The sunlight filtered through the treetops as Drakar, Taronis, and Kaelen stepped back into the forest beyond the Threshold of Ascendance. The path beneath their feet was soft with moss, the air thick with the scent of pine and blooming flowers. Yet, despite the serenity of their surroundings, a lingering hum of power coursed through Drakar's veins—the Flame of Ascendance had become part of him, its heat simmering beneath his skin.
Kaelen stretched and sighed. "I hate to admit it, but walking away alive from that last trial felt... too easy."
Drakar raised an eyebrow. "Easy?"
Kaelen shrugged with a smirk. "Okay, maybe not easy. But where's the aftermath? The catch? There's always a catch."
Taronis, who had been quiet since they left the chamber, stopped and turned. His gaze was somber. "The true test is not the flame you've inherited, Drakar. It's what you do with it."
Drakar felt the weight of the words. He clenched his fists, watching the faint glow of emberlight pulse beneath his fingertips. "Then I'll forge it into something greater."
Taronis's lips curved into a faint smile, though his eyes remained distant. "Good. You'll need that resolve for what lies ahead."
A Presence Unseen
The path led them to a wide clearing where the grass was soft and golden, swaying gently in the breeze. For a moment, the quiet beauty of the place made Drakar forget the weight on his shoulders.
Kaelen crouched and inspected the ground, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Footprints."
Drakar followed his gaze. Tracks were embedded in the soft earth—heavy, deliberate. The marks were too large for any human or orc.
Taronis's voice was low. "We're not alone."
The trio fanned out, their steps cautious. The wind stilled as if holding its breath.
A deep, guttural growl echoed from the shadows of the trees. Drakar's dagger was in his hand in an instant, the emberlight along its edge flickering like a heartbeat.
From the treeline emerged a massive figure—eight feet tall, its body corded with muscle and draped in tattered fur. Its face was lupine, with sharp fangs glinting beneath its snarling lips. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent crimson hue.
Kaelen let out a low whistle. "Well... that's not friendly."
Taronis's eyes sharpened. "A Shadebound Warg—a beast corrupted by the void."
The warg's claws dug into the earth as it snarled and lunged forward, faster than something its size should be able to move.
A Fierce Encounter
Drakar met the beast head-on, his dagger flaring with emberlight as he struck. The blade sliced into the warg's shoulder, sending up a spray of burning fur and ichor. But the beast barely staggered—it was relentless.
Kaelen loosed an arrow, the shot landing cleanly in the warg's thigh. The beast roared in fury but didn't slow.
"Keep moving!" Taronis called out, stepping in with a blur of motion. His blade glowed blue as he performed a sweeping strike—a Vortex Cut, a technique that created a burst of kinetic energy with each arc. The force struck the warg's side, causing it to stumble.
Drakar circled behind it, his instincts sharp. "Hit the legs!"
He slashed low, his blade cutting through tendon and muscle. The warg's hind leg buckled, but even then, it twisted and lashed out, catching Drakar's arm with a swipe of its massive claws.
Pain flared as blood seeped from the gash, but Drakar gritted his teeth and pushed forward.
"Drakar, fall back!" Kaelen shouted, another arrow nocked and ready.
"No." Drakar's voice was firm, his amber eyes glowing brighter. He focused on the heat building within him, the embers igniting into a stronger flame. The words came to him like a whispered memory. "Ignis Tempest."
Flames erupted from Drakar's body, swirling around him in a controlled inferno. The warg hesitated for the first time, sensing the shift in power.
Drakar surged forward, his dagger burning like molten steel. He drove the blade into the warg's chest and released the flames in a burst of searing heat. The beast let out a deafening howl as the fire consumed it from within.
When the flames faded, the warg's charred body collapsed in a heap of ash and scorched bone.
Kaelen lowered his bow, his face pale. "Well... remind me not to get on your bad side."
Drakar staggered slightly, the adrenaline wearing off. Taronis caught his arm, steadying him.
"The flame is powerful," Taronis said, his tone serious. "But it demands control. Too much, and it will consume you."
Drakar nodded, breathing heavily. "I'm learning."
A Shattered Relic
As the smoke cleared, something caught Kaelen's eye among the ashes. He bent down and picked up a small, crystalline shard that shimmered faintly with an eerie blue light.
"What's this?" Kaelen held it up.
Taronis's brow furrowed. "A Void Shard. They're remnants of creatures touched by the void. They can be used in enchantments... or curses."
Kaelen pocketed the shard with a smirk. "Might come in handy."
Taronis shot him a warning look. "Be careful with that. Void energy is unpredictable."
Kaelen shrugged. "Everything's unpredictable."
Drakar's gaze lingered on the shard as they continued forward. The shard's faint hum resonated with something deeper—a whisper beneath the flame. He didn't know why, but he felt as though they hadn't seen the last of it.