Chapter 66: Flames That Never Fade

Third person's POV

Selene braced herself as Tyra came at her again, the warrior's speed defying her heavy weapon's weight. Each strike pushed Selene further, testing her reflexes and endurance. But this time, she was ready.

Rather than meeting the brute force head-on, Selene shifted her energy, molding her rapier into twin daggers.

She twisted her body to the side, slipping past Tyra's next swing and slashing upward. Tyra blocked with a flick of her wrist, but the force of Selene's attack sent her skidding back a step.

A pause. Tyra's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Good. You're finally pushing back."

Selene didn't waste words. She surged forward, keeping her movements unpredictable. Tyra was stronger, but Selene was faster.

The two exchanged blows in a deadly rhythm, each testing the other's limits. Selene ducked, feinted, and countered, adjusting her strategy with every moment.

Tyra swung again, but this time, Selene didn't retreat. She caught the broadsword's edge between her thin sword, using her momentum to spin around Tyra's guard.

She lashed out, aiming for an opening—

Only for Tyra to drop low at the last second, sweeping Selene's legs out from under her.

The impact jolted through Selene as she hit the ground, breath knocked from her lungs.

Before she could react, Tyra's blade was at her throat.

"Yield."

Selene clenched her jaw, eyes burning with frustration. But she exhaled sharply, nodding.

"Fine. I yield."

Tyra smirked and stepped back, offering a hand. "Not bad, but you're still hesitating at the last moment. Trust your instincts more."

Selene took her hand, pulling herself up. "I'll keep that in mind."

Khael, who had been watching with an eager gleam in his eyes, stood up, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, my turn."

Axel sighed. "Khael, we're supposed to be training, not fighting for fun."

Khael grinned, already summoning flames to his palm. "Who says I can't do both?" He stepped onto the training grounds, facing Tyra.

"Come on, one round."

Tyra chuckled, hefting her sword. "You sure? I don't go easy on cocky fire mages."

"That's the point." Khael's stance shifted, ready to strike.

Then, as he moved to take a step forward, his legs wobbled. His body tensed, and before anyone could react, he crumpled to the ground.

"Khael!" Selene rushed forward, but Axel was already there, catching him before he hit the dirt.

Khael's breathing was ragged, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool morning air. His usually sharp eyes were unfocused, his face pale.

Axel's expression darkened as he pressed a hand to Khael's shoulder. "Something's wrong."

Tyra knelt beside them, her confident demeanor shifting to concern. "He was fine a moment ago. What happened?"

Selene's heart pounded as she watched Khael struggle to stay conscious. A cold feeling settled in her gut. This wasn't normal.

Khael's POV

Darkness swallowed me whole.

For a moment, I felt nothing—just the weightless pull of oblivion, a deep void where sound and thought ceased to exist. But then, like a spark catching fire, memories flooded through me.

No, not just memories.

A past life.

I stood atop a mountain, the wind roaring around me, hot with embers and the scent of ash.

The sky was red, a city below consumed by fire. But it was not destruction—it was my fire, bending, shaping, shielding those below from a raging inferno sent by an enemy I could no longer remember.

I wasn't a child here. My hands were large, calloused, strong. My body towered over the battlefield, the weight of experience settling in my core.

I felt the power thrumming beneath my skin, unrestrained, controlled not just by instinct, but by discipline.

This body—my past self—had trained beyond exhaustion, had endured pain beyond measure, had become the master of not just fire, but of body and soul.

The heat of the battle surged through my veins as I raised a single hand. Flames erupted, spiraling like a great dragon through the air.

It crashed down like a tidal wave, devouring the enemy's attack, suffocating the flames before they could reach the innocent. Cries of awe and relief echoed behind me, warriors I had led, people I had sworn to protect.

I turned, glimpsing my own reflection in a broken blade. Red eyes stared back at me—no, not just red. Something deeper, something ancient.

And then, in the flicker of the flames, they flashed blue, a color so rare, so untamed that even I, in this past life, knew its weight.

The ultimate control, the pinnacle of my power.

And yet… something tugged at my heart.

A voice. A whisper of something forgotten.

My vision blurred, shifting, throwing me back through the haze of time.

Training. Years of it. Every strike I delivered, every fall, every wound, every victory carved into my muscles, my bones, my very essence.

This was why I was strong. Not because of talent, not because of magic alone—but because I had built myself up, had honed my body alongside my flames, had refined my spirit into something unbreakable.

I saw the faces of those I trained. Warriors, mages, children who looked up to me. Their voices overlapped, calling my name.

I turned toward them, toward the figures standing before me. A great hall stretched endlessly around us, its marble pillars and golden banners gleaming in the firelight.

The air was thick with power, an ancient force woven into the very walls of this sacred place. And standing at its heart, shrouded in brilliance, were the Guardians of Eldoria.

Their faces were blurred, as if my mind refused to recall them fully, but their presence was undeniable.

These were the protectors, the ones chosen to stand between ruin and salvation. My comrades, my kin in duty. And among them, at the throne's steps, was a figure cloaked in regal majesty.

The Queen of Eldoria. Though her features escaped me, I felt the weight of her gaze, the wisdom and judgment that came with it.

The air crackled as she spoke, her voice ringing clear despite the haze of memory.

"You have proven yourself beyond question. Not only in battle, but in spirit. Fire bends to your will, but you do not wield it recklessly. Strength flows through you, yet you do not abuse it. Khael…"

"…You shall take your place among the Guardians of Eldoria."

A rush of energy surged through me as I knelt, bowing my head. The moment was solemn, powerful. A binding oath, a fate intertwined with the kingdom's. A vow that even time could not erase.

The other Guardians—figures of shadowed memories—stood in silent acknowledgment as the Queen stepped forward, placing something in my hands.

A sigil, warm to the touch, glowing with an ancient light. As I clutched it, a current of power surged through my veins, an undeniable force recognizing me as one of its own.

Then, another shift. The hall faded, giving way to firelight and stone walls. I was kneeling once more, but this time before an elder clad in robes as dark as the night sky, streaked with symbols too old to comprehend. His voice, deep and steady, carried words of an ancient rite.

"You seek knowledge beyond mortal grasp," he intoned.

"The flames of the past whisper to those who listen. Do you wish to carve this truth into your soul?"

I did not hesitate. "Yes."

He nodded, raising his hand. Symbols of fire and eternity flared to life in the air, dancing in mesmerizing patterns. I felt them reach into me, not just my body, but my very essence.

They seared into my skin, into my bones, into something deeper than mere memory.

Ancient magic—long forgotten, hidden even from those who now wield fire—poured into my being. It was not just power. It was a legacy, a truth that could not be erased.

A sharp gasp tore from my lips as I jolted awake, my body trembling from the force of my own memories.

My breath came in ragged pants, my chest heaving as if I had run for miles. The heat still pulsed beneath my skin, the phantom sensation of fire curling around my fingers refusing to fade.

But the weight of my past self—the strength, the certainty—was gone.

I was no longer the towering warrior standing before a Queen, no longer the master of my element sworn into an unbreakable oath. Instead, I was a boy again.

A child, barely past the years of adolescence, with small hands that lacked the callouses of countless battles. My hair, though tinged with the same shades of fire, was unkempt and messy from sleep.

And my body, though brimming with untapped power, was weak in comparison to the titan I had once been.

Even so, something was different.

The knowledge—the legacy—had not vanished. It remained within me, carved into my soul, woven into the very core of my being.

And for the first time since I had been reborn, I understood.

The training, the discipline, the control—I had lost all of it when I was reborn into this form, but now, the path ahead was clear. I was no longer wandering blindly, desperately clutching at fragments of a past I could not grasp. I had seen it, lived it.

And now, I could rebuild.

Pushing myself up from the ground, I stretched, rolling my shoulders and exhaling the last remnants of the vision. My body still felt sluggish, still weak, but the fire within me burned steady.

When I looked up, I realized the others were watching me.

Selene's brows were furrowed in concern, her almost-white eyes scanning me carefully, as if trying to decipher what had just happened.

Axel was standing nearby, arms crossed, his expression unreadable but tense. Tyra, ever the warrior, had her hands on her hips, watching me with an expectant gaze.

"…You're all staring," I muttered, rubbing the back of my head with a sheepish grin.

"Not used to waking up with an audience."

Axel sighed. "You collapsed mid-step."

"Did I?" I blinked, then chuckled, shaking my head.

"Well, that's embarrassing. Maybe I was just too excited about training."

Selene's frown deepened. "You weren't just unconscious. Something happened."

I hesitated for only a moment before shrugging. "Nothing too serious. Just… memories."

Axel's eyes narrowed. "Memories?"

I met his gaze, and for a split second, I considered telling them everything. But no—this wasn't the time. I had just woken up, my mind still adjusting, my body still weak. And more than that,

I needed to prove it—to prove that the knowledge I had regained wasn't just another fleeting dream.

So instead, I grinned. "Yeah. Memories of how awesome I was. Turns out, I'm even cooler than I thought."

Tyra snorted. "That's a dangerous level of confidence for a kid who just hit the ground."

"Exactly!" I hopped to my feet, shaking off the last of my daze.

"Which means I need to train even harder. No more wasted time. I've got things to relearn, skills to master. We've got a world to save, after all."

Selene exchanged a look with Axel, but she didn't argue. Instead, she nodded slowly, as if filing away her questions for later.

"Alright then." Tyra smirked, hefting her blade.

"If you're so eager, let's see if your body can keep up with that attitude."

I cracked my knuckles, a flicker of warmth dancing at my fingertips. My strength might not have returned fully, but I could still fight.

Still learn. Still protect.

The path forward had never been clearer.

"Bring it on."

To be continued.