A little too much

As the city of Bintan disappeared into the distance as Kin ran, his breath ragged, his legs trembling but, he didn't dare look back. It wasn't just the eminent fall of the city—it was the heavy feeling of Jirbad's presence still lingering in the back of his mind. Every instinct screamed for him to keep moving, even though his body screamed for rest.

Jamila, unconscious in his arms, was heavy. She was larger than him, older too, but Kin bore her weight without hesitation. The strength he had gained from his curse, bestowed by Ashell, kept his legs moving when they should've given out long ago. Sweat dripped down his face, the heat of the desert sun beating on his back, but he couldn't afford to stop. Not yet.

Kin's heart raced, fear reaching at the edges of his mind. He knew Jirbad was stronger, faster, and more dangerous. Even with the flames of Ashell's domain at his disposal, Kin knew it probably wasn't enough. He kept his eyes on the sky and the direction he was coming from, maybe he would catch a glimpse of the winged giant, but he didn't see him coming. The thought that Jirbad was no longer chasing them crossed his mind, but still, Kin didn't stop. His survival instincts, pressed him forward, step by step, until the city of Bintan was nothing but a memory on the horizon.

His legs shook, exhaustion seeping into every fiber of his being. Kin stumbled, nearly dropping Jamila, but he forced himself to keep going. His mind raced as he tried to recall the map Rashid had given him. Whispering Mountains, that was where they were headed. It wouldn't be an easy journey, especially with Jamila in this state.

Kin's eyes scanned the desert, searching for any sign of pursuit. The sun had begun to dip behind the dunes, casting long shadows across the sands. No sign of Jirbad. No winged shadow looming overhead. Maybe the flames did slow him down, or maybe he was dealing with something else. Either way, Kin was relieved to have a little more time.

He finally slowed, allowing himself to breathe. His chest heaved, his lungs burning from the exertion. He checked the sky one more time, his eyes trying to searchfor that dreaded figure. Nothing. Kin finally took a deep breath, his breath shaky but relieved. They had a few precious moments to rest.

He found a small cave between the dunes, hidden from plain sight. Kin carefully laid Jamila down, her body limp and unresponsive. Her breathing was steady, but her unconscious state worried him. He knelt beside her, brushing some sand off her face, his heart aching. How had things gotten so bad so quickly? One moment, they were safe, and now… now he was running for their lives...., funny.

Kin collapsed against the wall of the cave, his body screaming in protest. His muscles ached from the run, his feet were blistered and sore, and his head throbbed from overexertion

He looked at his feet and saw that his boots were in a sorry state. His toes were sticking out of the left boot, and the right one was half torn. His boots were strong, but between unleashing Ashell's flames, his physical strength exerting much pressure on them, and the long-distance run, he was really surprised they weren't in an even sorrier state. Kin sighed deeply leaned his head back against the cool stone and closed his eyes, if only for a moment. He knew there wasn't going to be another time to do this, so he used the opportunity to check on Ashell.

Kin took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, he let his consciousness drift into Ashell's domain. In his mind, he found himself standing before the forge where the horned goddess lay, sleeping soundly. Her flames, the flames that had saved him, burned gently all around him. But even in sleep, Ashell's power was vast, almost overwhelming. Kin's skin tingled as he stood in her presence.

He watched her for a moment, marveling at the strange relationship they shared. She had chosen him, or rather, he had called on her in his despair. The powers she had bestowed upon him had saved him more times than could hope to count, and he would be dead now if not for her. But something told him, this was just a tip of the ice berg when he considered he the depts. Of her powers and the cost they came with.

He had felt it earlier when he summoned her flames to ward off Jirbad. The power surged through him like molten fire, burning away his strength, consuming him.

He could still feel the remnants of it now, the exhaustion that came from summoning too much at once. Ashell was strong, yes, but she demanded a price. Every time he called upon her power, it drained a part of him.

Kin sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had only used a fraction of her flames, yet it had nearly brought him to his knees. What would happen if he ever had to summon more? What if one day the flames consumed him entirely? The thought made his stomach twist.

Still, Kin wanted to know more, he wanted to taste more, and like an addict he needed more. He knew, the more he drew, the more strain it placed on his body and each time he summoned a weapon and drew power from Ashell's domain into the weapon, he could feel a heavy burden on him as he used it. Although the curse had changed his physiology and was helping him grow more accustomed to it, he still had a long way to go to master the ability.

It might look as simple as summoning weapons from another domain and using them to aid him in battle, but the truth was that there was more to Ashell's ability than he had thought.

First, there was the ability to forge different weapons from specific materials. Then, there were the Eyes of Ra, which allowed him to see at night and through things. There was also the ability to draw power from Ashell's domain into his body and weapons. Kin wouldn't be surprised if there were even more abilities hidden.

The powers were quite something, but they all had one thing in common: they all originated from Ashell's domain. There was a lot he needed to learn. He wasn't strong enough, not yet, not for what was coming. Jirbad had nearly killed him today, and he wasn't even the worst of them. There were others out there—stronger, deadlier enemies that would hunt him down once they knew who he was.

Ashell stirred slightly in her sleep, and Kin's gaze softened. For all her power, she too had her limits. The flames she lent him came at a cost, even for her. She had used too much earlier and was now in hibernation, recovering her strength. Kin wondered how long it would take her to wake again,

"I still have a lot to learn from you," Kin muttered, his voice echoing in the quiet cave. "And I'm running out of time."