Storm on the Horizon
Kien's dreams were no longer her own.
Fire whispered names she didn't know.
Flame-shaped shadows walked through cities she'd never seen.
And always—at the center—a mirror of Christian, twisted and grinning.
---
A Warning from Garran
At dawn, Garran brought word:
> "You've been marked. Not just by the spirit. By them."
> "The Flame Cult believes you are the rebirth of the Flameborn Pact. And they fear what you could awaken."
> "They've sent their Severs."
Kien paled. "What's a Sever?"
> "An assassin trained to break bonds. Especially ones like yours."
---
On the Run – The Hunt Begins
That night, fire lit the treetops beyond the academy.
Three figures stepped through the blaze—cloaked in red, faces hidden by ash-painted masks.
Each carried a different flame:
One that ate light.
One that mimicked voices.
And one that smelled like blood.
Christian's instincts surged. His Ember Mark pulsed.
> "They're not here to fight me."
> "They're here to rip you out of me."
Kien narrowed her eyes. "Let them try."
---
Fight Under the Ash Moon
The first Sever struck like lightning—aiming not for Christian's heart, but his core.
Kien blocked it—not with power, but will.
And that was enough.
Their tether ignited mid-battle, becoming a living wall of blue-gold flame between them.
The Sever screamed—burned from the inside by the link he tried to sever.
The others fled, whispering of a bond too pure to break.
---
Aftermath – Refuge and a New Path
Garran arrived too late—but smiled anyway.
> "They were testing you. Now they'll come in force."
He handed them a sealed scroll, old and cracked.
> "This will guide you to her."
> "The last living Flameborn Tether."
> "She disappeared decades ago… but if anyone can teach you how to survive this bond, it's her."
---
Closing Scene – Deep Below a Volcano Temple
The leader of the Severs knelt before a throne of obsidian flame.
A voice rose from behind the veil:
> "So the pact lives again."
> "Then we have no choice."
> "Unleash the Scorch-Eater."
---
To Be Continued…