Dawn bathed the Ember Temple in golden light as the initiates gathered in the courtyard, their gear strapped and eyes sharp with anticipation. The air buzzed with tension, and for once, no one was talking.
Commander Thorne stood at the front, his crimson cloak billowing in the wind. His face was stone, but his eyes scanned each initiate with silent intensity.
"You've trained, bled, and endured," he began. "Now, you prove your worth beyond these walls."
A rune map flickered to life beside him. It highlighted a remote forest at the southern edge of the continent—Ashgrove Hollow.
"Three days south lies a ruin buried beneath the forest floor. We lost contact with a scout team two days ago. Your mission—investigate and report. If there are hostiles… neutralize."
---
The Road South
Kaelin adjusted her satchel and glanced at the group traveling beside her—Eli, Mira, Jericho, and two newer recruits: Lysa, a quiet girl with exceptional tracking skills, and Dren, a brute with a love for fire-enhanced gauntlets.
Mira broke the silence. "So… any bets on what's in the ruins? Bandits? Wild beasts? Or something worse?"
"Hopefully something worse," Jericho said with a grin. "I'm bored."
Eli chuckled, but Kaelin remained silent, her eyes scanning the trees.
Something about the air felt wrong.
---
Ashgrove Hollow
The forest was eerily still when they arrived.
No birds. No wind. Just silence and the crackle of old leaves beneath their boots.
Lysa crouched, brushing her fingers over faint tracks. "There were people here. Not long ago. But…"
"But what?" Dren asked.
"They weren't alone," she replied, eyes narrowing.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed from the trees. The team turned, blades drawn—only to find a shattered mask, half-buried in the mud.
It wasn't from the Temple.
---
Into the Earth
The entrance to the ruin lay hidden beneath twisted vines and broken stones. The stone archway bore strange markings—neither Ember Glyph nor Temple code.
Kaelin stepped forward, tracing her fingers across one of the symbols. Her eyes narrowed.
"This... is older than the Temple."
Jericho raised an eyebrow. "Older how?"
"Thousands of years older."
Without waiting, Kaelin descended the stone steps. The others followed, torches flaring to life.
The air grew cold, heavy with dust and secrets.
At the bottom, they found a vast underground chamber filled with broken relics, half-burned banners, and the remains of what looked like a battle.
At the center stood a pedestal… and a sword lodged deep in obsidian stone.
Its blade shimmered faintly with silver flame.
---
Echoes of Power
As Kaelin approached the sword, her heartbeat quickened. The silver light pulsed, resonating with something inside her.
Suddenly, the air trembled. Runes on the walls lit up, and the ruins groaned like something ancient had awoken.
Mira drew her blade. "Kaelin—step back."
But Kaelin couldn't. She reached out—and the moment her fingers brushed the hilt, a pulse of energy exploded outward, knocking the others off their feet.
Visions flashed in Kaelin's mind—cities in flame, skies torn asunder, a woman with golden eyes calling her name.
"Araya…"