It was hot.
That was all that Kael could think of as the wave of heat laced through his entire body.
It wasn't just warmth, it was presence, like the air itself had teeth. Heat punched through him in one violent sweep, crawling under fabric, under skin, into his ribs and throat. It didn't behave like normal fire; it felt intentional, like the Ifrit's territory had noticed something alive crossing its border and decided to remind it what the word owned meant.
It also only lasted a brief second, but to him, it felt like forever.
Time stretched in that single instant the way it did when you almost got hit by a car, when the world slowed just enough to let you understand exactly how you could die. His nerves lit up with warning, all at once, like a thousand needles. Even his teeth felt hot.
His body protested against the flames, but he couldn't win that argument with sheer will.
