The storm above the Twinscar Peaks howled like a wounded beast.
The Nightingale shuddered as it pierced through the upper atmosphere, flame-reactive plating glowing red-hot from the elemental turbulence. Below, jagged mountains stretched like ancient scars across the land — twisted by starfire long ago during the first war between the Flamebound and the Voidborn.
"Bring us down," Lyra commanded, bracing herself as the ship descended into a canyon wreathed in black mist.
Aeris tapped runes into the console, frowning "The Beacon is still active — but it's unstable. Something's interfering with it."
Kaelen leaned forward "Or someone."
They landed near a massive stone gate embedded in the cliffside, carved with symbols that pulsed faintly with emberlight. Riven stepped forward, pressing his palm against the markings.
"Ancient Starforge sigils," he murmured. "This place… it predates the current Realms."
Lyra's heart pounded. The resonance from her Ember Key was stronger here — almost overwhelming.
They entered the mountain.
The path wound down in a spiral of jagged stone, etched with forgotten history. Murals along the walls depicted twelve flames circling a thirteenth void. One flame was always drawn larger, central — the Starflame.
Kaela ran her fingers across the carving "This is the prophecy."
Riven nodded "The Starborn would reignite the Beacon and challenge the darkness that was never meant to return."
At the bottom of the spiral, the chamber opened into a vast underground hall — the Twinscar Beacon Core.
It hovered in the center of the room — a massive crystal shard, cracked but glowing with emberlight. Floating above it, frozen in time, was a figure in dark armor, tendrils of flame and shadow twisting around him.
Lyra's breath caught "That's not just anyone."
Kaelen's jaw clenched "That's a Flamewarden."
Before they could act, the chamber shifted.
The Beacon pulsed, and spectral images flickered in the air — scenes from long ago. A war. Starborn leading armies. Realms shattering. The original sealing of Solarian.
They watched as the man in the armor fought side by side with another figure cloaked in pure starlight.
Lyra's chest tightened "That's… my mother."
Kaela blinked "You remember?"
"I don't have to," Lyra whispered "The flame remembers for me."
Suddenly, the spectral vision twisted.
The armored Flamewarden screamed — not in pain, but betrayal.
The starlight-cloaked woman stabbed him through the chest with a blade made of pure voidlight.
Kaelen cursed "She betrayed him?"
"No," Riven said softly "She saved him. Look closer."
The voidlight blade had sealed something within the man — a growing corruption, a tear in his soul. She wasn't destroying him.
She was binding the Void within him.
Kaela stepped back "He was the first Starborn to fall to the Shadow."
Lyra nodded "And she was the first to sacrifice everything to save the Realms."
As the vision faded, the Beacon flared one last time — and the armored figure fell from its suspended state, crashing to the ground.
He groaned, coughing up blood and embers.
Lyra rushed forward "Who are you?"
He looked up, eyes glowing faintly with a fractured light.
"I was once called Vaelion, Warden of Flame," he rasped "But now… I am little more than a prison."
A black mark pulsed in his chest — the same as the Shadowborn's brand.
Kaelen raised his blade "Are you with them?"
Vaelion shook his head "I fought them. I became one of them. And then I was sealed here to stop them from returning."
Lyra frowned "Then why awaken now?"
Vaelion looked at her.
"Because the flame is calling you, and the Void… is following."
Suddenly, the walls trembled. The Beacon shrieked in protest.
Aether sparks fell from the ceiling as something clawed at the edges of reality — like fingers scraping against glass.
A voice whispered through the cracks:
"You've found the flame, little star."
"Now find the ruin it tried to forget."
Lyra turned to her team "We need to stabilize the Beacon, get Vaelion out, and prepare for what's coming."
Kaelen nodded "What's next?"
Lyra's eyes narrowed, her flame burning brighter.
"We go to the next Key."
"We go… to Aetherreach."