The fire Resonance Catalyst pulsed with a heartbeat that wasn't its own. Or perhaps, Nat thought, it was his heartbeat echoing in the stone. Either way, the connection between them felt undeniable. While the other Catalysts emitted a steady hum or a subtle rhythm, the fire stone roared like a caged beast the moment Nat touched it—an intense, wild energy that called to something deep within him.
He became obsessed with it.
Each day after the team's training, Nat would retreat to a secluded part of their camp in the ruins—away from the curious gazes of his companions. There, he would sit cross-legged before the fiery crystal, its molten glow lighting the shadows around him. He would close his eyes, slow his breath, and open his senses to the flames.
Meditation was not easy. At first, the fire would lash out—wild, defiant, angry. It scorched the air, singed his skin, and tested his resolve. But gradually, he learned to listen instead of fight. He stopped trying to dominate the flames and instead sought to understand them, to harmonize with their rhythm.
The more he trained, the more attuned he became. He could feel the fire's Resonance coursing through his veins, not just as raw energy but as something alive. It became a part of him, whispering secrets of ancient heat, of volcanic might and solar fury. He could now control it with startling precision. He could ignite a fire as gently as a candle's flicker or unleash a torrent that scorched steel.
And it was during one such session that something inside him changed.
His body tensed. His breath caught. The fire stone pulsed—and Nat opened his eyes to a new vision. The world was no longer dark. Instead, he could see heat. Every living being glowed like a beacon in his eyes. The trees, the soil, the insects crawling beneath the ground—everything radiated warmth. It was overwhelming at first, but his system pinged softly in his mind:
> New Skill Acquired: Heat Sense (Rank: B-) Perceive the thermal energy of your surroundings. See life even in complete darkness.
Heat Sense quickly became one of Nat's most valuable tools. He began using it during hunts and monster encounters, locating creatures hidden in mist or camouflage. With it, no ambush could catch him off guard.
But that wasn't the end.
During a particularly intense session, Nat attempted to combine his newfound control with the explosive power within. He concentrated the heat into his palms, swirling the fire until it spun like a miniature cyclone. And then—he released it.
The result was devastating.
A swirling inferno erupted around him, incinerating everything within a twenty-meter radius. The trees turned to ash in seconds, the very ground scorched black.
> New Skill Unlocked: Firestorm (Rank: B+) Unleash a massive spiral of flames, burning everything in a wide radius. High stamina cost. May cause uncontrolled burns if user lacks focus.
His system warned him about the dangers—but it wasn't just physical damage he feared. Nat could feel it.
The fire Resonance wasn't just giving him strength. It was amplifying his emotions. Every time he used it, his anger flared hotter. His joy became manic. His sorrow, unbearable. He found himself snapping at his friends, acting impulsively in battle, and struggling to sleep at night as the flames danced inside him.
It terrified him.
One evening, after another heated outburst nearly hurt a team member, Nat retreated to the edge of camp, fists clenched and flames sparking from his arms. He felt ashamed. Out of control. Like he was losing himself to the very power he sought to master.
That's when Lyra found him.
She didn't speak at first. Instead, she knelt beside him and placed her hand on the ground. Slowly, the earth beneath them hummed, steady and calm.
"Fire needs grounding," she said softly. "Let your emotions burn, Nat—but let them burn through the soil, not through you."
Her words struck a chord. Together, they practiced grounding techniques—channeling energy downward, stabilizing his thoughts with tactile focus. The earth's presence soothed the fire within.
Later, Zephyr joined their sessions. With his Wind affinity, he taught Nat how to channel and redirect energy—how to vent pressure rather than explode. "You don't stop a storm by bottling it up," he told Nat. "You guide it. You dance with it."
And finally, Atlas—the ever-serious and composed swordsman—offered perhaps the most important lesson. "Control isn't about resisting power. It's about knowing when to use it. Rage can win battles, but only wisdom wins wars."
Their support was the anchor Nat hadn't known he needed.
With each passing day, Nat's control improved. His mastery of Firestorm sharpened, becoming more precise and focused. His Heat Sense evolved to pick up even faint traces, allowing him to read battlefields before fights began. The fire within him no longer raged mindlessly—it listened to him.
He began integrating fire into his combat style, using short bursts to boost his movement, enhance his sword strikes, and overwhelm opponents with calculated waves of flame. He learned to fear his own power—but not to flee from it.
One evening, as the sun set and his team trained nearby, Nat stood before the fire Catalyst once again. He placed his palm upon its surface, no longer in pain, no longer afraid.
"I am not your master," he whispered. "Nor are you mine. We are one."
And for the first time
, the fire did not resist. It pulsed gently, as if in agreement.