Heir Of The Fallen Flame

Chapter 2: The Ancient One

“Son of Pelson! You are as good as dead.”

The voice did not belong to Kael.

It tore through the air, deep and ancient, shaking the cliff to its core. The wind twisted violently, pulling at cloaks and hair as if the world was coming to an end.

Ronan staggered back, his eyes widening on seeing Kael in the middle of the light.

“That… that’s not possible.”

Darius swallowed hard, his hands already glowing with unstable magic. “That’s him. That’s Kael.”

Silas did not speak, his wide and horrified eyes stayed locked on the golden figure hovering above the cliff.

Kael floated in the air, his body wrapped in blinding gold. His eyes burned and narrowed on only one person.

Ronan.

The ground beneath the men cracked, stones and dust floated in the air.

Ronan’s hands snapped forward.

“Firebolt!” he shouted.

A crackling streak of flame surged toward Kael, faster than any human could move.

Kael’s eyes narrowed; without thinking, he raised a golden arm and it twisted, flaring a shield of light. The firebolt struck the shield and shattered into sparks, scattering on the ground in front of him.

Darius and Silas didn’t wait.

“Ice Shards!” Silas hissed, pointing at Kael as frozen projectiles tore through the air. Kael’s glow pulsed; the shards froze midair before shattering into a mist.

Darius’s fingers sparked with lightning. “Thunder Lash!”

He swung his hand, sending arcs of electricity toward Kael. He grabbed the arc and tossed it down to the sea below, causing the water to ripple in effect.

Kael’s focus never wavered from Ronan.

“He…he's not one of us…” Darius stammered.

“Wind Spike!” Silas shouted again, sending slicing currents through the air.

“Flame Whip!” Ronan followed, the fire curling and snapping like a living thing.

“Shadow Bind!” Darius added, dark tendrils rising from the ground to trap Kael in place.

Kael glowed even brighter, breaking through the tendrils and turning the whip into dark smoke.

A force threw the three men back, their bodies slamming hard against the stone. The clouds darkened, thunder echoed and snow started to fall.

The gold started to twirl with a hint of black, earning a gasp of horror from Darius.

“Its the dark one…” he muttered in fear.

Kael descended from the air, wind trembled around him as he lowered toward Ronan.

Ronan forced himself up, breath ragged. His hands shook but he raised them anyway.

“Gravity Pull!”

The air thickened, dragging Kael downward with crushing force.

Kael slowed for a moment, then the gold flared brighter making the pressure shattered like glass.

Ronan’s eyes widened. “Lightning Spear!”

A concentrated bolt formed in his palm and shot forward. Kael raised a hand,caught it and turned it into dark smoke.

Darius scrambled to his feet. “Stone Fist!”

The ground beneath Kael surged upward in a massive chunk of rock but it never reached him. It crumbled midair.

“Frost Wall!” Silas raised a barrier between Ronan and Kael.

The wall melted into steam before Kael touched it.

“Magic Barrage!” Ronan shouted, unleashing a rapid storm of energy.

“Fire Rain!” Darius followed, flames falling from above.

“Ice Cage!” Silas tried to trap him.

Everything collided and turned into nothing. Really continued his descent towards Ronan more furious than ever.

Snow began to fall heavily, each flake catching the golden light. Trainees from the academy appeared on the cliff edges, chanting spells they had never dared use on a fellow student before.

Arcane runes flashed, creating a dizzying display of fire, ice, lightning, and shadow. But Kael moved like a storm, every gesture destroying their magic before it could reach him.

Ronan’s father, Pelson, the Grand Mage of Astra, arrived in his silver robes. He had been summoned by one of the trainees.

Long before that, he had felt a pulse of energy he's never felt before. Then the day turned into night, he knew something was wrong before the report got to him.

Staring up at the light above, he knew exactly what it was. His eyes widened in shock.

“It can't be..” he muttered.

“Grandmaster, do something!” One of the elders pleaded as he struggled to stay on his feet.

Pelson glanced at the light , he knew what it was. Or what he believed it was but it was impossible. It's been centuries ago! How could he have escaped?

“Stop this at once!” Pelson thundered.

He raised his staff, energy streaming from its tip like a sunbeam. Kael’s golden light flared, almost blinding everyone, and without warning, a shockwave shoved Pelson off his feet.

The Grand Mage hit the ground hard, sliding across jagged rocks. The crowd gasped; never had anyone resisted Pelson’s power.

Kael’s eyes never left Ronan.

“You,” he whispered, the voice unearthly, echoing across the cliff, “you will end.”

Lyra, who was still watching from the academy rooftop, gasped.

Kael was exactly what she thought he was and that only made her even more anxious.

She came here to spy on Ronan and his friends and now it's turned into something else, something far more than she can handle.

“Father!” Ronan hurried towards his father, trying to help him up.

Pelson stared at Kael, his eyes reflecting the glow around him.

“Call the council!” Pelson said at the top of his voice.

“We can fight him, father…”

Pelson grabbed Ronan by the collar, pulling him closer, “You stay away from that thing before you get us both killed!”

Ronan has never seen his father, a dignified Mage, tremble with fear before.

The Council of Mages arrived barely seconds later, carrying a crystal orb pulsing with ancient energy meant to seal Kael’s gateway.

They raised their hands, chanting in unison. A beam shot toward Kael, aiming to bind him, to drain the force that had erupted from centuries of slumber.

Kael raised his hand to sweep them away but the golden aura wavered under the coordinated attack. Every pulse of energy threatened to overwhelm him. He staggered but didn’t fall.

Lyra watched in horror, if they succeeded, Kael could die. She picked up her sword and turned her back to leave. This was none of her business. Master told her to get information and report back to him.

Kael groaned as the orb continued to pulse, draining the golden light out of him. Lyra stops in her track and bites her lower lip.

“This better be worth risking my life.”

Lyra leapt from the rooftop. In one motion, she created a thick, curling mist, shielding Kael from the council’s view.

Everywhere was covered in thick fog earning shouts of disbelief from everyone on the cliff.

Kael’s golden body convulsed from exhaustion. His eyes flickered as the haze swallowed him completely. Lyra appeared at his side, pressing a hand to his shoulder.

Kael’s strength failed him. Limbs sagging, he collapsed against her. Lyra lifted him effortlessly, holding him steady.

She whistled, calling her horse. Seconds later, a black horse with wings flew towards her and pulled to a stop mid air. She mounted Kael and herself on the horse before flying out of sight.

The mist closed behind them, hiding the boy from view. Trainees screamed in frustration, council members shouted in disbelief, and Pelson could only stare as the golden glow vanished over the horizon.

Kael’s body went limp in Lyra’s arms. His chest rose and fell slowly, the glow vanished completely.

Lyra’s face was grim. She had seen power, yes, but never like this. Never a force that could throw the Grand Mage aside as if he were nothing.

The snowstorm vanished around them as she urged the winged horse faster.

She needs to get him down to the grand master or he might not make it till sun down..