The sun had barely pierced the ash-filled sky as Akira and Kael trained on the ruined battlefield. Dust and smoke swirled like spirits, carrying the scent of fire and blood from battles past.
Kael moved first, a blur of motion, testing Akira's reflexes. "Don't hold back," they said, eyes gleaming with a mixture of challenge and admiration. "I want to see the real power you've been hiding."
Akira's crimson flames flared, spiraling around her like a living storm. Blood-fueled energy thrummed in her veins, every heartbeat syncing with the heat of her aura. "I'm not hiding anything," she growled, stance low, blade at the ready. "I'll show you everything—just keep up."
The two clashed, sparks flying as fire met steel. Kael's strikes were precise, a whirlwind of fluid movements, but Akira's flames made her unstoppable. Every swing sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, dust and debris scattering like a battlefield in motion.
Mid-spin, Akira paused, sensing a faint pulse deep in her core—a strange, warm glow, unlike anything she'd felt before. Life… energy… it whispered, and her crimson flames flickered in a way that made even Kael pause.
"What is that?" Kael asked, frowning, noticing the shift in her aura.
"I… I'm not sure," Akira muttered, her gaze narrowing. "It's… power. Something I've never had before. Something that might… bring him back."
Kael's eyes widened. "Him… Temaki?"
Akira's jaw tightened, flames surging higher. "I promised. I'll bring him back… no matter what it takes."
The air crackled as she dashed forward, blade blazing, and the training quickly escalated into a high-octane sparring duel. Dust spun in tornadoes around them, flames spiraling with every movement, each clash echoing like thunder.
Suddenly, a fragment of residual shadow energy from Lord Kharis' remains flared, swirling like a serpent. Akira's crimson eyes glinted. "This isn't over… not yet."
Kael raised an eyebrow, smirk tugging at their lips. "Looks like you've got more than just raw power. You've got… destiny chasing you, huh?"
Akira's flames blazed brighter, aura expanding like a living inferno. "I don't care what's chasing me. I fight for him. I fight to bring him back. And I'll burn everything in my path if I have to."
The shadow fragment writhed violently, sensing the surge of life-giving energy within her. Sparks of crimson collided with dark tendrils, illuminating the battlefield in bursts of fire and shadow. Kael's eyes glimmered with respect—and curiosity.
Akira's gaze softened for the briefest moment. "Kael… can I trust you?"
Kael's smirk widened, aura steady. "I don't trust easily. But I trust you. For now."
The wind carried the scent of smoke and blood, and in the distance, the horizon burned with the promise of new battles, new powers, and the spark of hope Akira would need to revive Temaki.
Cliffhanger: Akira's life-giving power whispers to her for the first time in the heat of battle, Kael proves he might be more than just a sparring partner, and residual shadows of Lord Kharis stir in the distance… danger—and hope—converge.