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Morning came with a heavy fog hanging low over the temple grounds. It wasn't the peaceful kind of mist that made everything feel calm—it was thick, cold, and strangely silent, as if the world was holding something back.
Chirag stepped out of the temple's gates, his arms still bandaged but his body healing fast. The Fire Warden stood at the cliff's edge, silent and still like a stone statue, watching the sky. Chirag walked up beside it and placed a hand on its rocky mane. The beast made a low, deep sound—somewhere between a growl and a purr—and bowed its head slightly. They had grown a strange bond in just one fight.
From behind, Siya called out, "You're up early."
Chirag turned and smiled at her. "Couldn't sleep. Something feels... different today."
Siya nodded slowly. "The energy in the air... it's not just you. Dazren said the temple barriers trembled during the night."
Chirag's smile faded. "That means someone powerful is nearby."
Before Siya could respond, a loud, echoing sound cracked across the sky, like lightning splitting stone. The clouds above swirled violently, and a bright purple light flashed through them. From the light, a figure slowly descended.
The man floated just above the temple stairs, not walking—floating—with dark robes that shimmered like the night sky. His eyes glowed faintly red, and he looked down at them with a face that showed no emotion. Just cold power.
Dazren rushed out of the temple with his sword drawn. "Ravion."
Siya stepped back. "Ravion? The Ruler of the Eastern Empire?"
Ravion landed gently on the ground, his boots not even making a sound. "I've come for the boy."
Chirag narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
Ravion looked him over. "A human with demon blood and immortal power… you're a threat."
"I didn't ask for this," Chirag replied.
"Power doesn't care if it was asked for," Ravion said calmly. "But it must be controlled."
"You want to control me?" Chirag asked.
Ravion didn't answer. Instead, he raised one hand, and without warning, the ground beneath Chirag's feet erupted in a blast of energy.
Chirag jumped back just in time. The attack cracked the temple steps, leaving a hole several meters wide.
"I'm not here to talk," Ravion said.
Chirag stepped forward, standing between Ravion and Siya. "Then I'm not running."
Dazren joined Chirag's side. "He's not ready to fight you, Ravion."
"But I am ready to test him," Ravion replied. "Let's see if the boy can hold even a fraction of what he claims to be."
Chirag took a deep breath, feeling his pulse slow. He wasn't going to use all his strength—not yet. This was a test, and he needed to learn.
Ravion moved with speed unlike anything Chirag had seen before. One second he was standing still, the next, he was inches away, his hand glowing with dark power. Chirag barely dodged in time, but Ravion's power still grazed his shoulder, burning through his bandages.
Chirag countered with a punch, filled with controlled energy. Ravion blocked it easily, but the impact cracked the ground beneath them.
They fought fast, every move like a flash of lightning. Chirag didn't try to overpower Ravion—he knew he couldn't. Not yet. Instead, he focused on dodging, reading Ravion's patterns, watching his movements, saving his strength.
But Ravion wasn't playing games. He unleashed a wave of energy that sent Chirag flying into a stone pillar. Dust exploded around him.
"Enough," Dazren shouted, stepping between them. "You've proven your point."
Ravion didn't look at Dazren. "He's still too soft. Too afraid to use what he has."
Chirag stood slowly, coughing, blood at the corner of his mouth. "I'm not afraid. I just don't fight to destroy. Not unless I have to."
Ravion raised an eyebrow. "Then you'll lose. The gods won't hold back. They never do."
And with that, Ravion turned, his body slowly lifting back into the air. "You have three months, Chirag. In that time, you must decide: will you be a weapon, or will you be broken?"
Then, in a flash of purple light, Ravion vanished.
The silence that followed felt heavy. Even the Fire Warden stood still, sensing the seriousness of what had just happened.
Siya rushed to Chirag's side. "Are you okay?"
Chirag nodded weakly. "Yeah. Just… angry."
Dazren helped him up. "Now you've seen what a true Ruler can do. You have a long way to go."
Chirag looked toward the sky where Ravion had disappeared. "Then we start today."
And so, the path became even harder. Ravion had left a mark—not just on the temple grounds, but in Chirag's mind. The next time they met, he wouldn't be the boy barely surviving.
He would be the one others feared.
But for now, there was still pain, still training, and still the shadow of the gods waiting in the distance.
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