The black smoke did not move like ordinary fire. It crept, flowing low along the contours of the ground, as if searching for the quietest path.Elara felt its pulse was different, without emotion, without personal purpose. Hungry, but not like a living creature.“Not a clan, it's... a remnant,” Alex muttered.“A remnant of what?” Amelia asked, her voice strained.“An old war,” Alex replied. “A failed ritual. A bond that was forcibly severed.”Kaelen positioned himself in front of Amelia. “We are not fighting on neutral ground.”Elara nodded. “We don't need to.” She knelt, touching the white ground. “This land rejects domination. We only need to invite balance.”Smoke approached, forming shadowy edges. The air cooled. The stones of the circle vibrated softly, waiting.Elara closed her eyes, calling upon the meaning they had established. Not a spell, not the power of agreement. She spoke to the earth, to the wind, to the water flowing far below.“Choice.”Kaelen replied, her voice low a
Read more