At dawn, Ember City stirred awake. But within the hidden chambers of the council, whispers turned into decisions. “The hunter we sent never returned,” one hooded figure spat. “Either the boy killed him…” another voice hissed, “…or someone interfered.”The leader’s voice was calm, terrifying in its restraint. “Then it’s time we play our hidden card. The Masked Betrayer.”The chamber dimmed as shadows rippled. A new figure emerged a warrior clad in black steel, his face hidden behind a jagged mask. His very presence exuded betrayal, like he had once been trusted and had shattered it.“Your task,” the leader ordered, “is not to kill Kael Vale. It is to break him. Make him doubt. Twist him from within until he destroys himself.”The Masked Betrayer bowed silently, then vanished like smoke. Kael had just finished sparring with Hollow Flame when he noticed something strange. His movements were sharper, faster almost inhuman. But so were his mistakes.His strikes were too strong, cracking th

Kael staggered back, clutching his forearm as the black markings writhed like living serpents beneath his skin. The pain wasn’t just physical, it gnawed at his spirit, dragging him into a suffocating darkness.His breath came in shallow gasps as the cursed sigil pulsed with a rhythm that was not his own, a drumbeat echoing inside his veins.The chamber fell silent. Even the flames in the braziers flickered uneasily, as though they too feared the power seeping from Kael’s body. His fellow disciples watched from a distance, their eyes wide with a mixture of horror and pity. No one dared to approach.“Kael…” Master Ryven’s voice cut through the silence, calm yet heavy with warning. His crimson eyes, sharp as blades, fixed on the young man. “Do not let it consume you. The curse feeds on fear. Breathe. Control it, before it controls you.”Kael clenched his teeth, forcing air into his lungs, but the shadows pressed tighter, whispering in voices only he could hear. Weak. Worthless. You will

The black flames roared like a living beast, surging outward from Kael’s cursed arm, consuming shadows with a sound that echoed like thunder across the chamber. Each pulse of energy threatened to tear him apart from within, yet he could not stop.Around him, disciples struggled, some overwhelmed by Malrik’s creations, others desperately attempting to maintain defensive spells.Kael’s vision blurred, the smoke and shadows twisting together into grotesque shapes. He could feel the whispers clawing at the edges of his mind. Use me. Become me.“No!” Kael screamed, stamping his foot against the stone floor, summoning all his willpower. The black flames responded to his determination, but there was a subtle tremor beneath the surface, a tug as if the curse were testing the boundaries of its host.Malrik circled him, his cloak trailing in the twisted wind the curse had conjured. “Ah… magnificent. You wield it well. But it is only the beginning, Kael. The more you fight, the tighter my grip g

The chamber was silent, but the tension was palpable. Kael’s arm throbbed with the ever present pulse of the curse, each beat like a drum echoing in his chest.Around him, the surviving disciples moved cautiously, their eyes wide with a mix of fear, respect, and uncertainty. Some whispered to one another, their voices low, afraid of drawing the curse’s attention.Kael’s chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, but the pain wasn’t just from exertion, it was the curse itself, clawing at him from the inside, testing the limits of his resolve.Ryven stepped forward, his crimson eyes scanning Kael with a sharp intensity. “Today was only a taste, Kael. The curse is growing, and it will not wait for you to be ready. You must learn to wield it or it will wield you.”Kael swallowed, gripping his arm tightly. “I… I feel it, Master. Every time I control it, it fights back harder. I’m not sure how long I can hold it before…” His voice faltered, the words unsaid, but the dread was clear in hi

The sky was a bruised shade of purple as twilight settled over the training grounds. Kael stood at the edge of the cliff, the cursed flames along his arm pulsing softly in anticipation. The wind carried an eerie chill, whipping through the trees and tossing loose leaves into the air. He could feel it. Malrik was near.Ryven stood beside him, staff in hand, eyes narrowed. “Kael, remember everything. Your control, your discipline, your senses. Malrik will test more than your strength, he will test your mind, your soul, and your very essence.”Kael’s fists clenched, the black flames licking along his forearm. “I’m ready. I won’t let him… or the curse… take control.”A shadow detached itself from the darkening forest below. Malrik stepped into view, his cloak flowing like liquid night. His eyes gleamed with cold amusement. “Kael,” he said smoothly, “you’ve grown stronger… but let us see if your resolve matches your power.”Kael’s arm flared, the cursed flames erupting in response. “I cont