The Fire Within

.More of Nero's pain and weakness – His body is breaking down, and his fire is no longer fully his.

.A deeper vision in the flames – A mysterious figure reveals the terrifying truth about his power.

.Angel and Nagel's struggle – They argue about how to help him and what comes next.

.A critical decision – Nero must decide whether to rest and risk being hunted or push forward despite his condition.

---

Everything burned.

Nero's body felt like it was torn apart from the inside,the pain, his veins boiling, his muscles screaming. His mind was fractured, flickering between the real world and something else—something ancient, powerful, and hungry.

His vision blurred.

Somewhere in the distance, he heard Angel's voice, but it was muffled, as if she was shouting from across an endless void.

"Nero!"

The pain grew sharper.

A cold fear settled very deep in his chest.

His fire…

It wasn't listening to him anymore.

---

(A Fire That Did Not Belong to Him)

As his consciousness slipped, his world turned to flames.

Not the golden fire he knew.

This was white fire, burning without warmth, crackling with energy that felt wrong.

And in the center of the inferno, a figure stood waiting.

Their form was shrouded in fire, their golden eyes burning with something beyond human understanding.

Then, the figure spoke.

"You do not understand what you are."

The voice echoed through his soul, deep and layered—as if multiple voices spoke as one.

Nero tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond.

"This flames aren't yours.

"You don't worth it.

He gritted his teeth. "Who are you?"

The figure stepped closer, flames coiling around them.

"You are borrowing power that does not belong to you. And soon, it will take what is owed."

Pain seared through his chest.

Nero gasped, his body convulsing as white-hot fire ripped through him.

He was being consumed.

---

(A Desperate Reality)

Nero's eyes snapped open as he jolted awake, his body drenched in sweat.

A cool breeze brushed against his skin, and the distant crackling of a fire told him he was still alive.

Angel and Nagel were sitting nearby, arguing.

Angel's voice was sharp with frustration. "He needs rest!"

Nagel scoffed. "And what happens if that masked bastard comes back? Or worse, something even stronger?"

Angel shot to her feet. "We barely survived that fight, Nagel. You saw what happened to him! What if it happens again?,what if he die this time while he was trying to control it.

Nagel crossed his arms. "Then we need to be ready, not sitting here waiting to be attacked."

Nero tried to speak, but his throat was dry.

He shifted slightly, and immediately regretted it.

Agony shot through his body, his muscles locking up as if every nerve had been burned from the inside.

Angel's head snapped toward him. "Nero are you okay?!"

She rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. "Don't move too much. You need time to recover."Nero!"

Nagel sighed in relief, but the tension in his posture remained. "Good, you're alive. I was starting to think we'd have to carry you the rest of the way."

Nero exhaled shakily. "How long was I out?"

Angel frowned. "A few hours."

He tried to sit up, but his body refused.

Angel placed a firm hand on his chest. "Stop. You're not ready yet."

Nero clenched his fists. Not ready.

The words burned more than his wounds.

He wasn't weak.

He couldn't afford to be.

But…

The fire had nearly destroyed him.

And worse—he still didn't understand why.

"I do believe this flames are mine.

---

(The Truth in the Flames)

Nero gritted his teeth. "I saw something."

Angel and Nagel exchanged glances. "What do you mean?" Angel asked.

He hesitated. "When I blacked out… I wasn't just unconscious. I was somewhere else. There was a figure in the flames. They… they told me my power isn't mine."

Silence.

Then Nagel snorted. "Yeah, no offense, but that sounds like the worst possible thing you could hear right now."

Angel's expression darkened. "Nero, are you sure it wasn't just… the pain? A hallucination?"

Nero's jaw tightened. "No. It was real."

Someone told me the powers isn't mine.

The words of the figure echoed in his mind.

"You are borrowing power that does not belong to you."

His chest tightened.

If his power wasn't his, then what was he?

---

(A Choice Must Be Made)

The fire crackled between them, throwing shadows across their faces.

Angel exhaled. "We can't stay here forever. You need time to recover, but we can't risk being hunted."

Nagel nodded. "Yeah, we're already sitting ducks out here. If that masked freak—or something worse—shows up, we're really screwed."

Nero clenched his fists.

They were right.

If they stayed, they'd be vulnerable. But if they moved…

Would he even be able to fight?

His body was broken.

His fire was unpredictable.

His mind was haunted by the unknown.

But there was only one path forward.

He pushed himself up, ignoring the pain.

Angel immediately grabbed his arm. "Nero, please stop—"

"I'm fine," he lied.

Nagel smirked. "Yeah, sure. You look fantastic, by the way."

Angel glared at him. "Nero, this isn't just about being strong. If you push too hard and lose control again—"You may die from the pain.

Nero cut her off. "I won't."

Angel hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. But if we move, we move carefully."

Nero nodded. "Agreed."

Despite the pain, despite the uncertainty, one thing was clear—

They couldn't stop now.

Whatever was waiting for them beyond this road…

They had to be ready.

---

End of Chapter 12

.Nero's body is barely holding together, but he refuses to stop moving.

.A terrifying vision—his power might not belong to him.

.Angel and Nagel argue over how to help him.

.A choice is made—they must move forward, no matter the risk,no.matter how dangerous it maybe.

Next up: Chapter 13: The Road to Answers—Nero, Angel, and Nagel push forward, but something is already hunting them.