Chapter 4: The Mission

The morning after the incident, Eldora was quiet. Too quiet. Zero sat on the edge of the infirmary bed, the bandages still fresh across his chest and arms. The room was lit by soft torches flickering against stone walls, and for the first time in days… there were no flames in his hands. Just silence. Calm. Until the door creaked open. Malik stepped in, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. “You’re up.” Zero gave a slow nod. “Barely.” “You’re lucky Kaku shut you down when he did,” Malik said. “Another ten seconds and we’d be scooping people off the walls.” Zero looked down, guilt flickering in his chest. “I didn’t mean to—” “I know,” Malik cut in, softer. “But meaning and control aren’t the same thing.” He tossed a folded scroll onto the bed. “Your first mission.” Zero blinked. “What?” “Simple recon,” Malik explained. “A small village outside the southern woods hasn’t sent word in days. Might be nothing. Might be something. Either way, you’re going with me.” “…Seriously?” “You’re cleared,” Malik said. “And Kaku wants to see how much of your fire can stay in check. So, clean yourself up. We leave at dusk.” “...Fine...” Zero spoke. Zero slowly got off the Infirmary bed grap his armor and his wooden sword and went to King Kaku and Malik. He kneeled on one leg, “Yes, my Lord, what of this mission?” “Well since Malik already told you, you're going to a small village, to find out of why they stopped communicating to us, but as we all know what I did by cutting off all trades with every Kingdoms, but that doesn’t mean we stopped communicating, but for some reason this village stopped communicating, and I want you to find out why. Now I know you're only eight years old so Malik will be going with you. Understood?” King Kaku spoke, “Yes, I understand.” King Kaku reached behind his throne, the sound of metal gently scraping stone echoing in the chamber. With both hands, he lifted a sword unlike any other — its presence alone demanded silence. The blade was long and elegant, forged from a shimmering silver alloy that seemed to dance with faint, arcane etchings. Down the center ran a line of intricate filigree, glowing softly with a warm, golden hue. Each curve and rune seemed to whisper secrets, as if the sword itself held memory and purpose. The guard flared outward like the wings of a mythical beast, adorned with ornate golden embellishments and set with tiny, radiant gemstones that caught the torchlight in flashes of azure and amber. The grip was bound in dark leather, tight and strong, ending in a jewelencrusted pommel shaped like a flame or a teardrop — perhaps both. “Before you truly go, I made this for you...Blade of Eldora, A sword that was once used by Malik till he got the blade he uses now...But it's yours now...use it how u wish...remember this isn't a wooden sword it's a real one” Kaku explained, “Thank you King Kaku, I use it when I need it...” Zen sees the blade from Zero’s eyes, Zen proceeded to Come out as his mask form and slowly wraps around the blade giving it some of his power to the blade. When Zen did that, the blade burst into dark pulsing energy that burned out all the torches in the one. “ZENTISTU!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT? THAT BOY ISN’T READY FOR YOUR POWER!” King Kaku yelled. Zero eyes shifted into shock, widened his left eye turning bright yellow with his iris being pitch black, and his right eye bursting into flames, with the eye turning dark light blue, with a pupil shape of a snake. “AHHHH! IT HURTS IT HURTS!!” Zero fell to his knees screaming at the amount of power and pressure that Zen put into the blade, with the combined power of his blue flames. Black strands of dark pulsing energy pulse out of the blade seeping into Zero’s body and veins, his body calming down but to only pulsing more of this same energy out of his body! “ZENTISTU! STOP THIS AT ONCE, YOU HAVE ONCE BEEN APART OF ME BUT THIS ISN’T THE TIME WHERE YOU PUT YOUR POWER INTO HIM!” King Kaku yelled, “Sorry Kaku I need a vessel to hold in all my power! EVEN you should know this!” Zen starts laughing evil laughter. “You know this would come, you know I’m much more destructive and eviler than GEMINI!! Yet you still proceeded to have me be inside of him! You made the wrong choice! I will make this Boy mine!” Zero sat still, a bright glow from his chest starts emitting, it was his seal he was opening, short breathes pauses time to time “You...will not...take my body...I gave you a vessel to live in! But this is still my body!” Zero starts fighting back the control. His both of his eyes start turning into a demonic blue eye, blue flames start burst out of his body “AHHHH!!” Zero nails start getting sharper, a demon tail started to form out of his waist, his ears getting pointer, his teeth getting sharper, his body getting covered in blue flames. The ground starts cracking, rubble starts floating, Zero jumps back and rushes at Zen and grabs him straight through his Mask form once again like the last and sends him flying out the Castle window, He goes after him and starts to punch the hell out him. Every time Zero hits him, flares of flames spark from impact, Zen mask form starts to disappear, and he begins transforming into his white figure form. “How...is this...possible...how is he able to hurt me...nobody but Zarif was able to hurt me!" Zen yells. “Zarif!? No way he mentioned Zarif...?” Kaku questioned. Zen finally was able to start catching up with Zero, and started to block his punches, he then grabbed his arm and threw him flying into the castle. Zero barely managed to get up, and he goes straight at Zen again. Both fighting. Zero’s flames pulsing even more violently. “That’s it let those flames of yours consume your every last bit of your mind and soul!” Zero stops for a moment, realizing what he was doing. “Why did you stop?!” Zen questioned. “Because...this is my power...not yours...this is my flames...my body!” Zero starts to gain control of the flames while fighting Zen. But at that moment King Kaku stepped in, grapped both and smacked Zen back into Zero’s body. Zero fell unconscious. ‘Dammit Zen...why!?” Kaku questioned, “Because...I wanted to know how far Zero would’ve gone. I wanted to see what Zero would do if I randomly go out of control...Even you should know how I am when I’m out of control...” Zen said. “Yea I know how you are.” quick pause from Kaku “But still why did you even put some of your power into the blade though?” Kaku questioned. “And why did you spoke of Zarif?!” Kaku questioned even more. “Ok look, the reason why I put some of my power into the blade was because...I need a place to put my power into...and the reason why I mentioned Zarif was because...he was the only person to actually defeat me and I was surprised that Zero managed to actually hurt me.” Zen answered. “I’m not going to question how Zarif beat you, but the sword...I understand now...But seriously come on! I needed this boy you know!” Kaku said. “Yea I know. Sorry, I get him healed up.” Zero's body begins to glow in a light green color, all his wounds, stamina started to heal, his body looked like it was never damaged. “I forgot you can do that” Kaku said. “It’s fine” Zen said. Hours went by after the incident, Zero wakes up, “What the hell happened?” “Don’t worry about it Zero, if you don’t remember that’s ok” Kaku said, “Now grap your sword and meet up with Malik at the gate you're still doing your mission” “...Seriously...Fine...” Zero scuffed. Moments went by and Zero met up with Malik. “You ready?” Malik questioned. “Yea I’m ready.” Zero puts on the hood of the cloak and brings his hand up to his face, and moved it down fast, a White mask appeared, His eyes being Yellow with the iris being black. “Never seen you to be the type of person to use Zen mask. Thats new?” Malik questioned. “It’s fine, besides I need to hide myself...Just in case you know?” “Yea well let's get going.” Sometime later. The path twisted deeper into the woods, the sun vanishing behind thick canopies of gnarled trees. Zero walked a few steps behind Malik, the air growing colder with every mile. “We should’ve reached the village by now…” Malik muttered. Zero glanced around. “It’s too quiet.” Malik nodded. “Something’s wrong. Stay sharp.” They reached the village entrance — or what was left of it. The wooden gates were splintered. Burned. Homes stood silent and half-collapsed. Charred claw marks streaked across the walls. Zero stepped forward. “No guards. No bodies. Just ruins…” Malik sniffed the air. “Magic. Old. Rotten.” Suddenly, a shriek pierced the silence — high, distorted, inhuman. Something was still here. The wind howled low through the broken village, rustling ash and dust like restless spirits as Malik stepped cautiously over a collapsed fence, eyes scanning the half-burned homes. Zero followed close behind, one hand tight on the hilt of his sword, the other gently brushing aside hanging embers. “This place... it’s like it was erased,” he muttered. Malik knelt near a scorched post, wiping soot away to reveal a carved symbol — a broken chain engulfed in flame. He stiffened. “This wasn’t random,” he said coldly. “Ember Vow.” Zero’s grip tightened, tension thick in the air. Then—coughing, faint and desperate, echoed from within a collapsed house. Without a word, they sprinted toward the sound, vaulting over shattered beams. Beneath cracked wood and debris, a young woman lay half-buried, her cloak tattered, her face painted in ash and fear. “Don’t move,” Malik said as he knelt beside her. “You’re safe. We’re from Eldora.” Zero stayed back, silent, something gnawing at his instincts. The woman reached up, clutching Malik’s arm. “They came in the night… flames… chains… they—” She stopped. Her hands steadied. Her trembling vanished. Her eyes snapped into focus—cold and sharp. “Get back—!” Malik shouted, but too late. A flash of red magic erupted from her chest, burning away the disguise and revealing the Ember Vow insignia beneath her cloak. Two more figures stepped from the shadows, cloaked and armed, their blades glowing with cursed fire. The woman stood, her voice twisted with venom. “Welcome to the ashes. The king’s mutt and his pet flame… let’s see how bright you really burn.” Malik rose slowly, one arm sliding protectively in front of Zero. “You picked the wrong flame to play with,” he said coldly. “You think this is how you build a new world? By slaughtering civilians?” She grinned, utterly unfazed. “Oh please. Civilians? No one here was innocent. They wore his crest. They fed his silence. They were part of the machine.” Zero stepped forward, his voice muffled slightly behind the mask but firm with conviction. “They were people. Not soldiers. Just people trying to live.” One of the Ember Vow men chuckled darkly. “Spoken like a child.” “I am a child,” Zero answered, voice sharpening, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t know right from wrong.” The woman’s smile twisted into something cruel. “And what are you going to do, little weapon? Burn me like you burned your own training ground?” Malik narrowed his eyes. “Last chance. Walk away, and we don’t bury you in your own ashes.” She clicked her tongue, unfazed. “Cute. But we’re already dead men walking. The difference is… we chose it.” Then she snapped her fingers — and the air exploded with swirling red sigils, heat rising like a curse. Malik shifted his stance, speaking low without looking back. “Zero. When it starts—don’t hold back.” The boy nodded, reaching for the Blade of Eldora as flames began to coil around his knuckles. “Wasn’t planning to....Even if it means I get out of control.” “Zero...If you need me to...Let me control...These weaklings will be done and over with in a quick second...!” Zen speaks in Zero’s mind. “Hah your funny Zentistu...I need to learn battle experience you know? But if you do notice I need help then take control.” Zero answered. “So be it then.” The Ember Vow woman stood in the heart of the ruined village, her smirk curling like poison as she raised her hands skyward, fingers twitching in sharp, unnatural patterns. Crimson glyphs ignited midair—burning runes ancient and forbidden, spiraling like veins of blood through the fabric of reality. The ground beneath her feet began to groan, the air thickening with a pressure so heavy it felt like the world itself was bracing for impact. “Let the chains of silence crack… and the flames of vengeance rise,” she whispered, her voice low and venomous. The runes flared brighter. Red lightning cracked down from the sky, slamming into the earth in a deafening explosion. She slammed her palm into the dirt and the ground erupted, fractures glowing molten red branching out like living veins. From those cracks, blackened hands clawed their way out—jagged, armored, rabid. First came the goblins, their skin blistered and burned, eyes glowing like hot coals, bodies twitching unnaturally as they hissed spells through broken teeth. Then came the orcs—massive, warped beasts with rusted armor fused into their flesh, their mouths torn wide as if they’d been resurrected screaming. But deeper still, from the largest crack, something even more monstrous stirred—a hulking figure cloaked in molten armor, bound in shadow-forged chains, breathing like a furnace ready to explode. Zero instinctively stepped back, a warning fire twisting in his chest. Malik’s eyes sharpened, crimson and violet flame beginning to twist between his palms like a hurricane compressed into his hands. “Whatever you’re summoning,” Malik growled, “you better pray it’s fireproof.” The Ember Vow woman only laughed, stepping into the shadows as her horde surrounded them like a tide of hell. “Let’s see how bright the king’s little weapon burns… under pressure.” Malik’s arms flared with violent crimson and violet flames, the heat radiating off him like a blazing inferno as he prepared his big move. “Charging something big—thirty seconds! Hold them off!” he shouted over the chaos. Zero stepped forward, his hood low, cracked white mask glowing with an eerie light, yellow-black eyes gleaming like twin suns. The horde came charging in—dozens of orcs and goblins bursting from the trees, blades flashing, snarling in the smoke-filled night. Zero didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward, the Blade of Eldora slashing through the first orc, blue flames erupting in a devastating wave, but more came flooding in. A goblin lunged from the side, slashing across his shoulder, blood spraying as Zero staggered. The pain shot through him, but the flames exploded out of control, writhing like a beast trapped in his body. Another orc swung a massive axe, and with a sickening crack, it struck his mask, sending him sprawling. The impact cracked the earth beneath him, and he gasped, chest heaving, his hand trembling on the Blade of Eldora. “Too many…” he muttered, struggling to rise. “You’re faltering…” Zen’s voice echoed like a deep growl in his skull, powerful and commanding. “Shut up…” Zero gritted his teeth, fury rising. “I got this…” But his body refused to cooperate. His legs buckled—just a second too long. A goblin leapt for his throat—and in that instant—everything froze. “No,” Zen hissed, his voice like thunder cracking the air. “I got this.” The air around Zero shuddered with power. In an instant, his body snapped into perfect control, his posture straightening like a marionette pulled by strings. His eyes snapped wide, pupils spiraling into a kaleidoscope of pure rage, and blue fire ignited from his body like an untamed beast. But now—it was controlled. Zen’s voice came through Zero’s lips, colder, darker, infinitely more dangerous. “Playtime’s over.” Zen surged forward in an explosion of speed, his body a blur as the Blade of Eldora tore through the horde in devastating, precise strikes. The flames that erupted from his body burned with deadly intent, but they were controlled—no longer wild, no longer flaring out of control, forming devastating arcs of blue energy. The orcs and goblins couldn’t react. Each slash from Zen’s blade cleaved through them in a clean arc, leaving nothing behind but ash and scorched earth. The ground cracked beneath his feet, rubble floating upward as Zen’s power crushed everything in his wake. The flames, once uncontrollable and reckless, now followed every movement like a force of nature— calm, deadly, absolute. “Even monsters know fear,” Zen murmured lazily as the last of the goblins faltered, eyes wide in terror, instinctively backing away from the unstoppable force before them. Then—BOOM! Malik’s fireball erupted behind them, reaching its peak—a cataclysmic explosion of violet and crimson light, the size of a building. “MOVE!” Malik shouted, voice echoing through the chaos. Zen flipped backward, twisting in mid-air, landing in a perfect crouch just as the fireball tore across the battlefield, exploding in a massive wave of destruction. The shockwave ripped through the air, but Zen remained unscathed, his body a calm center in the storm of flames that washed over everything around him. When the dust began to settle, the Ember Vow woman staggered from the wreckage of the explosion, her cloak singed and her eyes blazing with hatred. Her cursed blade glowed with dark runes, power thrumming through it. “So…” she sneered, “the demon finally shows himself.” Her voice was venomous, mocking. “Good. Now I don’t have to hold back.” Zen’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t flinch. Instead, his body stood tall, every muscle tensed in perfect readiness, the Blade of Eldora dancing in his hands with a flicker of flame along its edge. A cold grin spread across his cracked mask. “By all means…” Zen’s voice dropped to a chilling whisper, filled with dark amusement, “let’s dance.” The Ember Vow woman, now standing in the wake of Malik’s fireball, wiped soot from her face, eyes blazing with fury. Her cursed blade crackled with dark runes, glowing ominously, a wicked smile stretching across her face. She stood taller now, her figure cloaked in shadow as she cracked her knuckles, ready to unleash hell. “So… you think you can take me down, huh? Little boy?” she taunted, her voice dripping with venom, as she adjusted her stance. Zen—still in control of Zero’s body—didn’t flinch. His body was poised, every muscle tensed, the Blade of Eldora gleaming with cold precision in his hands. The blue flames that enveloped him were disciplined now, following every motion like a deadly companion. His eyes gleamed with determination and cold amusement as he regarded her. "You're welcome to try," he murmured, his voice deepened by the possession, his mask cracking further into a wicked grin. The Ember Vow woman’s grin faltered for only a second before she raised her sword high, the runes glowing brighter. “Let’s see how well you handle fire!” With a wild scream, she swung her blade down, unleashing a torrent of flame—black and red, swirling like a beast hungry for blood. Zen didn’t flinch. Instead, he spun the Blade of Eldora with effortless grace, a whirlwind of blue fire following its path. The clash of fire against fire was a shockwave that split the air in two. The Ember Vow lady’s fire crackled like thunder as it collided with Zen’s controlled inferno, both flames screaming in opposition. With a grunt, she stepped forward, kicking up the ground beneath her feet, pushing her strength into the assault. Her sword moved with vicious speed, creating shockwaves in the air, while she closed the distance between them, forcing Zen to block. But Zen—his movements calculated, his flames unwavering— sidestepped, letting the woman’s attack pass through the air like a whiff of smoke. With a swift motion, he slashed with the Blade of Eldora, a blue trail of flame cutting through the air. She barely blocked it, the strike grazing her shoulder, but it was enough to stagger her. Her eyes widened in shock—she hadn't expected the boy to be so precise. "Impressive, little boy," she sneered, wiping the blood from her shoulder. "But not nearly enough." She swung her blade in a massive arc, sending a wall of black flames toward him. Zen’s eyes narrowed. With a twist of his wrist, the Blade of Eldora flickered with blue fire, cutting through the waves of fire like a hot knife through butter. The two flames collided in an explosion of force, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. The Ember Vow woman didn’t relent, summoning shadows from the depths of her magic. Dozens of black, writhing tendrils erupted from the ground, shooting toward Zen like serpents aiming to strike. Zen’s form blurred as he moved, dodging with the agility of a predator, flames trailing behind him like a storm of destruction. He spun, slicing through the tendrils with swift, decisive movements. But she was relentless, each wave of shadow and flame harder to dodge. Zen’s eyes burned with intensity as he danced around her attacks, the flames around his body becoming an ever-growing force. But even he couldn't keep up with her. One of the tendrils wrapped around his leg, pulling him into the air. In an instant, the Ember Vow woman lunged, her cursed blade aimed at his throat, ready to end the fight. But Zen twisted his body mid-air, breaking the grip of the shadow tendrils, his eyes flaring with fury. "You're going to have to try harder than that," he growled, his voice seething with rage. In a flash, Zen planted his feet on the ground, a surge of blue flames erupting from his body as he pushed forward. He met her head-on, their blades crashing in a shower of sparks. The Ember Vow woman stumbled back, eyes wide with disbelief, as Zen pressed the attack. His blade moved faster, the blue flames wrapping around it in wild, furious arcs. She blocked with her cursed sword, but it was clear—she was losing ground. With every strike, his power increased, the flames around him boiling hotter, his control unwavering. "You're not strong enough to face me," Zen taunted, his movements fluid, deadly, and unrelenting. Enraged, the woman screamed, her magic flaring around her in a blistering wave. The entire arena seemed to warp with her fury, twisting reality as she forced the ground to crack open beneath them, sending massive shards of stone hurtling into the air. She swung her sword wildly, sending huge bursts of fiery destruction toward Zen. The flames were wild and uncontrolled, the ground shaking beneath their force. Zen, grinning beneath his mask, met the storm head-on. His flames surged outward, exploding like a volcanic eruption, cutting through her blasts and rocketing forward in a wave of blue energy. The force of the two flames colliding created a massive shockwave that sent both of them flying back. Zen landed on his feet with incredible precision, his blue flames flickering but holding strong. The Ember Vow woman struggled to get back up, her body bruised and burned. Her sword trembled in her hands, but she was not done. Her eyes burned with hate as she lunged forward, summoning every last bit of her magic in a final, desperate strike. Zen's eyes narrowed as she closed the distance. He didn’t move. Instead, he raised his sword high, the Blade of Eldora gleaming with controlled fury. "Your mistake was thinking you could defeat me," Zen said softly. In a blur of motion, he slashed downward, a massive wave of blue fire trailing behind his blade, consuming everything in its path. The Ember Vow woman’s eyes widened in horror as the flames rushed toward her—there was no escape. Her blade collided with the fire in a desperate attempt to block, but it was futile. The power of Zen’s flames tore through her defense, sending her flying backward, crashing into the shattered remnants of the battlefield. The woman coughed, blood dripping from her lips, her body scorched and broken. She gasped for breath, her sword shattered, her strength waning. Zen stood above her, the flames around him flickering and dying down, his body still radiating with power. "You’re weak," he muttered, his voice cold. "You were never a match for me." With that, the woman’s form began to dissolve into smoke, her essence vanishing into the wind. Her last, futile attempts at resistance faded into nothingness. Zen lowered his blade, the blue flames finally settling to a calm, steady burn. He looked down at the shattered battlefield, his chest still rising and falling with the exertion of the fight. "You were right about one thing," he said softly, turning to the horizon. "This was only the beginning." Zen’s presence slipped from Zero’s body like a fading dream, drawing the disciplined blue blaze inward until it unraveled and dissipated into thin air. In an instant, the flames were gone, leaving only smoldering embers scattered across the battlefield. Zero stood in stunned silence, mask cracked and hands empty where fire had once danced—powerless, yet unbroken. Even without the flames that had once defined him, the heat still pulsed within his chest, an unrelenting thrum of raw power buried deep inside, like a fire waiting for the right moment to burn again. Malik approached, wiping blood from his brow, his voice steady but filled with concern. "You okay, Zero?" Zero didn't answer immediately, his gaze distant, staring at the remnants of the battle—at the destruction, at the silence. "I should’ve been able to control it… I’m not ready for this," he murmured, fingers flexing as though the flames could still slip between them. Malik placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him back to reality. “You're not alone in this fight. We’ll figure it out together. But you don’t need to carry it all yourself.” Zero slowly met his eyes, a quiet storm in his own. “I still feel it, though. The flames… they’re in here,” he said, pressing his chest where the heat still simmered, unyielding. “They don’t leave, even when Zen’s not around.” Malik nodded, understanding more than zero could tell. "That’s because you’re more than just the power, Zero. The flames—they’re a part of you. But they’re not you." He gave a reassuring squeeze to Zero’s shoulder. “And we’ll find a way for you to control them. We always do.” ” Zero managed a quiet nod, the storm inside him still raging—but now, at least, it didn’t feel quite as lonely. Zero stood beside him, mask still cracked, voice low and steady. “Well, Malik… we know why this village stopped communicating... Ember Vow destroyed it.” Malik exhaled slowly, his gaze sweeping over the charred remains of what used to be homes, now nothing more than blackened skeletons under a smoke-filled sky. “Yeah…” he muttered, voice tight. “They didn’t leave anything standing.” Malik clenched his fists. “Not just destroyed it… they erased it. Like it never existed.” A long silence stretched between them, broken only by the wind whispering through scorched debris. Zero’s eyes narrowed beneath the mask. “We can’t let this happen again. Not to another village.” Malik nodded slowly; eyes hard. “Then we burn our way through every last one of them… until there's nothing left but their ashes.” And for the first time since the flames faded, the fire in Zero’s heart burned just a little brighter. The ride back to the Kingdom was quiet—too quiet. The sun had long dipped below the horizon, casting a deep orange glow over the landscape as the silhouettes of Eldora’s outer walls rose in the distance like watchful giants. The air was cooler now, but neither Zero nor Malik spoke as their cloaks whipped behind them, the scent of soot and burned wood still clinging to them like a curse. The moment they passed through the main gates, guards stiffened at the sight of their scorched armor and battered gear. Whispers followed them down the cobbled paths— soldiers exchanging nervous glances, servants pausing mid-task. Everyone could see it on their faces: something had gone terribly wrong. Inside the towering halls of the Citadel, torches flickered along the stone walls, their light dancing over murals of past victories. The throne room doors loomed ahead—dark wood, etched with gold and wrapped in silence. Malik gave Zero a small nod before pushing them open. King Kaku stood at the far end, cloaked in deep crimson, arms folded as he faced the massive stained-glass window overlooking the city. He didn’t turn, but his voice echoed through the chamber. “You’re back earlier than expected… Tell me what you saw.” Zero stepped forward, removing his cracked mask and letting the weight of the mission settle in his tone. “The village is gone. Ember Vow destroyed everything. No survivors.” King Kaku was silent for a long moment, the only sound the distant howl of wind against the castle walls. Then, slowly, he turned— his expression unreadable, eyes sharp as steel. “This changes everything.” Zero looked down at his hands, the warmth of his flame gone from sight but still beating faintly in his chest. “The flames vanished… but Zen didn’t leave,” he said softly. “He’s still inside—just asleep. The fight took a lot out of him.” Kaku’s gaze narrowed, absorbing every word. “Even in sleep, he holds back power you can’t yet control,” he muttered, half to himself. Then, more directly, “That means we have work to do. You relying on him every time puts you— and everyone else—at risk.” “I know,” Zero said, eyes low but voice steady. “When it’s me alone… the flames fight. They don’t obey.” “They won’t, not until they see you as more than a vessel,” Kaku replied. “You’ll have to train—not just your body, but your will. If those flames are tied to something deeper, you’ll need to reach that depth… without Zen holding your hand.” Malik crossed his arms, glancing between the two. “Then we start training tomorrow,” he said firmly. “And not just sword swings in the yard. Real training. Controlled flame, channeling energy, balance.” Zero managed a faint smirk. “So no sleeping in?” “Not unless you want Kaku to burn your bed,” Malik replied dryly. Kaku gave no reaction to the joke, only a short nod. “Get some rest. You’ll need it. What lies ahead isn’t war… not yet. But it’s coming. And when it does, you need to be ready.” Zero turned, his cracked mask still in hand, the embers of something new beginning to stir inside him. “I will be.”