Rudra's eyes shot open.
The fire within him still roared, but now it was tempered, controlled. The searing heat no longer threatened to consume him.
His body felt lighter than it had before, but it was more than that. Every muscle, every fiber in his body now hummed with purpose, with strength.
He could feel the power surging through him—felt it in every inch of his being.
He stood on his feet, the stone beneath him solid and cool, grounding him back into reality.
The vastness of the Astral Plane was gone. In its place, he found himself back in the Chamber of Ascension, the familiar surroundings of stone pillars and glowing lights all around him.
The first thing he noticed was the weight in his chest.
His Dragon Heart, now fully synchronized with his fire Ki, pulsed with an intensity that matched the rhythm of his own heartbeat.
Rudra took a deep breath, feeling the Ki flow through him, its heat now something he could control.
