The valley awoke restless. Clouds hung low and heavy, dimming the sun as though the heavens themselves were watching. Kael felt it in his chest before he even opened his eyes—the storm was closer today, its pulse louder, its hunger sharper.
Asha wasted no time. “On your feet. We’re pushing further.”
Kael groaned, but obeyed. His body ached from yesterday, every muscle stiff, skin raw where lightning had licked it. Yet something inside him burned hotter than exhaustion—an unwillingness to remain weak.
The day’s lesson was riskier: channeling lightning through his body without release, forcing him to endure its raw current. Asha believed only by carrying it could he learn to wield it safely.
“Breathe. Center. Hold.” Her voice was firm, unwavering.
Kael closed his eyes. Power rushed into
