The dim glow of twilight bathed the plains of Erendath, casting an eerie calm over the landscape. Kael wandered through the woods, his mind a storm of thoughts. Ever since his encounter with the Guide, a nagging voice at the back of his mind told him that there was more to the Rebirth Core than he understood.
"Limitless potential," the Guide had said, but at what cost? What did that really mean for him?
His breath was steady, but his heart pounded with uncertainty. He hadn't told Lira or the others about what had happened during the battle. That moment when everything slowed down, and time seemed to shift. The Rebirth Core had saved him, but there was a terrifying edge to its power—a pull that felt darker with each use.
Kael stopped at a secluded clearing deep within the forest. The air was cool, and the only sounds were the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirps of night creatures. He unsheathed his blade and held it loosely in his hand, watching the faint glow of the Rebirth Core pulse beneath his skin.
"I need to understand this power," he whispered, gazing at his reflection in the blade. "No more running blind."
He knelt down, centering himself, and closed his eyes. The Rebirth Core thrummed within him like a second heartbeat, its presence growing stronger with each passing moment.
"Let's see what you've got."
Taking a deep breath, Kael focused, summoning the energy of the Core. At first, nothing happened. The air remained still, and the energy within him remained dormant. Frustration flickered across his face.
"Come on," he muttered through gritted teeth.
Then, without warning, the Rebirth Core surged to life.
A ripple of dark energy washed over him, and Kael gasped as he felt his body resonate with the Core's raw power. His hands crackled with void energy, a swirling mass of dark and light colliding and merging. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt—a chaotic, untamed force that pulsed with danger and potential.
He stood, holding his hands out before him, marveling at the swirling void energy. His skin prickled as the power seeped through every fiber of his being. This wasn't like using any skill he had learned before. It felt more… primal, more alive.
Suddenly, the energy surged outward, uncontrollable. A blast of void energy shot from his hands, carving a jagged path through the trees in front of him. The impact left a smoking trail of destruction in its wake, the trees disintegrating as the void energy consumed them.
Kael staggered back, his eyes wide.
"Okay… definitely not subtle."
He exhaled sharply, trying to regain control. The power was immense, but dangerous—too wild to use recklessly in battle. But there was something familiar about it now, something he could work with if he practiced.
Kael closed his eyes again, breathing slowly. This time, he called on the Core's power more carefully, letting the energy trickle through him instead of surging all at once. His fingers tingled as small tendrils of void energy curled around his hands.
"Control it," he whispered to himself. "Focus."
He thrust his hand forward, and this time, the void energy condensed into a thin, focused beam. The air rippled with power as the beam shot forward, cutting cleanly through a boulder in the distance. The impact was precise, not the chaotic explosion from before. Kael allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction.
"Void Rend," he named the technique, the words slipping into his mind naturally.
He continued practicing, experimenting with the Core's energy. Each time he called on the Rebirth Core, he felt more connected to it, like learning to speak the language of a force older and more powerful than anything he had ever known.
Next, Kael focused on movement. He remembered the battle with the Ascendants Guild, how he had blinked out of harm's way almost instinctively. That moment had saved his life. If he could harness that ability deliberately, it would give him an incredible edge in combat.
"Shadow Step," he murmured, concentrating on the image of blinking from one point to another.
Kael's body blurred, and in an instant, he found himself several meters away. His heart skipped a beat, excitement flooding through him. He tried again, stepping between shadows, vanishing and reappearing like a wisp of smoke. The disorienting sensation of moving through space left him breathless, but exhilarated.
He continued practicing into the night, honing his ability to blend the Rebirth Core's power with his natural movements. With each technique, he learned to control the chaotic energy, bending it to his will. But even as he mastered these new skills, a part of him remained wary.
There was a price to using this power. Every time he tapped into the Rebirth Core, he could feel it—a pull toward something darker, something dangerous.
Hours passed, and the moon had risen high overhead. Kael, drenched in sweat, finally paused, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. His chest heaved, and his hands still crackled with residual energy.
"That's enough for one night," he muttered, feeling the exhaustion settle in.
He looked down at his hands, the Rebirth Core's glow dimming as the power receded. The skills were powerful, no doubt, but they were raw—wild forces that could either save him or destroy him if not controlled.
Kael sheathed his blade and started to make his way back toward the guild, his thoughts swirling. He now had a glimpse of what the Rebirth Core was capable of, but the real test would come in battle. If he couldn't learn to wield this power with precision, he would be a danger to himself and everyone around him.
As he stepped through the forest, his resolve solidified. The next time he faced an enemy, he wouldn't hold back. He would harness the full power of the Rebirth Core and prove that he could control it. For now, though, it was time to rest.
Tomorrow, he would push further.
With the first hints of dawn breaking in the sky, Kael walked back to the guild with a new sense of purpose, unaware that a storm was already brewing—one that would test his newfound abilities sooner than he realized.