Elydrin Solvar stood amidst the molten ruins of Veylport, heat radiating from his body like two suns trapped within mortal flesh. The city square, once filled with life, was now a cracked, smoldering wasteland. Smoke coiled in the air, mingling with the rain to create an unnatural haze. The storm above, indifferent to human suffering, raged on.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the heat pulse through his veins. Every strike he had thrown at Rayon had been absorbed, redirected, or adapted to. Every punch, every firestorm had been countered. For the first time in decades, he felt the thrill of uncertainty.
Elydrin (thinking): This boy… this creature. I've faced the strongest, the most cunning, the most dangerous… yet he stands, grinning, mocking me. He adapts. He grows stronger with each strike. How… audacious.
His piercing eyes scanned the battlefield, resting briefly on the ten Awakeners, still recovering, still conscious. Each of them bore bruises, broken bones, scars that would remind them of their place beneath Rayon.
Elydrin (thinking, dark smile): They are strong, yes, but even together, they are ants beneath him. I can only imagine the chaos he can unleash when he truly wants it.
He crouched, feeling the energy around him vibrate, sensing the imprint of hollow strings in the air—Rayon's invisible, lethal fingers dancing across the environment. Elydrin's fists burned brighter. He would need to prepare for the inevitable escalation.
He straightened, voice cutting through the haze. "Listen carefully," he said, calm yet commanding, as the ten Awakeners approached, still bruised, still gasping. "Rayon… that creature… is no ordinary threat. He is full potential unleashed, far beyond anything we have ever faced. He respects no rules, no hierarchy, no authority. He will not hesitate, and he will not be reasoned with."
Lazheron Veyral clenched his fists. "What do you want us to do, Founder? He's… unstoppable!"
Elydrin's eyes flicked over him, the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Unstoppable? Perhaps. But that does not mean we are powerless. He is arrogant, overconfident… and overconfidence is the only weakness I see. We will contain him—not destroy him, not yet—but contain him long enough to prepare."
He turned, raising a hand. Flames flickered across his palm, the heat palpable even in the storm. "I want the Awakeners Circle mobilized. Immediately. All squads, all ranks. They will spread to every city, every known seal, every region with a potential hotspot. I want eyes on him. I want eyes on the seals. We will gather information. And we will prepare a countermeasure."
Asha Myrelle nodded slowly, her dual daggers glinting in the firelight. "And if he attacks again?"
Elydrin's grin widened, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Then we will fight. We will learn. We will survive. But understand this—we do not underestimate him. If he reaches full potential again, if he releases even a fraction of his sealed power… the world changes. We are merely observers, pawns, until we adapt. And adapt we shall."
Rovan Delsic's shadowed eyes darted. "You… respect him, don't you?"
Elydrin chuckled softly, fire dancing around his fingers. "Respect is earned, boy. That boy earned it in an hour. Few can survive my fire, let alone mock it while standing. That respect… does not mean he wins. It means he has proven to be worthy of attention. And when the worthy challenge us, we sharpen our blades, we prepare our minds, and we wait for the right moment to strike."
He moved to the center of the ruined square, raising his hands. "Lazheron, Rovan, Asha… gather the ranks. All initiates, all experts. Send word to the commanders stationed at the seals. I want full situational awareness within twelve hours. Every movement, every tremor, every whisper of power—report it immediately."
Thalric Veynis looked uneasy. "Founder… do you truly think we can track him? He moves faster than our perception."
Elydrin's gaze hardened. "We do not track him to catch him. We track him to understand him. Every pattern, every instinct, every arrogance he displays—this is our advantage. If we can predict even a fraction of his behavior, we can survive longer. We cannot hope to fight him directly… yet. But we can prepare."
He gestured at the stormed city. "Let this be a lesson. Every district we fail to observe, every city we leave unprepared, every seal left unguarded… he will exploit. And when he does, the world will know that the Awakeners Circle—even at full strength—is merely a challenge to him, not a threat."
He paused, lifting his gaze to the storm above, eyes narrowing at the shadows that flickered over the clouds. Rayon had already disappeared into the forest, leaving the battle and ruins behind.
Elydrin (thinking): Full Potential Rayon… truly a monster of a being. Not just strength, but instinct, arrogance, pleasure in dominance… he is chaos incarnate, yet he obeys his own rules. Unlike any other. And yet… there is beauty in it. A predator who can respect power. Who can acknowledge equal challenge. A rarity… and a threat.
His fist ignited, heat coiling like a second sun above it. "Prepare yourselves. He will return. And when he does, the world will feel the fury of two suns. But we… we will survive. And we will learn. We always do."
Erethon (mocking, faintly audible in Rayon's subconscious): He respects you… for now. But mark my words… the day you finally meet the boy at full potential… even you will be left in awe.
Elydrin turned, giving the ten Awakeners one last glare. "Go. Spread. Observe. Report. And remember—strength alone will not stop him. We must understand him, adapt, and wait for opportunity. That is all we have. That is all we can do."
The ten bowed and vanished into the storm, mobilizing the Awakeners Circle, their minds burning with the memory of the boy who stood against two suns and lived.
Elydrin (whispering to himself, a trace of both respect and warning): Rayon… we will meet again. And when we do… the world itself will tremble.