Chapter 3:
Blaze sprinted through the city streets, weaving through narrow alleyways and leaping over wooden crates as if his life depended on it—because it did. The black-cloaked wizard behind him snarled in frustration, hurling fireballs in his direction. Each blast of flame scorched the air, but Blaze was already gone, slipping around a corner before the heat could singe his cloak.
"Damn it! How is this brat so fast?" the wizard growled, his boots slamming against the cobbled ground as he chased
You might have magic, but I know this city better than you ever will.. Blaze thought
Using every shortcut and hidden passage he had memorized, Blaze led the wizard on a frustrating chase, doubling back, disappearing into the ruins, and using the terrain to his advantage. But deep down, he knew it wouldn't last forever. The wizard was stronger—much stronger—and Blaze was running out of places to hide.
Just as he reached the outskirts of the city, a fireball barely missed him, exploding against a nearby building. The force sent Blaze tumbling into the dense forest beyond the city walls. He scrambled to his feet, only to feel a chilling pressure weigh down on him.
He's here.
A moment later, the black-cloaked wizard stepped out from the trees, smirking as he raised a hand wreathed in flame.
"You've given me quite the workout," he said, cracking his neck. "But I think it's time you—"
A deep, thunderous laugh echoed through the forest, cutting the wizard off. Both men turned toward the source.
Standing on a broken tree trunk, grinning like a madman, was the Brown Cloak figure.
But he wasn't alone.
Two more black-cloaked figures flanked him, their gazes sharp, their bodies tense. The one chasing Blaze narrowed his eyes.
"Where are Kain and Voss?" he demanded.
The Brown Cloak man's grin widened. "Ah, those two? Well, let's just say they won't be making it to the next meeting."
The three black-cloaked men stiffened. Kain and Voss were as strong as them. For this man to kill them…
"You're lying."
"Am I?" The Brown Cloak man stretched, rolling his shoulders as if this was all some kind of game. "Doesn't matter. What matters is what's in that chest."
At the mention of the chest, the black-cloaked men's attention snapped to the object Blaze had been carrying this whole time. Their expressions darkened.
"I have a question," the Brown Cloak continued, his voice deceptively light. "Don't you find it strange? Why will your mighty leader— who is said to be the strongest in the world —wants this chest so badly. Have you ever wondered why?"
The three wizards remained silent.
The Brown Cloak man chuckled. "I'll tell you why. Because the contents of this chest hold the power to rule over the entire Eight Continents."
That got their attention. Blaze saw the flicker of greed flash in their eyes.
The three men hesitated, exchanging glances. Then, one of them stepped forward and thrust his hand toward the chest. He tried to pry it open—but the moment his fingers touched the surface, a violent pulse of energy erupted from within.
"Argh!" The man was thrown back, his arm seared with deep burns.
The other two wizards tried different methods—casting spells, striking the chest with weapons, even trying to tear it open with raw force. Nothing worked.
The chest retaliated every time, leaving them battered and furious.
At the side, the Brown Cloak man sighed dramatically. "Tsk, tsk. So desperate for power, yet so clueless. How embarrassing."
The injured wizard glared at him, his face twisted with rage. "Then tell us how to open it!"
The Brown Cloak man smiled. "Oh, it's simple. You just need to form a Four-Gate Unsealing array."
The wizards frowned but, driven by their desire for the chest's power, they reluctantly began to set up the formation. They carved symbols into the ground, infused them with energy, and chanted the incantations.
Blaze, still tied up, turned to the Brown Cloak man and whispered, "What the hell are you doing?"
The man's grin never faltered. "Making sure you survive."
Blaze stared at him. "Do you think we can survive this?"
The Brown Cloak man's grin softened into something almost… sincere. "No."
Blaze's breath caught.
"I'll make sure you get out of here, kid," the man said quietly. "Even if it costs me my life."
The final piece of the seal clicked into place.
The wizards realized their mistake a second too late.
Their magic formation wasn't an unlocking spell.
It was an explosive array.
The Brown Cloak man suddenly yelled, "RUN!"
Blaze didn't hesitate. He grabbed the chest and bolted.
The three wizards barely had time to curse before the formation erupted into a concentrated essence explosion, annihilating everything within its range.
The last thing Blaze saw before the flames engulfed the area was the Brown Cloak man standing there, smiling.
"I have a feeling he'll help Azarath complete her mission. He'll become a great man."
The shockwave caught Blaze mid-run. The world twisted, fire and debris swallowing everything. The impact sent him flying, his body battered, his consciousness fading.
As darkness crept in, only one thought filled his mind—
Anger.
He wanted power.
He needed power.
Just then –
A voice echoed in his head.
"After millions of years… a chosen one has appeared."
"Congratulations, host, for obtaining the Chaos System."
Blaze's last thought before everything went black was–
"What the hell?"