The silence of the Flamekeep was broken only by the sound of fists slamming into stone.
Kael stood shirtless in the training arena, steam rising from his body as sweat rolled down his back. Cracks veined the tiles beneath his feet. Every punch echoed like thunder. He didn't count the hours. He didn't care. The Radiant Varnok's face haunted him—its voice, its smirk, its indifference as Riven was swallowed by the abyss.
I wasn't strong enough.
He threw another punch, laced with raw Flame Essence. The impact scorched the air, blasting molten heat in a radius.
I let someone die.
Another blow. Lightning surged through his veins, crackling over his skin. It sparked wildly, uncontrolled.
I was faster. I was stronger. But not enough.
He clenched his jaw and let the storm build within. A spiral of stormwinds whipped around him. He flung a fist forward and missed the training dummy entirely. The pressure tore the head clean off anyway.
Kael dropped to one knee, gasping.
"Damn it…"
His body had limits. His mind didn't.
⸻
Hours passed. Then days.
He trained through pain, exhaustion, and doubt. He ate little. Slept less. His only company was the echo of memory—Riven's roar as he charged into the darkness.
⸻
At sunrise, Kael stood before the high cliff east of Elandor, where lightning frequently struck the plateau. He extended a hand toward the empty sky.
Flame.
Lightning.
Storm.
Each roared to life inside him—but he silenced them.
No fusions.
Today wasn't about combining elements. Today was about precision. Mastery. Isolation. He would bend each affinity to his command, starting with Flame.
⸻
New Technique Development:
🔥 Scorchbreak Drive
Type: Close-range Burst / Flame Execution
Kael compressed Flame Essence into his palm, then drove it forward like a piston. On contact, the essence detonated in a focused eruption, rupturing Essence shields and scorching internal channels. The blast left the ground charred and cratered, ideal for overwhelming defensive opponents with a single strike.
⸻
As he honed this technique, a thought struck him—a realization that had been simmering beneath the surface.
I've been so focused on Flame, Lightning, and Storm… but what about Kinetic?
He had always considered his Kinetic affinity secondary, a mere supplement to his primary elements. But now, he saw its potential.
I can manipulate motion itself. Redirect force. Amplify impact. Control inertia.
He began experimenting, channeling Kinetic Essence into his movements. He practiced absorbing the momentum of incoming attacks, redirecting them with minimal effort. He trained to enhance his own strikes, increasing their speed and power by manipulating kinetic energy.
The integration of Kinetic affinity opened new avenues in his combat style, allowing for more fluid and dynamic movements.
⸻
Internal Monologue (Night):
"You weren't supposed to die, Riven."
"We had a plan. We were getting out together. That thing…"
"If I'd been stronger—faster—it wouldn't have taken all of us just to survive."
He sat by the edge of the training platform, watching the stars burn quietly overhead.
"But I'll get stronger. So strong that the next time something like that shows up—"
"I won't need saving. I'll be the one who ends it."