: Nachogi's dark forces make their move.
: Nero's first real test in a true battle.
:Angel and Nagel step up, proving their strength.
: A mysterious new threat emerges.
---
The moon hung low over Emberstead, its silver glow barely piercing the dense smoke curling from the mountaintop village's ever-burning torches. The night air was still—but there was something unnatural about it. A silence too deep. A calm that did not belong.
Aizen stood at the village's edge, his golden flames flickering faintly at his fingertips. His expression was unreadable, but Nero could sense the tension in his stance. Something was coming.
"You feel it too, don't you?" Nero asked. His own fire crackled to life in response to his unease.
Aizen nodded. "Yes." His golden eyes swept over the darkened valley below. "Nachogi is now making his move."
Angel and Nagel joined them, both alert. Angel's crimson hair shimmered under the torchlight, her own fire magic already dancing along her fingertips. Nagel, gripping his massive iron staff, scowled. "If he wants a fight, let's give him one."
Aizen held up a hand. "This isn't just about brute force. Nachogi is not reckless—he doesn't attack without a plan. We must be careful."
Then the ground shook.
A deep, rumbling boom echoed through the mountains. In the distance, just beyond the valley, the forest erupted into flames.
And from the fire came shadows.
---
The First Attack
Dark figures emerged from the burning trees, their bodies wreathed in violet flames. Their faces were hidden beneath blackened masks, their movements unnatural—as if they weren't entirely human.
Nero's breath caught. "What… are they?"
Aizen's expression darkened. "Fire Wraiths."
Angel tensed. "I thought those were just myths!"
"They were," Aizen murmured, his flames glowing brighter. "Until Nachogi brought them back."
The Fire Wraiths moved like shadows on the wind, gliding toward the village gates with unnatural speed. Too fast. Too silent.
And then—they struck.
The first Wraith lunged at a villager, violet flames engulfing its claws. Nero reacted without thinking.
He launched himself forward, his fire roaring to life around his fists. He met the Wraith mid-air, their flames colliding in an explosion of heat.
The impact sent shockwaves through the village square. Nero gritted his teeth as he landed, skidding backward. His arms burned—not from heat, but from cold.
"What the—?"
The Wraith's fire didn't just burn—it drained heat, pulling warmth from the very air.
Aizen's voice cut through the battle. "Careful, Nero! Their flames are different from ours—they don't just destroy, they consume."
But there was no time to hesitate. The Wraiths swarmed.
---
The Battle for Emberstead
Nagel swung his iron staff, striking one of the Wraiths in the chest. The creature hissed, its body distorting like smoke before solidifying again.
"These things don't die easy!" Nagel growled.
Angel stood at his side, her flames forming a whip of fire in her hands. She lashed at another Wraith, but the violet flames coiled around her attack, smothering it.
"They're absorbing our fire!" she shouted.
Aizen moved like a golden storm, his flames cutting through the Wraiths with precision. Where his fire struck, the violet flames recoiled—as if his power was the only thing they feared.
"They feed on weak flames," Aizen called. "But they cannot steal what they do not understand. Focus your fire—purify it."
Nero gritted his teeth. He had just begun to control his power—how was he supposed to purify it?
A Fire Wraith lunged at him. He dodged, barely avoiding its deadly claws. His flames flared wildly, still too unstable.
"Damn it!"
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a second Wraith rushing toward Nagel's back.
"NAGEL!"
Without thinking, Nero threw himself forward.
His flames erupted—but this time, they didn't explode outward. They moved like a wave, coiling around him, shaped by instinct. Controlled.
He drove his fist into the Wraith's chest.
For the first time, the creature screamed.
Nero's flames didn't just burn it—they repelled it, forcing the violet fire to crack and fracture. The Wraith writhed, its body twisting unnaturally before finally shattering into embers.
Nero gasped. I did it.
Aizen turned, his eyes flickering with approval. "Good. Now do it again."
---
The Darkest Flame
The battle raged on. More Wraiths fell to their combined efforts, but the village burned. The air was thick with smoke, the heat suffocating.
Then—a presence filled the battlefield.
The Wraiths froze.
The flames trembled.
And in the distance, standing at the edge of the valley, a figure emerged.
Nachogi.
His violet fire cast shadows over the land, his presence alone suffocating. He did not move, nor did he need to.
His voice slithered through the air. "So… you've learned to control your flames. How adorable."
Nero stiffened. He could barely see Nachogi's face beneath the mask, but he felt the mockery in his tone.
Aizen's golden flames flared. "If you think we'll stand by while you bring war to our home, you're mistaken."
Nachogi tilted his head. "War? No, no, no, Lord of Flames… this is just a taste."
He lifted a single hand.
The air grew heavier.
Then—a massive surge of violet fire erupted from the valley, twisting into the sky.
Nero's eyes widened. What is he doing?
Then he felt it.
Not heat. Not cold.
Something darker.
His flames—flickered.
A sudden weakness flooded his body. His fire dimmed. His chest tightened. It was as if the very essence of his flames was being drained.
Aizen's gaze hardened. "He's trying to break your fire. Fight it, Nero."
Nero clenched his fists. His flames faltered—but he forced himself to stand.
"I'm not afraid of you!" he shouted.
Nachogi's laughter echoed. "Oh, child… you will be."
Then, the dark flames surged forward.
---
End of Chapter 4
. Expanded Fire Wraith battle (tactics, strengths, and weaknesses)
.Nero's breakthrough (controlling his flames in battle)
.Nachogi's dark power revealed (it doesn't just burn—it wide and consumes flame itself)
.A cliffhanger leading into the next battle
Next up: Chapter 5: A Battle of Flames—Nero vs. Nachogi's dark fire!