Eli sprinted through the forest as he followed the path of destruction left by Leon's crash. The trees were snapped and splintered, with branches scattered across the forest floor. Finally, he reached a crater in the earth, where Leon lay motionless at the center.
"Leon!"
Leon groaned in pain, struggling to sit up. His lightweight IronSilk armor was slightly cracked, and his body was bruised and battered. As Eli knelt beside him, he could tell that the wound hadn’t pierced deep enough to be fatal. Despite this, Leon appeared rough, with labored breathing as he attempted to push himself up.
"Stay down, man. You’re hurt. I’ll run you back to Ceiala. You need medical attention."
Leon shook his head, wincing as he sat up.
"No... I’m not leaving you guys to face Zaire alone."
Eli opened his mouth to argue, but Leon cut him off by materializing a Ganen Crystal—a crystal that exuded the pure energy of the sky. The crystal glowed with a soft yellow light, its warmth spreading over Leon as he placed it against his chest.
The energy surged through him, mending some of the internal damage and giving him enough strength to stand. Leon’s face twisted in pain, but after a few seconds, the healing energy began to take effect, the worst of his injuries slowly recovering.
"I’m not 100%, but I can still fight."
Leon gritted his teeth and tossed the now-dimmed crystal aside. He wiped blood from his mouth and turned to Eli.
"Let’s finish this."
Eli couldn’t help but smirk.
"You’re stubborn as hell, you know that?"
"Comes with the job."
Without wasting another second, the two of them raced back toward the battlefield. Eli led the charge, with lightning crackling around his feet as he moved at blinding speed. Leon followed close behind, the wind swirling around him as he used his air manipulation to propel himself faster.
"We’ll have to time this perfectly. Zaire’s no ordinary opponent, and Kamari and Imani can’t hold him off forever. We hit him hard, and we don’t let up."
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The battlefield was chaos—fire, ice, and shadow clashing in every direction. Kamari and Imani were holding their ground, but Zaire was ruthless. His shadowy form darted around them like smoke. Kamari’s flames flickered, struggling under the pressure of Zaire’s relentless power. Imani’s ice blades, usually so precise, were slower, her body marked with cuts and bruises.
Suddenly, a shadow ball shot through the air with blinding speed, catching Imani off guard. It pierced through her abdomen, the force of the impact sending her crashing into the ground. She gasped, clutching the wound as dark energy pulsed through her. Blood pooled between her fingers.
“Imani!”
Kamari dropped to her side, his hands trembling.
Imani coughed, trying to wave him off.
“I’m fine. Just... buy me some time to heal.”
Kamari nodded. He clenched his fists as he faced Zaire.
“You’re going to pay for that.”
Zaire sighed.
"You're too weak, Phoenix. You can't protect her... you can barely protect yourself."
With a growl, Kamari charged at him. He threw everything he had at Zaire, but the demon barely reacted. Zaire dodged easily, his shadows striking back, battering Kamari at every turn.
In a blink, shadowy tendrils whipped out, snaring Kamari’s arms and legs. Before he could break free, Zaire’s hand slammed against his chest. Darkness swallowed them both, forming a dome that sealed off the rest of the battlefield. It was just the two of them now, the shadows thickening like a noose. Zaire’s cold eyes locked onto him.
“Stop resisting."
Kamari thrashed against the tendrils, but they tightened, dragging him down. Zaire’s hand pressed harder against his chest, and a searing pain ripped through Kamari’s body.
Kamari screamed as the Phoenix Core was pulled from him, inch by inch.
“Don't worry, Young Phoenix. I’ll put it to good use.”
Kamari’s vision blurred, his body shaking as he fought to hold on. But the shadows tightened, his strength fading. The Core slipped further away with each second, and he could feel his connection to it breaking.
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Leon and Elijah returned to the battlefield. As they arrived, they spotted Imani on the ground, pressing an Aewa Crystal to her abdomen, the soothing energy knitting her wounds together. Her face was pale, but her voice was steady as she called out to them.
"Forget about me."
She pointed toward the swirling mass of darkness in the distance.
"Kamari’s in there!"
Both Eli and Leon turned to the shadow dome. The Nether Energy radiating from it was suffocating, and they knew they had no time to waste. They launched their attacks—Leon sending gusts of air and Eli hurling bolts of lightning. But their efforts seemed futile as the shadows absorbed their power, the barrier remaining intact.
"Damn it!"
Eli shouted in frustration.
"Move back."
He clenched his fists, summoning every ounce of his remaining energy. Blue lightning crackled across his skin, arcs of power surging through him. With a deafening roar, Eli unleashed the full force of his lightning into the shadow dome. The energy sizzled and crackled, the shadows resisting at first. But then, a small crack formed, quickly followed by a tear, and the dome began to unravel.
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"Go!"
Leon leaped through the opening, immediately sending a powerful blast of air toward Zaire, interrupting the extraction just as the Phoenix Core was about to leave Kamari's chest. The force of the wind sent Zaire flying several dozen meters through the forest, crashing into the trees with a thunderous impact.
Leon appeared beside Kamari, pulling him to his feet. Kamari was shaky, his chest throbbing with pain.
"You good?"
Kamari nodded, though the pain still lingered.
"Thanks."
The squad quickly regrouped, but before they could retreat, Zaire emerged from the shadows once more. His form flickered, bruised from the battle. With a guttural roar, he launched several shadow balls at them, forcing the squad to split up again.
Kamari darted to the side, but one of the shadow balls targeted him square in the chest. He raised his arms just in time, hardening them with Enre to absorb the blow, but the impact sent him flying backward, crashing through the trees.
Groaning, Kamari struggled to catch himself. As he tried to regain his footing, memories of the Red Massacre flashed through his mind—the flames, the screams, the helplessness. His heart pounded with anger, his vision narrowing as the rage boiled within him. He had been powerless then, but not now.
"Not again."
His body ignited, the familiar heat of his flames returning—this time, they burned blue once more. Determination flared in his eyes as he launched himself back into the fray.
The squad worked together in perfect coordination. Leon blasted Zaire with wind, while Imani conjured ice, both disrupting his movements. Eli sent arcs of lightning to weaken Zaire’s defenses, while Kamari was relentless, his blue flames tearing through Zaire’s shadows, keeping the demon on edge.
Zaire tried to counter, but the squad’s teamwork overwhelmed him.
With one final burst of power, Kamari unleashed a devastating blow—his blue flames spiraled around his fist, condensing into a fierce, concentrated attack. He slammed his fist into Zaire’s chest, the impact sending the demon flying several feet down into the earth. The ground shook as Zaire’s body was embedded into the crater, smoke rising from the scorch marks left by Kamari’s attack.
Zaire lay there, barely moving, his form flickering as he struggled to maintain his composure. On the brink of passing out, he growled in frustration. With a final snarl, Zaire’s body dissolved into shadows.
Kamari staggered, breathing heavily, his flames slowly fading. The squad regrouped around him, each of them bruised and battered but victorious.
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About half an hour later, Tempest staggered back into The Nexus. The battle against Zaire had pushed them to their limits, and their bodies ached. As soon as they stepped inside the massive portal room, Eli dropped to his knees with dramatic flair, his face pressing into the cold floor. He began kissing it.
"Oh, thank Eishim. We made it back alive."
Kamari and Leon exchanged amused glances, both too tired to stop themselves from bursting into laughter.
"What are you doing?" Kamari asked.
Eli looked up, still kneeling, an exaggerated expression of gratitude plastered across his face.
"We almost died out there, man. I’ve never been so grateful to be back in The Nexus. Do you know how many close calls we had?"
"I feel you, but you’re seriously violating the floor right now."
"Listen. You can’t tell me shit. With the number of times you’ve almost gotten me killed in the two years we’ve known each other, I think I deserve to do whatever I feel like without any judgment."
Kamari shrugged with a tired grin.
"Yeah. Fair enough."
Leon smiled.
"All jokes aside, good job out there, everyone. We made it through a Fury and Terror-Class Incursion—and Zaire—without losing anyone. That’s no small feat."
Eli stretched his arms over his head, wincing slightly as his muscles ached.
"I just want to take this moment to say that Imani was pretty badass back there. I think I can learn a thing or two from you."
Imani allowed herself a small smile.
"You weren’t too bad yourself, Eli. I expected more whining."
Eli feigned offense.
"Hey! I don't whine that much."
Leon clapped Eli on the shoulder.
"Alright. Let’s get to the infirmary before one of us actually collapses."
With a collective groan, the squad began making their way through The Nexus. As they walked, Eli sidled up next to Kamari, giving him a sideways glance.
"Blue flames, huh?"
"Yup."
Eli grinned, raising his fist.
"Nice!"
Kamari bumped it without hesitation.
----------------------------------------
Zaire staggered into his dimly lit hideout. His body flickered with remnants of shadow, but the exhaustion was clear in every labored step he took. The long, dark corridors, lined with intricate machinery and glowing crystals, seemed to stretch endlessly as he made his way toward the central chamber.
Each breath felt like fire in his chest, his limbs heavy and unresponsive. His vision blurred, but he forced himself forward. The only thing keeping him moving was the image of the vat that held his father.
As he stumbled into the room, the eerie glow of the machines reflected off the dark liquid in the vat where Zion floated. Zaire’s eyes were barely open as he reached out, his fingers brushing the cold surface of the glass. His knees buckled, and with a final burst of effort, he collapsed against the vat, his forehead resting on its cool surface.
He barely registered the beeping of the machines around him, but as his consciousness faded, the screen on the nearby monitor blinked to life. In ominous red letters, it flashed:
"Five Days Remaining Until Critical."
His body went limp as he fell into a coma.
----------------------------------------
After a brief stop at the infirmary, Kamari found himself wandering toward the training room. His body was still sore, his muscles stiff from the battle with Zaire, but there was something else gnawing at him—something deeper. He needed to understand his new power, the blue flames he had summoned in moments of desperation. He needed to control it.
The training room was empty and silent, the usual bustle of other warriors absent this late at night. Kamari stepped into the center of the room. He clenched his fists, feeling the familiar warmth of his yellow flames flickering to life around his hands. They danced and crackled, bright but not nearly as intense as the blue flames from earlier. He closed his eyes, focusing, trying to summon the power again, but all that came were the usual yellow flames.
With a frustrated growl, Kamari punched the air, the yellow fire flaring briefly before fading.
“Come on.”
He tried to remember the emotions—anger, desperation, the overwhelming fear of losing everything. His heart pounded as he gritted his teeth, pushing those feelings to the surface. The flames surged again, but still yellow.
As Kamari stood there, frustration mounting, Malik entered the training room.
“You’re at it again."
Kamari turned, wiping sweat from his brow.
“It's not the Core this time. I did something earlier during the Incursion. I conjured blue flames. I'm trying to figure out how I did it, but… I can’t seem to get them back. It’s like they only show up when I’m about to die.”
Malik nodded, stepping closer.
“That’s because you’re relying on anger and fear. It’s not uncommon, especially in life-or-death situations. But that’s not the best way to control your power. Anger clouds your judgment. Desperation blinds you. If you want real control, you need to be calm—clear-headed. No doubt, no hesitation.”
“So... I just need to stay calm?”
“Yes. The spectrum of flames—red, orange, yellow, blue, and even purple—they all represent different intensities of power. Most Su'lai never get beyond yellow. You’ve already reached blue, which is rare, but to maintain it... you need control. Anger only takes you so far.”
He paused, and for the first time, Kamari saw a hint of vulnerability in Malik's eyes.
“Even I struggle with conjuring purple flames.”
Kamari was surprised by this admission. Malik was one of the strongest people he knew. If he had trouble with the next level of intensity, it meant there was still a long way to go. However, it also inspired him. If Malik could push himself, so could he.
“I thought I was ready to face Zaire today, but he nearly had me. He’s not going to stop until he gets the Phoenix Core, and I can feel it—next time, it’ll be different. He’s desperate, Malik. I need to be ready. Next time, I don’t want to just survive. I want to end this.”
Malik placed a firm hand on Kamari’s shoulder.
“And you will. Just don’t burn yourself out tonight.”
“Right. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t stay up too late.”
As Malik's footsteps faded, Kamari stood in the quiet of the training room, staring at his hands. He knew Malik was right. Anger had fueled his blue flames, but it wouldn't sustain them. If he wanted to tap into that power again, if he wanted to truly control it, he had to find a balance between the fire in his heart and the calm in his mind.