Chapter 48: Combustion

Abel woke suddenly, the acrid smell of smoke invading his senses. For a split second, his heart raced as he scanned his room in panic, but everything seemed fine. The smoke wasn't coming from his quarters. He shot up from his bed, quickly moving to the door. As he opened it, a wave of heat rushed down the hall. His pulse quickened when he realized the smoke was coming from Sena’s room. A burning smell thickened the air, and Abel could already see flickers of fire reflecting off the stone walls.

"Sena’s room!" Abel whispered urgently to himself. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the flames, but the closer he got, the more unbearable the heat became. He tried to shield his face with his arm, but the intensity of the fire forced him to stop several feet away, unable to approach any further. The heat was like a barrier, pushing him back with its scorching force.

Other recruits began peeking out from their rooms, their faces a mixture of confusion and worry. Whispers spread among the small crowd as the fire grew, but nobody dared to approach.

"What's happening?"

"Is someone trapped in there?"

“Is that Sena’s room?”

Abel clenched his fists, helpless as he watched the flames consume everything. Just as he was about to call out for help, a blur rushed past him, swift and silent. It was Marcella, the faculty in charge of the Stone Tower's library. She moved with incredible speed, a controlled urgency in her step. Her long black hair trailed behind her as she made her way toward the burning room. The air around her seemed to ripple with energy as she raised her hand toward the inferno.

Marcella stopped at the threshold of Sena’s door, her gaze locked onto the flames. Her hand began to glow with a soft blue light, and the temperature in the hallway shifted slightly as if a cooler breeze had suddenly entered the space. The recruits watched in awe, their eyes wide as Marcella channeled her power.

With a swift motion of her hand, the air shimmered, and a bubble of water appeared in the center of the burning room. It rapidly expanded, growing larger and larger until it filled the space completely. Then, with a soft popping sound, the bubble burst, drenching the entire room in water. A hiss filled the hall as the fire was extinguished, leaving behind nothing but thick clouds of smoke.

For a moment, everything was still.

Then, through the haze of smoke, a figure emerged. Abel strained his eyes to see more clearly. It was Sena, but not the same Sena Abel knew. His skin had taken on a golden hue, glowing softly as if his very flesh had been kissed by fire. His hair, once brown, was now a deep, fiery red. He walked with slow, laborious steps, and Abel noticed his frame seemed slightly larger, more solid than before. He was completely naked—his robes having been reduced to ash in the blaze—but he seemed utterly unbothered, his eyes focused ahead as if deep in thought.

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Abel’s heart raced. Could this be the result of Sena overcoming his issue? It was clear something had changed. Abel felt the stirrings of something inside himself as well, an awareness of his own body. He glanced at the reflective glass window nearby, catching a glimpse of his own eyes—now a starry gray, filled with a faint shimmering light. The transformation wasn’t just affecting Sena. Abel had undergone some changes too. Were these the side effects of their strange connection to the horrors they had encountered?

Marcella stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Sena. Her voice was stern but not unkind. "What in the world were you doing?" she demanded, her tone thick with disapproval. "You were careless, Sena. Do you realize how dangerous this could have been?"

Sena, looking slightly embarrassed but determined, stood tall. "I wasn’t doing anything, Marcella. I—suddenly combusted. Everything caught on fire without warning."

Marcella’s eyes flashed with disbelief. "Combusted?" She crossed her arms, a skeptical look crossing her face. "You expect me to believe that? You know the rules—no dangerous experiments in your room. It’s reckless."

Sena’s gaze dropped for a moment, his face flushed with embarrassment. “I wasn’t experimenting. My body needed to burn... to be reborn. I was fighting the heat, trying to hold it off, but in the end, I had to let it happen. It was part of the process."

Marcella shook her head, clearly still not convinced, but she sighed, rubbing her temples as if she’d seen this sort of thing too many times before. “Fine,” she said at last. “But you’re going to pay for the damage to this room, out of your contribution points. And get yourself some new clothes.”

Without another word, Marcella turned and left, the recruits parting for her as she walked down the hall. The tension in the air slowly dissipated, though some recruits lingered, still whispering about what had just happened.

Sena, though clearly embarrassed by his naked state, walked toward Abel, a strange confidence in his step. “It’s done, Abel,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “I’m different now. I had to let the flames consume me... to transform. I was holding back, afraid of what might happen, but this... this was part of my path.”

Abel nodded, taking in Sena’s new appearance. There was something undeniably different about him now. An aura of power and calmness radiated from him, as though he had emerged stronger, more sure of himself. Although the oppression feeling wasn't on par with the apostles as Sena had not yet broken through, however, he had definitely gotten something out of it. Abel couldn’t help but feel proud of his friend for overcoming whatever challenge had been placed in front of him.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Abel said with a small smile. “Seems like you’ve figured it out.”

Sena chuckled softly. “It wasn’t easy. But yeah, I think I have. At least for now.”

As the other recruits continued to murmur and gawk, Sena nodded toward the stairs. “I need to head down and get some clothes. I’ll see you later, Abel.”

“Take care,” Abel replied, watching as Sena descended to the first floor, his glowing golden skin catching the faint light in the stairwell.

Abel lingered for a moment, watching the other recruits as they slowly retreated back to their rooms. He could see the way some of them eyed him as well, their gazes lingering a little too long on his face, his eyes. They had noticed his transformation too. The changes weren’t just happening to Sena. Abel hurried back to his room, eager to avoid any further attention.

Once inside, he leaned against the door, his mind racing. There was something undeniably different about the two of them now—something that set them apart from the other recruits. Whatever had happened to them in the ruins had left a mark, a deep and lasting change.

And Abel had a feeling that this was only the beginning.