Kael stood at the edge of the valley, the wind brushing against his face as the last light of the sun bled into the horizon. The peaceful image before him—fields stretching endlessly, distant homes glowing softly—was a lie. He could feel it now. The world was not calm. It was watching.
And it was hunting him.
The riders were closer.
At first, they were only silhouettes—dark shapes cutting across the golden fields. But Kael's senses had changed. The Flame sharpened his vision, his hearing, even his instincts. He could now make out the details: six riders, cloaked in black, moving in perfect formation.
Shadow Clan.
"They found me faster than I thought…" Kael muttered, his grip tightening around the orb hidden beneath his cloak.
The Flame pulsed.
Not with fear… but excitement.
That realization unsettled him.
"You want this… don't you?" Kael whispered under his breath. "You want me to fight."
The Flame didn't answer—but its warmth intensified, spreading through his veins like liquid fire.
Kael took a step forward… then stopped.
"No," he said firmly. "Not like before. I'm not just reacting anymore."
His eyes scanned the terrain quickly.
Open field. No cover. Slight elevation behind him. Forest too far. The riders had the advantage—speed, coordination, and likely experience.
If he fought blindly… he would lose.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"Think."
The Flame responded, calming slightly—as if acknowledging his shift in mindset.
Then Kael moved.
Instead of charging or retreating, he ran sideways—cutting across the slope of the valley. The grass brushed against his legs as he sprinted, his movements controlled, deliberate.
The riders adjusted instantly.
They split into two groups.
"Smart…" Kael murmured. "They're trying to flank me."
Good.
That meant they were taking him seriously.
Kael raised his hand slightly, letting a faint trail of fire flicker behind him—just enough to be seen.
A bait.
The first group accelerated.
Exactly what he wanted.
Kael suddenly stopped and turned sharply. His hand shot forward—
"Now!"
A wave of fire exploded outward, not as a direct attack, but across the ground. The dry grass ignited instantly, forming a blazing barrier between him and the second group.
The field lit up.
Flames roared, wind feeding them, turning the calm valley into a burning trap.
The horses of the second group panicked, rearing and breaking formation.
"Divide and isolate…" Kael whispered.
But the first group didn't slow down.
They charged straight through.
"Of course…" Kael smirked faintly. "The real fighters."
Three riders burst through the flames, their cloaks singed but movements steady. One of them leapt off his horse mid-charge, landing with terrifying precision.
Not normal.
These weren't just scouts.
They were trained killers.
The man drew twin blades, black as night.
"Kael Draven," he said coldly. "You've made this… inconvenient."
Kael didn't answer.
He moved first.
Fire surged around his arm as he lunged forward, launching a concentrated blast toward the man's chest.
But the assassin twisted unnaturally, the flame barely grazing him.
Fast.
Too fast.
The second attacker came from the left—silent, precise. Kael barely reacted in time, raising a wall of fire to block the incoming blade.
The impact sent sparks flying.
Kael staggered back.
"They're coordinated…" he realized. "They're testing my reactions."
The third rider stayed back.
Watching.
Commanding.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"So that's the leader…"
Then everything clicked.
"This isn't just a capture mission…" Kael thought. "This is evaluation."
A test.
Just like the temple.
Just like Seris.
Kael's lips curled slightly.
"Then I'll give you a test too."
The Flame surged.
But this time… Kael didn't release it immediately.
He compressed it.
Condensed it.
The heat intensified, his arm trembling under the pressure.
The two attackers lunged again—
Kael stepped forward instead of back.
A mistake… in their eyes.
A trap… in his.
"Too close," one of them muttered—
"Exactly."
Kael released it.
Not outward—
But downward.
The ground beneath them exploded.
A controlled burst of fire erupted from below, catching both attackers off guard. The blast threw them back, disrupting their rhythm, breaking their formation.
Kael didn't stop.
He followed through.
Fire wrapped around his leg as he kicked forward, sending a sharp arc of flame toward the nearest attacker.
This time—it hit.
The man grunted, sliding across the ground.
Kael turned instantly—
The leader was already moving.
Faster than the others.
Stronger.
Their clash was immediate.
Steel met fire.
The leader's blade cut through Kael's flame—not completely, but enough to push through. Sparks exploded between them as Kael struggled to hold the attack back.
"Interesting…" the leader said quietly. "You're learning mid-battle."
Kael gritted his teeth.
"You talk too much."
He twisted his body, redirecting the flame, forcing distance between them.
Both stepped back.
Silence fell for a brief moment.
The field around them burned.
Smoke rose.
The two other attackers recovered, slowly circling again.
Three against one.
Kael's breathing slowed.
Not from calm…
But focus.
"I can't win this head-on," he admitted internally.
The Flame pulsed again.
This time… differently.
Not aggressive.
Not explosive.
But… deep.
Ancient.
A whisper echoed in his mind—
"Not all fire destroys…"
Kael froze for a fraction of a second.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
"Control… not power…"
He raised both hands slowly.
The flames around the field shifted.
Not spreading—
But bending.
The burning grass began to swirl.
The fire responded to him… not as chaos… but as structure.
The attackers noticed.
The leader's expression changed for the first time.
"...So you've touched it."
Kael didn't answer.
The flames rose.
Spiraling around him like a living storm.
Then—
He disappeared.
The attackers reacted instantly—but too late.
Kael emerged behind one of them, his movement guided by the fire itself.
A strike—
A direct hit.
The man dropped.
Two left.
The leader stepped forward slowly now.
No more testing.
"No more games," he said.
Kael nodded slightly.
"Good."
Because neither was he.
The air grew heavy.
The flames dimmed slightly—
Then condensed.
Kael brought his hands together, the orb beneath his cloak blazing intensely.
For the first time…
He wasn't just using the Flame.
He was commanding it.
The leader's eyes narrowed.
"…This level already?"
Kael looked up.
His silver eyes now burned faintly with fire.
"Come."
The leader moved.
So did Kael.
And their clash—
Shook the valley.