The applause from the Emberflame Cook-Off had barely faded when Kai received the note.
It arrived not through a Guild messenger, but as a folded piece of parchment slipped beneath his dorm room door—scorched at the edges, sealed with a black wax stamp in the shape of a crumbling crown.
No name. Just one sentence inside:
"Come to the Ashen Door at midnight. Bring your fire."
Kai stared at it for a long time. He'd heard whispers among junior chefs—rumors of secret cooking duels held beneath Braisenhold. They said these trials were unlicensed, unsanctioned… and more dangerous than anything allowed in the Guild proper.
Some called it foolish.
Others called it the place where legends were born.
At 11:55 PM, Kai pulled on his long coat, tucked a firestone in his sleeve, and slipped a handful of dried spices into his pouch. Then he walked.
The streets were quiet. Mist hung low.
He followed the directions from the note—past the spice district, down through the old sewer tunnels, until he found it.
A rusted iron arch built into the wall, half-buried in soot.
The Ashen Door.
He touched it—and the wall hissed open.
The Emberpit
Inside was a sunken arena carved into basalt rock. Fire pits glowed in the corners, casting long shadows. Dozens sat in the audience, their faces hidden behind masks—some of animals, others of fire motifs.
In the center stood a circular cooking pit of blackstone, ringed with embedded heat runes. Two stations. No announcer. No fanfare.
Just fire.
And across from Kai stood a woman.
She was maybe in her late twenties, hair short and flame-red, tattoos of cleavers winding down her arms. She wore no badge. No crest. Only a strip of black cloth around one wrist.
"You're the kid who won the Emberflame Trials?" she asked, stretching her neck.
Kai nodded slowly. "You sent the note?"
She smirked. "You're not the only one who cooks with ghosts."
From behind her, a masked figure raised a hand.
"First Dish: Duel of Origins. You have 15 minutes. Theme: Smoked Memory."
Kai's fingers twitched.
[New Quest: Ashen Duel – Round One]
Objective: Defeat your opponent using a dish based on personal memory and smoked techniques.
Rewards: +80 XP, Special Ingredient (Ashen Grade), Street Reputation +10
Failure: Dishonor and 3-day cooking ban within Guild kitchens.
The Duel Begins
Kai moved quickly.
This time, he chose a smoked pearlgrain base—similar to the river rice, but infused with brine he pre-mixed using sea herbs and bark ash. The protein? Fire-cured sliverfish from his personal pouch, flash-seared over flickering flame using Flame Artistry I.
[Activate: Flame Artistry I – 13 MP]
[Activate: Heat Control III – 3 MP]
Mana: 12 → 0
The garnish: a single translucent shard of smoked amber sugar, balanced atop the fish like a memory frozen in time.
He plated without words.
Across from him, the woman used no skills, only raw technique—roasting bloodroot with coal salt and searing dark boar tongue in its own fat. Her dish radiated wild grief and rage. She plated it on a broken bone.
The judges—three masked chefs—tasted both in silence.
Minutes stretched.
Then the middle judge raised a red flame over Kai's station.
[Duel Won: Ashen Duel Round One]
+80 XP
+New Ingredient Acquired: Ashen-Skinned Pepper (Tier 3, Limited Use)
+Street Reputation +10
XP: 220 + 80 = 300 / 600
Kai exhaled.
The woman just smiled. "You're better than I thought," she said, rising. "But this was just the first door."
She tossed him a black token—shaped like a flickering knife.
"Next time, bring something you're afraid to cook."
Kai Elgren
Level: 7
XP: 300 / 600
Titles: Junior Chef, Pan Warden, Fire-Touched, Ember Disciple, Soulkindle Cook, Flamewright, Memory Flame
Reputation: 146
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)
New Ingredient:
Ashen-Skinned Pepper (Tier 3, Limited Use – 1 serving)
Quest Line Unlocked:
Ashen Duel Series