By the time they reached the base of the shattered stone path leading to the Ruins of Deltheris, the sky had begun to darken. Crimson clouds swirled above like coals beneath ash, and the wind carried a strange, charged stillness—an omen of the dangers that came with nightfall in such places.
Kaelen raised a hand, signaling a halt. "We rest here," he said. "The deeper we go, the more unstable the essence becomes. At night, this place calls to things that shouldn't hear."
Surya nodded, following him to a wide stone ledge beneath a partially collapsed arch. The remnants of ancient carvings still clung to its surface—worn symbols of fire, water, and wind locked in a spiral dance. They sat in silence for a while, the weight of the ruins pressing down on them, heavy with forgotten memory.
Kaelen folded his legs and closed his eyes, entering a meditative posture so naturally it seemed like an extension of his breath. Surya tried to mimic him, awkward at first, but soon slipping into the rhythm.
The wind fell still. The world quieted.
Then something stirred.
At first, it was just a pulse—soft, distant, like the echo of a drumbeat in a deep cave. But it grew, thudding through Surya's chest. His breath caught as warmth bloomed in his core.
Then heat.
Then fire.
His eyes snapped open as an invisible flame surged through him, writhing under his skin. He clenched his teeth, fists digging into the stone beneath him.
Kaelen's eyes opened sharply. He turned to Surya, and his brow furrowed.
The boy's body trembled, faint sparks flickering along his skin.
Not again.
He stood and placed a steadying hand on Surya's shoulder, but the air around the boy was already distorting with essence.
A surge—wild and raw.
Kaelen muttered under his breath, "Twice now… and stronger than before."
Surya gasped, and with it, the heat rushed back into his center. The fire dimmed—but it did not vanish. Instead, it settled, like a beast curling up in his chest.
He stared at Kaelen, wide-eyed. "What's happening to me?"
Kaelen exhaled slowly and sat beside him. "You're drawing in essence without guidance. The fire within you is awakening faster than it should."
Surya frowned, chest still glowing faintly. "You said something before… about stages."
Kaelen hesitated, then nodded. "Seven major realms in elemental cultivation. Most never reach beyond the second."
He raised a hand and ticked off fingers.
"Mortal Foundation—the first spark. Essence Gathering—where one begins to absorb elemental energy from the world. Core Awakening—when the energy condenses into a true elemental core within your body."
Surya looked down at his chest. The Flame Shard beneath his robe pulsed faintly in answer.
"And you?" he asked. "What realm are you in?"
Kaelen smirked. "You've seen me conjure flame from nothing, shatter stone with thought, and sense disturbances miles away. What do you think?"
Surya narrowed his eyes. "Soul Manifestation? Or… the one after that?"
Kaelen didn't answer. He simply closed his eyes, and the air around him subtly shifted. The fire in the torches bowed toward him. The very wind refused to stir where he sat.
Surya's mouth went dry.
"Let's just say," Kaelen said, eyes still closed, "you'll understand when you get there."
A silence passed between them, broken only by the flickering of fireflies and the distant growl of thunder.
Finally, Kaelen stood. "It's time. The basin in the central hall may hold the memories we need."
Surya followed, the warmth in his chest still present—quieter now, but alive.
They crossed into the heart of the ruins. The broken doors of the main hall loomed tall, vines crawling over cracked stone. Inside, faded murals wrapped the walls: elemental spirits in dance and battle, woven together in brilliant arcs of color long faded.
At the center stood the Echo Basin—its surface glowing with pale orange light. Suspended above it, a floating ring of etched stone turned slowly in the air.
Kaelen gestured. "Touch nothing yet. This place remembers. Focus your essence. Let the Flame within you reach toward the basin."
Surya stepped forward. His hand hovered just above the liquid. The Flame Shard pulsed.
The basin answered.
Heat surged, and the world tilted.
Suddenly he was no longer in ruins, but in a hall of splendor.
The same room—whole.
Golden domes shimmered overhead, and sages in elemental robes chanted in circles around the basin. One figure stepped forward—a man with silver eyes and a glowing sigil across his brow.
He placed a crystal into the basin.
The ground shook. Screams rang out.
A tear opened in the sky.
And something came through.
Something ancient.
A shape of darkness and stars, hunger and gravity. It screamed without sound.
The vision shattered.
Surya stumbled back, gasping. Kaelen caught him before he fell.
"What did you see?"
Surya's voice was strained. "They tried to seal something… but it broke through."
Kaelen's expression darkened. "The breach was real. That means the seal might be failing."
A cold wind rushed through the chamber.
Surya turned.
From the shadows stepped a figure—tall, robed in black, a porcelain mask hiding half his face. His exposed eye shimmered with an unnatural blue light.
"Kaelen Ardin," the man said smoothly. "Still sniffing ruins?"
Kaelen's face hardened. "Veyran."
Surya's breath caught.
The rogue Elementalist. The traitor.
Veyran's eye drifted to Surya. "So this is the prodigy. The vessel that hums with stolen fire."
Surya's Flame flickered to life instinctively.
Kaelen stepped forward. "What do you want?"
"The same thing as always," Veyran said, raising a hand. "Truth. And maybe a little chaos."
He snapped his fingers.
The basin erupted. From it rose a creature of smoke and light—taller than a man, shaped like a Wraith but glowing with five shifting colors.
"A Harmonized Wraith," Kaelen said, grim. "It shouldn't exist."
Veyran turned, grinning. "Consider this your test."
And then he vanished into shadow.
The Wraith lunged.
Kaelen and Surya moved together. Flames burst from Kaelen's arms, shaping into spears. Surya raised a burning shield, redirecting a beam of chaotic energy.
The Wraith roared.
Surya rushed forward, his flames now alive—no longer a force he summoned, but a part of him.
His fists struck the Wraith's core, and Kaelen followed with a devastating arc of fire.
The Wraith screamed—and burst into ash.
Silence fell.
Kaelen turned to Surya, breathing hard. "You advanced."
Surya nodded slowly. "It felt… different. Like the fire obeyed not just commands, but intent."
"You're nearing Core Awakening."
Surya looked to where Veyran had vanished. "Who was that man?"
Kaelen's gaze lingered on the shadows. "An echo of the past. And maybe… a glimpse of the future."
Surya looked up at the swirling storm above Deltheris.
Whatever path he walked—it had already drawn the attention of powers he barely understood.
And there would be no turning back.