The night air was thick with smoke, the acrid scent of burning wood mixing with the salty tang of the nearby sea. Embers danced like fireflies in the darkness, carried by the howling wind as flames devoured the dock village. Shadows flickered wildly against the walls of burning buildings, stretching and distorting like twisted specters.
The Fire Elemental loomed at the center of the chaos, its molten body radiating an unbearable heat. It towered over the crumbling structures, every step leaving behind scorched earth. With each building that collapsed, with each new flame that roared to life, it grew stronger—its form expanding, the fire feeding its core.
A deep, guttural roar echoed through the village, shaking the ground beneath them. The heat intensified, and the wooden docks creaked as they blackened and curled. The water beneath them was boiling.
Jalen wiped sweat from his brow, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Shit… it's just getting stronger."
Nathan stood beside him, arms tense, his usual smirk absent. "Yeah, we might've underestimated this one."
A deafening crack split the air as the elemental swung one massive arm, sending a fiery shockwave through the streets. A group of villagers screamed, barely managing to flee as an inferno erupted behind them.
Lucio gritted his teeth. "We have to stop this now! The longer this fire burns, the more powerful it becomes!"
Jalen nodded, "Then we don't waste any more time."
Rhea clenched her fists. "Right. We take it down before the whole village turns to ash."
Nathan vanished in a blur. He reappeared at the elemental's side, hands glowing with temporal energy. "Let's see how you handle this, fireball." He clenched his fists— "Time Distortion."
For a moment, the Fire Elemental's movements slowed, its flames flickering in sluggish waves.
Rhea darted in next, moving faster than she ever had before. The bracers Velda gave her amplified her strength and speed, allowing her to match Lucio's usual agility. She sprinted forward, leaping onto a broken rooftop before launching herself toward the elemental's core.
She twisted midair, planting both feet against the elemental's chest, and kicked off with enough force to send shockwaves through its molten form. The elemental stumbled back, its flames shuddering from the impact.
Nathan whistled. "Damn, Rhea. Didn't know you had hops like that."
"Shut up and fight!" she shot back, landing gracefully.
Jalen surged forward next. The flames around him curled but never quite touched—his aura repelled them, the black and gold energy of his glyphs pulsing faintly. He slashed at the elemental's body, the enchanted blade biting into molten rock.
A deep crack formed, the flames flickering violently as the elemental let out an inhuman roar.
But just as quickly as the damage appeared, the fire licked over the wound, sealing it shut.
Jalen clicked his tongue. "Great. It heals."
Nathan exhaled, stepping back. "We need to put out the fires before we can kill this thing. Otherwise, it's just gonna keep regenerating."
Lucio, who had already pulled a group of villagers to safety, called out, "Then you keep it busy, and I'll start putting out the flames!"
Jalen grinned, cracking his neck. "Oh, we'll keep it busy."
The Fire Elemental let out a deafening roar, the flames around its body flaring wildly, sending a massive wave of heat outward.
Nathan groaned. "Oh, great. Now it's pissed."
Jalen smirked, gripping his blade tighter. "Good."
Rhea moved like lightning, outpacing the elemental's flaming strikes. Lucio, on the other hand, wasn't even dodging—he was moving through the fire, using his enhanced durability to knock down burning structures and create barriers to stop the fire from spreading further.
Nathan kept time distortions active, buying the group just enough seconds to land clean hits. But it wasn't enough.
Jalen struck the elemental again, but the flames kept repairing it.
Rhea narrowed her eyes, watching the way the fire twisted. "Guys—there's a core. In the chest. That's where the energy's coming from."
Jalen followed her gaze. Deep within the flames, a molten heart pulsed.
"That's our target," Nathan muttered. "How do we crack it?"
"Working on that right now. Rhea, draw its attention!"
"Okay, Jalen!"
Rhea moved to attack again, but this time, the fire lashed out first.
A flaming tendril shot toward her, fast and unpredictable. She had no time to dodge.
Nathan moved instinctively.
CRACK.
The blow sent Nathan sprawling, his arm seared black where the flames had connected. The scent of burning flesh filled the air.
Rhea gasped. "Nathan!"
Nathan gritted his teeth, pushing himself up. "I'm fine," he hissed, clutching his burned arm. "We need to put this thing down. Now."
Jalen's eyes narrowed. The fire is spreading too fast… The heat is too much. If this keeps going, we'll lose the entire village. His grip on his blade tightened.
'Water… We need water.'
Then, it clicked.
His glyphs flared, pulsing outward, connecting to the environment. His thoughts flowed like instinct—his power, Dream Mold, weaving into the world around him.
Jalen turned towards the docks. His glyphs spread across the water, glowing gold as the surface began to ripple unnaturally.
Lucio's eyes widened. "Jalen… what the hell are you doing?"
"I'm not too sure, but I'm just..."
The water rose—but it moved like a solid force, responding to his command.
The villagers watching from afar gasped in disbelief.
Jalen's voice was steady. "Putting out the fire."
With a single motion, he threw the entire mass of water forward.
The wave slammed into the elemental and the burning village. Steam billowed as flames were extinguished instantly. The Fire Elemental shrieked, its massive form shrinking rapidly.
Nathan staggered back, blinking. "Holy shit."
Lucio let out a breath. "Alright… that's new."
Jalen flexed his fingers as the glow faded. "Guess I'm learning a few things."
The Fire Elemental was now tiny, flickering weakly.
Rhea grinned. "Can I keep it?"
"Rhea, no," Lucio groaned.
"Fine. But it's your responsibility," Jalen smirked.
"I'll name him Ember," Rhea said triumphantly.
Nathan sighed deeply. "I hate everything about this."
"E-Excuse us!" villagers approached, bowing. "Thank you!"
Jalen reached out to an old man. "As Chief, you protected these people too."
The man blinked. "I'm not the chief… she is."
Nathan snickered. "Wait, seriously? The chief's a woman—?"
Rhea's foot slammed into his groin. "Shut up, Nathan."
Jalen smiled at the real chief. "We need the path to Everlock."
She nodded. "It's by boat. But beware—beyond the sea lies the Verdant Expanse, a jungle from which few return."
"Perfect," Jalen replied calmly. "We leave at sunrise."
Rhea, still holding Ember in her hands, grinned. "Guess that means we're heading into the unknown again, huh?"
Nathan sighed, glancing at the calm waves. "First a windstorm, now a fire elemental, and next… whatever the jungle throws at us." He cracked his knuckles. "At least we won't be bored."
Jalen simply nodded. "Wouldn't be fun otherwise."
As the villagers dispersed to make preparations, the group gathered at the docks, watching the waves reflect the dying embers of the night's battle.
Rhea turned Ember over gently in her hands, the tiny elemental flickering warmly. She glanced toward Lucio and Nathan, curiosity evident in her expression. "By the way, what's with your enchantments? Mine makes me faster and stronger, but what about you two? What's the point if they don't boost your physical abilities?"
Nathan rubbed his burned arm, grimacing slightly. "Well, mine doesn't exactly make me stronger, but it does something just as useful." He raised his wrist, revealing the intricate timepiece strapped tightly around it. "Velda said this helps stabilize my powers. My Time Distortions are stronger, last longer, and take less out of me."
Rhea tilted her head. "So, it just buffs your ability?"
Nathan chuckled softly. "Pretty much, but I can also affect bigger areas or stronger enemies. Like that elemental earlier—without the enchantment, slowing it down wouldn't have been as easy."
Lucio flexed his gauntlet-covered fists, smiling softly. "And mine enhances durability. I can't move faster, but my defense is stronger than ever. I can protect people more efficiently, absorb attacks better, and help control situations without worrying about injuries."
"Well what about you, Jalen? You were given Stix's old dagger, right, what enchantment does it do for you?"
Jalen slowly drew the dagger from its sheath, studying it thoughtfully. "Honestly… I'm not completely sure," he admitted, turning it over in his hand. "I can feel something, but it's hard to describe."
As he gripped the dagger tighter, his glyphs flared to life, glowing brighter than ever before. Golden energy surged along his arms, mirroring the dagger's faint shimmer. For a brief moment, everything went still. Then, without warning—
A deafening CRACK filled the air, a sound like thunder splitting reality itself. The group flinched instinctively, shielding their eyes from the blinding flash.
Then, silence.
Jalen exhaled softly, the glow fading as quickly as it had appeared.
Nathan shifted uneasily, breaking the silence first. "Uh… Should we be worried about that?"
Lucio's gaze was cautious, analyzing Jalen carefully. "Do you feel any different?"
Jalen stared at the dagger a moment longer before sheathing it once again. "I don't know," he murmured, glancing toward the dark horizon. "But something tells me I will soon."
He turned away, leaving the group watching him quietly, the mystery lingering in the air and his glyphs glowing red under the moonlight.
'Velda, what did you do to this dagger...'