The fire always starts small.
A spark in dry brush. A flicker in a chimney. A whisper of heat on a cold night. And from that whisper, it grows—devouring air, consuming wood, curling into towers of flame. The same can be said of the battles Kai and Zayn now faced. Each one began with hesitation, a quiet tension. But they never stayed quiet for long.
As their names traveled further—passed in whispers between human and Mamodo alike—so too did the danger swell. Their next fight wouldn't be in the comfort of their home city. It would be far away, in unfamiliar territory, where the flames of war burned brighter than ever before.
The world had become too quiet.
After the battle with the stone-armored Mamodo, the city had gone still again—like it was holding its breath for the next eruption. For days, Kai's body throbbed with every step. Zayn recovered quickly, of course—Mamodos healed fast—but the bruises on Kai's ribs still painted his torso in shades of purple and blue.
Still, the spellbook pulsed with new life. Jikerdon, their latest spell, had already proven invaluable—a disorienting electromagnetic pulse capable of stunning enemies and disrupting spells. But even that hadn't been enough to win cleanly.
They needed more spells.
More control.
More experience.
And so, they packed their bags and followed a lead Zayn had caught wind of—a Mamodo rumored to have left a trail of scorched buildings in a distant northern town.
This time, they would go to the enemy.
Morning – Departure
Kai stood in the kitchen, heart pounding behind his ribs like it wanted out. The spellbook was hidden deep in the lining of his backpack, alongside a change of clothes, a first-aid kit, and half a dozen protein bars.
His mother was suspicious, as she always was lately. Her instincts had grown sharper with every scar he came home with. She was already sipping her coffee when he entered, still in her scrubs from the early shift at the hospital.
"You're up early," she said.
"Yeah. Big day. We're heading out on a school trip."
She raised an eyebrow. "To where?"
"Some industrial energy site up north. Mr. Langdon's organizing it for the science department."
Her gaze narrowed. "That's strange. I didn't get any emails about it. When was it announced?"
Kai's mind spun. "Uh—yesterday. It's optional. Sort of a bonus project."
She crossed her arms. "Let me see the permission form."
Kai fumbled. "It's digital. I signed it online."
"And the itinerary?"
"We're taking a private coach. Staying one night. Be back by Sunday."
A pause.
"You've been coming home hurt," she said quietly. "You say it's nothing, but I see the bruises. You barely eat. You sleep like you're running from something."
"I just need this trip," Kai said. "Please."
Silence stretched between them.
Then, reluctantly, she stepped back. "One pass. But I want a proper explanation when you return."
Kai nodded. "I promise."
She hugged him tighter than she had in weeks.
And when the door closed behind him, she didn't stop staring.
Arrival – Scorched Grounds
The town was two hours away by train, and then a long walk to the outskirts—an old industrial estate half-swallowed by forest and flame. Ash clung to the fenceposts like snow. The main warehouse was half-collapsed, blackened steel beams jutting out like bones.
"This is the place," Zayn muttered, stepping past a rusted sign that read: DOVER ALLOYS - CLOSED.
They didn't wait long.
From the shadows of a melted loading dock, a boy stepped out. Maybe sixteen, older than most Mamodo partners. His frame was lean but roped with muscle, arms sun-darkened, face hardened from years under the sun. A rock climber's body.
In his hand, he held a red-glowing book.
Beside him, the Mamodo emerged—smoke trailing from its nostrils. Slender and red-skinned, its shoulders flickered with contained embers, and fire patterns glowed under its skin like magma veins. The air shimmered around it with heat.
"I knew someone would come looking," the boy said. "Word travels fast. You've got lightning. That makes you a problem."
"And you've got fire," Kai replied. "Let's see who burns out first."
The Mamodo's eyes gleamed. "I am Kareth. This is my partner, Owen. We are here to win. I suggest you run."
Zayn stepped forward. "We don't run."
Owen opened the book.
"Flaregris!"
A ball of fire exploded from Kareth's hands, streaking toward them like a comet.
Kai yanked Zayn back. "Zaker!"
Lightning cracked forward—met the fireball midair—and the two forces collided with a thunderous BOOM.
The blast sent both teams stumbling back.
Zayn recovered first. "He's fast."
"Focus on counters," Kai muttered. "Use angles. Don't meet power with power unless we have to."
Kareth circled them like a predator, flames licking at his palms.
Owen read again. "Infernus Clade!"
This time, a whip of fire shot out, curling around Zayn's leg. He gritted his teeth as it scorched his skin and tossed him backward.
Kai flung the book open. "Jikerdon!"
The electromagnetic pulse flared, creating a disorienting blast of static energy. Sparks flew from the surrounding metal—and Kareth staggered.
Zayn charged in, landed a punch to Kareth's ribs—but the Mamodo barely flinched before retaliating with a fiery elbow that knocked Zayn aside.
"He's strong," Zayn coughed.
"He's more than that," Kai said, flipping through the pages. "He's resisting Jikerdon faster than anyone before."
Another spell: "Zaker!"
The bolt of lightning hit—but Kareth rolled with it, letting the impact guide his fall, and landed gracefully before hurling another fireball.
They ducked.
Kai's brain worked in overdrive.
"They're using heat to create pressure in the air. He's not just throwing fire—he's heating the space around us. Limiting oxygen."
"Meaning?" Zayn asked.
"Meaning he's cooking us alive."
The fight stretched through the ruins—through broken buildings and stairwells and rusted catwalks. Sparks and flames licked the walls. Kai and Zayn fought tooth and nail, driven back step by step.
Every spell they fired drained them faster.
Every blow they took added to their bruises.
Then, finally, Kai saw it.
A path forward.
"Kareth's spells create shockwaves from heat. But he needs time to charge them."
Zayn narrowed his eyes. "So what do we do?"
"We don't give him that time."
Kai whispered fast instructions. Zayn nodded and took off running.
Kareth chased him—but every time he prepared a spell, Kai launched a Zaker to interrupt.
"Keep the pressure up!" Kai shouted.
"Zaker!" — Another bolt.
Owen shouted, "Blazira Crux!"
Kareth hurled twin spirals of flame, one for each of them. Zayn dove into a metal tank. Kai rolled behind a crate, coughing from the heat.
"We need to end this," Zayn called.
Kai looked at the book.
The page shimmered.
A new spell flickered faintly—but it wasn't ready.
Not yet.
But Jikerdon was.
"Zayn," he called, voice hoarse. "We use the pulse. Then you hit him where it counts."
Zayn cracked his knuckles. "Got it."
Kai waited… watched for the exact moment Kareth began to gather fire in his palms again.
Then he opened the book.
"Jikerdon!"
A surge of magnetic static exploded outward. The metal walls rang. Kareth flinched, staggered.
Zayn charged like lightning.
One punch—then another.
Then he kicked Kareth in the side with enough force to send him into a steel pillar.
The Mamodo hit hard, sparks flying from the impact.
Kai opened the book again.
One last time.
"Zaker!"
The bolt struck clean.
Kareth screamed—and vanished into smoke.
His book erupted into flames in Owen's hands—burned to ash.
And just like that…
It was over.
Owen stood silent, the wind tugging at his sleeves.
"…He gave everything," he whispered. "We trained for years."
"I know," Kai said quietly.
Owen turned and walked away.
No more words.
The warehouse still burned, but the battle was done. Zayn leaned against a steel beam, breath heavy. Kai dropped to a knee, clutching his ribs.
"More injuries," he muttered. "Great."
"You okay?" Zayn asked.
Kai nodded. "Barely."
Zayn looked up at the stars. "He was strong."
"They'll only get stronger," Kai said.
Zayn glanced at him. "You think we're ready?"
"No," Kai admitted. "But we're getting there."
They watched the embers float through the night, glowing like fireflies, fading one by one.