04- The Ember's Lament

The flames in his eyes faded out, a reflection of the inferno that raged within his soul. As he held Mickey's cold body, Ammit laughed hysterically at the couple, "I don't want to die, she said. Ha haha, I told you that despair will follow you to the other life."

As Ammit laughed, memories of a dark and tragic past flooded Kael's mind like a torrential downpour.

Kael whispered to himself, his voice barely audible above the roar of the dying flames.

"I was a child when they came –the bandits. Their laughter, like shards of glass, shattered our peaceful existence. My parents fell, crimson staining the earth. Their dying breaths seared into my memory, etching rage upon my soul.

Flames erupted from my palms, unbidden. Fear and fury melded, birthing power. I incinerated those who

had stolen everything from me –their screams swallowed by my flames. All but one. One of them tried to run but I hunted him down like my prey.

Finally, he led me to their den. When I entered, the others were caught off-guard and they laughed like

idiots, saying words like 'prey just walked in'.

My heart was still heavy from the sudden and untimely loss my parent's lives to the hands of these low life trash of people so I let it all out, the rage turned into an inferno that burnt them all and I enjoyed seeing their flesh burn.

But amidst the ashes, I found her. Mickey, she was just like me, parents killed and she was going to be

sold to some messed up organisation, I presumed.

Her eyes were cold, they have always been cold if I remember correctly but that was a side effect of her

powers, they came with a cold personality.

Mickey was trembling when I met her for the first time but she clung to life. I freed her and we navigated

through this messy world together. As the years passed, she became my light in darkness, my warmth in the cold, my purpose to live.

Three years before today, we fought when I proposed that we should join the A.N.Ts. Her reason was that they weren't there when we needed them so we are under no obligation to be there for them for

any reason.

Come to think of it, she had a point but I was naïve so we ended up not speaking for an entire week and

that turned into a year, and a year into three.

Today was the day I was going to reconcile. And just as when things were going well, you took her from

me. This harsh, harsh world did not deserve her. She was too good for this world that hurt her over and

over again."

Kael closed Mickey's eyes and gazed upon Ammit. "It is fine, I shall cleanse this wretched world and you

will go down with it."

Sadness and loss was covering Ledya, a place known for love was now Death's playground. The

subjugation unit led by Noelle V. Silverstone had Ledya in sight.

Noelle squinted his eyes at the distant burning buildings, "Do you see that? It looks like we have made it."

Vice Commander of the seventh nodded grimly, "Indeed, Commander. Those flames can only mean

trouble. The Dark Saints must be here."

"We must act swiftly. Prepare yourselves for battle. We cannot let them lay waste to Ledya."

"Understood, Commander."

Noelle said with steel determination in his voice, "We will not let the Dark Saints prevail. Ledya is our

home, and we will defend it with everything we have."

The Vices saluted and said, "For Ledya, Commander. Let's show these Dark Saints what we are made of."

Noelle and his unit fixed their gaze on Ledya, flames growing larger and more menacing as they draw

closer. The sounds of battle echo in the distance.

Kael was at it again with Ammit. With loss swallowing him once again, he did not fight with a purpose. His

attacks were that of a berserker.

Kael's flames were slowly swallowing him, turning him into a walking disaster.

"I don't want to die" were the words that looped themselves in his head as he fought Ammit back.

Ammit was just enjoying herself and laughing as she saw a victory against Kael. Her form was radiating

pure malice and darkness. The air crackled with tension as Kael summoned his powers, flames flickering around his fingertips.

But as he locked eyes with Ammit, a wave of memories flooded Kael's mind. Mickey's memories was haunting him as he desperately tried to supress them.

In the moment of vulnerability, Kael lost control. The flames that had once danced with precision now

surged uncontrollably, engulfing his entire body in a blazing inferno. The intense heat licked his skin, but

Kael felt no pain. Only a searing rage and determination to avenge Mickey's death.

The flames roared higher and brighter, casting an ethereal glow around Kael as he unleashed his powers upon Ammit. The demoness screeched in agony as the intense heat consumed her, her dark form writhing and twisting in a futile attempt to escape.

Kael's eyes blazed with an otherworldly light as he channelled all his grief, anger and power into flames.

The air shimmered with heat, causing the clouds to subside, the ground beneath him cracking and

blackening from the sheer intensity of his power.

And then, in a blinding flash of light, the demoness was no more. Ammit disintegrated into ash, carried

away by the scorching winds of Kael's wrath.

As the flames subsided, Kael stood amidst the smouldering remains of the demoness, his chest heaving with exertion. The memories of Mickey still haunted him, but in that moment, Kael knew that he had avenged his love's death.

The battlefield was silent now, save for the crackling of embers and fading echoes of the demoness' final

cries. Kael stood alone, a solitary figure bathed in the fading light of his own power, a testament to the

raw strength and fury that lay within him.

He hath overused his mana and just as he was about to pass out, Noelle caught his falling unconscious

body.