The air above the battlefield was filled with smoke of burned earth and ash. The ruins of Solara loomed around them, whispering secrets of a long-forgotten history. There was no time, however, to dwell on the past.
The enemies were regrouping.
Micheal, Selene, Riven, Kai, and Jade stood in a half-circle, their faces serious as they studied the map Jade had spread out on a broken stone pillar. The flickering torches cast sharp shadows on their faces.
"The Crimson Warlord is dead," Jade began, her voice even, "but his army isn't. His death bought us time. And not much of it."
Micheal's fists clenched. "How long until they attack again?"
Jade's golden eyes flickered with something unreadable. "A day. Maybe two."
Kai let out a low whistle. "Well, that's a fantastic news. Gives us plenty of time to prepare for an army that outnumbers us ten to one."
Riven smirked, arms crossed. "Then we'll just have to make sure they don't get that fight."
Selene traced a finger along the map, her purple eyes narrowing. "They're here, along the ridge. If they move forward, they'll be channeled through this valley." She lifted her head up. "A good place for an ambush."
"Hmmmmm" Micheal nodded. "We can't equal them head-to-head, but if we control the battlefield, we control the battle."
Jade's eyes stayed on him. "And your fires."
Micheal tensed. The golden flame in him had awakened during the fight, but he still didn't understand it. He knew it was powerful–dangerous even—but could he control it? Could he use it in the way that they needed him to?
Jade continued. "If you can tap into that power one more time, we can potentially cut off their reinforcements before they reach the main army. Their soldiers rely on brute strength, but fire…" She paused, tilting her head to one side. "Fire disorganizes. Fire destroys."
Micheal exhaled, flexing his fingers. "Then I'll make sure they burn before they reach us."
Kai clapped. "Great!...So we set the trap, light 'em up, and don't die. Simple enough."
Riven's smile expanded. "It never is."
Now the Plan Takes Shape.
They worked quickly. Solara's ruins provided natural cover–twisted stone arches and toppled towers that would channel the enemy into tight corridors. With Selene's magic, they reinforced weak points in the structures, created artificial choke points.
Riven and Kai set up hidden traps—tripwires and explosive runes that would funnel the enemy into Micheal's kill zone.
And Micheal…
Micheal focused on the fire.
He sat on a broken pillar, taking slow breaths, trying to summon the golden flames again. But they didn't come.
Jade approached him, arms crossed. "You're thinking too much."
Micheal looked up at her, irritable. "If I don't think, I lose control."
Jade watched him for a second, then knelt before him. "Let me ask you something. Do you remember how it felt? When the fire came?"
Micheal hesitated.
Jade leaned in, her voice soft now. "You didn't summon the flames, Micheal. They responded to you. You don't need to compel them. You need to listen."
Micheal closed his eyes.
He recalled the battle. The moment when all had seemed lost, when he had needed to act. The fire had come then—not as a separate thing from him, but as a part of him.
A heat began in his chest. He could sense it, like embers stirring beneath his skin.
He reached for it.
Golden fire burst into existence in his hand.
Jade smiled. "There you go."
Micheal exhaled, watching the flames flicker over the tips of his fingers. "Now let's see if we can make this useful.".
The enemies arrived at dawn.
Black shapes crept across the ridge, armor glinting in the morning light. They came in line, swords raised, banners streaming behind them.
Jade stood with Micheal on the edge of the cliff, watching them approach. "Showtime."
Micheal nodded. He stepped forward, raising his sword. The golden fire flared, surrounding the blade like a living thing.
Then he struck.
A wave of flame burst forth, racing across the battlefield like a tsunami. It engulfed the first wave of troops, driving them to scatter formation as tongues of fire nipped at their armor.
Selene's powers followed in its wake—purplish filaments of magic ensnaring their enemies, pinning them in place while Kai and Riven struck from the darkness, slicing them apart before they had a chance to regroup.
The enemy pushed forward, trying to force their way through the ruins. But they ran straight into the traps. Explosions burst through their ranks, sending soldiers flying.
Then, the second wave came. Larger. Stronger. More prepared.
Micheal's heart pounded. His flames had done damage, but the real fight was just beginning.
Jade grabbed his arm. "You can't hold back now. If you're really the heir of the Flame King… then prove it."
Micheal gazed into her eyes. The fire in her golden eyes was not the same as his—it was not knowing.
As if she already knew what he could do.
Micheal took a breath and let the fire engulf him.
The flames did not erupt this time. They caught fire, surrounding his entire form in light golden in color. His sword became a firebrand, the heat wavering the air around him.
The enemies broke.
They feared for the first time.
Micheal did not provide them time to reassess.
He attacked.
His sword kissed ground, and the flame flared outward in a slash that cut through their line. The wave of heat pushed them back. The gold fire did not just burn them—it consumed them, leaving ash in their wake.
Selene, Kai, and Riven fought along with him, cutting through fear.
Jade hung back on the edge, her face masklike.
For an instant, Micheal caught something in her eyes.
Not surprise.
As though she had seen him fight this way before.
As though she had recognized that he was capable of this all along.
The battle raged on, but for the first time, Micheal didn't feel disoriented.
For the first time, he felt that this power truly belonged to him.