BLOOD & SIGILS

Chapter 30: The Trial of Feral Fury

The quiet of the western veyrin woods shattered without warning. Kael, still reeling from his recent battle with the Crimson Fang Wolf, barely had time to catch his breath when the underbrush erupted with movement. Three lesser mana-infused wolf-like beasts, their fur flickering with faint, ghostly embers, charged from the shadows.

For a split second, Kael's heart hammered in his chest. He was alone, his body still aching from the previous fight, his hands trembling with lingering pain. The memory of that solitary victory was already fading as raw adrenaline surged anew.

Without hesitation, he gripped his sword and adjusted his stance. The first wolf lunged, its eyes burning with a predatory gleam. Kael sidestepped, the creature's momentum carrying it past him. He raised his hand and, with a swift movement born of both desperation and determination, unleashed a controlled burst of hybrid magic. The air around the wolf shimmered, and it faltered before Kael's blade found its mark. The beast collapsed, its ember-fur darkening as its life ebbed away.

The second and third attackers moved in tandem, circling like predators on a hunt. Kael's muscles screamed in protest with every movement, his mana reserves burning low and his control precarious. Yet, he refused to yield. With a fluid motion, he invoked a binding glyph, channeling the volatile energy of his Crimson Sigil to hold one wolf in place. In that critical moment, he pivoted, delivering a precise, deadly strike that felled the second attacker.

But the third wolf, nimble and relentless, attacked from behind. Kael's senses screamed out in warning as he twisted and parried, each movement a struggle against fatigue and pain. The beast's claws raked his side, drawing a line of crimson. Gritting his teeth against the sting, Kael summoned every ounce of his willpower and forced his magic to coalesce into a final, decisive blow. His sword, infused with his carefully honed hybrid power, slashed through the wolf's flank. With a guttural howl, the creature faltered and then fell, leaving silence in its wake.

Kael stood amidst the fallen creatures, his body trembling with exhaustion and pain. Every breath was a reminder of the cost of his growing power. He could almost taste the iron tang of blood mingled with the acrid residue of mana. The silence of the highlands, momentarily broken by his labored breaths, now seemed to press in around him.

In that moment of near-collapse, as his vision blurred at the edges and pain threatened to overwhelm him, a final surge of energy, raw and unbidden, exploded within him. The internal hum of his Arcane Sigil flared to life. Without a single thought, as if guided by fate itself, Kael felt his body transform. His muscles tightened, his reflexes sharpened, and a primal force seemed to course through every fiber of his being—a berserk state that magnified every attribute.

For two long minutes, Kael moved with the ferocity of a tempest. His strikes were faster, his defenses impenetrable; every motion became a blur of power. It was as if his very soul had been ignited, and he fought with a wild, unrestrained might that defied his previous limitations.

When the surge finally subsided, Kael staggered, sweat and blood mingling on his face. His body throbbed with the aftershocks of the berserk state, yet a deep, satisfying power pulsed within him—a gift from the depths of his Arcane Sigil System. As he caught his breath, a new calm settled over him. Along with this surge, a healing energy began to work through his wounds, knitting flesh and easing the pain of his injuries.

In that silent, solitary moment under the highland sky, Kael realized that his journey was taking a new turn. His relentless training, the brutal encounters, and the pain he had endured had awakened not only a new ability but also a profound transformation in his very being. His resolve hardened: he would master his power and use it to forge his own destiny, regardless of the darkness that sometimes threatened to overwhelm him.

With a final, determined breath, Kael gathered his strength. The highlands were quiet once more, but the echoes of his battle—and the new abilities now coursing through him—would remain long after the silence returned.