Kaen stepped forward, shoulders trembling, but his eyes burned brighter than they had the entire fight.
Flames coiled around his fists… but they weren't pure flame anymore. The fire flickered black at the edges, leaking strands of shade that warped the air itself.
The Clown tilted his head, laughter rattling from his throat.
"Hoh… a fire brat wants to step up."
Khael's pupils narrowed, his dragon-mark system flashing a red glyph in his vision:
⚠ Warning: Shade Unstable.
His chest tightened. (At this rate… the seal on his Shade Affinity will break…)
Kaen clenched his fists tighter, veins bulging as both flame and void spilled from his skin. His voice came low, shaking, but determined:
"I'll beat you."
The ground cracked beneath him. The Clown's void tendrils twitched, then recoiled slightly recognition flashing behind that grinning mask.
The Clown leaned forward, tone shifting from amusement to… intrigue.
"…You. How can you have void inside you?"
