Rusk remembered how he had survived the fire when he was little—when pirates from all over the world clashed in his hometown. It was Edward Marshall, the man who owned the diary, who had saved him from the flames… and then vanished without a trace.
When Kael and Jace began talking about Edward Marshall's diary, Rusk flinched ever so slightly—but made sure they didn't notice.
"How did you find this?" Rusk asked, staring at the worn leather cover. "These belonged to the great pirate Edward Marshall."
"We're not really sure," replied Kael. "We found them inside a cave. There are ten other chests there too—maybe even more treasure."
"Can you show me where the cave is?" Rusk asked with quiet urgency. "Edward Marshall saved me from a fire when I was a kid. Maybe this can lead me to him…"
"Okay," the boys agreed. "We'll take you there tomorrow."
That night, they placed the chest back under their table and went to sleep. But Rusk couldn't rest. He lay awake thinking about the cave, the treasure, and the man who had once saved his life.
At dawn, they washed in the river and made their way to the cave. Inside, Rusk's eyes widened at the sight—ancient treasures and forgotten artifacts, scattered around the chests like whispers from the past.
He slowly approached one chest and opened it cautiously. But before he could see inside, a small snake lunged at him. His quick reflexes saved him—he caught it mid-air and hurled it deep into the cave.
Inside the chest was no gold or silver. Only a letter. A letter written by Edward Marshall himself.
The letter warned of a great war—one so brutal, it could wipe out humanity. Kings and nobles would fall. Power, not blood, would rule the world. From the oceans, forests, and shadows, monsters would rise. The old world would burn—and from its ashes, a new one would be born. At the end of the letter, Marshall wrote:
"Only those with a strong flame in their heart will hold the key to end the war."
Rusk's hands trembled as he finished reading. Fear gripped him—but he kept calm, not letting the boys see the panic on his face.
He tried to tear the letter apart, to protect them from the truth.
But Kael stopped him. The moment his hand touched the letter, a bright flame burst from the page—and he collapsed. The letter then burned itself to ash.
Rusk and Jace carried him back to the cabin, hoping he would wake soon. They prepared food in case he woke hungry.
While Kael was still unconscious, he started dreaming. Though he hadn't read the letter, his mind was filled with images of fire and war. He stood in a burning world—oceans boiling, skies blackened, monsters rising from the depths. Then the flame appeared, speaking in a deep, ancient voice:
"You are one of the chosen to save humanity from the brink of extinction. I will give you my power. Use it to protect."
"Who are you? What war? What are you talking about?!" Kael cried out, terrified.
"It is time. Be well, Kael," the flame whispered, then vanished.
Kael woke up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat and confusion. Beside him, Jace was sleeping upright.
Kael left the cabin for fresh air. He remembered the voice, the images, and the weight of the flame's message. If it was true, then their peaceful days were numbered. They needed to prepare.
As he stood beneath the stars, Rusk approached him from the shadows.
"Hey, how are you feeling? Any pain left?" Rusk asked, sitting beside the fire.
"No, I'm fine. Just a bit tired," Kael replied. "I think I'll feel better after some rest."
"Do you know what happened to you in the cave?"
Kael shook his head. "Not really. I'm confused. Why did it happen?"
"It was a magical trap," Rusk said. "But you're still alive. That means you have something inside you. Most people would've died."
"Then why didn't it affect you?" Kael asked curiously. "You touched the letter first."
"Kid, I'm a magic user," Rusk said with a smile. "I cast a warding spell before opening the chest. Ordinary folks don't know about magic, powers, or the families like the Flameborns. It'd cause panic."
"Powers? What's that? Can I get one? What about Jace? And Edward Marshall—was he magic user too?"
"You might be. We'll need to test Jace to be sure, but there are risks. He could get hurt—or worse. Possessed. And yes, Edward was one of the greatest magic users of his time."
Kael's eyes sparkled. "Then teach me! If I can become stronger than him… I want to learn."
Rusk chuckled. "Alright, I will. But first, I need to recover. My wounds haven't fully healed. Give me a few days."
"Thank you!" Kael beamed. "I'll become strong—you'll see!"
"Easy, kid. Get some rest. We have a lot ahead of us," Rusk said, patting his shoulder.
What neither of them knew was that Jace had been awake the entire time. He sat motionless, eyes closed, but his ears heard every word. Deep inside, a storm brewed.
He feared Kael would grow stronger, leave him behind, or view him as a burden. That fear festered into resolve. He had to become strong too—even if it meant risking his life.
Jace quietly returned to sleep, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.
The next morning, Jace was the first to wake. He cooked the leftover rabbit with extra care, adding wild herbs he had gathered. It wasn't much, but he wanted to show he could still contribute.
When Kael and Rusk woke up, they were surprised by the aroma.
"You're full of surprises," Rusk said with a grin.
"Yeah, looks amazing," Kael added.
As they ate, Jace broke the silence.
"So… about yesterday. That magic thing. Kael's condition..." he said, glancing at Kael.
The mood grew heavy. Kael met Jace's eyes and saw it. He knew. He had overheard everything yesterday.
Kael didn't say a word.
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