The day after the Trial of Fire, Aarik found himself in the mess hall, surrounded by the chatter of fellow disciples. He sat alone, picking at a bowl of rice, until a girl with short, fiery-red hair plopped down across from him.
"Impressive work yesterday," she said with a grin. "Name's Kaida. You?"
"Aarik," he replied cautiously.
"You're the guy with the glowing chest, right?" she asked, leaning in conspiratorially. "What's the deal with that?"
Aarik hesitated but decided to keep it vague. "Just… something I was born with."
Kaida laughed. "Fair enough. Well, stick with me, and I'll make sure the inner disciples don't eat you alive."
Her confidence was infectious, and Aarik found himself smiling for the first time since arriving at the sect.
But not everyone was as friendly.
Later that day, during a group sparring session, Aarik was paired with a tall, sneering boy named Ryen. An inner disciple, Ryen radiated arrogance.
"Let's see if the 'flame boy' is as special as they say," Ryen taunted, drawing his sword.
The duel began, and Ryen wasted no time, pressing Aarik with swift, calculated strikes. Aarik struggled to keep up, his wooden sword clashing against Ryen's with each parry.
"You don't belong here," Ryen sneered, delivering a blow that knocked Aarik to the ground.
Something inside Aarik snapped. The sigil on his chest flared, and flames erupted around him, forcing Ryen to step back. Aarik stood, his eyes blazing with determination.
This time, he went on the offensive, his strikes precise and fueled by the Eternal Flame. Ryen blocked each one, but his smirk faded.
Before the duel could escalate further, Master Valen's voice boomed. "Enough!"
The flames around Aarik extinguished as quickly as they had appeared. Master Valen's gaze was stern. "Control your emotions, Aarik. Power without discipline is chaos."
Ryen scoffed but didn't argue, retreating with a glare.
Kaida approached Aarik after the match. "Looks like you've already made an enemy," she said, her tone light but her expression serious. "Be careful, Aarik. The higher you climb, the harder they'll try to drag you down."
Aarik nodded, her words sinking in. If he was going to survive in the Phoenix Sect, he would need more than just power—he'd need allies, strategy, and above all, control.
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