Fifteen candles burned brightly in the courtyard of Kael's home, their flickering flames dancing like spirits in celebration. It was his birthday—a momentous age in his lineage. His family had gathered, bringing gifts, music, and laughter. But Kael felt a strange stillness deep inside him, like something forgotten trying to stir.
His parents smiled warmly, but Kael noticed the way their eyes shifted—guarded, tense. His younger siblings giggled and played, yet whispered when they thought he wasn't listening. The night was cheerful… but brittle.
Later, unable to shake the unease, Kael wandered the sprawling estate. Beneath the stone temple his ancestors had guarded for generations, he discovered a hidden chamber—sealed away beneath vines and dust.
Inside, he found an ancient tome, bound in worn black leather. Its pages were brittle, but the words pulsed with hidden power. Diagrams of elemental orbs, legends of the Great Cataclysm, and cryptic warnings etched in red ink.
One passage made his blood run cold:
"The double dose of fire... a power too great for mortal veins.
The risk of consumption. The danger of loss."
Suddenly, heat surged through Kael's body. The room spun. His vision blurred as something ignited deep within him. He stumbled out of the chamber and rushed to confront his parents.
🗣️ The Confrontation
His mother, startled, stood in the hall when he called out.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Kael demanded. "What am I?"
Her lips trembled. "Your father only wanted to keep you safe…"
Kael's fists clenched. "Safe from what? The truth? Myself?"
She didn't answer.
But Kael already knew.
📚 A History Written in Fire and Water
That night, Kael sat with his mother as she finally revealed the truth.
"Our family descends from the Fire Guardian, Embroar," she said.
"But I—your mother—am the last living descendant of the Water Guardian. Your bloodline carries both flames and tides."
She went on:
"Years ago, your grandfather tried to merge two fire orbs—an act never meant for humans. The power consumed him. That fire passed on to your father… and now, to you.
Khaos—the shadow elementalist—sensed that power. He feared your father, and killed him. He will come for you too."
Kael's voice shook. "Then teach me. Let me fight."
She looked away. "You're not ready."
But fate didn't wait.
💥 The Fight at School
The next day at school, Kael's friends teased him again for not showing any powers. Aryan, a nature user, pushed too far.
"You sure you're even an elemental?" Aryan taunted, summoning thick grass vines.
Kael, filled with rage and shame, accepted his challenge—though he didn't know how to fight.
During the duel, Aryan trapped Kael with vines that absorbed his energy, draining him painfully.
"Say you surrender!" Aryan shouted.
Kael's vision blurred. His heart pounded. He screamed—
And his eyes exploded into flame.
A blast of fire erupted from him, scorching the vines and throwing Aryan across the arena.
Aryan lay stunned. "Kael… you have fire?"
Kael couldn't hear him. His body trembled, glowing red-hot. Flames surged uncontrollably—until he collapsed.
🏥 Aftermath and Truth
Kael awoke in the infirmary. Aryan lay nearby, unconscious. Their friend Robin stood over them.
"You lost control," Robin whispered. "You… you burned him. What are you?"
Kael said nothing. He didn't know.
That evening, back home, he confronted his mother again.
This time, she answered everything.
"Khaos didn't just kill your father out of fear. He wanted his power. And now that same fire is inside you.
He'll come for your blood, Kael. And we have little time left."
⚔️ The Shadow Arrives
A blast of dark energy shattered the door.
A towering figure in obsidian armor stepped into the light—Urshifu, son of Khaos.
"Your power has awakened," he growled. "You belong to my father now."
Urshifu launched a shadow shell around Kael.
But then—
A surge of water blasted from behind.
Kael's mother stood, panting, her palms dripping with power. "Run, Kael!"
Urshifu attacked her. She fought valiantly, but she wasn't a warrior—only a healer.
He lifted her with one hand, charging a lethal strike.
Kael screamed, raising a hand—
A beam of fire shot from his palm, blasting Urshifu into the wall.
Kael's mother dropped to the ground.
She coughed, then looked at him—torn between pride and fear.
"Kael… you must go. Now. Run. Find someone who can help you control it…"
Kael turned, eyes burning with tears and fire.
He ran.