + 100 = 220 / 600
The crowd stood in silence—then thunderous applause.
Kai had done more than win. He'd reminded them all why they cooked.
Kai Elgren
Level: 7
XP: 220 / 600
Titles: Junior Chef, Pan Warden, Fire-Touched, Ember Disciple, Soulkindle Cook, Flamewright, Memory Flame (NEW)
Reputation: 136
Mana: 0 / 12
Attributes:
Culinary Sense: 9
Knife Technique: 5
Heat Control: 6 (III)
Stamina: 7
Focus: 10
Mana: 12
Skills:
Basic Knife Mastery (Passive)
Flavor Sense I (Passive)
Ingredient Recognition I (Passive)
Heat Control III (Active, 3 MP)
Flame Artistry I (Active, 13 MP)
Ember Savor I (Passive)
Heat Cloak I (Passive)