Elias Woodmere's lungs burned as he sprinted across the Frostveil Plains, the cold air slicing into his chest like a blade. His boots pounded the frozen ground, each step sending jolts of pain through his aching legs. Serina ran beside him, her silver hair streaming behind her like a comet's tail, her face set in a mask of grim determination. Behind them, the shouts of the Brotherhood enforcer and his Flameborn soldiers echoed, growing closer despite the distance they'd gained from the outpost.
"Faster, spark-boy!" Serina hissed, her voice sharp but strained. She didn't look back, her dagger clutched in one hand, her cloak flapping wildly. "Unless you want to be a Brotherhood trophy!"
Elias didn't have the breath to argue. His heart hammered, adrenaline drowning out the exhaustion that threatened to drag him down. The spark in his chest flickered, unbidden, its warmth a faint comfort against the terror clawing at his mind. He didn't know who the enforcer was or why he was after them, but Serina's fear was enough to tell him they couldn't afford to be caught.
The plains were unforgiving, a vast expanse of frost and rock with nowhere to hide. The outpost's golden glow had faded into the horizon, replaced by the endless dark of the night. The moon hung low, its light casting long, distorted shadows that seemed to writhe with a life of their own. Elias's imagination conjured images of the bloodwarg, its crimson eyes and tar-like drool, or worse—the shadows of Oblivion, their yellow gazes burning through the mist.
A burst of flame erupted behind them, close enough to singe the air. Elias yelped, stumbling as the heat grazed his back. Serina grabbed his arm, yanking him upright without breaking stride. "Keep moving!" she snapped. "They're not playing around!"
He risked a glance over his shoulder. The enforcer was gaining, his dark cloak billowing as he ran with unnatural speed. His hand glowed with a fierce orange flame, brighter than any Flameborn Elias had ever seen. The soldiers flanked him, their own fires weaker but no less deadly. Their shouts were clearer now, a mix of commands and curses, but one word stood out: "Spark."
"They know," Elias gasped, his voice ragged. "They know about my fire."
"Of course they do," Serina said, her tone biting. "You lit up the village like a damn beacon. Now shut up and run!"
The ground sloped upward, the plains giving way to a series of rocky hills dotted with jagged boulders. Serina veered toward them, her movements fluid despite the uneven terrain. "There," she said, pointing to a narrow ravine cutting through the hills. "We lose them in there."
Elias nodded, too breathless to speak. The ravine was a dark slash in the landscape, its walls steep and shadowed. It looked like a trap, but it was their only chance. They plunged into it, the air growing colder as the walls closed in. The enforcer's shouts faded slightly, muffled by the stone, but the glow of his flame still flickered at the ravine's entrance.
Serina slowed, her chest heaving as she scanned the surroundings. The ravine was a maze of twists and turns, its floor littered with loose rocks and patches of ice. "We can't outrun them forever," she said, her voice low. "We need a plan."
"A plan?" Elias wheezed, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. "Like what? I can barely stand, and my spark's… I don't even know how to use it!"
She shot him a look, her green eyes glinting in the dim light. "You used it against that bloodwarg, didn't you? Figure it out, spark-boy. Unless you want to be the Brotherhood's new pet project."
Elias's stomach churned. The memory of the bloodwarg fight was a blur of panic and instinct, not skill. He'd summoned the flame, sure, but it had been wild, uncontrolled. Trying to do it again, with soldiers on their tail, felt like jumping off a cliff and hoping to fly.
Before he could respond, a low hum filled the air, like the drone of a distant storm. The walls of the ravine seemed to shiver, tiny pebbles clattering to the ground. Serina tensed, her dagger raised. "What now?" she muttered.
The hum grew louder, and with it came a chill that had nothing to do with the frost. Elias's spark flickered, not with warmth but with a strange, uneasy pulse, as if it sensed something. He looked up, his heart sinking. Above the ravine, where the moonlight should have been, a writhing mass of black mist gathered, its edges pulsing with faint yellow light. Eyes—dozens of them—opened within the mist, glowing like sickly stars.
"Shadows," Elias whispered, his voice trembling. "They're back."
Serina cursed, her dagger useless against the mist. "This is *not* what we needed right now."
The shadows descended, their forms coalescing into the same twisted, humanoid shapes that had attacked Willow's End. Their hisses filled the ravine, a sound that clawed at Elias's nerves. The enforcer's flames were still visible at the entrance, but the shadows didn't seem to care. They were here for something else—someone else.
"Elias, move!" Serina shoved him forward, her voice urgent. They sprinted deeper into the ravine, the shadows gliding after them like smoke. The air grew heavier, the cold biting deeper, as if the shadows were draining the life from the world itself.
Elias's spark flared, unbidden, its warmth pushing back the chill. He didn't know how to fight these things, but he couldn't just run. Not again. He skidded to a stop, turning to face the shadows. "I'm not letting them take us," he said, his voice steadier than he felt.
Serina grabbed his arm, her eyes wide. "Are you insane? You can't fight *those* things!"
"Maybe not," he said, summoning the flame. It was stronger this time, a true fire that danced in his palms, casting a golden glow across the ravine. "But I'm done running."
The shadows hissed, their eyes narrowing as they sensed his fire. One lunged, its claws slashing through the air. Elias thrust his hands forward, the flame erupting in a wild arc. It struck the shadow, forcing it back, but the effort left him dizzy, his vision swimming.
"Nice try, spark-boy," Serina said, pulling him behind a boulder. "But you're gonna burn yourself out if you keep that up."
"Then help me!" he snapped, his frustration boiling over. "You're supposed to know what you're doing!"
She smirked, despite the danger. "Fair point." She reached into her cloak, pulling out a small, glowing vial filled with a liquid that shimmered like molten gold. "Fire-essence," she said, tossing it to him. "Drink it. It'll boost your spark, but don't get cocky—it's not a miracle cure."
Elias caught the vial, hesitating. "Where'd you get this?"
"Stole it," she said with a wink. "Now drink, or we're both dead."
He uncorked the vial, the liquid warm against his lips. It tasted like honey and ash, burning as it slid down his throat. The spark in his chest roared to life, hotter and fiercer than ever. His vision cleared, his exhaustion fading as the fire surged through his veins. He stood, the flames in his hands steady now, their glow pushing back the shadows' mist.
"Okay," he said, his voice firm. "Let's do this."
Serina grinned, her dagger flashing. "That's more like it."
They fought together, a chaotic dance of fire and steel. Elias hurled flames, each burst stronger than the last, while Serina darted between the shadows, her dagger slicing through their misty forms. The fire-essence made him feel invincible, but he could sense its limits, a faint ache building in his chest. The shadows were relentless, their numbers growing as more poured from the mist above.
"We can't keep this up!" Serina shouted, dodging a shadow's claws. "We need to get out of here!"
Elias nodded, his flames faltering. He scanned the ravine, spotting a narrow path branching off to the side. "There!" he said, pointing. "It might lead out!"
They ran, the shadows in pursuit. The path twisted upward, the walls narrowing until they were barely wide enough to pass. Elias's flames lit the way, their glow revealing strange carvings on the stone—runes that pulsed faintly, like the tattoo on Zoryk's arm. He didn't have time to wonder what they meant; the shadows' hisses were too close.
The path ended abruptly at a sheer cliff, the plains stretching out below. Elias's heart sank. "Dead end," he said, his voice hollow.
Serina cursed, her eyes scanning the cliff. "There's gotta be a way down. We—"
A burst of flame exploded at the ravine's entrance, brighter than Elias's spark. The enforcer had caught up, his orange fire illuminating the shadows' forms. But instead of attacking Elias and Serina, he turned his flames on the shadows, his movements precise and brutal. The creatures screeched, their bodies dissolving under the onslaught.
Elias stared, stunned. "Is he… helping "-", helping us?"
"Don't bet on it," Serina said, her voice grim. "He's clearing the competition. We're still his target."
The enforcer's gaze locked onto them, his scarred face visible now, his expression cold and unyielding. "Boy!" he called, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Your fire belongs to the Brotherhood. Surrender, and you may live."
Elias's blood ran cold. Surrender? After everything he'd seen, everything Serina had told him about the Brotherhood's corruption, the idea made his skin crawl. "Not a chance," he muttered, his flames flaring again.
Serina grabbed his arm, her eyes darting to the cliff's edge. "We're out of options," she said. "You trust me?"
He looked at her, her green eyes fierce despite the fear lurking beneath. "Do I have a choice?"
"Nope." She smirked, then shoved him toward the edge. "Jump!"
Elias's stomach lurched as they leaped, the ground vanishing beneath them. The wind roared in his ears, the plains rushing up to meet them. He flailed, his flames sputtering, but Serina's grip on his arm was iron. At the last second, she twisted, pulling him into a roll as they hit a slope of loose gravel. They tumbled, rocks biting into their skin, until they landed in a heap at the base of the cliff.
Elias groaned, every inch of his body aching. "You're insane," he gasped, spitting out dirt.
"And you're alive," Serina said, already on her feet, her smirk intact despite the scrapes on her face. "You're welcome."
Above, the enforcer's flames still glowed, but the cliff was too steep for him to follow quickly. The shadows were gone, either destroyed or retreated, leaving an eerie silence. Elias struggled to his feet, the fire-essence's boost fading, leaving him shaky and drained.
"We can't stay here," Serina said, scanning the plains. "He'll find a way down, and he won't be happy."
Elias nodded, but his legs felt like lead. The spark was quiet now, its warmth barely a whisper. He'd pushed it too far, and the fire-essence, while powerful, had left him feeling hollow. "Where do we go?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"Emberfall," Serina said, her tone resolute. "It's our only shot. But we need to move fast, and we need help."
"Help?" Elias frowned. "Like who?"
Before she could answer, a low chuckle echoed from the shadows. Elias tensed, his hand reaching for a spark that wouldn't come. Serina's dagger was out in a flash, her body coiled. A familiar figure stepped into the moonlight—Zoryk, his tattooed arm glowing faintly, his curved sword resting casually on his shoulder.
"Trouble follows you like a stray dog, little thief," Zoryk said, his deep voice tinged with amusement. "And you, boy—your fire's louder than a war drum. No wonder the Brotherhood's on your tail."
Serina's eyes narrowed. "I told you to get lost, Zoryk. What do you want?"
He smirked, his dark eyes flicking to Elias. "The same thing you do—answers. The Eternal Flame's dying, and your spark-boy here is the key. I can get you to Emberfall, past the Brotherhood's patrols. But it'll cost you."
"Cost us what?" Elias asked, his voice wary. He didn't trust Zoryk, not after Serina's warnings, but they were out of options.
Zoryk's smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "A favor. One day, when I call, you'll answer. Both of you."
Serina snorted. "Typical mercenary crap. You think we're desperate enough to make a deal with you?"
Zoryk gestured to the cliff, where the enforcer's flames were growing closer. "You tell me."
Elias's heart raced. A deal with Zoryk felt like trading one danger for another, but the enforcer was closing in, and the shadows could return at any moment. He looked at Serina, hoping for guidance, but her face was unreadable, her jaw tight.
"Fine," Elias said, the word tasting like ash. "But if you betray us, I'll burn you myself."
Zoryk laughed, a rich, rolling sound. "I like you, boy. You've got spirit. Come on, then. We've got a long road to Emberfall, and the night's not getting any younger."
Serina grabbed Elias's arm, pulling him close as Zoryk started down the plains. "You better know what you're doing," she whispered, her voice low. "Because once you make a deal with Zoryk, there's no going back."
Elias nodded, his chest tight. The spark flickered faintly, a reminder of the fire that had chosen him—and the price it demanded. As they followed Zoryk into the dark, the enforcer's flames still glowing behind them, Elias couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a trap. But the fire was his now, and whether it led to salvation or destruction, he had no choice but to follow its light.
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Author's Note:
Flemborn, you guys are true legends for sticking with this! 🔥 Chapter 4 is *exciting*, isn't it? Elias and Serena are deeply involved, Zorek is back with his creepy vibes, and this enforcer *won't* give up. What do you think? Can they trust Zorek? And what's with those creepy shadows? Share your theories in the comments, I'm excited to read them! Next chapter, so hit the star button and add *Ashes* to your library to keep the excitement burning. 💥
PS: Who's stealing your hearts? Elias's bravery, Serena's cheekiness, or Zorek's mystery? And how excited are you for "Emperful"? Let's enjoy together! 👀
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