THE GOD OF WAR'S RETURN: ADRIAN'S SECOND CHANCE

Sparks in the Dark

Adrian sat in the dim firelight, flexing his fingers. His hands no longer felt like his own. Every time he closed them, he swore he could feel the fire still there..hiding under his skin, waiting.

The old man had said it would take time to control it. But Adrian didn’t have time.

Kara nudged him with her boot. “You’ve been staring at your hands for an hour.”

Adrian looked up. “I don’t want to lose control again.”

Kara raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t lose control. You made fire. That’s the whole point.”

Adrian sighed. “It didn’t feel like I was the one controlling it. It just… happened.”

Kai, who had been sharpening his dagger nearby, spoke without looking up. “Maybe that’s the problem. You’re trying to control something that isn’t meant to be controlled.”

Adrian frowned. “Then how do I use it?”

Kai smirked. “You learn to move with it. Not against it.”

Adrian wasn’t sure he liked that answer.

The old man walked in, his footsteps light but deliberate. “It’s time.”

Adrian stood. “For what?”

The old man motioned for him to follow. “For you to understand what’s coming.”

That didn’t sound good.

Kara and Kai exchanged glances before trailing behind as Adrian followed the old man outside. The night air was crisp, the sky heavy with stars. The fire in the pit still burned low, glowing like embers in the darkness.

The old man stopped, turning to face Adrian. “You have power now.”

Adrian nodded. “I know.”

“No.” The old man’s voice was sharper. “You think you know.” He stepped closer. “You feel strong, don’t you? Like you could take on the world?”

Adrian hesitated. “I—”

“Good,” the old man interrupted. “Because that’s exactly when power becomes dangerous.”

Adrian swallowed.

The old man’s voice dropped lower. “Your enemy knows you’re alive. And now, they will come.”

Silence.

Kara shifted uneasily. “You mean Killian?”

The old man’s gaze darkened. “Him. And worse.”

Adrian’s hands clenched. “Then we fight.”

The old man’s lips curved, but it wasn’t a smile. “And if you lose?”

Adrian hesitated.

Because deep down...he knew he wasn’t ready.

“Attack me.”

Adrian blinked. “What?”

The old man stood still, hands at his sides. His face was calm, expectant. “Attack me,” he repeated.

Adrian hesitated. “I-”

The old man sighed. “Did you think your enemies would give you time to think?”

Before Adrian could react, the old man moved.

He didn’t run. He didn’t even raise his hands. He just stepped forward...and suddenly, Adrian couldn’t breathe.

His chest tightened, his vision swam. It felt like something invisible had wrapped around his body, squeezing the air from his lungs.

Kara gasped. “What..”

Adrian dropped to one knee, gasping. He could feel his fire, but it was buried deep under something stronger. Something that wasn’t his.

The old man crouched in front of him. His voice was calm, almost gentle. “This is what true power feels like.”

Adrian gritted his teeth, fighting against the invisible grip. His fire flared, struggling to break free.

The old man’s eyes flickered. “Good. Now,use it.”

Adrian exhaled sharply. He stopped fighting. Stopped thinking.

And then...he let go.

A burst of heat exploded from his chest, knocking the old man back. Adrian gasped as the pressure around him vanished, and he stumbled to his feet, flames flickering around his hands.

The old man chuckled. “Better.”

Adrian wiped sweat from his brow. “What… was that?”

“A lesson,” the old man said. “Power is not about force. It’s about knowing when to release it.”

Adrian swallowed. He understood now. The fire had been inside him all along. He had been holding it back. But when he let go… it answered.

And this was only the beginning.

The old man turned toward the horizon. His expression darkened.

Kara frowned. “What is it?”

The wind shifted. The air grew colder.

The old man’s voice was grim.

“They’re coming.”

Adrian followed his gaze. Far beyond the trees, past the hills...something moved in the shadows.

Something watching.

Waiting.

And for the first time, Adrian knew,his training had to end.

Because war was already here.