Aric didn't sleep that night.
The fire inside him wouldn't let him. It was restless, burning in the back of his mind like it was trying to break free. His dreams were sharp, violent flashes of memories he didn't own—visions of battles, of people he never knew, of flames rising higher than he could stand.
By dawn, he was already up, standing at the edge of the chamber, staring at the Emberblade in its resting place. The glow beneath it seemed to pulse stronger now, as if it was calling to him.
Maelis, ever the early riser, was already preparing their packs.
"You don't have to take it," Brennar's voice echoed from behind them.
Aric didn't turn. "I don't have a choice."
"You always have a choice." Brennar's tone was sharp. "It's the fire that makes you think you don't."
Aric's jaw tightened. "You're wrong."
"You think you want to control it. But it's already controlling you. Don't you feel it?"
Aric clenched his fists, feeling the heat rise in his chest again. The fire. Always the fire.
Maelis glanced over at him, a wary look in his eyes. "The truth, remember?"
Aric's eyes burned with the same frustration. The truth. He didn't know what the truth was anymore. The flames had made everything so blurry, so uncertain.
Brennar stepped closer. "I'm not saying this to break you. I'm saying it to save you. If you want to live with the flame, you have to understand it. If not, it will consume you."
"I'll make it work," Aric muttered. "I won't let it destroy me."
Brennar gave him a long, hard look. "It's not about letting it. It's about surviving it. And it'll take everything from you to survive."
The weight of the words hung heavy, but before Aric could respond, Maelis spoke up.
"We've spent enough time here. If you're ready, let's go."
Aric didn't answer. He just walked toward the sword, gripped the hilt, and lifted it free from its resting place. The moment his fingers touched the blade, the heat surged through him, filling every part of his being. It was as if the fire had been waiting for him, calling him home.
Maelis put a hand on his shoulder. "Keep it under control."
Aric nodded, though the words didn't settle. He could feel the power thrumming through his veins, a steady, insistent pull. The sword felt more alive in his hands than ever before.
And somewhere deep inside him, he knew this was just the beginning.