The moon hung low, casting silver light over the Academy's central courtyard. A hush blanketed the grounds—the kind that only came before something forbidden.
Yohan stood alone in the center of the marble circle, his staff glowing faintly blue. Across from him stood Liora—her golden eyes fierce, the wind around her trembling with anticipation.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked quietly.
"After what happened in the ruins, I need answers," Yohan replied. "And the only way to know if it's inside me… is to fight."
They circled each other, slow and cautious. The air between them crackled—not just with tension, but with power.
Liora struck first. A gust of sharp wind sliced toward Yohan, but he countered with a wall of shimmering water. The spells collided, spraying droplets like shattered stars.
He dashed forward, chanting under his breath, and the ground beneath her feet froze solid. But Liora's wind shattered it in an instant, sending ice shards flying.
"You're holding back!" she shouted.
"So are you!"
Their magic clashed again, brighter and louder—a storm of elements dancing under the moon. Then, suddenly, Yohan's staff flared with dark light. The courtyard trembled. His eyes turned gold.
The world seemed to stop.
Liora's expression changed from defiance to fear.
"That energy… it's not elemental," she whispered.
Before Yohan could answer, the power surged uncontrollably. A circle of ancient symbols appeared beneath him, glowing like fire.
He fell to his knees, clutching his chest. Something inside him—something ancient—was waking.
Liora ran toward him, shouting his name, but before she could reach him… a voice echoed through the courtyard.
"Found you."
A shadowy figure stood at the edge of the light—cloaked, faceless, radiating a cold, crushing presence.
Liora froze. Yohan looked up, gasping for breath.
The figure stepped closer, its voice calm yet heavy with authority.
"You've awakened the seal, bearer of the First Flame."
Then everything went dark.