The trio climbed out of the ruined sanctum, the echoes of battle still ringing in their ears.
The narrow stone stairwell leading upward was cold and cracked, dust sifting down from the ceiling with every cautious step they took. Kaelin moved first, her hand never straying far from the Emberfang hilt strapped across her back.
Mira and Jericho followed, their faces pale but determined.
At last, they emerged into the moonlit ruins atop the cliffs.
The ancient temple sprawled around them like the skeleton of a forgotten beast—broken pillars, crumbling statues, and walls carved with faded warnings in languages older than kingdoms.
The cool night air tasted sweet after the heavy, suffocating energy of the sanctum.
Kaelin turned to the others.
"We need to move. Now."
Jericho frowned. "Where to? Back to Eldermere?"
Mira shook her head sharply. "No. If the Old Lords know Kaelin's awakened the Emberfang, they'll send more than shadows next time. Eldermere won't be safe. Not for us, and not for anyone near us."
Kaelin clenched her fists. Mira was right. Going back would only paint a target on innocent people.
"But we need supplies," Kaelin said. "Armor. Food. Maps. If we're going to survive... if we're going to fight back... we have to be smart about this."
Mira gave a short, determined nod.
"There's a hidden outpost. About two days' journey south, near the River Kaldra. Old smugglers' route. No official patrols, no prying eyes."
Jericho raised an eyebrow. "You've been holding out on us?"
Mira smirked. "I prefer the term resourceful."
Kaelin smiled faintly despite the situation. Trust Mira to have a plan tucked away for emergencies like this.
---
The Journey Begins
They set out immediately, leaving the ruins behind.
The moon guided their path, its silver light stretching long shadows over the rocky plains. Distant howls drifted across the open fields, but none dared approach. Perhaps it was the lingering aura of the Emberfang—or perhaps something deeper had changed in Kaelin, something that even beasts could sense.
They traveled until their legs ached, setting up a small, hidden camp beneath the overhang of a jagged hill.
Jericho started a fire with practiced ease while Mira set traps around the perimeter. Kaelin sat apart, her gaze distant, staring into the flickering flames.
The Emberfang lay across her lap, its surface dull now, as if resting.
Memories of the masked figure haunted her—the venomous words, the power behind them.
She knew she had barely survived that encounter. Next time, they wouldn't retreat so easily.
Next time, it would be a war.
---
A Secret Revealed
Later, after Jericho and Mira drifted into uneasy sleep, Kaelin remained awake.
The flames danced in her eyes as she slowly pulled the Emberfang closer, tracing the runes along its blade with her fingertips.
Suddenly, her vision blurred.
A pull—not physical, but spiritual—yanked her consciousness inward.
Kaelin gasped as the world shifted.
She found herself standing in a vast, endless desert of white sand beneath a sky swirling with fire and shadow. And in the distance, walking toward her—
—a woman clad in crimson armor, her hair a river of molten gold, her face sharp and fierce.
The woman's voice rang out like a clarion call.
"Bearer of the Flame, hear me."
Kaelin staggered but found herself rooted in place.
"The Emberfang is no mere weapon," the woman continued. "It is a promise. An oath sealed by those who defied the Old Lords and paid in blood."
Kaelin struggled to find her voice. "Who... who are you?"
The woman's smile was sad but proud.
"I am the First Flame. And you, Kaelin Fireborn, are the last."
The desert around them flared brighter—and Kaelin's heart burned with sudden understanding.
This was her legacy. Her destiny.
A tide far larger than she had ever imagined was beginning to rise—and she stood at its center.
The vision faded.
Kaelin blinked, gasping, back into the night by the fire.
The Emberfang lay quiet in her lap, but now, it felt heavier with meaning.
She looked up at the sleeping forms of Mira and Jericho—and beyond them, at the distant horizon where new threats surely waited.
I will not fail them.
I will not fail the oath.
She set her jaw and tightened her grip on her sword.
Tomorrow, they would reach the outpost.
Tomorrow, their true journey would begin.