The forest fell eerily silent as they pressed forward, the air thick with the weight of their unspoken thoughts. Siris’s tense posture gave away her readiness for trouble, and Kael followed her closely, hoping to find a way to redeem himself in her eyes. The earlier battle had been a reminder of how little control he had over his powers—and how far he still had to go.

But as they rounded a bend in the trail, Kael noticed something strange. The trees were thinner here, their branches gnarled and twisted, as though the land itself had been warped by the shattering of the Crystal. A faint glow flickered in the distance, and something in Kael stirred—a pull, deep inside him, that tugged at his senses. Without thinking, he veered off the path, his footsteps muffled on the dry forest floor. Siris didn’t notice, or perhaps she didn’t care. Either way, Kael moved toward the light.

As he drew closer, the glow intensified, revealing an ancient stone circle half-buried in the underbrush. The stones were weathered, covered in runes that seemed to pulse faintly with an otherworldly energy. Kael’s heart raced as he approached them, his fingers tingling with the faintest spark of warmth. He hadn’t summoned the fire since the encounter with the beast, but now, it was as if something within him was waking.

He knelt before one of the stones, brushing his hand over the cold surface. A jolt of energy shot through him, and he gasped, his eyes widening as the fire—his fire—began to flicker to life again. This time, it was different. The flame surged to his fingertips, bright and uncontrollable, licking at the air like a living thing. He inhaled sharply, unsure of how to handle it, but something in the back of his mind pushed him to keep going. The sensation of power, of command, was intoxicating.

Kael closed his eyes, focusing on the fire as it swirled around his hand, trying to will it to obey him. The fire grew, spiraling higher, casting an eerie light around the stone circle. His breath quickened as the warmth spread through his body, fueling a sense of invincibility. He could feel the potential—he could control it. This time, it would work. This time, he would prove himself.

But as the fire rose higher, something in the flames began to shift. A vision, vivid and consuming, burst into his mind.

The vision hit him like a wave, drowning out everything else.

He was standing in the middle of a village. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the cobbled streets. The air was thick with smoke, and the crackle of fire filled his ears. The ground beneath him was scorched, the remnants of burning homes and businesses smoldering in the ruins. And there, standing in the ashes, was a family—mother, father, and child—huddled together, their faces filled with fear as they looked at him.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Kael’s heart stuttered. He didn’t understand. He tried to look away, to shut it out, but the vision held him in place. The family was terrified, and he could feel their panic, their desperate cries for mercy. The heat around him grew unbearable, searing his skin, but it didn’t matter. He was standing over them, his hands raised as if in judgment. The flames roared around him, and he realized with horror that they were coming from him. He was burning them—his own fire, consumed by hatred, rage, and something darker.

“No!” Kael gasped, struggling against the vision, but it clung to him, relentless and suffocating. The family screamed, their faces contorting in agony as the flames engulfed them. The heat was unbearable now, and Kael could feel it in his chest, in his very soul. His fire, the power he thought would make him strong, was now his curse. He was the one who destroyed everything.

“Please,” the mother whispered, her voice hoarse with pain. “Don’t.”

But Kael couldn’t stop. He was powerless to control it. The flames burned brighter, hotter, and the family was consumed in an instant. The last thing Kael saw before the vision shattered was the child’s face—eyes wide with terror, reaching out to him in vain.

With a violent gasp, Kael stumbled backward, his hands shaking as he tried to steady himself. The fire that had once felt like a gift now felt like poison in his veins. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breath came in sharp, ragged gasps. He couldn’t breathe. The vision lingered in his mind, searing into his consciousness.

He stared at his hands, the fire still flickering in his palms, but now it was no longer something he could control. It was a reminder of what he was capable of—a reminder that he was slipping closer to something he couldn’t escape.

“Kael?”

Siris’s voice broke through the fog of his panic, and he snapped his head around, suddenly aware of how far he had wandered from the path. Siris stood at the edge of the clearing, her eyes sharp with concern. But Kael couldn’t meet her gaze. The weight of his vision, the shame, the fear, all of it pressed down on him.

“I... I don’t know what’s happening to me,” he muttered, barely able to speak the words.

Siris took a step forward, her expression unreadable. She said nothing for a moment, her gaze flicking over him—over the fire that still danced in his hands. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.

“You’re not alone in this, Kael,” she said finally, her voice softer than it had been in days. “But you have to learn to control it. Or it will control you.”

Kael nodded, his chest tight. But as he stared into the flickering flames, the vision haunted him. The fire had shown him a future. And it was one he feared more than anything.

The rest of the journey ahead would be nothing like the path they had walked before. Kael could feel it—his descent had already begun. And no matter how hard he tried to resist, the flames of his own power would pull him deeper into the darkness.