The grand courtroom of the Dark Elves pulsed with silent energy as Lyraea entered. Her presence commanded attention—heads bowed, murmurs hushed. Even the guards, clad in obsidian armor, stood taller in her presence.
Kaito walked a step behind her, tense beneath the weight of curious stares and elven suspicion.
In the far shadows of the hall, a figure slowly emerged.
"Oracle Konanga," Lyraea spoke with regal clarity. "Your wisdom is needed."
The figure stepped forward, aged and slight, yet radiating power. His violet eyes burned with a sharp, ancient awareness.
"Your Majesty," the Oracle rasped, his voice like dry leaves in the wind. "This summons bears gravity. Speak your need."
Lyraea turned to Kaito. "This human arrived in our realm under mysterious circumstances. I ask for your insight."
Konanga's eyes narrowed, locking onto Kaito like a hawk spotting prey. "A human... out of place, yet bearing power," he murmured, then gave a slow nod. "His arrival is no accident. He carries the echo of the Child of Prophecy."
Kaito blinked. "The... Child of Prophecy? What's that supposed to mean?"
"The Buddha Clan," Konanga said, "an ancient bloodline said to descend from the Great Buddha himself. They hold secrets lost to the ages. Among them is a prophecy: of one born to command the elements and restore balance to a fractured world."
Lyraea's gaze sharpened. "And you believe Kaito is connected to this... prophecy?"
"I do," Konanga said slowly, "but not as you think. Kaito is not the chosen one. He is... a rejected piece."
The words struck like a slap.
"A rejected piece?" Kaito echoed, stunned. "Why?"
"The Child of Prophecy seeks a worthy successor—one to inherit an impossible burden," Konanga said. "Many are tested. Most are cast aside. You, Kaito, were passed over... yet granted a fragment of power to survive."
Kaito's fists clenched. "Then why give me the Fire Dragon's power at all?"
Konanga's gaze pierced him. "Because even a discarded piece may find its purpose. The Fire Dragon is no mere gift—it is your trial, and your weapon."
Silence stretched for a moment before Lyraea stepped closer. Her voice was quiet, firm. "You are not lesser, Kaito. You were chosen for something. Even if fate doesn't recognize it yet... you will prove it wrong."
He drew a slow breath. "I will."
Konanga nodded approvingly. "Then listen well. The Fire Dragon's power is a double-edged sword. It will test you, burn you, remake you. Whether you rise or fall... is up to you."
---
Later, at the Training Grounds...
Kaito stood shirtless under the sun, sweat glistening on his brow, fists clenched as energy rippled around him.
"Focus!" Lyraea barked. "Channel the flame. Don't let it consume you."
He closed his eyes. The heat within him responded like a heartbeat, the Fire Dragon's power stirring. It surged through his veins—not wild, but alive. He clenched his fists tighter, breathing deeply as flames coiled around his arms.
He opened his eyes and met hers.
She nodded. "Better. Again."
Their training stretched for hours. Between fire and fatigue, Kaito found himself drawn to Lyraea—not just her strength, but the way she never pitied him. She saw potential. Maybe even believed in it.
---
Far away, in a secluded chamber deep within the Buddha Clan's temple...
An elderly monk, surrounded by ancient scrolls and flickering candles, sat in meditation. His name was Kagura Buddha—the Child of Prophecy, reborn through centuries of enlightenment and discipline.
A younger monk entered, bowing low.
"The rejected one has awakened the Fire Dragon," he said.
Kagura Buddha opened his eyes. They glowed like smoldering embers.
"Then the world begins to turn once more," he murmured. "Thirteen years remain before the true Child of Prophecy rises."
"And Kaito?" the monk asked.
"A deviation. Unexpected... but interesting."
---
Back at the training grounds...
Kaito stumbled, then froze as a sudden vision overtook him. The world spun—
A great temple loomed. A young figure stood before it, arms raised. Blinding energy exploded from his palms, enveloping the structure in celestial light. Around him stood followers, eyes full of awe.
Then, darkness.
He gasped, staggering.
Lyraea caught him. "Kaito?"
"I... I saw him," Kaito said. "The Child of Prophecy. He's real. And powerful."
Lyraea's expression turned pensive. "He may be legendary—but don't forget your path. Prophecy or not, you've been given a gift. Use it."
Kaito looked into her eyes, strength rekindled. "I will. No matter what fate says—I'll forge my destiny."
---
Elsewhere, on a tranquil mountain shrouded in golden mist...
Kagura Buddha sat in stillness, the setting sun painting his robes in hues of fire and peace.
A monk approached. "What will become of Kaito?"
Kagura's eyes closed again, a soft smile playing on his lips.
"He was not my first choice. But the fire within him... it burns with something rare. Purpose. Resolve. Perhaps fate did not reject him after all—perhaps it merely gave him a different trial."
He opened his eyes, voice like wind through trees.
"Let him burn. Let him rise."
---
To be continued...