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Chirag stood on the edge of the Crimson Crater—a place where flames once danced freely, but now lay cold and still. This was where one of the ancient sealed powers slept, hidden from gods, demons, and humans alike. According to the relics and scrolls they had gathered, this crater was home to a piece of the Eternal Flame—a power that could decide the outcome of the coming war.
Siya stood beside him, her hand lightly gripping his. Her presence was his anchor. Kael stood behind them, ever watchful, his spear glowing faintly. The wind here was dry and hot, but the flame below was quiet, waiting.
"We're here," Chirag said. "Now we have to wake it."
Siya nodded. "But it won't just wake for anyone."
Chirag stepped closer to the crater's center. The ground was cracked and glowing slightly beneath his feet. He closed his eyes, focused, and let the energy inside him flow.
Memories rushed in—of pain, of loss, of love. He remembered the first time he held power, the first time he saw Siya's smile, and the first time he realized he wasn't just an ordinary human anymore. The flame in his heart responded, flickering stronger.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
A deep voice echoed from beneath the earth. "Who dares disturb the Sealed Flame?"
Chirag opened his eyes. "I am Chirag. I seek your strength, not for destruction, but to bring back balance."
The flame responded with a wave of heat that pushed everyone back. Kael grunted but held his ground. Siya steadied herself with her magic.
"You carry pain," the voice said. "You carry hope. But is that enough?"
"Hope is what keeps us fighting," Chirag shouted. "It's what made me rise when I was powerless. It's what brought me here."
The sky above darkened. The ground cracked open wider, and a figure made of fire rose slowly from the crater. It had no clear face, but its presence was powerful—older than time, yet filled with sadness.
"I was sealed because the gods feared me," it said. "They feared my truth: that balance comes not from control, but from freedom."
Chirag stepped forward. "Then help me bring that freedom back."
The fire spirit studied him for a moment longer. "You carry her love," it said, looking at Siya. "That is rare… and powerful."
Siya stepped beside Chirag. "He's not alone. We fight together."
Kael raised his spear. "And you've got me too, flame spirit."
The spirit laughed, a deep sound like crackling firewood. "Then take my gift. But know this—once awakened, this flame never sleeps again. It will burn through lies, through fear, even through you… if your heart is not pure."
Chirag nodded. "I accept."
The spirit stepped forward and placed its flaming hand on Chirag's chest.
A blast of light erupted, and fire exploded upward from the crater. Chirag screamed, not in pain, but in power. The flames didn't burn him—they became part of him.
His eyes turned gold. His body glowed. His aura doubled, tripled, until the ground itself trembled beneath him.
When it was over, Chirag stood taller. Stronger. Changed.
The spirit faded back into the crater, leaving only a trail of fire in its place.
Siya touched his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Chirag turned to her. "I feel… more alive than ever."
Kael smiled. "Now we're ready."
Suddenly, the sky above them cracked—not clouds, but reality itself. A tear opened, and a god's voice echoed across the land.
"You were warned, Chirag. Power like that will not go unnoticed."
Siya narrowed her eyes. "Let them come."
Chirag clenched his fists. The fire within him burned brightly. "Let them try."
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