The monastery hall was eerily silent. The meteorite fragment shone in the center of the altar, yet none of the pilgrims dared raise their eyes to it.
Duncan and Elias kept their heads bowed, mimicking the gestures of the other faithful. One wrong move and they would be unmasked.
The monks led the procession through narrow corridors painted with frescoes depicting men being devoured by flames. The torches cast a greenish light, making the Keepers' faces appear ghostly.
One of them, passing Duncan, stopped.
"Pilgrim," he said hoarsely, "where do you come from?"
Duncan lowered his head even further. "From the north... I bring an offering to the Eternal Fire."
The monk stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "The fire welcomes every soul that burns."
Only when she walked away could Elias breathe again. "Just a little..." he murmured.
They were led into a large dormitory, along with the other pilgrims. There, among straw beds and torch smoke, Duncan observed. Many were truly devout, but some... were afraid. There were poor farmers, mothers with children, men dragged here against their will.
A dark-haired girl, sitting next to them, spoke softly.
"You are not like the others... I see it in your eyes. Be careful: the Keepers do not accept pilgrims, they consume them. Many do not leave these walls alive."
Elias stared at her. "Consume... how?"
The girl lowered her gaze. "Sacrifices. To the meteorite. They call it the Descended Flame... and they say it feeds on the souls of the faithful."
Duncan clenched his fists. If it was true, then that fragment wasn't just a rare metal... it was a catalyst for dark powers.
And it was his duty to tear it from the Keepers' grasp.
That night, while everyone slept, Duncan approached the balcony overlooking the altar room.
The meteorite still glowed, pulsating like a living heart.
"Soon..." he murmured. "I will forge you into something different. You will no longer feed the darkness."
And just then, behind him, the dark-haired girl appeared again, whispering:
"If you truly wish to destroy the Keepers... I will help you. But you must move before they begin the next cleansing."
Duncan stared into her eyes.
The flame within him burned.
It was time to prepare.