Chapter 11 – The Choice of Fire
The battlefield was quiet now, save for the crackle of dying flames and the faint hiss of poison evaporating in the scorched soil. Smoke hung heavy, stinging the eyes.
Kiran stood over Jaden, his fists still glowing faintly, heat radiating from him in waves. Jaden lay on the rocks, burned, coughing, yet smiling through bloodied lips.
"Go on," Jaden rasped, voice hoarse. "Do it. Kill me. That's what the Syndicate wants you to do—prove you're nothing more than a monster wrapped in fire."
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Orin's heavy boots crushed the ash as he stepped closer, axe gleaming in the firelight. His tone was steady, cold. "He's not wrong about one thing—he's dangerous. Leave him alive, and he'll betray us again. Next time, it might cost us more than blood."
Miren moved forward too, her eyes softer, conflicted. "And if he dies by your hand, Kiran, what will that make you? A leader who kills his own family? Or a man who's strong enough to choose another path?"
Kiran's chest rose and fell, fire flickering with every breath. Inside, the flame raged—demanding justice, demanding destruction. But something deeper tugged at him: memories of childhood, of running through the fields with Jaden before envy poisoned their bond.
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Kiran bent down, staring directly into his cousin's eyes. His voice was quiet, but it burned like steel.
"You wanted me to become like you—driven by bitterness, ruled by shadows. But I won't."
Jaden's smirk faltered.
Kiran stood tall, flames dimming as he forced them down. "You live. Not because you deserve it… but because I refuse to let your betrayal define me."
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Orin growled in frustration. "Mercy is weakness, Kiran. You'll regret this."
Miren touched Orin's arm, shaking her head. "No. Mercy is fire controlled. That's strength."
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Kiran turned his back on Jaden. "Go back to your masters. Tell them this: fire doesn't bow to shadows. It burns them away."
Jaden coughed, laughing bitterly as he dragged himself to his feet. "Mercy… or stupidity. We'll see soon enough." With a final hateful glare, he vanished into the darkness, swallowed by the mountain fog.
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When silence returned, Kiran finally allowed himself a deep breath. The fire within him flickered low, but steady.
Orin broke it with a grumble. "You should've ended him."
Miren smiled faintly. "No. He chose to lead instead of destroy. That's the difference between the Syndicate and us."
Kiran said nothing, only staring into the night where Jaden had disappeared. Deep inside, he knew Orin might be right. Jaden would return. And next time… mercy might not be an option.