They moved before the sun could fully rise.
The forest thinned as they traveled, the ground slowly shifting from soft earth to cracked stone dusted with gray. Signs of destruction stretched far—burned trees, melted rock, the scars of something that had torn through the land without restraint.
Kael walked beside Lira.
"You trust them?" he asked quietly.
"No."
He blinked. "That was fast."
"I trust their purpose," she clarified. "Not them."
"That's worse."
"Not really."
Kael exhaled. "You're strange."
Lira glanced at him. "You're carrying a sentient flame."
"…Fair."
Ahead, the leader slowed.
"Stay alert," he said. "This area's unstable."
Kael frowned. "Unstable how—"
The ground beneath them cracked.
A burst of heat erupted from below.
Something moved beneath the surface.
Alive.
The flame inside Kael surged instantly.
Mine.
Kael staggered slightly. "No," he muttered.
Lira grabbed his arm. "What is it?"
"It's reacting."
"To what?"
Before he could answer—
The ground exploded.
A creature erupted from the earth—smaller than the ones at the citadel, but just as wrong. Its body was jagged, glowing from within, its mouth splitting open with a sound like breaking metal.
"Scatter!" the leader shouted.
The others moved instantly.
Kael didn't.
He stared at the creature—and felt the fire inside him pull toward it.
Not in fear.
In recognition.
Claim it.
"No," Kael said aloud.
The creature lunged.
Time slowed.
Heat surged.
And for the first time—
Kael didn't resist.
He reached out.
Flame answered.
It burst from his hand—not wild, not uncontrolled—but directed.
The creature froze mid-motion.
Then—
It collapsed into ash.
Silence followed.
Kael stood there, breathing hard, staring at his hand.
The fire flickered once… then faded.
"What…" one of the men whispered.
The leader didn't speak.
Lira did.
"You didn't fight it," she said.
Kael shook his head slowly. "No."
Her gaze sharpened.
"That's not good."
End of Chapter 5
Watch out cause Kael is going to blaze the world
Will post animated version on YouTube so Stay close
Here's the channel name
MonarchSaint
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