The dawn was pale and cold as it crept across the valley, light spilling over the shattered earth and the ash drifting like snow.
The wind was gentle, brushing past them, carrying the scent of scorched soil and the whisper of something softer, something like peace.
They did not speak as they packed their small camp on the ridge.
Evin checked the perimeter quietly, eyes moving across the empty valley below, hand resting on the hilt of his sword, the ghost of battle still in the stiffness of his shoulders.
Mira moved with careful precision, rolling blankets, tightening straps, pausing every few moments to glance toward Aeris.
Liora sat beside him, her small hands curled around his, the bell at her waist silent, her silver hair tangled from the wind, eyes rimmed with red from crying.
Aeris was quiet.
The ember was quiet.
But every so often, a flicker of blue-white light would dance across his fingertips, then vanish, leaving only warmth in its wake.
"It's not hurting you, is it?" Liora asked, her voice soft, almost a whisper.
Aeris looked at her, offering a tired smile.
"No," he said, though he wasn't certain if it was true.
Because deep inside, the ember pulsed, a heartbeat of heat and light, reminding him that it was still there, waiting, watching, patient.
Little flame… rest…
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth settle, letting himself breathe.
⸻
They left the valley at midday, moving slowly through the forest, the silence pressing around them, broken only by the crunch of ash beneath their boots and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.
Birdsong returned as they walked, cautious at first, then louder, until the air was filled with it, a chorus rising around them.
Life was returning.
And the Blight was gone.
Mira paused to rest at a fallen log, her staff laid across her knees, her eyes on Aeris as he sat in the sunlight, his hands resting on his knees, eyes closed, breathing slow and even.
She could see the faint glow beneath his skin, the flicker of light that danced beneath the surface.
"You're different," she said softly.
"I know," he answered, opening his eyes, the blue of them brighter than before, deeper, like flame.
"Is it… permanent?" she asked.
Aeris shook his head.
"I don't know," he admitted, looking down at his hands, watching the light pulse, then fade.
Liora leaned against him, her small frame warm, grounding, her eyes closed as she pressed her forehead against his shoulder.
"You're still you," she whispered. "That's all that matters."
Evin stood nearby, arms crossed, his eyes on the sky, the tension in his shoulders easing as he listened to the wind, to the sound of birds, to the absence of the Blight.
"We did what we came to do," he said. "The rest can wait."
"Can it?" Mira asked, looking at him.
Evin glanced at Aeris, then back at Mira.
"For now," he said simply.
And that was enough.
⸻
They made camp by a small lake that night, the water clear and cold, reflecting the stars above in perfect stillness.
Evin set up perimeter stones, whispering the old prayers under his breath, his movements steady, methodical, the words grounding him.
Mira started a small fire, the flame crackling softly in the hush, its light dancing across their faces.
Liora sat beside Aeris on the edge of the lake, dipping her bare feet into the cold water, her eyes on the ripples as they spread across the surface.
"It's beautiful," she said softly.
"It is," Aeris agreed, his voice distant, the ember pulsing beneath his skin.
"Do you feel it?" she asked, turning to look at him, her silver eyes bright in the firelight.
"Feel what?" he asked, meeting her gaze.
"The world," she whispered, touching his hand. "It's alive again."
Aeris closed his eyes, letting the ember quiet, letting himself feel beyond the warmth, beyond the flicker of flame.
He could hear the wind, the rustle of leaves, the splash of water against the rocks.
He could feel the warmth of the earth, the soft hum of life beneath his feet, the gentle pull of the dawn that would come again.
"Yeah," he said, opening his eyes. "I feel it."
Liora smiled, leaning against him, her hair brushing against his cheek, the bell at her waist ringing softly.
"Promise me you'll stay," she whispered.
Aeris looked at her, at the way her eyes shone in the starlight, at the way her hands trembled as she held his.
"I'll try," he whispered back.
⸻
Later, as the others slept, Aeris sat by the lake, watching the stars ripple across the water, the ember pulsing beneath his skin, warm, steady.
Little flame…
The voice was softer now, quieter, like a memory, like the last ember of a fire before dawn.
You are not alone.
Aeris closed his eyes, letting the warmth fill him, letting the ember settle, letting the silence of the night wrap around him.
He could feel it—the connection to the world, to the earth, to the light.
And he could feel himself, still there, still whole, still him.
"Thank you," he whispered, to the ember, to the world, to the silence.
And the ember pulsed once, a soft glow, before quieting again.
⸻
Morning came with mist rolling across the lake, the world painted in shades of grey and silver, the dawn light breaking slowly across the trees.
Evin was already awake, checking their packs, his eyes scanning the tree line.
Mira was kneeling by the water, washing her face, her hair tied back, her staff resting nearby.
Liora was still asleep, curled beneath her blanket, the bell at her waist resting against her hip, her breathing soft and even.
Aeris stood at the edge of the lake, letting the cold water wash over his feet, letting the dawn light warm his face.
The ember was quiet.
The world was quiet.
And for a moment, everything felt right.
"We should move soon," Evin said, stepping up beside him.
"I know," Aeris answered, glancing at him.
"You good to travel?" Evin asked, nodding toward the faint glow in Aeris's eyes.
"Yeah," Aeris said, letting the ember settle, letting the warmth spread slowly, steady, controlled. "I'm good."
Evin nodded, clapping him on the shoulder before moving back to the camp.
Aeris watched the dawn break across the lake, the mist lifting, the light spilling across the water.
"It's a new day," Mira said, stepping up beside him, smiling softly.
"It is," Aeris agreed, turning to look at her.
"Are you ready for it?" she asked.
Aeris looked at the sky, at the light, at the world waking around them.
"Yeah," he said, a small smile on his lips. "I'm ready."
⸻
They left the lake behind as the sun climbed higher, the light warm on their faces, the path ahead clear and open.
Evin led, steady and silent, his eyes scanning the road ahead.
Mira walked beside Aeris, her staff tapping softly against the ground, her smile warm, her eyes watchful.
Liora held Aeris's hand, the bell at her waist ringing softly as she skipped beside him, her laughter breaking the hush.
The ember pulsed quietly beneath Aeris's skin, warm, steady, alive.
And the world felt alive again.
The road ahead was long, and the future uncertain.
But for now, they walked together, the dawn at their backs, the light ahead, and the ember burning softly, a promise of warmth, of hope, of tomorrow.
And that was enough.