The path from Deltheris twisted downward into a narrow valley, the earth scarred by the remnants of ancient battles and forgotten magic. Surya followed Kaelen in silence, still shaken from the vision he'd seen and the fight against the Harmonized Wraith. His body ached from the lingering strain of channeling the Flame, but his mind was sharper than ever.
Kaelen had said little since the ruins. That worried Surya more than any enemy.
They made camp by the edge of a mountain stream. As the stars blinked to life in the black sky above, Surya sat near the fire, watching embers drift up into the night.
Kaelen finally broke the silence. "You handled yourself well."
Surya glanced at him. "I barely knew what I was doing."
Kaelen gave a faint smile. "And yet, you survived."
A moment passed before Kaelen continued. "That vision… it wasn't just memory. It was warning. Something breached the veil once—and it may try again. Whatever corrupted Deltheris isn't gone."
Surya poked the fire with a stick, frowning. "You mentioned seven stages before. We've only talked about three."
Kaelen raised an eyebrow. "Curious, are you?"
"A little," Surya admitted.
Kaelen leaned back against a tree, arms folded. "After Core Awakening comes Elemental Harmony. That's when your core begins resonating with your chosen element—fire, in your case—and forms an attunement. Only then can you truly manipulate the essence around you."
"And the others?" Surya asked.
Kaelen hesitated. "You'll learn them in time. Some knowledge is dangerous too early."
Surya looked over at him. "You didn't tell me your realm either."
Kaelen chuckled softly. "And you think you're ready to guess?"
Surya smirked. "I saw how you fought. You've gone beyond Core Awakening. Your fire listens to your thoughts."
Kaelen's smile faded slightly, though his voice remained calm. "Let's just say I've walked far enough to know the cost of power."
Before Surya could press further, a sound echoed across the valley—low and rhythmic, like distant drums wrapped in thunder.
They stood in unison.
From behind the mountains came flickers of sickly green light.
Kaelen's face darkened. "Wraithlight. That shouldn't be here."
They packed quickly and followed the stream upward until it branched into a narrow cave mouth. There, etched into the rock, was a symbol: a circle broken by seven vertical slashes.
Surya paused. "That mark…"
Kaelen nodded. "An old warning. Forbidden ground."
"But that's where the Wraithlight came from."
Kaelen didn't answer. He simply drew a blade of flame into his hand and stepped into the dark.
Inside, the air was thick with decay. The cave spiraled down, unnaturally smooth—man-made, or worse. They passed chambers filled with shattered crystals and blackened bones.
Then they found it.
A pit, carved into the heart of the mountain, glowing faintly with unstable essence. And at its edge, kneeling, was a boy—no older than Surya.
His skin was pale, his eyes glassy. Dark veins crawled up his neck.
Kaelen stepped forward. "He's still alive…"
As Kaelen knelt, Surya felt it again—an elemental pulse, but not from fire. This was different. Cold. Silent.
Then the boy turned his head.
And smiled.
A shockwave exploded outward, knocking both of them off their feet.
Surya rolled and sprang up, flame blazing in his palms. The boy floated above the pit now, shadow curling around him. His body twisted in ways that weren't human.
Kaelen muttered, "Possession…"
The possessed boy spoke, but the voice wasn't his. It was deeper. Older. "The Flame stirs again… just as He foretold."
Surya flinched. "Who's he talking about?"
Kaelen's face was grim. "The one behind all this. The true enemy."
Before they could act, the possessed figure raised his hand—and the cavern ceiling cracked. Chunks of rock fell as Surya and Kaelen dodged, flame shielding them from debris.
Surya launched a spear of fire. It struck the boy's chest, but the shadow swallowed it.
Kaelen drew a sigil in the air, chanting under his breath. Golden chains of fire erupted from the walls and wrapped around the possessed boy, dragging him back toward the pit.
"For now," Kaelen whispered.
The boy's body convulsed as the shadow hissed in rage. "You delay the inevitable."
Then the shadow dispersed, leaving the boy limp and unconscious.
Silence returned to the cave. Kaelen retrieved the boy, his expression unreadable.
They climbed out before dawn, the sky just beginning to pale.
As they walked, Surya finally asked, "That voice—it mentioned someone. Who's 'He'?"
Kaelen's eyes narrowed. "A name I haven't heard in decades. And one I hoped was only legend."
He didn't elaborate.
But far away, across an ocean and a continent, a masked figure stood before a giant obsidian gate. Flames danced in twin spirals around him as he opened his hand—and dozens of shadowy figures kneeled before him.
"The Flame has awoken," he said, voice like cracking stone. "Let the trials begin."