Aarik tightened the straps of his tattered pack, his gaze fixed on the winding forest path ahead. The Phoenix Sect's cloaked emissary, Kaelen, led the way with practiced ease, his movements silent yet deliberate. The village elder had warned Aarik to stay close, but each crackle of leaves or snap of a twig sent shivers up his spine.
Night fell quickly in the wilderness, and with it came an oppressive silence. As they set up camp near a clearing, Kaelen spoke for the first time in hours. "You're not ready for what lies ahead," he said, his voice calm but stern.
"I didn't ask for this power," Aarik muttered, glancing at the faintly glowing sigil on his chest. "But if it's mine, I'll learn to control it."
Kaelen smirked, tossing Aarik a small blade. "Then let's see if you have what it takes to survive."
The test came sooner than Aarik expected. The bushes rustled, and from the shadows emerged a pack of Flame Hounds—beasts with glowing red eyes and fire licking at their fur. Their snarls echoed through the clearing, and Aarik's heart pounded in his chest.
Kaelen stepped back, arms crossed. "Your first lesson: Fight or die."
The first hound lunged, and instinct took over. Aarik raised his hands, willing the flames within him to rise. The sigil on his chest burned hot, and a jet of fire erupted from his palm, searing the beast mid-leap.
But the effort drained him, and the other hounds closed in. Aarik swung the blade wildly, its edge nicking one of the creatures. Another lunged, claws raking his shoulder. Pain flared, but with it came a surge of determination.
He focused on the sigil again, this time channeling its power with intent. Flames coiled around his fists like serpents, and as he struck the ground, a fiery wave erupted outward, scattering the hounds.
When the smoke cleared, the beasts lay defeated. Aarik fell to his knees, panting, as Kaelen approached.
"Not bad for a novice," Kaelen said, handing him a water flask. "But that was just the beginning. The Eternal Flame is a double-edged sword. Control it, or it will consume you."