The cavern breathed.
Not like a living creature.
Not like wind.
But like power itself.
Every inhale drew energy inward.
Every exhale sent waves of pressure rippling across the massive chamber.
Che stood at the center of a circular platform carved from black crystal, its surface etched with ancient runes glowing faintly gold. Beneath his bare feet, heat pulsed in slow, heavy rhythms, like a buried heart struggling to beat.
The air shimmered.
Temperature fluctuated wildly freezing cold one moment, searing heat the next.
His lungs burned.
His skin prickled.
Sweat trickled slowly down his spine.
Around the platform, jagged stone walls curved upward into endless darkness. Massive chains of glowing energy hung suspended in midair, rotating slowly, forming an enormous containment ring.
Kael stood at the edge, arms crossed, golden eyes sharp and unblinking.
"This is the Trial of Flames," he said quietly. "Most don't survive their first attempt."
Che swallowed.
His chest rose.
Then fell.
Slow.
Controlled.
"Then I won't fail."
Kael studied him.
"You don't understand. This isn't about strength. It's about endurance. About control. About whether your mind breaks before your body does."
Che nodded once.
"Begin."
The runes flared.
Light exploded.
Heat surged upward from the platform, slamming into Che's body like a rising tide of molten air. His muscles locked instantly. His lungs seized as scorching oxygen flooded his chest.
Pain detonated.
A violent gasp tore from his throat.
His breathing shattered.
In.
Fire.
Out.
Fire.
Every breath scorched his lungs.
Every heartbeat thundered violently.
The temperature climbed relentlessly.
His skin burned.
His veins felt like they were boiling.
He clenched his fists, knuckles whitening, jaw trembling.
Control.
In.
Hold.
Out.
He forced the rhythm.
Slow.
Measured.
Each breath fought the fire inside his chest.
The runes pulsed brighter.
Heat intensified.
His knees buckled.
He dropped to one knee, palms slamming against the crystal floor.
Steam hissed violently where sweat touched the glowing surface.
His vision blurred.
Dark spots crept in.
Pain roared through every nerve.
But he did not scream.
He inhaled.
And held it.
Then released it slowly.
Again.
Inside him, the Ember Core stirred.
Not violently.
Not chaotically.
But cautiously.
Like a great beast waking from centuries of sleep.
Heat pooled in his chest, concentrated and controlled, forming a stable core instead of wild surges.
The pain dulled slightly.
Enough to breathe.
Enough to think.
But not enough to relax.
The trial was just beginning.
The platform cracked.
Lines of molten energy surged outward, forming towering walls of golden flame that spiraled upward, encircling him completely.
The air became unbearable.
Each inhale felt like swallowing liquid fire.
His heartbeat pounded violently.
His chest convulsed.
He swayed, fighting to remain upright.
Memories surged unbidden.
Rael's face.
His voice.
His final breath.
Grief slammed into Che like a hammer.
The flames responded instantly.
They surged higher.
Fiercer.
Unstable.
Kael's voice thundered from beyond the fire.
"Control your emotions! The trial feeds on them!"
Che squeezed his eyes shut.
Grief threatened to consume him.
So did rage.
So did despair.
But beneath all of it
Resolve burned brighter.
He inhaled deeply.
Slow.
Steady.
Then whispered, "I endure."
The fire recoiled.
Only slightly.
But enough.
The trial shifted.
The flames vanished.
Instantly replaced by bone-freezing cold.
Frost exploded across the platform.
Ice crept up Che's legs in jagged spirals, biting mercilessly into his flesh.
His breath turned to white mist.
His muscles stiffened.
Teeth chattered violently.
His lungs burned as freezing air tore through them.
In.
Sharp.
Out.
Shaking.
Pain lanced through his joints.
Numbness crept into his fingers.
Vision blurred again.
His knees trembled violently.
He clenched his jaw, forcing steady breaths.
In.
Hold.
Out.
Again.
The Ember Core flared faintly.
Warmth spread through his chest.
Then outward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Ice receded.
The cold weakened.
His breathing stabilized.
Balance returned.
Suddenly
Gravity twisted.
The platform tilted violently.
Che was hurled sideways.
His body slammed into invisible walls, bounced upward, then smashed downward again.
His lungs emptied violently.
He gasped, struggling for breath.
In.
Nothing.
Out.
Nothing.
Panic surged.
Then
Control.
He forced air back into his chest.
Slow.
Measured.
His muscles tightened.
His balance shifted.
He twisted mid-air, landing in a crouch.
Gravity surged again.
Harder.
He slammed down on his back.
Pain exploded through his spine.
Stars burst across his vision.
His breathing shattered into ragged gasps.
Sweat and blood streaked his skin.
But he rose.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each time, slower.
Heavier.
More painful.
But he did not fall permanently.
Hours passed.
Or maybe minutes.
Time dissolved.
Only pain remained.
Only breath.
Only endurance.
The trial assaulted him with searing heat, crushing gravity, freezing cold, and violent energy storms.
Each phase tore at his body.
At his mind.
At his soul.
Yet still
He stood.
His breathing became his anchor.
In.
Hold.
Out.
Each cycle a victory.
Each heartbeat a declaration of defiance.
At the breaking point
The cavern fell silent.
The platform stilled.
The runes dimmed.
Che collapsed to his knees, chest heaving violently, sweat and blood dripping from his trembling body.
His breathing came in harsh, uneven gasps.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
He pressed his forehead against the crystal floor, body shaking uncontrollably.
He had nothing left.
Not strength.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Only will.
Then
The pendant lifted.
Floating gently before him.
Its glow intensified.
The air thickened.
Energy surged violently.
Che's chest tightened.
Heat bloomed deep within his core.
A presence stirred.
Massive.
Ancient.
Unimaginable.
The cavern trembled.
Kael stepped back, eyes wide.
The Elder Council appeared silently along the cavern walls, watching.
The presence spoke inside Che's mind.
You endure.
His breathing caught.
"Who… are you?"
Your legacy.
Golden flame surged through his veins.
Not burning.
Not destructive.
Pure.
Perfect.
Every cell in his body ignited.
Pain exploded.
Then vanished.
Strength flooded him.
Clarity followed.
His breathing stabilized instantly.
Slow.
Deep.
Effortless.
Energy radiated from his skin.
The runes flared brilliantly.
The cavern bathed in gold.
Che rose.
His body no longer trembled.
His wounds closed.
His fatigue evaporated.
Power hummed through every muscle fiber.
The presence whispered.
Rise, Flamebearer.
The energy folded inward.
The light faded.
Silence returned.
Che stood alone on the platform, breathing calmly, steadily, peacefully.
Kael approached slowly.
For the first time, awe flickered across his face.
"You survived the full cycle," he whispered.
Che exhaled.
Then inhaled.
"I endured."
The Elder stepped forward, her ancient eyes glowing.
"The Trial of Flames has accepted you," she said softly. "You are no longer merely awakened. You are bound."
Che frowned. "Bound to what?"
"To destiny," she replied.
That night, Che lay in the crystal chamber, staring at the glowing ceiling.
His breathing was calm.
Deep.
Steady.
Yet his mind burned.
The presence lingered.
Not speaking.
Not sleeping.
Watching.
Waiting.
He clenched his fists.
"I won't be your weapon," he whispered.
Silence answered.
But somewhere deep within
A flame pulsed.
Far away, within the Dominion's obsidian fortress, alarms screamed.
Massive energy signatures spiked violently across countless monitors.
A towering figure rose from a throne of dark metal.
Golden eyes blazed.
"The Flamebearer has awakened fully," the voice rumbled.
Commanders knelt.
"Prepare the Purge Legion," the figure ordered. "We march for Aetherfall."
Thunder shook the fortress.
War approached.