Kael descended from the mountain at dusk, boots dusted with frost, lightning calm but heavy beneath his skin. Loki appeared in front of him with deliberate flair, sigils unfolding into a wide translucent display that hovered in the air. "Trial assimilation complete," Loki declared. "And yes, before you ask—you got stronger again." Kael crossed his arms. "Spare me the poetry." Loki grinned. "Very well. Analysis complete. Your Dragonic Thunderstorm Dragon now aligns with the legendary Storm Dragon lineage. Not a monarch-type dragon. A roaming calamity archetype. Storms follow you because they want to." Kael nodded once. "Figures."
Kael Stormheart – Status
Level: 8 (Awakened)
Power: Dragonic Thunderstorm Dragon (Storm Dragon Lineage – Confirmed)
Forms: Human / Demidrake / Partial Shifts
Stats (Max 999): Strength 142, Agility 132, Intelligence 135, Charm 141, Luck 127
Skills: Lightning Surge (Refined), Partial Form Shift (Advanced), Short Levitation (Stable), Storm Sense (New), Dajin Absorption (Active)
Loki's note: "Your presence is heavier now. People will feel you before they see you. Try not to terrify merchants."
Kael exhaled. "No promises."
The city of Sayo spread before them, lanterns reflecting off canals, stone bridges crowded with life, an invisible pressure settling over Kael the moment he crossed the gate. Loki floated closer. "City-wide suppression array active. Awakened combat restricted to approved zones." As they reached the central square, a massive rune-lit board ignited above the crowd. "Awakened Championship," Loki read aloud. "Martial combat only. Killing strictly forbidden. Winner earns the right to forge a custom weapon with the Grand Blacksmith. Additional clause: defeated Awakened relinquish a portion of their accumulated power." Kael's smile sharpened. "So you lose, you get weaker." Loki corrected him. "You lose, you survive—but diminished. Civilized cruelty."
That was when she stepped directly into his path.
She lowered her hood, revealing sharp silver eyes and pale skin marked with faint frost-veins that had not fully faded. Her presence was quieter now, restrained, but unmistakably Awakened. She leaned close, voice smooth, deliberate. "Kael Stormheart," she murmured. "You climb mountains like you own them." Her fingers brushed his sleeve, cold lingering for a heartbeat. Kael gently caught her wrist and moved it aside without looking at her. "Try again next life." Loki added helpfully, "Seduction efficiency: zero percent." Her smile faltered. She tried once more, whispering promises, eyes burning with pride that refused to die. Kael stepped around her. "Not interested."
She snapped.
Dropping dramatically to her knees in the middle of the street, she grabbed his coat, voice raised just enough to draw attention. "Fine! Then take responsibility!" The square went quiet. Loki laughed openly. "Oh this is magnificent." She looked up at Kael, jaw tight, eyes fierce. "My name is Ylva Frostveil. I was an Awakened of Glacial Dominion. Was. You took my power. Almost all of it." Kael stiffened slightly. Loki spoke before he could. "Clarification: power extraction was halted at ten percent capacity. Any lower and her core would collapse. Death would follow." Ylva nodded sharply. "I'm alive because you didn't finish me. I can still fight—barely. Ice manipulation, minor constructs, cold resistance. That's it." She rose to her feet, pride bleeding through desperation. "I won't challenge you again. But I won't crawl back into obscurity either. Let me follow you. I'll scout, support, freeze enemies, clean your wounds—whatever you need."
Kael stared at her as murmurs spread through the crowd. "You're making a scene." She met his gaze without flinching. "I'm making a choice." Loki floated between them. "From a tactical standpoint, a weakened former Awakened makes an excellent companion. Low threat. High experience." Kael sighed deeply. "You're both impossible." He pointed at her. "You follow my rules. You don't act on your own. You don't challenge me again." Ylva's grin was immediate, sharp and feral. "Understood." She stepped behind him without hesitation, position instinctive, like it had always been hers.
High above the square, other Awakened watched in silence. Whispers spread. The Storm Dragon had entered Sayo. He had claimed power without killing. He walked toward the championship with lightning calm in his veins and a broken rival at his side. Somewhere beneath the city, a blacksmith prepared his forge. And soon, many Awakened would learn that in Sayo, losing meant living long enough to regret it.