Kael lay on the cracked earth, his body trembling from the sheer force of what had just happened. His breath came in ragged gasps, his limbs heavy, yet something within him felt… whole.
For the first time, he could feel it the vast presence inside him, no longer dormant, no longer silent. It was not like the magic he had seen in the world outside the vale. It was not something learned, nor something granted.
It was his.
A power that had always belonged to him, now unbound.
Sylara stood before him, her emerald eyes glowing with approval. "You feel it now, don't you?"
Kael clenched his fists, staring at his hands as a faint pulse of unseen energy flickered around them. "What… is this?"
"Not magic," Sylara said, stepping closer. "Not the power of humans, nor that of the gods. This is something greater the essence of sovereignty."
Kael looked up at her, confusion flickering in his glowing blue eyes.
Sylara let out a deep rumble of amusement. "Magic obeys rules, Kael. It follows structure, limitations, and cost. But your power… it is not bound by such things. It is not something you wield it is something you are."
Kael's breath hitched. Something I am…?
Sylara's gaze hardened. "But make no mistake power does not come without consequence. Now that it has awakened, it will demand something of you. If you are not strong enough to control it, it will consume you."
A chill ran down Kael's spine. The memory of that overwhelming pressure, of something vast and ancient stirring within him, was still fresh in his mind. He had felt it—the weight of something that had been sealed away for a reason.
Sylara turned, her silver mane shimmering under the moonlight. "Stand."
Kael hesitated. His body still ached, his mind still reeled from the awakening. But something in Sylara's voice left no room for weakness.
With effort, he pushed himself up, his legs shaking beneath him.
The moment he rose to his feet, Sylara struck.
A powerful gust of wind slammed into him as she unfurled her mighty wings, knocking him backward. Kael barely had time to brace himself before she lunged, her massive form a blur of speed and force.
Instinct took over.
Without thinking, Kael raised his hand and the world responded.
A pulse of unseen energy erupted from within him, stopping Sylara's advance just before impact. The air crackled, and for the briefest moment, a barrier of force shimmered around him raw, untamed, and barely controlled.
Sylara's emerald eyes gleamed.
Good.
She stepped back, nodding. "Your power reacts to your will. But instinct alone will not be enough. If you do not master it, it will destroy you."
Kael swallowed, his hands still shaking. He knew she was right. That surge of energy had come without warning, without conscious effort. If he could not control it, what would stop it from overwhelming him?
Sylara's voice turned firm. "From this day forward, you will not only train your body—you will train your will."
Kael clenched his fists. The weight of power was now his to bear.
And he would not let it break him.