Part 1: The Trail of Embers
The ash leads them to the Ashen Wastes—a desert of cooled magma and forgotten wars.
Here, the air tastes of regret and every footstep kicks up ghosts of old flames.
Lyria points. A single, glowing cinder drifts on the wind, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Nirah's voided eyes narrow. "It's a trail. And a trap."
Aiden crushes a handful of dark sand. It screams softly in his grip.
"Good."
Part 2: The Echo with a Smile
They find her standing atop a basalt spire.
Ignisia.
Or something wearing her skin. Her smile is too wide, her eyes empty hourglasses.
"You came," she says, her voice a perfect recording."I knew you would."
Lyria lunges—but her hands pass right through.
The false Ignisia laughs. "You can't hold smoke, little songbird."
Aiden doesn't move."What are you?"
"An audition." She gestures to the wasteland. "The Audience wants to see if you can tell the difference between a character and a soul."
Part 3: The Choice
The System offers a new quest:
[PROVE YOUR WORTH]
[OPTION A: DESTROY THE ECHO (+1000 "JADED" STAT)]
[OPTION B: WALK AWAY (CONDEMN IGNISIA'S SOUL TO OBLIVION)]
[OPTION C: REDACTED]
Nirah grabs Aiden's arm. "Option C is always a trick."
Lyria shakes her head violently. She mimes hugging air.
Aiden understands.
He steps forward.
"I don't need to prove anything." He opens his arms. "If you're her, come home. If you're not… I'll still mourn you."
The echo's smile flickers.
For a second, her eyes glow real gold.
Cliffhanger: The Cinder Heart
The false Ignisia dissolves—but leaves behind a single, burning cinder floating in the air.
It drifts to Lyria's throat and burns her vocal cords clean.
She gasps—and screams—with her own voice.
"SHE'S IN THE FIRE!"
The ground cracks open. A river of magma swallows them whole.
Chapter 22 Teaser:
The Magma River: A journey into the world's core.
Nirah's Past: Her first love was a volcano spirit.
The Real Ignisia: Found, but fundamentally changed.