The wind no longer felt friendly.
It howled through Eldara like a warning—sharp, restless, uneasy.
Something had changed.
And everyone could feel it.
Aira sat quietly inside a small wooden shelter at the edge of the village.
Her sword lay beside her.
Unlit.
Unmoving.
But her hands…
Were trembling.
"It's getting worse…"
She stared at her palm.
A small flame flickered to life—
Red… orange…
Then suddenly—
Black.
She clenched her fist and forced it out.
Her breathing grew heavier.
"I can't keep doing this…"
Outside, Kael paced back and forth, wind swirling erratically around him.
"I don't like this," he muttered. "Every time she uses that power, it gets stronger."
Ren stood nearby, calm but clearly concerned. His golden aura pulsed slowly.
"It's not just getting stronger," Ren said quietly. "It's trying to take control."
Kael stopped. "Then we stop it."
Ren shook his head. "If it were that simple… we would have already."
Master Dain approached, his presence steady but serious.
"The Abyss Force cannot be sealed by force alone," he said. "If Aira fights it without understanding it… she will lose herself."
Inside—
Aira heard everything.
And it only made things worse.
"I'm not weak…" she whispered.
"I just need… more control."
She stood up slowly.
Her eyes burned with determination—
And something else.
Something darker.
"I won't let this power control me."
She stepped outside.
Kael turned instantly. "Aira—wait—"
But she walked past him.
"I need to test it," she said.
Ren frowned. "That's risky."
Aira stopped.
Then said something that made both of them uneasy.
"If I don't… it will test me instead."
Silence.
Master Dain nodded slowly.
"…Then we prepare."
They moved to the training field.
But this time—
It didn't feel like training.
It felt like a battlefield.
Aira stepped forward.
She took a deep breath.
And raised her sword.
"Flame Force…"
The fire ignited—
Bright.
Controlled.
Then she pushed further.
"…Abyss… respond."
Everything went silent.
Then—
BOOM.
Black flames exploded outward violently.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
The air warped.
Kael stepped back. "That's way stronger than before!"
Ren's golden aura flared instantly. "It's unstable!"
Aira gritted her teeth.
"Not… yet…"
The flames surged higher.
Twisting.
Fighting her.
Her body trembled.
Her vision blurred.
Then—
She lost it.
The flames turned fully black.
Wild.
Uncontrolled.
"AIRA!" Kael shouted.
She moved—
Faster than before.
Too fast.
A slash of dark flame shot toward Kael.
He barely dodged, wind exploding around him.
"HEY! That almost hit me!"
But Aira didn't respond.
Her eyes—
Glowed.
Dark.
Ren stepped forward. "She's losing control!"
Aira attacked again.
Wild strikes.
Unfocused.
Powerful.
Kael blocked with wind, struggling.
"She's not even aiming anymore!"
Ren raised his hand.
Golden light expanded—
Wrapping around Aira like a barrier.
"Aira! Listen to me!" Ren shouted.
"You're still in control! Don't let it take over!"
For a moment—
Everything paused.
Aira froze.
Her body trembled violently.
Inside her mind—
Two forces clashed.
Flame.
And Abyss.
You are power.
Stop resisting.
"No…" she whispered.
Outside—
Kael clenched his fists. "Come on, Aira… fight it!"
Ren's voice softened.
"You're not alone."
Something shifted.
The black flames flickered.
Then—
Red light broke through.
Aira screamed—
And forced the power back.
The flames collapsed.
Silence.
Then—
She fell.
Kael rushed forward and caught her.
"Hey… hey… you good?"
Aira's breathing was weak.
But steady.
"I… almost lost it…"
Ren knelt beside her.
"But you didn't."
Master Dain stepped forward.
His voice calm.
But firm.
"This is the truth of your power, Aira."
She looked up at him.
"You are standing at the edge," he said.
"One step further… and the Abyss will take you."
Silence.
Kael looked serious for once.
"Then we don't let her take that step."
Ren nodded.
"We get stronger. Together."
Aira slowly sat up.
Her grip tightened on her sword.
"I won't fall."
Her flames flickered—
Soft.
Controlled.
But deep inside—
The Abyss still moved.
Watching.
Waiting.
Far away—
The villain stood beneath a dark sky.
"She's close…"
he whispered.
"Very close."
His eyes glowed brighter.
"Soon… she will break."
The wind roared across the mountains.
The shadows deepened.
And the war of the Forces…
Reached its most dangerous point yet.