Elara adjusted her goggles, the lenses thick enough to filter the stinging grit. Her protective leather suit was stifling, but necessary. Above her, the sky was a bruised purple, and the heat radiating from the vent ahead was palpable.

The air around Elara ignited. A shockwave of hot wind knocked her back, but she didn't fall. The flower hadn't exploded—it had screamed. A high-pitched, resonant frequency that vibrated in her teeth.

Her already iconic red hair is often reimagined as literal flickering flames, symbolizing her newfound power.

And then, she saw it.

Kael looked at her burned hands, then at the dangerous artifact she carried. He knew the risks. A flower that could boil a lake could also burn a city to the ground if mishandled.

Elara realized Kael was right about one thing: it was dangerous. But he was wrong about it being a trap. It was defending itself. It was alive.

The thrashing stopped.

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