The night was eerily quiet, the only sound the crackling of the campfire. Kael sat with his knees drawn up, staring into the flickering flames, his mind restless. It had been days since the killing, days since the confrontation with his dark reflection, but the weight of it all still clung to him. His thoughts circled around the same haunting question: Who am I becoming?

The night air was cold, but Kael barely noticed. His body felt heavy, his spirit worn thin from the constant gnawing at his mind. He could still hear the whispers of his alter ego, that cold, dark voice that had been a constant presence since the incident with Eran. No matter how hard he tried to push it down, the voice always returned, creeping into his thoughts, turning them darker.

As Kael sat there, his eyelids grew heavy. The fatigue from the long journey, the weight of his guilt, and the pressure from his internal battle became too much to bear. With a slow exhale, he let his body sink into the earth beneath him, his head tilting back until his gaze was fixed on the starry sky above.

And then, he fell asleep.

When Kael opened his eyes again, he was no longer sitting by the fire. The world around him was dark and cold, the air thick with the smell of damp earth. He stood alone in the center of a vast, empty space—a clearing surrounded by jagged rocks that seemed to pulse with an ominous energy. The shadows felt alive, closing in around him like a dark storm waiting to strike.

The voice came again, low and mocking, slithering into his mind like a serpent. You’re still running from me, Kael. You can’t keep fighting who you are. You can’t escape me.

Kael's heart pounded in his chest, his fists clenching at his sides. He looked around frantically, but there was no escape. No way out.

"You’re wrong," he muttered under his breath, trying to steady his shaking hands. "I’m not like you."

The darkness only grew thicker, and then, like an embodiment of his fears, his dark reflection stepped forward from the shadows. It was him—but not him. The eyes were the same, but filled with malice and hatred. The smirk on his face was one Kael had never seen before, twisted and cruel.

I am you, the dark Kael said, its voice an echo of his own, distorted by anger. You’re nothing without me. You can’t control what you are. This is who you are.

Kael’s breath quickened. His legs felt weak beneath him, but he stood his ground. "No," he said again, louder this time. "I am in control."

The reflection laughed, a hollow sound that reverberated through the empty space. You think you can control me? You’ve been feeding me all along. Every time you’ve killed, every time you’ve felt that anger, that desire... It was me.

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Kael’s chest tightened. He could feel the rage building inside him again, that deep, burning need to lash out. His fists clenched tighter, and for a moment, he felt that familiar rush. The darkness was tempting him, urging him to embrace it, to give in.

But Kael knew that if he gave in, there would be no turning back. He couldn’t lose himself again. He wouldn't.

In that moment, something inside him snapped. A surge of heat flooded through his body, an overwhelming force that seemed to ignite from deep within. His hands tingled, a sharp, burning sensation coursing through his veins. The air around him shimmered, and without warning, his hands were engulfed in flames.

Kael gasped in shock, staring at his burning hands. The fire flickered and danced around his fingers, but it didn’t burn him. Instead, it felt like an extension of himself—powerful, alive.

What is this? he thought, the realization dawning on him too late. He hadn’t summoned it, hadn’t asked for it—but there it was, a force he could control, even as the flames licked at the air.

The dark Kael grinned, a knowing look crossing its twisted face. Fire. Your power. You always had it inside you. And now, you’ll use it to destroy me.

The reflection lunged at him, its hands reaching for Kael’s throat, but Kael instinctively held his burning hands out in front of him. The fire flared bright and hot, consuming the space between them.

With a cry of fury, Kael thrust his hands forward, and the fire surged toward his dark reflection. The flames roared as they engulfed the figure, and for a moment, Kael felt the weight of his own power—the control, the release of all the pain and rage that had been building inside him.

The dark Kael screamed as the flames burned it, the figure twisting and writhing in agony. But just as quickly as the fire had erupted, it was gone. The figure shattered, breaking apart into ashes that scattered into the wind. The battle was over.

Kael stood in the center of the clearing, his hands still smoking, the remnants of the fire flickering at his fingertips. His breath came in ragged gasps, his heart still pounding with the intensity of the fight.

But as the fire died down, the victory felt hollow. He had won, yes—but at what cost? The power that had come from nowhere, that had burned so brightly, was still there, smoldering in his hands. And it terrified him.

Was this a gift or a curse?

He didn’t know.

Kael woke with a jolt, gasping for air. The campfire crackled softly beside him, and Siris was still lying asleep, oblivious to the turmoil Kael had just endured. The world was back to normal. The warmth of the fire, the soft rustle of the trees in the breeze, all felt so real, so safe.

But Kael’s hands were still trembling. He stared at them, his breath shallow, his mind reeling. He had seen it. He had felt it. The flames. The power. It had been real, hadn’t it?

He flexed his fingers, but there was no fire now, no heat. Only the cold night air against his skin.

What had happened? What had he done?

He didn’t know yet, but one thing was certain: the power within him was no accident. He had somehow gained the ability to control fire—but how? And what did it mean for him? For the person he was becoming?

As Kael sat there, still processing the overwhelming truth of what he had just experienced, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The fight was far from over, and now, with the power of fire burning in his veins, Kael’s destiny seemed even more uncertain.