The sky over Eldara darkened again.
Not with clouds.
Not with night.
But with something… heavier.
Aira stood alone in the training field.
Again.
But this time—
No one followed her.
She gripped her sword tightly.
Her hands no longer trembled.
That scared her more than anything.
"It's getting easier…" she whispered.
A small flame appeared in her palm.
Red.
Orange.
Then—
Black.
And this time…
She didn't stop it.
"I need to understand it," she said quietly.
"If I keep running… I'll lose anyway."
The black flame pulsed.
Stronger than ever.
Behind her, unseen—
A shadow moved.
Far away, Kael paced anxiously.
"I don't like this. I REALLY don't like this."
Ren stood still, eyes closed, golden aura faintly glowing.
"She's not just training," he said quietly.
"She's… crossing a line."
Kael stopped. "Then we go get her!"
Ren shook his head.
"If we rush in now… we might make it worse."
But even as he said it—
The ground trembled.
Both of them froze.
"…Too late," Kael muttered.
Back in the field—
Aira's flames had grown.
No—
Not flames anymore.
A swirling mass of black-and-crimson energy wrapped around her blade.
Her breathing slowed.
Her eyes—
Glowed.
Then—
A voice.
You are ready.
Aira froze.
"…Who's there?"
The darkness around her shifted.
Not forming a creature—
But something worse.
A presence.
You have resisted long enough.
Now… accept.
Her grip tightened.
"I don't take orders from voices in my head."
The Abyss pulsed violently.
This is not control.
This is evolution.
Aira stepped back.
"No… this is corruption."
The energy surged.
Stronger.
Heavier.
Her knees buckled.
"I won't… lose myself…" she growled.
Suddenly—
The ground cracked open.
A wave of dark energy exploded outward—
And this time—
It wasn't aimed at enemies.
It was aimed at everything.
Kael and Ren arrived just in time—
Only to see the explosion.
"AIRA!!!" Kael shouted.
The shockwave slammed into them.
Kael barely blocked it with wind.
Ren raised a golden barrier—
But even that cracked under the pressure.
"What is she doing?!" Kael shouted.
Ren's eyes widened.
"…She's not in control anymore."
At the center—
Aira stood still.
Her entire body surrounded by black flames.
Her eyes—
Completely dark.
She took a step forward.
The ground burned beneath her feet.
"Aira…" Ren said carefully.
"Can you hear me?"
No response.
Kael clenched his fists.
"This isn't her…"
Aira raised her sword slowly.
And pointed it at them.
Silence.
Then—
She attacked.
A massive wave of black fire surged toward them.
Kael reacted instantly, wind exploding outward to deflect it.
"Okay—THIS is bad!" he yelled.
Ren stepped forward.
Golden light surged.
"Aira! Fight it!"
She didn't stop.
Faster.
Stronger.
Relentless.
Each strike carried more power than before.
Kael struggled to keep up.
Ren's barrier cracked again.
"She's too strong like this!" Kael shouted.
Ren's voice was calm—but urgent.
"We don't fight her."
Kael blinked. "WHAT?!"
"We reach her."
Another attack came.
This one stronger.
Ren stepped directly into it.
"REN!!" Kael shouted.
Golden light exploded outward—
Absorbing the attack.
Ren stood there—
Barely holding.
"Aira…" he said softly.
"You're stronger than this."
For a moment—
Everything paused.
Aira's body trembled.
The black flames flickered.
Inside—
She heard it.
Kael's voice.
Ren's voice.
"…I'm not…" she whispered.
The Abyss roared inside her.
They are weak.
You are power.
"NO!"
Her voice echoed—
Both inside and outside.
The flames surged violently—
Then—
Split.
Black.
And red.
Clashing.
Aira screamed—
And forced the darkness back.
The explosion that followed shook the entire valley.
Light.
Fire.
Wind.
Then—
Silence.
When the dust cleared—
Aira stood there.
Normal flames.
Flickering.
Weak.
Then—
She collapsed.
Kael rushed forward immediately.
"I got her!"
Ren followed, breathing heavily.
"She's back…"
Aira's eyes opened slightly.
Tired.
But clear.
"…I almost… lost everything…"
Kael gave a small, relieved laugh.
"Yeah… don't do that again."
Ren smiled faintly.
"You came back. That's what matters."
Master Dain stepped forward slowly.
His expression serious.
"This is your breaking point," he said.
Aira looked up at him.
"And now… you must decide."
Silence.
"Will you fear this power…"
Her flames flickered.
"…or will you learn to command it?"
Aira closed her eyes.
Her grip tightened on her sword.
"…I'll master it."
Her flames burned brighter.
But deep inside—
The Abyss remained.
Quieter.
But not gone.
Far away—
The villain stood still.
For the first time—
Not smiling.
"…She resisted again," he said.
His eyes narrowed.
"Then I'll have to break her… another way."
The sky darkened once more.
The wind fell silent.
And somewhere beyond the mountains—
A new threat began to rise.
Something even worse than the Abyss.
Something that could force Aira to choose—
Power…
Or everything she cares about.