The morning after the fissure's eruption, Valenreach was transformed. Broken trees, scorched earth, and pockets of energy lingering in the air reminded everyone that the world was no longer the same.
Kael Ardyn walked among his followers, moving slowly, observing each one. They were still human in appearance, but subtle changes betrayed their newfound potential. Veins shimmered under some eyes, faint glows danced in shadows around others, and each carried a different air of controlled power.
Mara approached, cautious but eager. "Kael… I've never felt anything like this," she admitted, her voice low. She stretched out a hand, testing her own strength. A boulder lifted effortlessly, hovering before her, trembling slightly in her grip.
"Do not force it," Kael advised calmly. "Control comes before power. If you rage, the fissure's energy will consume you instead of giving you command."
Around them, Darius tested his own limits, sprinting across the clearing, leaving afterimages in his wake. Lyra manipulated shadows, forming blades that hovered in the air, slicing through the trees with precision. Each follower was discovering their unique human-form powers — strong enough to overwhelm vampires older than any living being had seen in centuries, yet subtle enough to remain unseen by mortals.
Kael stood apart, ash-grey hair now barely visible against the dawn as it shifted fully into pure white, signaling his apex evolution. His blood-red eyes glowed faintly when he tested his own limits, but he could hide them at will, appearing like an ordinary man to anyone else.
"The fissure has done more than awaken your bodies," he said quietly. "It has awakened your essence. You are no longer what you were, and soon, you will surpass even what I can teach."
A faint tremor ran across the clearing. Even among themselves, they could sense something bigger awakening. The fissure had not just transformed them — it had opened a door to the world beyond, signaling that Kael's ascension would not go unnoticed.