Chapter 22:Awakening Flames

Since the dragon's summoning, Ares hadn't had a single day of rest. Blue—as he had decided to name him—was not just his familiar, but his new master.

In a secluded clearing on the training grounds, far from curious eyes, Ares was sweating, panting, and forcing himself back to his feet. In front of him, Blue watched with wise and demanding eyes, occasionally releasing small bursts of his own blue fire for Ares to try to replicate.

"Focus," the dragon growled, his deep voice resonating directly in Ares's mind. "Your fire is not like ordinary flames. It is will, emotion, and essence. Don't force it. Listen to it."

Ares closed his eyes. He could feel the heat coursing through his chest. In the past, that only meant danger. Instability. Fear. But now… Blue was guiding him, steadying the surge with his own magical presence.

"Haaah!"

With a shout, Ares extended his arm. From his palm, blue flames burst forth—smaller than Blue's, but for the first time, clear and focused. They burned with a power that felt heavier than normal fire, denser, as if every inch carried a suppressed emotion.

"I… I did it…!"

Blue lowered his head, nodding respectfully.

"This is only the beginning. You still can't sustain it for more than a few seconds, but you're no longer a slave to your fire."

Ares dropped to his knees, smiling.

In the following days, while Liana practiced new nature spells with her guardian turtle and Dana refined her electric attacks alongside her phoenix, Ares continued to battle against himself… and with each day, the blue flames responded a little more.

Agust watched them from a distance, silently. Though he never said it aloud, he was starting to see Ares as a true rival… something he never would've admitted before.

Ares looked at his hands, now wrapped in a faint blue spark, and thought:

"Maybe… maybe I really can control it. Maybe this fire is a part of me… and not my enemy."