Drake's piercing gaze locked onto mine. His eyes drifted to the edges of my body, where two distinct auras flickered to life.
A fiery red glow pulsed with raw energy. A sleek grey shimmer danced around it, cutting through the air like blades of wind.
"You're doing great, Aries," he said, his voice low, grounded, and encouraging. "You're on the cusp of something incredible. Keep going."
I opened my eyes and slowly stood up from the stone where I'd been meditating. Drake's hand landed firmly on my shoulder—steady, grounding.
"I can sense it. Two elements… back-to-back." His voice was alive with anticipation. "What are they, Aries?"
"I saw grey… and red flames," I said, still catching my breath. "They were inside me."
His reaction was immediate. His eyes widened. "Red? Are you saying—you have the fire element?"
"I think so," I nodded.
Drake exhaled, stunned. Then smiled, proud.
"Well done, Aries. You possess something rare. Among the four basics, fire is the rarest of them all—even rarer than water."
He paused, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.
"You, Aries… are an Arcynate. A dual-element wielder. Fire and wind, just like me."
I blinked. That word—Arcynate. It carried weight.
Drake clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough marveling. Let's get to work. Time to see what your fire can really do."
——
He guided me a few paces back into the training circle.
"So. First goal—ignite fire on your wrist. You'll have to bring your mana flow in sync with the element. Imagine your mana as kindling. The moment it syncs with the fire inside you—it'll light."
I nodded, focusing.
I visualized a tiny flame flickering to life on my wrist. I could feel my mana adjusting, flowing faster. It was subtle at first. A warmth. Then—heat. A spark.
A flicker of flame snapped into life on my skin.
"I did it!" I laughed, turning to him. "Gramps, look!"
Drake's expression lit up. "Nice! That's it."
The flame danced on my wrist like it had always been there.
From there, the lessons came fast and hard. He showed me how to summon fire without a gesture—just by will.
Then came shaping.
Flames into spheres. Into ribbons. Into claws.
I focused on precision—how to hold the fire steady, even as it roared. I shaped it into a curved blade, then split it into two.
It wasn't easy.
The heat stung my skin, and my mana drained quickly. Still, every time I fell, Drake pushed me to stand again.
"You'll burn out," I muttered, collapsing.
"Then burn brighter before you do," he replied with a grin.
——
Days passed. My fire became stronger. My wind sharper. My control—tighter.
One morning, Drake motioned me over, holding up two fingers.
"It's time," he said. "You've mastered the basics. Now let's level up."
He crouched by the fire pit and drew in the dirt with a stick.
"Two techniques. First—Inferno Blast. You charge flames into a ball of concentrated fire. Throw it. On impact? Boom."
I raised an eyebrow. "Boom?"
"Big boom."
He smirked and continued.
"Second—Flame Emperor. Think of it like a massive fire wave. You can sweep the field, or strike from all directions. It's raw destruction—but with control."
I grinned. "Sounds perfect."
We got to work.
The Inferno Blast was hard. Holding that much fire in one space? Felt like trying to trap a volcano in a bubble.
I tried again and again.
Sometimes it fizzled.
Other times—it exploded too soon.
Still, I kept at it. And Flame Emperor? That was worse. I couldn't stretch the flames far enough. Couldn't maintain the form. My mana control cracked like glass under pressure.
Eventually, exhaustion hit me like a hammer.
I dropped to the ground, gasping. "Huff… huff…"
"Giving up?" Drake asked.
"No…" I groaned. "Just… Nahh I think I give up."
He laughed.
But I couldn't hide the frustration anymore.
"I've been trying for days. And I still can't get them right."
Drake crouched beside me. His voice softened.
"You're not failing, Aries. You're growing."
He stood and offered a hand. "Take a break. We'll continue tomorrow."
I took his hand, brushing dust from my clothes.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, I summoned a small flame and lit the campfire.
Drake watched it flicker. "You're a natural," he said.
I shook my head. "Nah. Not really."
We set for the night quietly, laying on the ground. the fire crackling between us.
After a moment, I turned to him.
"Gramps… why me?"
He looked puzzled.
"Why did you choose to teach me? Spend all this time guiding me?"
He didn't answer at first. His gaze was distant.
Then, quietly—
"I'm just creating strong people for the next generation. To pass down what I know."
"But there's something else," I said.
He nodded slightly. "Yeah. I see something in you. A spark. And… you remind-....
Never mind."
His eyes clouded. Pain flickered there.
"No wonder you look and talk like him…" he thought. "But I won't let you end up like he did."
He turned away.
A flash of memory crossed his mind—a lifeless child, cradled in his arms. Gone too soon.
I didn't ask more. Something told me not to.
——
Later that night, lying under the stars, I tried meditating.
I closed my eyes and reached within.
Fire. Wind.
But then—something else.
A flicker.
It wasn't red. Or grey.
It was purplish.
It pulsed like a second heartbeat. Cold. Faint. Wrong.
"What… was that?" I whispered.
It wasn't part of me.
But it was inside me.
A chill ran down my spine.
But my mind was restless.
That strange aura—it didn't feel like wind.
Or fire.
It felt… deeper.
Like something waiting to wake up.
Something I wasn't ready for.
Before I could dwell on it, Drake's voice cut through the quiet.
"Get some rest, Aries. We start early. Tomorrow—I teach you how to hunt with fire."
I nodded. "Yes, sir."