Chapter 9 – Smoke Before Storm
The southern ridge was alive with noise.
Dozens of awakened had gathered—mercenaries, patrol squads, opportunists. They formed an uneven perimeter around a swirling, half-formed portal leaking blue mist and distorted space.
Kael stood a safe distance away, fingers deftly rolling a thin cigarette from rough paper and a pinch of crushed redleaf, a common smoking herb.
Talia frowned at him. "You're actually going to smoke right now?"
"It helps me think," Kael replied, sliding the cigarette between his lips. "And calm down."
"It's a horrible habit," Pyra grumbled. "You inhale burning plants for fun."
Kael ignored the disapproving voice. With a flick of his finger, a sliver of Void Flame sparked at the tip—lighting the roll with a quiet hiss.
"Besides," Kael muttered, exhaling a thin stream of gray smoke, "who's going to tell a Fire user not to enjoy fire?"
Talia crossed her arms. "Your lungs, maybe."
Kael grinned.
Down below, the unstable gate pulsed again, spitting out ripples of hostile mana. The guards posted nearby looked nervous. Some were already backing away, whispering.
Talia nudged Kael. "They're about to bolt."
Kael took another drag, squinting through the haze. "Can't blame them. That gate's corrupted. You see those cracks on the rim?"
Talia's expression hardened. "Yeah. There's something nasty coming through."
"You need to decide," Pyra whispered. "Step in and be reckless… or walk away and stay hidden longer."
Kael watched the crowd. Among the groups, no city officials had arrived—only small guild teams and lone mercenaries. It wasn't sanctioned. It was a free-for-all.
He smiled, the cigarette burning low.
"We're going in."
Talia blinked. "I didn't agree to that."
"You followed me," Kael said, exhaling. "You're part of the bad decision now."
Minutes later, they slipped through the perimeter, unnoticed amid the commotion.
The closer they got, the louder the hum became—deep, chaotic, thick with pressure.
Kael felt his Void Flame respond, humming under his skin. The flame liked unstable space. It whispered to him through instinct, feeding him small sensations of direction, pressure, threat.
The portal's core vibrated, and the first monster came through.
A thick, dog-shaped beast with cracked skin, leaking pus-like mist from its jaws. Its eyes burned hollow red, and where its claws landed, the ground hissed.
"Corrupted Hellhound," Kael muttered.
Talia stepped back. "That's… third-tier monster."
"Don't panic."
"I'm not panicking—I'm calculating!" she hissed.
The mercenary teams reacted first—charging with shouts, blades, and flame spells. The first hellhound fell under sheer numbers, but behind it, two more lumbered through the gate.
Kael's grin widened.
"Stay behind me," he said, cigarette hanging from his lips.
"You're actually smoking in the middle of this?" Talia said in disbelief.
"Focus me up."
Kael raised his hand, Void Flame swirling into existence.
[Spatial Burn – Activated]
With a smooth twist of his wrist, Kael flung a violet whip forward. The hellhound that had broken away from the melee tried to pounce—only for its torso to collapse inward, space itself devoured by Kael's strike.
Kael stepped forward, vanishing into a flicker.
[Void Step – Activated]
He reappeared above the second beast, driving a palm down into its skull, violet flames consuming its head through spatial erosion.
Talia, behind him, formed three small rotating orbs of Chaos Flame, hurling them at the third beast. The first exploded on impact, distorting its legs, while the second delayed for half a second—then burst with a snap that crushed the creature's chest inward.
"Not bad!" Kael called, landing lightly.
"I'm improvising," Talia snapped. "This flame does whatever it wants."
Kael grinned through the smoke drifting from his lips. "So do I."
Behind them, another roar split the air—deeper, thicker.
Kael glanced at the portal.
"A second wave," Pyra muttered. "Bigger, stronger. You're not the only one feeling the pull of this gate."
"Something's behind it," Kael said quietly. "Something more than just monsters."
Talia's eyes narrowed. "Then we'd better clear the trash before the real problem comes out."
Kael tossed his half-burned cigarette to the dirt, stomping it out.
"Fine by me," he said, Void Flame swirling eagerly around his fingers. "Let's light it all up."