SPIRITBINDER: The Boy Without A Mark
Chapter 61: The Raging Flame

Chapter 61: The Raging Flame

The flames crackled and roared, dancing dangerously close to the three of them as Esmael stood, his hands alight with fire and his eyes burning with fury. The air felt heavy, charged with his unrestrained emotions.

"Stop, Esmael!" Luna shouted, stepping between him and Morvane. Her voice trembled but held firm. "We can talk this out. I know the past days—no, the past weeks—have been hard for you, but this isn’t the way. Being angry won’t fix anything."

Esmael’s flames flickered for a moment, but the pain in his voice was sharp as he spat back, "You don’t know my pain, Luna! None of you do!" His eyes darted to Morvane, his rage intensifying. "When I was struggling with my powers—when I needed help, needed guidance—instead of standing by me, all of you blamed me. Especially you, Morvane!"

Morvane’s mouth opened, but Esmael didn’t give him a chance to speak. "How could you stand there and tell me to be careful with my power when you knew I couldn’t control it? How could you throw that weight on me when I was drowning in it?"

Morvane stepped forward, his voice steady but laced with regret. "I only told you that because I believed in you. You have great power, Esmael. But with great power comes the responsibility to wield it wisely."

Esmael let out a harsh, bitter laugh. "Responsibility? Your words should have been encouraging, Morvane! Not blaming!" His voice cracked, and for a moment, his anger wavered, revealing the deep hurt underneath. "I felt like no one was on my side. Like the whole world was against me!"

The air grew even hotter as Esmael thrust his hands forward, releasing a torrent of flame directly at Morvane. The heat seared the air, and Luna screamed as Morvane narrowly dodged, rolling to the side just in time to avoid the inferno.

"Enough!" Vianna’s sharp voice cut through the chaos. She stepped forward, her expression calm but commanding. "Blinded by your emotions, are you? Let me handle this."

Esmael turned to her, his flames flickering uncertainly as if sensing the shift in the air.

Vianna’s gaze locked onto his, her piercing eyes seeming to peer straight into his soul. The tension in the air shifted, becoming heavier but strangely serene. Esmael froze, his posture softening as his hands fell to his sides. The fire around him sputtered out, leaving only smoke curling from his fingertips.

The change was instant. His rage melted away, replaced by an almost childlike calm. His shoulders slumped, and his breathing steadied. For a moment, he looked utterly lost, like a man waking from a nightmare.

Luna’s eyes widened in disbelief. "What just happened?"

Morvane glanced at Vianna, who remained stoic, her gaze still locked on Esmael. "Her power," he said quietly. "Emotion manipulation."

Vianna finally broke her gaze, and Esmael blinked as if waking from a trance. He looked at his hands, confusion and shame crossing his face. "What... what did you do to me?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

"I showed you clarity," Vianna replied coolly. "Your emotions were clouding your judgment, and it was only a matter of time before they destroyed you—and everyone else."

Esmael took a shaky step back, his eyes darting between them. "I... I don’t understand."

Morvane stepped forward cautiously. "We’re not here to fight you, Esmael. We never were. But you need to stop running from your pain. Let us help you."

Esmael said nothing, his expression conflicted as he struggled to process everything.

Vianna glanced at Morvane and Luna. "The rest is up to you," she said, stepping back.

The night was eerily quiet in the aftermath of Esmael’s outburst, save for the faint crackling of dying embers in the ruins. Vianna stood rigid, her piercing eyes still watching Esmael carefully, her power keeping his emotions in check for now. She turned to Morvane, her voice low and urgent.

"We need to leave," she said firmly. "My power only suppresses emotions temporarily. Esmael’s rage isn’t gone—it’s waiting. And depending on how strong his feelings are, it will come back. Possibly stronger."

Morvane frowned, glancing at Esmael, who stood motionless, his face a mixture of confusion and lingering pain. "I can’t just leave him like this," he said.

"You might not have a choice," Vianna said sharply. "If his rage returns and we’re still here, things could get worse."

Morvane sighed heavily, his gaze softening as he stepped closer to Esmael. "Esmael," he began gently, his tone full of regret. "I know you feel like the world turned its back on you. Like I turned my back on you. But I swear to you, that was never my intention. I should’ve been there. I should’ve helped you instead of making you feel alone."

Esmael didn’t respond, his eyes focused on the ground, but Morvane continued. "You’re not the only one who’s struggled. We’ve all faced loss, guilt, and anger. But we can’t let it consume us. I need you to believe that there’s still a way forward."

Luna stepped forward, her voice soft but steady. "Esmael, you’ve always been strong. Even when things were hard, you kept going. But you don’t have to carry this alone anymore. Let us help you."

For a moment, it seemed as though their words might reach him. Esmael’s shoulders slumped, and his expression softened. But then something shifted. His breathing grew heavier, and the faint embers in his hands reignited.

"No," he said, his voice low and trembling. "You don’t get to pretend everything’s fine now. You don’t get to stand there and tell me it’s okay after everything I’ve been through!" His head snapped up, and his eyes burned with fury. "You!" he snarled, pointing at Vianna. "You did this to me! You controlled me!"

Vianna’s eyes narrowed, her posture steady as Esmael’s rage surged back to the surface. "I did what I had to do to stop you from hurting anyone," she said calmly.

"You manipulated me!" Esmael roared, flames bursting from his hands as he lunged toward her.

Vianna moved quickly, sidestepping his initial attack, the heat of the flames barely missing her. "I warned you, Morvane," she said sharply, her voice remaining level even as she prepared to defend herself. "His emotions were too strong to be suppressed for long."

"Esmael, stop!" Morvane shouted, stepping forward. "You don’t have to do this!"

But Esmael didn’t stop. His anger was fully unleashed now, and his flames grew fiercer, the heat making the air almost unbearable. He launched another fireball at Vianna, who dodged it with practiced precision.

Luna stood frozen for a moment before shouting, "Esmael, this isn’t you! You’re better than this!"

But Esmael was beyond reason, his fury driving him forward as he unleashed another wave of fire toward Vianna. The battle had begun, and the group was caught in the storm of his uncontrolled emotions.

"Esmael, stop this!" Morvane’s voice echoed through the ruins, but he didn’t draw his blade, his hands open and pleading. "I won’t fight you. I don’t want to hurt you. This isn’t the way!"

Luna stepped closer as well, her voice trembling but determined. "Esmael, you don’t have to do this! We’re your friends. I know you’re angry, but fighting us won’t change what happened. Please, listen to me!"

But Esmael wasn’t listening. The flames around him surged higher, his movements fueled by his rage. His focus remained locked on Vianna, the source of his simmering fury.

"You controlled me," Esmael growled, his voice guttural. "You manipulated me like I was nothing! You think you’re so powerful, so perfect—let’s see how strong you really are!"

He lunged at her, flames bursting from his hands in violent waves.

Vianna moved with precision and grace, her agility unmatched. She leapt to the side, narrowly evading the attack, her movements fluid and effortless. As Esmael spun to strike again, she ducked, her speed making it impossible for him to land a hit.

"Your power is impressive, Esmael," Vianna said coolly as she evaded another blast. "But it’s nothing without control."

Her words only enraged him further. He let out a furious cry, hurling another torrent of fire toward her. Vianna flipped backward, her landing as light as a feather, and retaliated with a calculated strike. Her hand shot forward, a burst of energy sending a shockwave toward Esmael. It wasn’t meant to harm, only to stagger him, and it worked. Esmael stumbled, but he quickly regained his footing, his flames reigniting.

"Vianna, stop!" Morvane shouted. "You don’t have to fight him like this!"

Vianna’s gaze flicked toward Morvane for a split second, her tone sharp. "If I don’t stop him, his rage will destroy everything in its path. Including you, Morvane."

Esmael launched another attack, but Vianna spun gracefully, dodging with ease. Her strikes were precise and measured, every move demonstrating the skill and composure of a ruler who had fought countless battles. Each time she closed in, she tried to meet his gaze, to use her power to manipulate his emotions again.

But Esmael wasn’t giving her the chance. His relentless attacks forced her to stay on the defensive, never allowing her enough time to lock eyes with him.

"I just need a moment," she muttered under her breath, her movements growing faster as she dodged another fiery strike.

Esmael’s rage burned hotter, his attacks becoming more erratic and powerful. "You think you’re untouchable!" he shouted. "But I’ll show you! I’ll burn you down like everything else!"

Luna stepped forward again, desperation in her voice. "Esmael, please stop! You’re not this person! You’re better than this!"

Esmael hesitated for the briefest moment, his flames faltering. But the anger in his heart quickly overpowered any doubt, and he surged forward again, another blast of fire ripping through the air toward Vianna.

Vianna darted to the side, her movements like a shadow. Her gaze remained locked on him, searching for an opening. "Your emotions are blinding you, Esmael," she said. "You can’t see the destruction you’re causing—not just to us, but to yourself."

But her words only fueled his anger. "Don’t talk to me like you understand!" he roared. "You’ll never understand what it’s like to be me!"

The fight continued, Vianna’s agility and precision keeping her one step ahead of Esmael’s attacks. But she knew her window was closing. If she couldn’t subdue him soon, his rage would consume everything around them.