The Echo Of Power.

The remnants of the leyline terminal crackled faintly with dissipating magic as Ha-joon soared away. The cold night air cooled his overheated skin, but his thoughts burned hotter than ever. The shattered artifact's final burst of energy had done something to him—something he couldn't ignore.

His mark glowed more intensely now, radiating warmth that pulsed in sync with his heartbeat. For a moment, it felt as though the relic inside his satchel was no longer separate from him, its power weaving into his very being.

What have I unleashed?

---

Ha-joon landed on the roof of an old factory just inside the industrial district, the farthest he could get before exhaustion overtook him. He slumped against the wall, his wings fading into sparks as he caught his breath.

His thoughts wandered to the leader of the Concord. The artifact was keeping the leyline stable? Was I wrong to destroy it? The weight of his actions pressed on him, but he quickly shoved the guilt aside. The Concord had tried to use him, manipulate him. He'd made a choice—and he'd stick to it.

"Damn it," he muttered, pulling the relic out of his satchel. The crystalline surface shimmered, reflecting fragments of his surroundings in distorted patterns. He could feel the whispers again, faint but persistent, teasing him with promises of power.

"Is this you?" he asked the relic, gripping it tightly. The whispers grew louder.

Before he could contemplate further, a sudden rustle snapped him to attention. He shot to his feet, summoning a small orb of flame to light up the area.

"Who's there?" he called out.

A figure emerged from the shadows, their movements slow and deliberate. Ha-joon tensed, expecting another Concord operative, but the person who stepped into the light wasn't wearing a robe or mask.

It was Ji-yeon.

"Relax, it's just me," she said, her tone casual but her eyes sharp. "You've been making quite the mess tonight."

Ha-joon frowned. "How did you find me?"

"You think destroying a leyline artifact wouldn't send a magical ripple across the city? You practically lit a beacon for every mage within a hundred miles," Ji-yeon said, crossing her arms. "Not to mention, I put a tracker on you back at the club."

Ha-joon blinked. "You what?"

"You're welcome," she replied smugly. "Now, what the hell happened back there?"

He hesitated, glancing down at the relic in his hand. "The Concord was performing some kind of ritual. They claimed the artifact was stabilizing the leyline, but I didn't trust them. I… destroyed it."

Ji-yeon stared at him, her expression unreadable. Finally, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You're lucky the city didn't implode on the spot. Leylines are volatile. Messing with one without fully understanding it is like playing with nitroglycerin."

"Yeah, well, they didn't give me much of a choice," Ha-joon snapped. "They were planning something—something dangerous. I couldn't let them finish it."

Ji-yeon studied him for a moment, her gaze flickering to the glowing mark on his arm. "And now? Do you feel different?"

Ha-joon hesitated. "I… think the leyline's energy did something to me. Or maybe to the relic. It's like they're connected now. I don't know how to explain it."

"Let me see," Ji-yeon said, stepping closer. She reached for his arm, her fingers brushing against the glowing mark. Ha-joon flinched at the contact, but the mark flared brighter, sending a wave of heat through the air.

Ji-yeon pulled back, her eyes wide. "That's… not normal."

"Gee, thanks for the insight," Ha-joon said dryly.

"No, I mean it," Ji-yeon insisted. "The mark's reacting to something. The leyline energy must've fused with your relic's magic. You're not just wielding borrowed power anymore—it's becoming a part of you."

Ha-joon frowned. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"That depends," Ji-yeon said cautiously. "If you can control it, it might give you an edge. But if the power overtakes you…" She trailed off, her meaning clear.

"I won't let that happen," Ha-joon said firmly. "I've already been through hell to get this far. I'm not going to let some artifact or magic control me."

Ji-yeon nodded, though her expression remained tense. "Good. Because if you lose control, I'll be the first to put you down."

Her words were blunt, but Ha-joon appreciated the honesty. "Noted," he said. "Now, what do we do next?"

Ji-yeon leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "The Concord isn't going to let this slide. You embarrassed them and disrupted their plans. They'll come after you with everything they've got."

"Let them," Ha-joon said, his voice cold. "I'm done running."

Ji-yeon raised an eyebrow. "Bold talk for someone who just barely escaped their last encounter."

"I'm serious," he said. "They want to control magic, to decide who gets power and who doesn't. I won't let them. If they think I'm a threat to their so-called balance, I'll prove them right."

A slow smile spread across Ji-yeon's face. "Now that's the kind of fire I like to see."

---

The two of them spent the rest of the night strategizing. Ji-yeon shared what little intel she had on the Concord's operations, while Ha-joon filled her in on the details of the leyline terminal encounter. By the time dawn broke, they had a plan—one that involved striking back at the Concord before they could regroup.

"Are you sure about attempting to do this?" Ji-yeon asked as they prepared to leave the factory.

"I've never been more sure of anything," Ha-joon said, his mark glowing faintly in the morning light. "It's time to take the fight to them."

With renewed determination, the two of them set off, ready to face the storm that awaited them. The Concord might have resources and power, but Ha-joon had something they didn't—an unbreakable will and the courage to stand against the odds.

This was just the beginning.

"Think I just got pulled into something strange.. and there's no turning back for me."

"My fate depends on my actions."