The next morning, Alec woke up to the distant, powerful sound of volcanoes erupting, the ground under him shaking gently. Ember, the fiery creature, was already awake, its eyes bright and alert, watching over him. Alec sat up, feeling a mix of emotions from the night before, with all the new things he'd learned and experienced. He looked at Ember and felt really thankful for its loyalty and the strange bond they had formed.
Stepping out of the cave, Alec was hit by the amazing but harsh view of the Cinderlands. The fiery landscape went on forever, and the smell of sulfur was really strong, reminding him that this place was full of volcanic activity. He knew he had to talk to the local people, the Ashwalkers, to figure out how to live in this new world.
Lysa, an Ashwalker, found him deep in thought. She offered to tell him about the Sundered Spine, a place he'd read about. She talked about a time when the world was changing a lot and volcanoes were everywhere, and how her ancestors had learned to live with all that fire and ash. It was an amazing story, and Alec felt really impressed by how the Ashwalkers had made their home in such a tough place.
The two of them spent the whole day exploring near the Luminous Rift. Lysa taught Alec about the plants they could eat and where to find clean water. Ember was always with them, lighting up the area with its warm glow. Alec was getting better at moving like the Ashwalkers, more in sync with the land.
As the sun started to set, turning everything orange, they went back to the village. The other villagers looked at Alec with curiosity, but they were also a bit nervous. But Alec felt like he was starting to fit in with them. That night, as they sat around the fire, Alec took out the page he'd brought from his old life. The writing was smudged, but he knew that his science could help them all.
For days, Alec learned all about the Ashwalkers' way of life. He figured out how they grew food in the ash and used the heat from the earth. He saw that the Cinderlands weren't just a sad, burnt place, but had its own kind of beauty. Lysa showed him how to fight with the sharp pieces of volcanic glass, moving like the lava that had made their land.
One night, she took him to the edge of the Luminous Rift, and Alec felt the earth's energy for the first time. It was a strange, powerful feeling, like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Lysa told him that the land talked to them, if they knew how to listen.
The people of the village started to trust Alec more as they saw how much he wanted to help. They taught him their way of fighting, and Alec started to get pretty good at it. He felt like he was turning into someone who belonged there.
After a few weeks, Lysa took Alec to meet Chief John, the leader of the Ashwalkers. Alec talked about his ideas for using the ash and predicting volcanoes, but the Chief was careful. He reminded Alec that they lived with the earth, not against it. But Alec was ready to learn, and the Chief saw something special in him.
"Your journey with us begins now," Chief John said, after Alec promised to listen to the earth.
Looking into the bright heart of the Luminous Rift, Alec knew he had a lot to learn. But he felt sure that he could use his knowledge to make things better for his new friends. The Sundered Spine had brought him here for a reason, and he was going to find out what it was.