Chapter 46: The Ember's Roar
The battlefield quaked as silence stretched between them, broken only by the ragged pull of their breaths. The air itself seemed torn—half drenched in Kael's consuming shadowfire, half ignited by the stubborn blaze of Le Wai's ember.
Kael's lips curled into a cold smile.
"You think you've grasped power, boy? All you've done is delay the inevitable."
With a roar, he drove his blade down. The ground beneath them split apart, black fire surging upward like a tidal wave to swallow everything in its path.
Le Wai's grip tightened on his sword. His body screamed with pain, muscles tearing, blood dripping freely. Yet when he lifted his weapon, the ember within his chest flared brighter than before—an echo of something vaster, fiercer.
The golden flame erupted outward, forming a shield that split Kael's darkness in two. For a heartbeat, dawn pierced night.
Kael's eyes widened. "Impossible—"
But Le Wai didn't hear him. His mind was filled with a single sensation: the ember was no longer just a spark—it was beating, alive, as though another soul breathed within it.
The world blurred. He saw flashes—ancient battlefields drowned in fire, a warrior of light wielding a sword that shook heavens themselves. The vision seared his heart, leaving behind only one truth: his flame was not borrowed. It was his.
The shield shattered, but Le Wai did not falter. He stepped forward, golden fire dancing across his blade, each movement steadier, stronger.
Kael snarled, shadows whipping violently around him. "You dare awaken that power in front of me?!"
Their blades collided again. This time, the shockwave was not merely an explosion—it was a roar. A roar of fire that swept across the battlefield, sending beasts fleeing into the night and driving the shadows themselves to retreat.
Sparks showered the cracked earth, illuminating the warriors' faces. Kael's fury burned hotter with every missed strike, his movements wild, desperate. Le Wai, though trembling, began to move with rhythm, each step echoing like a drumbeat of destiny.
His voice cut through the chaos, steady despite the blood at his lips.
"I told you… I don't need to be your equal. I'll surpass you."
Kael staggered, his fury twisting into something darker—fear.
For the first time, the predator felt the hunter's gaze fall upon him.