> "To master the storm, one must first drown within it." — Old Cultivation Proverb, Unknown Origin
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Part I – Storms Within Flesh
Teik hadn't slept properly in days.
Ever since the encounter with the beast, his essence pulsed in chaotic rhythms — fire burning under his skin, lightning crawling behind his eyes. Meditation only worsened it. Each attempt to control his breath was met by a whisper that wasn't his own.
> You left me behind.
He didn't tell Ren or Mira about the dream. Not yet. The idea that someone — something — from his past life had followed him here felt like a curse made flesh.
The mountains stretched endlessly around them, mist coiling like ghosts in the cold air. They'd reached the upper peaks, where the sky hung lower and storms never ceased. The air here shimmered with concentrated essence, raw and wild.
Ren took the lead, his expression grim. "We're nearing the Celestial Conduit. The old masters said this is where essence gathers before descending into the mortal world."
Mira smirked. "So, basically, the universe's drainpipe."
Ren sighed. "An unrefined metaphor — but not inaccurate."
Teik chuckled under his breath. "You two sound like an old couple."
Mira shot him a glare. "Keep talking and I'll test how conductive your lightning really is."
Teik raised a brow. "Promises, promises."
The banter faded as the storm thickened.
Lightning forked across the sky, and Teik felt his mark throb in response — the same rhythm, the same pulse.
> It's calling to me, he thought. Or maybe warning me.
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Part II – The Celestial Conduit
They climbed until the wind became sound — a constant roar that pressed against their ears. At the summit, they found it: a colossal crater filled with swirling clouds and radiant arcs of energy.
The Celestial Conduit.
Ren bowed his head. "This is where countless cultivators sought transcendence. Few survived."
Mira crouched near the edge. "And the others?"
Ren's voice was soft. "The mountain keeps them."
Teik stepped closer, drawn by an invisible pull. The moment his essence brushed the storm, the mark on his arm ignited — and the lightning turned toward him.
Arcs of energy bent from the sky, converging on his body like rivers seeking the ocean. He screamed as his aura flared out of control. The ground split beneath him, glowing with veins of molten gold.
Ren shouted, "Teik! Pull back!"
But Teik couldn't. The power seized him, dragging him into the storm's heart. The world turned white — and he was gone.
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Part III – The Mirror of the Soul
When the light faded, Teik found himself standing in the middle of a vast void. The air shimmered with blue fire, and in front of him floated a mirror made of lightning and glass.
Within it — his reflection.
But older. Darker. With eyes of molten gold.
The reflection smiled. "You finally stopped running."
Teik's voice trembled. "You're the one from my dreams. Who are you?"
"Don't you recognize me?" The reflection stepped forward, and every movement echoed like thunder. "I'm what you left behind — your rage, your guilt, your hunger for control."
Teik shook his head. "That's impossible."
The reflection laughed softly. "You died once, remember? But your essence didn't die cleanly. You tore your soul in two when you tried to control the Rebirth Flame. I was what burned away. Until now."
Teik clenched his fists. "You're the beast."
"I was." The reflection tilted its head. "But now I wear your face."
Lightning cracked between them. Teik tried to summon his power, but the storm refused him. His double moved faster, striking him across the chest with pure energy. Pain flared through every nerve, but beneath it was something else — understanding.
> You can't destroy me, the echo said inside his mind. You can only accept me.
Teik staggered back, panting. "You're right. But I can choose what I become."
He reached inward, past the fear, past the chaos. He found the core of his essence — the flame that once devoured him — and instead of resisting, he embraced it.
Fire and lightning merged, forming a brilliant aura that rippled through the void.
When he opened his eyes, his reflection was smiling — proud, even — before dissolving into golden sparks.
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Part IV – Return Through Thunder
Teik awoke on the mountainside, his body still crackling with power. Ren and Mira stood nearby, battered but alive, their faces a mixture of awe and concern.
"Welcome back," Mira said, arms crossed. "You scream louder than a spirit whale giving birth."
Teik groaned. "Remind me never to meditate near a lightning crater again."
Ren helped him up. "You were gone for hours. The storm nearly consumed the entire peak."
Teik looked at his arm. The mark was still there — but now it glowed faintly blue, not gold. "It's… different."
"Looks calmer," Ren said. "Like it's accepted you."
Teik nodded. "Maybe because I accepted it."
Mira arched a brow. "You're getting philosophical again."
He smiled faintly. "I think I earned it."
The three began descending the mountain, unaware that far above, hidden behind a wall of cloud, a figure in white robes watched them. Their face was hidden by a mask of glass and metal, their aura impossibly familiar.
> "He's almost ready," the figure whispered. "But he still doesn't remember who gave him that flame."
Lightning flared, and the figure vanished.
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End of Chapter 9 — "Echoes of Blood and Thunder."