The ruins around them quivered under the deafening roar of the beast. The chamber was collapsing, stone crumbling from the ancient ceiling like fragile glass. Hine pressed her back against a cracked pillar, chest heaving, eyes darting toward the swirling void where the creature's molten gaze glared at her.
The Silent Soul's voice, steady but urgent, echoed in her mind.
"Stay calm, Hine. It feeds on fear. You must find your center."
Her fingers tightened around the shard in her palm, its cool surface the only anchor keeping her from spiraling into panic. Her muscles trembled from exhaustion. Cuts and bruises burned along her arms, but the adrenaline had dulled the pain. She had been cornered for what felt like hours, each swing of her blade deflected, each step closer to freedom blocked by the creature's towering mass.
The beast lunged again, claws raking the air where she had been seconds ago. She rolled to the side, the edge of its talon grazing her shoulder. Pain flared white-hot, but she forced herself back to her feet. She could not afford to falter.
The Silent Soul materialized near her, its faint silhouette hovering above the cracked floor, gaze fixed on her with something unreadable.
"You have more within you than you realize. Let it rise."
"I have nothing left," she spat, chest tight, breath ragged. "I can't win this fight."
The guardian tilted its head, almost in sorrow. "It is not about winning, Hine. It is about awakening. Listen. Feel. You carry a fire in your bloodline. Stop running from it."
The words burrowed deep, clashing against the fear that gripped her heart. She remembered the first time the shard had healed her, the strange warmth that had flooded her veins, the way it had pulsed like a second heartbeat. She had ignored it, afraid of what it meant. But now, staring into the eyes of her death, she felt that same heat flicker to life.
The creature roared, the ground trembling as it charged. Hine closed her eyes for a fraction of a second. She let herself feel the terror, the desperation, the rage of being hunted and cornered. She let it burn.
And then she screamed.
A wave of searing heat erupted from her chest, sweeping outward in a violent surge. Flames spiraled from her hands, curling around her arms like living serpents. The air around her warped, shimmering with intensity, and the shard in her grip glowed bright enough to blind.
The beast faltered mid-stride, its molten form hissing at the sudden onslaught of heat.
Hine opened her eyes, and the world had changed.
Her vision sharpened, colors glowing with unnatural vibrancy. She could see the beast's movements before it made them, every shift of its muscles a silent signal. Her body felt lighter, faster, as if the flames themselves carried her forward.
She raised her hand instinctively, and a torrent of fire erupted from her palm, striking the creature square in the chest. The explosion sent it staggering back, a guttural screech tearing through the cavern.
The Silent Soul's voice was calm now, almost reverent.
"Pyro. It sleeps in your blood. You are finally listening."
Hine did not answer. There was no room for words, only instinct. The flames danced at her command, arcing and spiraling in perfect harmony with her movements. She dashed forward, her feet barely touching the cracked stone, and swung her blade in a blazing arc. Fire traced her path, leaving molten scars on the ground.
The creature retaliated, lashing out with blinding speed, but this time, she was faster. She ducked under its claw, a trail of fire igniting where she slid, and drove her blade into its side. The heat from her own body surged into the strike, detonating in a burst that lit up the ruins like the sun.
For the first time, the beast recoiled, its molten core flickering erratically.
Her chest heaved, sweat dripping down her brow, but the fire did not waver. It was alive, feeding on her resolve. She raised her hand again, this time not hesitating, and sent a concentrated stream of flame hurtling toward the creature's exposed core.
The impact was deafening. The chamber shook, debris raining down as the beast let out a final, guttural roar before collapsing into a heap of smoldering stone and molten fragments.
Silence followed.
Only the crackle of dying flames filled the ruins as Hine stood frozen, her hands trembling, the glow around her slowly dimming. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to the floor, her blade clattering beside her.
The Silent Soul drifted closer, its voice softer now.
"You have taken the first step. But this power will demand more of you, Hine. The flame burns, but it also consumes."
She looked down at her hands, still faintly glowing with embers. Her pulse was a steady drumbeat in her ears, but beneath it, she felt the fire... alive, waiting.
"I didn't… I didn't know," she whispered, her voice hoarse.
"Now you do," the guardian replied. "And you will need it for what lies ahead. The enemies you will face will not hesitate. Neither can you."
Her thoughts drifted to Mavuika. To the unanswered questions. To the weight of the shard in her palm, heavier now, as if it too acknowledged the awakening within her.
Hine clenched her fists, staring at the glowing embers still dancing along her skin. The fear had not vanished, but something else had taken root. Determination.
As the ruins groaned and settled into uneasy silence, she pushed herself to her feet, her muscles aching but her spirit unbroken. She did not yet understand the scope of what had just awakened, but for the first time, she felt like she had a chance.
The Silent Soul hovered beside her as they made their way toward the shattered doorway that led deeper into the ruins.
"Your journey has only begun," it said quietly. "The flame within you will either save you… or destroy you."
Hine's jaw tightened, her gaze fixed forward.
"Then I'll make sure it saves me."
The Silent Soul said nothing, but its faint outline pulsed, as though in quiet approval, as they disappeared deeper into the shadows of the ancient halls.