The Hunter’s Trials – Part I

The night air was sharp against Kairos’s skin. He sprinted through the labyrinthine alleys of Zenithspire, his breath ragged, heart pounding with the echoes of his own footsteps. Every flicker of shadow made his nerves tighten. He could still feel the flames lingering on his fingertips — the Eclipse Flame — but he had no idea how to summon it again, let alone control it.

“Find the boy.”

The Harbingers’ leader’s voice still rang in his ears. Whoever they were, they wanted him dead… or worse.

“You’re not running fast enough.”

Kairos barely turned in time. A blur shot past him, metal flashing in the moonlight. He felt the sting across his cheek before the sound even registered. He hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop, and looked up.

A figure stood atop a crumbling wall, bathed in the pale glow of the Eclipse. She moved like a shadow, landing softly on the cobblestones. Her hair was the color of dawn, tied back in a sharp braid, and her violet eyes burned with cold intensity. A single curved blade rested in her hand.

“Who… who are you?” Kairos gasped, staggering to his feet.

The girl stepped forward, her blade glinting. “Aeris of the Skyward Clan.” Her tone was cold, detached. “I was sent to bring you in.”

Kairos backed up. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Aeris tilted her head, unimpressed. “You think you have a choice?” She dashed forward.

Kairos barely dodged the first strike. Her movements were terrifyingly fast, each step light as air, her blade flashing with lethal precision. He stumbled, feeling the rush of wind as she spun past him, the edge of her weapon nicking his arm.

Focus. Move.

Instinct kicked in. As she lunged again, he ducked low, sweeping his leg out. She flipped over him, landing effortlessly. His eyes darted around, searching for anything he could use. A broken pipe. A loose stone.

Think.

Aeris darted forward once more, blade whistling through the air. Kairos barely raised his arm in time — and the moment their weapons clashed, something ignited inside him.

Black flames erupted.

The alley lit up with violet light. Aeris leaped back, eyes wide as Kairos’s hands burned with cold fire. He felt the power surge through him again, wild and uncontrollable. The flames licked the air around him, distorting the space itself.

Aeris steadied herself. “So, it’s true.” She lowered her blade slightly, watching him closely. “The Eclipse Flame… you really have no idea what you are, do you?”

Kairos panted, the fire slowly fading. “I didn’t ask for this.”

“No one asks.” Aeris tightened her grip. “But it doesn’t matter. The Hunter’s Trials have begun.”

Before Kairos could ask what she meant, a distant horn echoed through the city. Aeris’s expression darkened. “They’re coming.”

“Who?”

She turned to him, violet eyes meeting his. “Everyone.”

Suddenly, the air shifted. A massive boom shook the ground. In the distance, lights flared, and Kairos saw them — figures leaping across rooftops, Essence-infused blades glimmering in the moonlight. Warriors from different clans, each marked with their own sigils, descending upon the city.

Aeris sheathed her blade. “You’re the prize now.” She turned to leave, then paused. “If you survive until dawn… maybe you’ll understand.”

And with that, she vanished into the night.

Kairos stood frozen, the city burning around him, the weight of destiny pressing heavy on his shoulders.

The Hunt had begun.