Wielder Of The Dragon Flame

Chapter 28

"Fifty years later, my ancestor Lyra Xavier faced a different kind of threat. Not beasts, but corruption from within. Three of the five Council Elders had been bribed by foreign powers, selling secrets, weakening defenses, preparing the empire for conquest. Lyra could have looked away, could have kept silent to preserve peace, to avoid causing upheaval.”

“Instead, she walked into the Council chamber alone and burned the corruption out root and stem, replacing the traitors with honorable leaders, even though it nearly started a civil war. But she did it because it was right, because the Xavier flame doesn't just destroy enemies,it purifies, it cleanses and it illuminates truth in darkness."

More nods now, several clan leaders leaning forward with renewed interest.

"One hundred and twenty years ago." 

Cassian continued, his voice rising.

 "My ancestor Marcus Xavier was challenged by seven rival clans who believed the Xavier dominance had gone on too long, that their power had made them arrogant, that they needed to be brought down. Seven clans, seventeen elite warriors, all demanding single combat trials.”

“Marcus could have used his position to refuse, could have called on allies, could have employed political maneuvering to avoid the fights. Instead, he accepted every challenge. Seventeen duels in seventeen days.”

“And he won every single one not through overwhelming power alone, but through skill, through strategy and through the deep understanding of flame combat that comes from generations of Xavier excellence.By the time it was over, those seven rival clans had become the Xavier clan's most loyal allies, because Marcus had proven beyond any doubt that Xavier leadership was earned, not just inherited."

Cassian stopped pacing and turned to face the assembly directly, his expression intense, almost fierce. 

"That is what it means to be a Xavier clan leader. It's not about being born with the right name or the right blood. It's about having the strength to stand when others fall. The wisdom to make hard choices. The skill to back up your authority with action. The flame to burn away weakness and forge something stronger."

He placed his hand over his heart, over the Xavier crest embroidered on his robes.

 "I have that flame. It burns in my veins, crimson and pure, the same fire that flowed through Draven and Lyra and Marcus and every great leader this clan has ever known. I have trained since I could walk, studied every Xavier technique, learned every form, absorbed every lesson.”

“I have managed this clan's affairs for two years, maintained our alliances, increased our holdings, resolved disputes, and trained our younger members. I have bled for this clan. Sweated for it. Sacrificed for it.”

His voice grew harder, sharper. 

"My brother…my half-brother Asta…I love him. I truly do. And it breaks my heart that he was born without flame, that the gift that defines our family passed him by. But love does not make one qualified to lead. Good intentions do not win battles.”

“A kind heart does not command respect on the battlefield or in the council chambers. The Xavier clan needs a leader who can protect it, who can grow its power, who can stand against any threat and say 'not one step further,' just as our ancestors did. And I can be that leader."

He spread his arms wide, addressing the entire assembly.

 "I will not let the Xavier legacy fade. I will not allow three hundred years of excellence to crumble because of an accident of birth. I will take the fire that burns in me,Xavier fire, true and strong and I will make this clan greater than it has ever been.”

“I will expand our influence, strengthen our alliances, and train the next generation to heights our ancestors would be proud of. I will honor every Xavier who came before by being worthy of the name I carry."

Cassian lowered his arms, his expression becoming more solemn, more sincere.

 "I am not asking you to forget tradition. I am not asking you to ignore my bloodline. I am simply asking you to judge me by the same standard by which every Xavier leader has been judged: by my flame, by my skill, by my dedication, and by my results.”

“Give me that chance, and I promise you,in my father's memory, on the Xavier name itself,I will not fail. I will be the leader this clan deserves, the leader this empire needs."

He stepped back slightly, clasping his hands behind his back once more, and fell silent.

The hall remained quiet for several long moments. Clan leaders exchanged glances, some impressed, others still skeptical, all clearly thinking deeply about what they'd just heard.

Finally, Elder Morvain spoke, his weathered voice breaking the silence. 

"Well said, Cassian Xavier. Your knowledge of our history and your passion for the legacy are evident." 

He turned to the assembly. 

"Are there any further objections? Any questions that must be addressed before we proceed with the formal recognition?"

For a moment, it seemed like the matter was settled. Several clan leaders were nodding, seemingly ready to accept this new reality. The Sunset Clan leader was already half-standing, apparently preparing to offer her formal support.

Then a voice cut through the air like a blade through silk,cold, measured, and deeply skeptical.

"I have a question."

Every head turned to locate the speaker. It was the leader of the Black Flame Clan, a man who had been silent throughout the entire proceeding. 

He sat in the shadows at the far end of the semicircle, his black attire making him almost invisible except for the silver trim that caught the light and the pale skin of his face that seemed to glow against the darkness of his clothing.

He stood slowly and deliberately,his movements fluid and somehow threatening despite their grace. His eyes,dark as pitch, with no visible distinction between pupil and iris,fixed on Cassian with an intensity that made the temperature in the hall seem to drop several degrees.

"Speak, Clan Leader Malachar." 

Elder Morvain said, though there was a note of wariness in his voice now. The Black Flame Clan was powerful, ancient, and notoriously unpredictable. Their support or opposition could sway many other clans.

Malachar's lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile.

 "I find myself wondering." 

He said, his voice soft but carrying easily through the now-silent hall.

“About a hypothetical situation."

Cassian's expression remained neutral, but his eyes had sharpened, focused entirely on this new challenger.

"What if he a

wakens?" 

Malachar asked, letting the question hang in the air like smoke. 

"Asta Xavier. What if he awakens his flame?"