Chapter 3: "The Demon Within"
Landon sat motionless, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. Demon blood? He barely knew what it meant to be a phoenix, let alone what it meant to have the blood of something as dangerous as a demon flowing through his veins.
Alaric's words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, Landon wondered if he was dreaming. But the look on everyone's face told him this wasn't some bad dream—it was his reality now. And it was worse than he could have ever imagined.
Hope was the first to break the silence, her voice soft but firm. "What exactly does that mean for Landon? What should we be looking out for?"
Alaric looked at her seriously, his expression grave. "The demon bloodline could be dormant for years, but once it awakens, it doesn't go back to sleep. Landon's phoenix powers and the demon blood are now fighting for dominance inside him. It's a dangerous combination, and if he doesn't learn to control it, things could get out of hand very quickly."
Landon clenched his fists, trying to make sense of it all. The burning sensation in his chest, the way his body had moved on its own during the sparring match... Had it all been tied to this demon blood? What kind of power was it capable of?
"What happens if I can't control it?" Landon asked, his voice low. He was trying not to sound scared, but the truth was, he was terrified. Terrified of the power inside him, terrified of what it might make him do.
Alaric leaned forward, his eyes filled with understanding. "If you don't control it, it will control you. The demon side of you feeds on rage, chaos, and darkness. It's a slippery slope, Landon. It can make you do things you would never want to do."
Rafael shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing at Hope, then back at Landon. "So, what? We just wait around for this thing to take over? I don't like the sound of that."
"We don't wait," Alaric said, standing up. "We train. We fight it, and we find a way to control it before it controls you. But this is going to take time, patience, and a lot of work. And I won't sugarcoat it—it won't be easy."
Landon swallowed hard, the weight of the situation crashing down on him. He didn't want to become some dark force, someone everyone feared. He had barely come to terms with being a phoenix, let alone with the possibility of being something far worse.
Hope stood up beside him, her expression soft but resolute. "We'll help you, Landon. You don't have to do this alone. I promise we'll figure this out together."
Landon turned to her, grateful for her support but still struggling with the magnitude of it all. He had always been the one to keep to himself, to avoid getting too close to people. But now, with everything he was facing, he couldn't afford to push anyone away.
"Thanks," he said quietly. "I—I don't know what's going to happen, but I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to figure out how to control this. If I can."
Alaric studied him for a moment before nodding slowly. "That's the first step. Acknowledging the problem. The next step is to learn how to manage both sides of you. We'll start your training tomorrow. But before we go any further, there's something else you need to understand about your demon blood."
Landon raised an eyebrow. "What else?"
Alaric sighed and leaned back in his chair. "The demon bloodline you carry is tied to something ancient. It has a connection to a powerful entity—an entity that has been waiting for you to awaken. The longer it's dormant, the more dangerous it becomes. That's why you've been feeling this strange energy inside you. It's trying to break free."
Hope stepped forward, her voice steady but tinged with concern. "So, there's something out there after Landon. And it's been waiting for him?"
"Not exactly," Alaric replied. "The entity I'm referring to isn't a physical being. It's more like a curse—a power that can influence anyone who carries the bloodline. And now that Landon's powers are awakening, that power will only grow stronger. It's not something you can ignore or avoid. Eventually, it will try to take control."
Landon felt his stomach tighten. "What do I do then? How do I fight it?"
"That's why we're here," Alaric said. "We'll teach you how to harness your phoenix abilities, how to use them in tandem with whatever strength the demon blood gives you. But it's going to take time. You'll need to learn to keep the demon side of you in check, or it will consume you."
Landon nodded slowly, trying to wrap his mind around it all. The burden felt heavier now, the weight of both the phoenix and the demon inside him pressing down with each passing moment. But the fear inside him was tempered by something else—a flicker of hope, a belief that if he could learn to control it, he wouldn't become the monster that seemed to lurk just beneath the surface.
"Okay," he said quietly, his voice firming with resolve. "I'm ready. Let's start."
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Training Begins
The next day, Alaric began Landon's training with simple exercises. He knew Landon's abilities were already strong—his phoenix powers were dormant but still potent—but the demon blood was something new. They had to figure out how to make the two sides of him coexist.
"Today, we'll start with control," Alaric said, guiding Landon into one of the school's training rooms. "I want you to focus on feeling your phoenix energy. It's always been a part of you. You need to trust it, let it flow."
Landon nodded, trying to clear his mind. He had always been able to summon his phoenix abilities when he was angry or in danger, but now he needed to learn how to tap into that power on command, without the chaos that typically came with it.
"Take a deep breath, and focus," Alaric instructed. "You're not fighting the energy. You're letting it guide you."
Landon closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the familiar heat stirring within him. It was like a warm ember, just beneath the surface of his skin. He could feel it, that warmth—dangerous, wild, but oddly comforting. He focused on it, letting it grow stronger without losing control.
For a moment, everything was still. Landon's heartbeat slowed, his mind cleared. The power inside him responded, crackling beneath his skin like fire waiting to be unleashed.
"Good," Alaric said, his voice a rare note of approval. "Now, open your eyes. Bring the flame out, but only what you can control. You have to learn to temper it."
Landon opened his eyes and stretched out his hand, focusing on the heat. Slowly, a small flame ignited in his palm. It flickered like a candle flame, steady and controlled. For the first time, Landon felt like he was in command of it.
Then, just as he felt a sense of accomplishment, the flame flickered out of control. His palm burned with an intensity he wasn't prepared for. The heat surged, and the flame grew larger, threatening to spiral out of control.
"Focus!" Alaric shouted.
But Landon's focus wavered as the fire began to burn hotter. He could feel something darker stirring beneath the surface, pushing against the phoenix side of him, trying to take over.
"Landon!" Hope's voice cut through the chaos, and he snapped his focus back. The flame died down, leaving only the faint warmth in his hand.
His breath came in quick gasps. "What was that? The... the flame?"
Alaric nodded gravely. "That was the demon side of you fighting for control. You need to learn how to recognize when it's taking over. You felt it, right? The darker energy?"
Landon nodded, still feeling the remnants of the power coursing through him. "Yeah. It was... different. Intense."
"That's the demon blood awakening," Alaric said, his voice steady. "It's a part of you now. But it's not who you are. You control it, or it controls you."