ENG
In flames that leap and kiss the sky,
Down to the earth, their fiery flight.
Forged in flames, they rise once more,
Braving trials for powers pure.
Flaming Mountains harbored numerous caves, yet most were filled with flowing lava, unfit for dwelling or practice. Finding a cool cavern was a prized rarity. However, as adept flyers in the mountains, the lesser bat guais often discovered comfortable caves on sheer cliffs. Unfortunately, the larger guais followed suit and claimed these caves for themselves. Angered by constant displacements, the bats were resolute in moving to Furnace Valley, a place of towering firefalls and rivers of molten rock. No other guais would dare to venture there, and all advised them to leave. The bats, undeterred, dismissed the warnings and retorted, "We can never secure a comfortable hideout when you are around. That's why we've chosen the most dangerous and treacherous place. In our spiritual practice here, it's a matter of life or death; we're done being victims and pushed around!"
Fortune favored their resolve and rewarded their practice. Though the scorching lava burnt them time and again, it forged their fiery skins, and dodging the spewing magma honed their agility.
Alas, no path is set in life. While well-trodden roads may offer smoother travel, striking out anew invites trials and derision. Yet, the fruits of such a journey are uniquely gratifying.
The story takes place in the Flaming Mountains, a harsh volcanic region where most caves are filled with flowing lava and only rarely is there a cool cavern suitable for shelter or practice. Among the residents are the lesser bat guais, who are skilled flyers and could find comfortable caves on sheer cliffs that other creatures could not reach. Because cool caverns were so rare, finding one was a valuable advantage.
Those rare caves did not stay theirs for long. Larger guais noticed the same spots and moved in, claiming the caves and pushing the bats out. The constant displacement made the lesser bat guais angry and determined to stop being treated as victims. Their main motivation became securing a place they could call their own and carry out their spiritual practice without being driven away.
To achieve that, the bats chose to relocate to Furnace Valley, an even more dangerous part of the range filled with towering firefalls and rivers of molten rock. Other guais warned them and said no one would dare go into Furnace Valley, but the bats replied that they could never get a comfortable hideout while the larger guais were around. They said they picked the most dangerous place deliberately because their spiritual practice there was a matter of life or death and they were done being pushed around.
Living in Furnace Valley was brutal, and the bats were burned by lava repeatedly. But those hardships had an effect: the repeated exposure forged their skins to be fiery and resilient, and constantly dodging spewing magma made them much more agile. Their dangerous choice and persistent practice transformed them physically and skill-wise.
The story closes with a general lesson: sticking to well-known, safer paths is easier, but striking out into new dangers brings trials, criticism, and real risk. For the lesser bat guais, that risk paid off in a way the safer options could not; their willingness to face extreme danger allowed them to secure a home, grow stronger, and gain rewards they could not have achieved by following others.