The village of Emberfall always woke slowly.
Mist drifted lazily across the hills, curling around the rooftops like soft fingers, and the morning sun had a habit of rising gently rather than boldly. On most days, the only sound at dawn was the river muttering to itself as it slid between the rocks.
For most people, it was peaceful.
But for Kael, morning only meant one thing:
Another day of pretending he was normal.
He sat alone at the riverbank, knees tucked to his chest, eyes fixed on the water. The surface shimmered faintly, catching early sunlight and throwing gentle reflections across his face. Kael dipped his fingers into the slow-moving current.
The water reacted instantly.
It curled around his fingertips in a soft spiral, as if greeting him.
A pale blue glow flickered underneath his skin, barely visible.
Kael froze. "No, no… not now."
He pulled his hand back—but the glow didn't disappear.
It shifted.
Blue fading… red pulsing beneath it like a heartbeat.
Water and Fire.
Two elements.
Two forces that should never dwell in the same soul.
Kael shoved his hands into the dirt, trying to ground himself, willing the elements to settle. For a moment they resisted—but then, as if sulking, the glow finally dimmed.
He exhaled shakily and dragged a hand through his hair.
He hated this.
All of it.
The secrecy. The guilt. The constant fear of losing control.
In Emberfall, children grew up hoping to awaken one element. Families were proud of their Fire children or Wind children. Adults trained their entire lives to master a single discipline.
But someone like Kael?
Someone born with two?
The stories called them "Split Souls."
The laws called them "abominations."
And the last one recorded in history had been executed by the Elemental Council.
So Kael learned to keep his head down.
To breathe quietly.
To never stand out.
He lay back on the riverbank, staring at the sky as it brightened to gold. Birds chirped somewhere behind him. Everything looked peaceful.
It made him feel like a stranger in his own life.
"Kael!"
He sat up quickly.
A figure ran toward him, her braid swinging behind her like a loose rope. Lira. She was one of the only people in Emberfall who could make him smile without trying.
She skidded to a stop, panting. "Seriously? You sneak out at dawn again? Your mother's been looking everywhere."
Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "I just needed some air."
Lira raised an eyebrow. "Air? Or another escape?"
He didn't answer. Which was answer enough.
Lira dropped onto the grass beside him, stretching her legs out in front of her. "You've been disappearing a lot lately. If you're avoiding the Elemental Examiners, trust me, everyone's nervous. You're not the only one."
Kael's stomach twisted.
He was avoiding them—and with good reason.
"I just don't like crowds."
"Kael, you fought off four of Taro's goats single-handedly when we were nine. Don't pretend you're afraid of people."
He couldn't help a small laugh. "Those goats were evil."
Lira nudged his shoulder. "Come on. Talk to me. What's going on with you?"
Kael hesitated. She was the one person he wanted to tell. The one person he wished he could trust with the truth.
But if she found out what he was?
Would she still sit beside him like this?
Would she still look at him with that same brightness in her eyes?
He looked away. "I'm fine, Lira. Really."
"You're a terrible liar," she muttered.
But she didn't push further.
Instead, she stared out at the river with him, letting the silence stretch comfortably between them.
A gong echoed across the village.
Lira jumped to her feet. "The examiners are already here?"
Kael's heart dropped like a stone.
The Elemental Examiners.
Fire masters.
Men trained to sense even a flicker of elemental energy.
This was the exact situation he spent his whole life avoiding.
Lira's eyes sparkled with a mix of excitement and nerves. "Kael… this might be it. This might be the year I awaken something."
He forced a smile. He wanted to be happy for her—truly—but fear had already wrapped itself around his ribs.
"Be careful," he said quietly.
Lira grinned and punched his arm lightly. "I always am."
The Square
By the time Kael and Lira reached the village square, at least a hundred people had already gathered. Children stood in a nervous line. Adults chatted excitedly. Farmers, merchants, and blacksmiths all pressed forward for a better view.
And at the center—
——stood Master Serrin.
Kael's breath hitched.
Serrin was tall and broad-shouldered, clad in armor the color of dying embers. His eyes seemed to glow faintly from within, like two smoldering coals. Even without touching Kael, the Fire element inside him stirred uneasily.
He swallowed.
Stay calm.
Don't react.
The emberstone in front of Serrin pulsed crimson. When touched, it revealed whether a person carried Fire within them.
One by one, the village youth stepped forward.
Some children lit the stone with a gentle flame.
Some touched it and nothing happened.
Some only made it flicker.
Then it was Lira's turn.
Kael found himself holding his breath.
Lira placed her palms on the stone. For a moment, nothing happened. Kael saw her shoulders tighten—she thought she had failed—
—and then a small flame bloomed beneath her fingertips.
A perfect, clear flame.
Lira gasped.
Her parents cried out with joy.
The crowd cheered.
But Kael barely heard any of it. He felt something else—something worse—tightening in his chest.
Master Serrin rested a heavy hand on Lira's shoulder. "Your spark is small," he said, "but it burns clean. You may train with our order when we return."
Lira's eyes flicked to Kael from across the square.
She smiled at him.
He tried to smile back.
Then Serrin turned.
His gaze locked straight onto Kael.
"You," Serrin said, voice cutting sharply through the noise of the crowd. "Step forward."
Kael froze in place.
His blood turned cold.
His heartbeat thrummed painfully against his ribs.
The Fire inside him stirred as if answering Serrin's call.
"I… I didn't sign up," Kael stammered.
"All youth must be tested," Serrin replied. "Step forward."
Kael felt dozens of eyes shift to him.
Lira frowned, confused.
Villagers whispered.
Some looked annoyed, others curious.
His legs moved on their own, each step feeling heavier than the last.
He reached the emberstone.
His hands trembled violently.
Don't flare.
Don't glow.
Don't respond.
Please…
He closed his eyes and—
"WAIT!"
A shout tore through the air.
Kael jerked his head up.
A boy about his age stumbled into the square, breath ragged, clothes torn, dust smeared across his face. His hair was matted with sweat.
"Master Serrin!" he cried. "There's—there's an attack coming!"
The entire square fell silent.
Serrin's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
"Elemental Raiders! From the Ashen Wastes! They're— they're right behind me!"
A deep boom shook the ground.
Smoke billowed up from the eastern road.
Villagers screamed.
Mothers grabbed their children.
Fathers ran for tools, spears, anything.
Kael staggered back from the emberstone.
Lira grabbed his wrist. "Kael, we need to hide. Come on!"
But Kael wasn't listening.
The Fire inside him roared to life at the sight of flames rising in the distance.
The Water inside him churned violently, reacting in the opposite direction.
Two forces pulling him apart.
His body trembled.
His breath came in short bursts.
His vision blurred at the edges.
Something inside him was waking up.
Something he couldn't keep buried anymore.
The ground trembled again. Screams erupted as dark silhouettes charged through the smoke—raiders clad in jagged armor, flames dancing along their weapons.
The villagers scattered.
Master Serrin unleashed a burst of fire, intercepting the first wave.
Lira tugged Kael desperately. "Kael, move!"
But Kael's feet were rooted to the ground.
He stared at the approaching destruction with wide, terrified eyes… because deep inside, he felt something respond.
Not fear.
Not panic.
Recognition.
As if his soul knew this moment was meant to come. As if both of his elements had been waiting for it.
The whisper of Fire: Fight.
The whisper of Water: Protect.
His two shadows rose.
And Kael—
—for the first time in his life—
didn't push them down.