The orange glow of the dying embers bathed the campsite in flickering light as Ember sat silently by the fire. Around them, the ash-laden wind whispered through the skeletal trees, carrying faint echoes of a world long lost.
Kaelen moved quietly, unpacking supplies with practiced ease, but his eyes kept drifting toward Ember. There was a weight in his gaze—a story unspoken.
Breaking the silence, Ember's voice was soft but steady. "Why did you wait for me, Kaelen? All these years, guarding ruins and secrets."
Kaelen paused, fingers lingering on a worn pendant hanging from his neck—a small flame carved in obsidian. "Because I believed in the sisters. In the pact we made to save this world. But more than that... because I knew the fire goddess would be the spark to reignite hope."
Ember's eyes softened, the flames reflecting in her gaze. "And what about you? Who were you before the world forgot the gods?"
A shadow crossed Kaelen's face. "Once, I was a scholar at the Temple of Flames. I studied the old magics, the histories no one else dared to touch. When the catastrophe came, I lost everything—family, friends... even faith. But I swore to protect what remained."
She reached out, placing a hand over his. "We all bear our scars. But together, we might heal them."
Kaelen's grip tightened, a rare smile breaking through. "Together, then. But beware, Ember. Not all who walk these lands welcome your return. Some fear the flame, and others crave its power."
Ember nodded, determination blazing anew. "Then we will face them. The sisters, the shards, the trials—they are all pieces of a larger flame that will not be snuffed out."
The wind shifted, carrying a distant howl—a reminder that darkness was never far.
As the fire crackled, Ember looked toward the horizon, the faintest spark of hope igniting within her heart.
Her journey had only just begun.
To be continued…