🔥 Chapter 5 — Emberstorm Rising
The ridge shuddered under the Harrowed Knight's towering presence. Kael's heart pounded—not from fear, but from the surge of Ember coursing through him. Each pulse felt alive, whispering power and warning in equal measure.
The Knight swung its massive blade in a wide arc, shadows trailing behind like smoke. Kael barely dodged, rolling over jagged rocks. Sparks erupted where Ember met shadow, sending fragments of stone flying. Rhyne leapt to intercept, silver sigils flaring, forcing the Knight's strike aside.
"Kael!" Rhyne shouted. "You need more than instinct! Let the Ember flow, not just strike!"
Kael gritted his teeth. He clenched his fists, feeling the fire respond—not just to his will, but to his determination, his heartbeat, his very soul. The Ember roared along his arm, flames spiraling outward, coiling like a living storm.
He leapt forward, his blade a streak of azure light. Every strike tore through the Knight's shadow armor, pushing it backward step by step. Yet the Knight advanced too, relentless, moving with unnatural speed and strength. Each clash sent shockwaves through the ridge, shattering stone and throwing dust into the air.
Kael's Ember blazed hotter. The energy inside him seemed to pulse in sync with the Knight's strikes. He realized—this wasn't just a fight. It was a test, a challenge of harmony. Control the Ember, and he could match the Knight's might. Let it rage uncontrolled, and he would be consumed.
The Knight raised its blade, preparing a strike meant to crush Kael in a single blow. Time slowed. Kael centered himself, letting the Ember expand around him like a protective storm. He thrust both hands forward, unleashing a torrent of concentrated fire.
The Knight's strike collided with the Emberstorm in a burst of light and heat. Shadows screamed as the energy tore through the armor, sending the Knight skidding back, struggling to maintain footing.
Kael landed, panting but steady. Rhyne's voice reached him through the roar of wind and flame: "You've done it… for now. But this is far from over. The King's army will come, stronger and faster."
Kael looked toward the distant valley, eyes glowing with Emberfire. "Then we'll be ready."
Above, the sky cracked wider, pulsing ominously like the heartbeat of a world on the edge of war.