Chapter 17: Fire Against Fire
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The jungle fell silent.
Kavin stood at the front of the group, flame spiraling from his fingertips, his eyes fixed on the red-armored giant before him—General Kael, the Flame Tyrant of the Ashenlands.
The general's armor pulsed with heat. Steam hissed from the joints. His greatsword, forged from volcanic obsidian, dripped molten fire that scorched the earth where it touched.
"You've come a long way just to die," Kael said, stepping forward.
Kavin didn't blink. "You talk too much."
And then—
They collided.
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🔥 Flame against flame.
The jungle exploded with light as their powers clashed.
Kavin launched himself forward with a fire-propelled leap, his fists crashing into Kael's blade. Sparks scattered across the sky. Kael spun and swung in a wide arc, forcing Kavin to dodge backward.
"Your flames are borrowed!" Kael roared. "Mine were born in blood!"
Kavin clenched his jaw. "Then let's see whose burns brighter."
He struck with a spinning kick wreathed in flame, catching Kael's side. The impact cracked armor—but Kael responded with a brutal punch to Kavin's chest, sending him flying through two trees.
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From the treeline, the others watched with tense silence.
Seraphine: "We can't interfere. That's a fire duel."
Riven nodded. "To interrupt it is to challenge both."
Lyra gritted her teeth, blades trembling in her hands. "He can't take him alone."
"He has to," Theron said, eyes narrowing. "This is personal."
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💥 The battle grew fiercer.
Kael summoned waves of molten lava from the earth, sending them crashing toward Kavin. Kavin countered by leaping high and calling down a rain of fire spears.
The sky darkened with ash.
Trees burned in rings around them. The very air was suffocating with heat.
Kael charged, slamming his obsidian blade down with a force that cracked the ground. Kavin barely dodged—and the sword's edge sliced into his arm, drawing blood.
Kael laughed. "You're weakening, boy."
Kavin stood, blood dripping down his fingers. He wiped his mouth and grinned.
> "You think this is me weakened?
This… is me holding back."
He raised both hands, and the sky above split with fire.
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🌪️ A whirlwind of flame erupted around him—a Phoenix Spiral, the lost art of the Flamewalkers.
Even Kael took a step back.
"You don't have that kind of power," he muttered.
"I do now," Kavin whispered, "because I finally stopped being afraid of what I am."
He unleashed it.
A spiraling storm of fire and wind wrapped around Kael, tearing at his armor, bending his sword, searing through the bindings of dark magic.
Kael screamed as the force consumed him—until finally, the red armor cracked open and exploded in a burst of flame.
The forest went still.
Smoke rose. Heat shimmered.
And in the center of it all—Kavin stood alone, his chest heaving, flames dancing across his skin like living tattoos.
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Kael lay broken at his feet—no longer a towering general, just a man with rage burned out of him.
"I should kill you," Kavin said.
Kael coughed, laughed bitterly. "Then do it."
But Kavin turned away. "No. That's what she would do."
He looked up toward the tower.
"I've got someone else to save."
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The group rushed forward.
Lyra threw her arms around Kavin without hesitation.
Seraphine began healing his wounds with gentle frost spells.
Theron clapped his shoulder. "You really are fireproof."
Riven said nothing—just handed Kavin a bottle of glowing blue water. "You'll need your strength for what's next."
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🌙 That night, they climbed the tower of Vael'arun.
Inside was a prison of mirrors—each wall showing twisted versions of themselves. Kavin saw visions of himself corrupted, burning the world, ruling it in chains.
He pushed past every illusion.
At the top, chained to a floating crystal throne, was Elyria.
Her eyes opened as they entered.
"Kavin…" she whispered, half in disbelief.
He reached her, breaking her chains with a surge of lightfire.
"You're safe now."
But she grabbed his wrist, panicked.
"No. I'm not."
A pulse of dark magic erupted from her chest—marked with the Queen's sigil.
Riven gasped. "She's been branded. She's a living bomb."
And behind them, a voice echoed from nowhere.
> "Congratulations, heroes," the Queen of Ashes whispered.
"You've walked right into my checkmate."