The days that followed felt like a blur—each step heavier, each moment more suffocating than the last. Tian Rui moved through the forest with his companions, but it wasn't just the weight of their journey that pressed on him. It was the fire, always there, swirling just beneath the surface, waiting for him to slip.
It whispered to him in the quiet of the night, when the campfire dimmed and the world seemed to hold its breath.
"Control me," it said. "You know you can. Take me."
Tian Rui shuddered at the thought. He had felt the power surge inside him, like an untamed beast. And though he had fought against it, the flame was only growing stronger.
The others noticed the change in him. Lyen had grown quieter, her concern now apparent in the way she watched him. Veylan, too, kept his distance, his sharp gaze ever-watchful.
Tian Rui hated that look. He hated that they saw the monster he was becoming. But even more, he hated the fact that they might be right.
---
It was Lyen who spoke first, as they made camp in the shadows of a crumbling temple.
"You're not yourself anymore, Rui," she said, her voice a mixture of sadness and concern.
He didn't meet her eyes. He couldn't.
"I'm fine," he said, his tone sharper than he intended. "I told you. I will control it."
"You're not fine," Lyen said, stepping closer. "Look at what happened to that creature. You're losing yourself. The flame... it's changing you."
Tian Rui's eyes flashed, a flicker of golden fire dancing in them. "I know what I'm doing."
But Lyen shook her head. "No, you don't. This power... it's not something you can just use whenever you want. It will consume you."
The words struck deeper than he cared to admit, but he couldn't show weakness. Not now.
"I'm doing what I need to do to survive," he said, his voice hardening. "If you can't understand that, then maybe you shouldn't be here."
Lyen flinched, as if his words had cut deeper than the flame itself. She backed away, her eyes downcast.
Tian Rui didn't want to hurt her. But in that moment, he wasn't sure if he could stop himself from doing anything to protect his power.
---
The next morning, the tension between them was palpable. They moved in silence, the air thick with unspoken words. But soon, the silence was broken by a distant rumble—low and growling, like thunder rolling across the horizon.
"What's that?" Veylan asked, his eyes scanning the distance.
Tian Rui felt it too. His senses flared, the fire inside him stirring.
"Something's coming," he said, his voice low.
They didn't have to wait long. From the trees emerged a new threat—a group of shadow-walkers, creatures born from dark magic, their forms ever-shifting between human and monster. Their leader, a tall figure cloaked in night, stepped forward with a wicked grin.
"Ah, the Forsaken One," the leader said, his voice smooth like oil. "We've been expecting you."
Tian Rui's heart skipped a beat. These were no ordinary enemies—they were after him. After his flame.
The leader raised a hand, and the shadow-walkers charged.
Without thinking, Tian Rui reached for the flame. The power surged up his spine, rushing to his hands. This time, he didn't hesitate.
He released it.
A wave of black and red fire cascaded from his palm, spreading like an unstoppable flood. The shadow-walkers screamed as they were consumed, their forms disintegrating into ash in seconds.
But it wasn't enough. More of them appeared, shadows crawling from the depths of the forest.
Tian Rui felt the fire within him burn brighter. His vision blurred with heat. He was losing control.
"Rui, no!" Lyen shouted, her voice filled with panic.
He ignored her. He couldn't stop now.
The fire roared, a beast unleashed. And then, as if to punish him for his defiance, it flared—the flame twisted and grew, threatening to consume everything around him.
---
Everything seemed to slow.
Tian Rui could feel the pull of the flame, tugging at his very soul. It was no longer just a tool. It was a part of him, a hunger that would never be satisfied. He was at its mercy now, not the other way around.
A sudden weight pressed against his chest, pulling him back from the edge of madness. A hand—Lyen's hand—gripped his arm tightly, pulling him away from the flames.
"Rui, stop!" she cried, her voice breaking through the haze. "You're killing us all!"
For the first time in what felt like forever, Tian Rui heard her. He stopped. The flames flickered and faded, retreating back into his chest.
He collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. Sweat streamed down his face, and his hands trembled.
"I… I can't…" he whispered, his voice cracking.
Lyen knelt beside him, her eyes filled with both fear and relief. "You have to let it go, Rui. Let it go before it takes everything from you."
But Tian Rui wasn't sure if he could. The fire had been his strength, his answer to every problem, every challenge. It had made him powerful. It had made him fearless.
And now?
Now it was everything he feared.
---
As the shadow-walkers regrouped, the leader approached with a slow, calculating smile.
"You don't understand," he said. "The flame inside you is not just a weapon. It's a curse. And you—you are its next victim."