The mark burns bright
200 Words
Chapter 4 –
The hideout exploded into flame.
Kael dove behind the console, dragging Ryn with him as the blast tore through the upper wall. Smoke and fire filled the air.
Through the broken roof, a dark figure descended—armor plated, face hidden behind a red-eyed helmet.
An Imperial hunter. One of Aeris Thorn’s elite.
Ryn aimed her pulse-rig. “We can’t take him—”
But Kael had already moved.
The mark on his chest flared, and something inside him snapped free. For a moment, the storm outside answered. Lightning twisted through the air—toward Kael.
The hunter raised his weapon—then screamed as a blast of heat slammed into him from Kael’s outstretched hand. Not fire. Not lightning.
Something ancient.
The hunter crashed into a wall, armor smoking.
Kael staggered, gasping, and collapsed to one knee. The glow faded. His skin steamed.
Ryn stared at him, stunned. “That wasn’t tech.”
Kael looked at his shaking hands. “I didn’t mean to…”
“You didn’t control it,” Ryn said. “You channeled it.”
Outside, more scout ships were descending.
“We have to move,” she snapped. “Now.”
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- Writer
