"Very good! That's very good , you see...! This is all you need , focus and acceptance." Marsel says cheerfully and proudly.
He taps Ace's shoulder congratulating him.
For a mont Ace feels proud of himself too, he smiles at Marsel's praises.
"Now we're ready to go, we can move on , we can now focus on your powers," Marsel says, "Let's try sothing more practical. I want you to focus on this." He picks up a small twig from the ground and holds it out in front of Ace. "Focus on it. Use your energy, your soulmark. Visualize fire. Feel the heat build inside you. But don't just let it burst out of you. Control it."
Ace looks at him blankly as if he has no idea what he he has just said . He doesn't say anything.
"Okay sorry , I wasn't clear , first , every ti you are trying to control sothing like powers, especially when you are leaning , you should keep your eyes shut , closing your eyes helps concentrate."
Ace hesitates as if afraid , but closes his eyes eventually.
"Now it's ti to deepen that connection. Let go of your fear. Also , think about Alpha Kieran," Ace's eyes snap open at the ntion of Kieran.
For so reason wanting to argue but Marsel cut him.
"Close your eyes! Calm down , concentrate on Kieran , his presence, think of him , anything at all about him, even if it's just his face , this will help you stir that power, that heat , if you start feeling the warmth, the heat , then you are making a progress." Ace doesn't like he's told , not trying to argue anymore .
He thinks of the first night he was with Kieran , he holds that mory deep in his heart .
"Every ti before you have learnt to control this power by yourself, always think about Kieran , his presence in your mind will always help you control it , wether it's starting it , or ending it." Marsel adds.
Ace now is lost in his thoughts, the emotions about that night embracing him, forgetting what he was supposed to do.
Marsel can sense it.
"Ace?! "
His eyes snap open.
"Okay, how about you just focus on his face, leave out the interactions, just his face." Marsel adds.
For so reason Ace feels exposed , now embarrassed.
Ace closes his eyes again , breathing deeply, focusing on Kieran's stone face, focusing on the warmth inside him. The fire he's been feeling—the one he hasn't yet learned to control—stirs in his chest.
He imagines it as a spark, sothing small but full of potential. He breathes out slowly, reaching for it.
At first, nothing happens. But then, a flicker of heat ignites at the tip of the twig, a tiny spark. His pulse quickens as he concentrates harder, willing the fire to grow.
It flickers, then dies out.
Ace lets out a frustrated sigh, opening his eyes. "I can't do it."
Marsel doesn't look disappointed, he is happy inside but his eyes are sharp, focused. "You're too impatient. Fire doesn't respond to force. It responds to control. You have to be steady. You have to feel it, not force it."
Ace nods, his muscles tense.
He tries again, visualizing the fire in his mind, letting it burn steady and slow. This ti, the fla flickers longer, the heat radiating from it, but it's still weak. Still far from what he knows it can be.
Marsel watches for a mont, then nods. "That's better. Now, let it grow."
Ace breathes deeply again, the fla dancing on the twig, more vibrant this ti. He can feel the power inside him, that flickering light, and he realizes it's more than just a physical heat. It's an extension of his soul, of who he is.
"You can make the fire burn , or not burn , and right now it's not burning even if the twig is consud." Marsel adds.
The fla grows, slowly, steady but strong.
"I can feel it," Ace says, his voice a mixture of awe and fear.
"Good," Marsel says, his tone approving. "Now, let it go out. Don't let it consu you. You control it, not the other way around."
The fla sputters, its warmth retreating slowly, and then dies completely.
For a mont, Ace stands there, feeling a sense of loss again, as if sothing within him has vanished. But then he exhales, realizing it's not gone—it's simply under control.
Marsel nods, his expression satisfied. "Well done. That's a start. You've just touched the surface of your potential, Ace. But rember—your fire is more than just about destruction. It's about protection, balance, and, above all, control."
Ace exhales shakily, wiping the sweat from his brow. The experience leaves him both exhilarated and exhausted, but there's a spark of hope in his chest that he hasn't felt in a long ti. "So, that's it? I just have to practice, keep trying?"
"Exactly," Marsel says, his voice a bit softer now. "The more you practice, the more you'll understand your power. The key is to stop fearing it. Fear makes the fire uncontrollable. But if you accept it—embrace it—it will beco a part of you, a tool, and a weapon, when needed."
Ace looks at the ground for a mont, his mind spinning with all the information. He hasn't even begun to understand everything Marsel has shared with him, but sothing inside him stirs. There's a spark of potential, and it's growing.
"I'm scared," Ace admits, his voice quiet but firm. "I don't want to lose control. I've seen what happens when people with power misuse it, and I don't want to be like them."
Marsel places a hand on Ace's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "No one can master their power in a single day, Ace. And no one is perfect. The fact that you're aware of the responsibility is the first step. You'll make mistakes, but they don't define you. Your choices do."
Ace nods, feeling a sense of resolve settling into his chest. "I want to get better. I don't want to be afraid of it anymore. Of what I am."
Marsel smiles, a small but proud curve of his lips. "That's the spirit. Now, rest for today. Tomorrow, we'll begin again."
Ace watches Marsel turn back toward the cabin, his mind still racing with all that he's just learned.
It feels like a lot, but it also feels like the first real step toward understanding his power, toward becoming the person he was ant to be.
The journey ahead won't be easy, but for the first ti since he discovered his soulmark, Ace feels like he has a direction—a purpose.
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