Chapter 2: A Flare of Fire and a Drop of Water

Chapter 2: A Flare of Fire and a Drop of Water

As Kaelon stared in sorrow at the broken hilt of his sword, the marks of defeat etched plainly across his face, his grandfather's warm words reached his ears:

"You struck the mark, my boy... and you shattered all my doubts. You have succeeded!"

Kaelon's eyes widened in astonishment, and he asked, the sorrow still choking his voice:

"What do you mean, Grandfather? How have I succeeded, when it was my sword that broke, and I who lost the duel?"

The grandfather let out a dignified laugh, brimming with pride, and said:

"You gathered every ounce of your strength and unleashed a pure Water Assault, even though you do not yet possess the Water Sigil! And more important still—you never once gave up. That was the only way you could have won. Had it been an ordinary strike, I would have blocked it with ease... but you caught me off guard with a power I never expected! Believe me, had we been fighting with real iron blades, you would have shattered my sword and brought me to utter defeat."

The grandfather continued, his eyes shining:

"And now, I shall keep my promise to you... Tomorrow morning, you shall receive this half of the Water Sigil."

A broad smile spread across Kaelon's lips, and joy surged through his veins as he said gratefully:

"Thank you, Grandfather! I promise I will live up to your trust, and I will bear this great responsibility, and I swear I will always protect the weak."

The grandfather patted his shoulder tenderly and said:

"I have not the slightest doubt of that, my boy... Now, ready yourself and go to the village—we need to buy some food."

Kaelon nodded eagerly:

"Yes, Grandfather!"

The boy moved lightly and briskly toward the door, pulled on his shoes in a hurry, then turned and called out:

"I'm off now!"—before dashing out and closing the door behind him.

The moment Kaelon's feet stepped beyond the house, the grandfather's features changed entirely. He clenched his fist, and a terrifying aura surged through his body, revealing his true identity as the Water Lord. In that instant, the sigil etched upon his hand blazed with a brilliant blue light, and from it rose a sword of pure water, settling firmly into his grasp.

The grandfather murmured to himself in a low voice:

"I must go check on the state of the city first... and discuss the matter of my retirement with Himaru, the current Fire Sigil Wielder."

In the blink of an eye, the grandfather vanished from where he stood with blinding speed, leaving behind only a few droplets of water that evaporated into the air.

Meanwhile, Kaelon was making his way toward the village when, suddenly, the blood froze in his veins at the sight of a horrifying scene; one of the Elemental Incarnates, an Ice wielder, was launching a savage assault upon humans! The Incarnate raised its blade of ice, intent on ending the life of a village girl who had collapsed in terror, utterly helpless.

But in the span of a heartbeat—before the icy blade could reach her throat—a blazing sword of fire suddenly tore through the Incarnate's back, its glowing tip erupting from its stomach! The creature had no time even to scream, for the fiery blade had completely obliterated its Heart Core, and its frozen body began to melt and dissolve at terrifying speed.

The flaming sword whirled back through the air, returning to settle in the hand of its owner... Himaru, the current Fire Sigil Wielder.

He was a young man of about twenty, of ordinary build, yet his presence was overwhelming. He bore strange hair that flowed black from his scalp, ending in tips of a deep, burning red, like glowing embers. Himaru stood gazing with utter contempt at the melting remains of the Elemental Incarnate, and said in a cold tone:

"Pathetic. What a weak, pitiful creature."

While Kaelon watched this violent scene from afar in shock, a sudden, splitting headache struck him, and his mind was flooded with a hazy image—a flash of strange, unfamiliar memories! In that memory, he saw himself wielding an Ice Sigil, using it in cold blood to kill one of the Elemental Incarnates, a wielder of the Crystal Element.

Kaelon stumbled back a step, clutching his head as he gasped in bewilderment, and whispered to himself in fear:

"What is this strange memory?! I am certain—absolutely certain—that this has never happened to me in my life... so where could it have come from?!"

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