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“You’re already at risk of that with that Soul Brand.” I shook my head. “You’re holding on to another possibility existing. You acknowledged that you were trapped, but now you’re shifting back to denial.”

“It’s more than even that. If there is a True Celestial who wields the sword who has actually been activated in a bid to destroy you, like we are positing, ifyoushould come within range of said threat, it would definitely be felt. It would be a major provocation. A provocation that you are not ready to lay down. To defeat an enemy, especially one of this nature, youmust first possess an understanding of them.Thatis what our training will encompass. You have been trained as a magic-wielder, not as a True Celestial.Thatis what I will remedy. So, with that in mind, I will teach you in the proper way, that which has been authorized by the Celestial Plane. I will provide you with the knowledge that they wish you to have to be able to operate astheysee fit. It will both appease them, and also give you what you need.”

When I went to protest, he held up his hand, “However, I will also accept you pushing back. We will meet in the middle.”

That actually sounded more than fair.

I was growing to like him more with our every interaction.

“All right,” I agreed.

“Very good. Then let us begin. We will tackle Hellfire extinguishing for our firstcollaborative effort.”

I actually chuckled. “Nicely put.”

He grinned. “I thought you would appreciate that.”

He walked to the center of the clearing and swept his hand around.

In the next moment, a glowing circle of scorched runes was etched into the earth. “This is a bound Hellfire locus. I have sealed it so it cannot spread, but it will burn endlessly until extinguished. Step into the circle.”

Cassius remained just outside the boundary. “To nullify Hellfire, one must reject it utterly. Command it to dissipate. True Celestials use a resonance chant to assert dominance over the flame. It is a method long taught by our order. You will recite it while holding focus.”

He began to chant, slow and melodic, a series of ancient syllables that hummed with power.

The flames sputtered slightly under his voice—but they didn't die.

Then he stopped. “Now you.”

I inhaled, trying to mimic the cadence.

But the moment I began to speak them aloud, the Hellfire surged.

“No,” he said sharply. “You’re not anchoring your will. You’re letting the words move you. You mustmove theminstead.”

I tried again. Focus. Clamp down. Push the fire back.

The air snapped against my skin.

The fire pushed harder.

Cassius frowned. “You are not asserting your will. Try again.”

“No,” I said, staring at the flames. “It’s… more than that.”

“What do you mean?”

“My power… it’s not responding to the chant, the words, nor finding root in the conviction of them.”

Instead of trying to force it, or simply telling me to make it happen, he stepped back and eyed me curiously. “This is mighty interesting. What do you suggest?”

“What doIsuggest? Really?”

“Yes. Indeed. Have at it.”

I shifted my weight. “I’m going to draw on what I did to contain the Hellfire up at the Compound. When it erupted, I just reacted instinctually, my power knowing just what to do in order to contain it, despite the fact that I’d never come up against anything like that before.”

“Hmm, with that being your method, why couldn’t you extinguish it? Why did you require help, and even the feathers, which Cornelius then had to teach you how to spell into dust that you blew on the Hellfire to extinguish it?”