1 Conflicted Stream

Primal and overbearing, the words highlighted the viewpoint of Henka as he observed the flame that raged across his hands. It shined proudly in contrast to the grassy plain that surrounded him proclaiming its dominance and the subjugation of the environment.

"It's always what you dread the most that end up right at your door..." Henka's black hair and eyes had a crystal luster to them which with his desirable facial features gave off a sense of clarity as the wind began to pick up.

He had always considered himself a free spirit, calm and collected no matter how many fights and altercations he got into. He would always attempt to solve problems with a cool head and in the best way possible, assessing and experiencing each situation with an open mind. This can be seen in his proficiency in the "Infinite Furo" martial art that cultivated vast mental fortitude and open mind which although very taxing allowed for the passing of spirit and mental energy through the soul's veins to be extremely easy and even refined.

Even though the technique is well known amongst many of the normal citizens of the Hem empire without strong bloodline energy and inheritance it is not widely practiced and many opt for less demanding techniques. So Henka being able to achieve 10% integration with the martial art and stage 3 of the qi compression realm at 14 created shock amongst the local inhabitance of the Rae region, seeing how even with a cultivation average stage for his age he was at an integration level that even some people at age 20 couldn't reach while not focusing on their energy levels combine that with the fact that he practices one of the hardest technics known and he was still able to keep up with his peers he was able to make big waves in many local tournaments and earning newly developed resources that help fuel his path.

Yet, his elemental affinity was a fire while being considered the strongest of the 4 worldy elements it was the essence of raw power, charing at any problem with arrogance and ignorance. Elemental affinities appear in some cultivators and the fact that Henka awakened his fire at 14 even though he had been cultivating as soon as possible at the age of 6 was very peculiar even more so seeing as none of his family possessed an affinity for fire previously.

However such a coincidence which could be seen as fortunate for others seeing as elemental cultivators could gather qi from their element, as well as the atmosphere, made them develop faster and their qi being generally more potent than nonelementals, but for Henka, it is the source of his dismay.

Becoming an elemental cultivator means to reform one soul veins to accommodate that element which means Henka's veins were endowed with the same characteristics as fire, trying to change the Infinite Furo which thrived on calmness and mental clarity through soul veins which were the very essence of madness and power proved almost impossible, the very nature of what made him who he was contradicted.

Even with all his talent, perception, and maturity, it was all for naught. Would his path be crippled by sheer coincidence? The future seemed unsure. Without his martial art, his power is crippled by almost 1/3 going from supremely talented to just barely scraping by as average after years worth of dedication was something beyond demoralizing.

With all his skill previously he could have competently taken out most 4th stage and even some early-stage 5th rank practitioners. But now he struggled to keep up with the most average of his peers. "And the only saving grace... if you could even call it that" Henka raised his hand and the sky enveloped in a fierce inferno that seemed to consume the air around it fueling its might even more.

The fire he conjured seemed to have some mysterious property to consume whatever it touches the wind seemed to be nothing but a fan to ascend the flame to greater heights. The whirlwind of fire however in just a few seconds after being unleashed fluttered sporadically until it eventually exhausted in an unrefined manner. "

It dominates everything but has no control over itself, but that just shows how incompetent I am with my ability. With a melancholic smile that rose across his face, he left the small plain off grass back towards home to being his morning meditation, praying and hoping some sort of enlightenment would arise and guide him out of this chaotic mess.