Chapter 10: The Burning Path

Kael sat cross-legged on the cool earth, his eyes shut tightly as he focused on the flow of Ascen around him. The world beyond his closed eyelids faded, leaving only the rhythmic sound of his own breathing. He steadied his mind, pushing aside stray thoughts, and concentrated on drawing the energy inward.

He imagined reaching out, gathering the unseen force, letting it swirl within him. It was there—elusive, shifting like smoke between his fingers. His fingers twitched slightly as he strained to pull it closer, to feel it take shape within him.

Minutes stretched into an hour. His body remained still, but his mind was relentless, searching, pulling, reaching. A flicker of warmth tingled in his fingertips, but just as quickly as it came, it dissipated. He clenched his jaw in frustration but refused to stop.

"Thalor," Kael finally spoke, voice steady despite the strain. "What is my affinity?"

A deep chuckle broke the silence. Thalor's laughter rumbled like a small tremor. "Hahahahaha! You think you can grasp it so easily?" he said, shaking his head in amusement. "Affinity is not something you snatch from the air like a falling leaf, boy. It takes time, discipline, patience. You will have to train just to uncover it."

Kael exhaled sharply, but he nodded. He had expected as much. Yet, within Thalor's mind, thoughts churned differently. This boy… he's already achieved far more than any first attempt should allow. Thalor had felt it—the flicker of Ascen that had responded to Kael. And not just any Ascen, but the burning intensity of fire itself, trying to take shape within him. But he would not tell Kael that, not yet. Praise only dulled ambition.

Kael continued his attempts, his breathing slow and controlled as he drew deeper into the unseen energy. Hours passed, and with every failure, he adjusted, refined, adapted. By late afternoon, sweat beaded on his forehead, but he refused to relent. Thalor, who had been watching in quiet disbelief, struggled to keep his expression neutral. He's getting closer. Too close. At this rate… he might actually reach it today.

The thought was absurd. No one reached their affinity in a single day. It was unheard of. And yet, as Kael sat there, his form rigid with focus, the warmth gathering at his fingertips grew more defined, more concentrated. A fraction more, just a little longer, and he would break through.

But as the sky turned to gold and the day neared its end, Kael finally opened his eyes, exhaling in exhaustion. He had not yet succeeded, but he had felt something—he knew he was close. Thalor gave a simple nod, hiding his astonishment. "That's enough for today. You've done well. Keep practicing, and soon enough, the answer will reveal itself."

Kael rose to his feet, brushing off the dirt from his pants. He bowed slightly to Thalor. "Thank you." Without another word, he turned and walked away, heading towards the forest where his next task awaited.

As he made his way through the trees, his thoughts refused to settle. It has to be fire. I felt it—heat pooling around my hands, gathering like embers in the wind. If I sensed it, then surely Thalor did too. But the old man had said nothing. He wants me to discover it on my own. He won't just hand me the answer.

Kael clenched his fists. He wasn't sure if he could develop Gaianis fast enough before his spar with his father, but there was no point in dwelling on that now. He had other things to train, and his swordsmanship could not be neglected.

The forest around him hummed with life as he walked, the fading sunlight casting long shadows between the trees. His focus shifted back to his immediate task—preparing for the spar. He needed to sharpen his movements, refine his strikes, and reinforce the techniques he had drilled for days. His father would expect nothing less than his absolute best.

Then, just as he was deep in thought, a rustling sound echoed through the trees.

Kael froze.

His body tensed, instincts sharpening. The sound hadn't been the wind—it was deliberate, something moving close by.

His hand slowly drifted to the hilt of his practice sword.

And then—

End of Chapter 10