Chapter 7: The Path of Flames
Alyssia's boots crunched over the dry, cracked earth as she led her small group of soldiers into the Valley of Ash. The wind howled through the jagged cliffs, carrying the scent of sulfur and smoke, as if the earth itself was still burning from some long-forgotten catastrophe. The desolate landscape was a graveyard of stone and ash, stretching out in all directions, devoid of life. Aegis, the last dragon, was rumored to dwell here, deep within the valley's molten heart.
Her soldiers, hardened veterans of countless battles, marched in silence behind her, their faces hidden beneath steel helms. They trusted her without question, as they always had. But Alyssia's mind was far from clear. The harsh, lifeless terrain mirrored the conflict brewing within her—a gnawing doubt that had been growing ever since she killed Gaia. You are not saving your people. You are dooming them. Gaia's words echoed in her mind, refusing to be silenced.
Alyssia's hand rested on the hilt of her sword, the familiar weight a small comfort in this foreign place. But even the blade, which had always represented certainty and purpose, felt different now. There was no clarity here. The empire's mission, once her guiding star, was now clouded with uncertainty.
"Commander," one of her soldiers called, breaking the silence. "How much farther do you think we'll have to go?"
Alyssia paused, glancing at the jagged ridges in the distance. "Not much farther. The dragon's lair is said to be beyond those cliffs."
The soldier nodded and fell back into line, but Alyssia could sense the unease in his voice. They had all heard the stories of Aegis—the ancient, unstoppable force of nature that had survived where all other dragons had fallen. Alyssia had faced legendary creatures before, but this time, it felt different. This wasn't just another mission. This was a reckoning.
As they approached the base of the cliffs, Alyssia signaled for her soldiers to halt. "We make camp here for the night. We'll need our strength for the climb."
They set up camp quickly, though the air remained thick with tension. As the flames from their small fire flickered in the growing darkness, Alyssia found herself wandering away from the camp, her thoughts swirling like the ash that blew across the valley. She had no answers—only questions that gnawed at her like a slow poison.
"You shouldn't be here," came a voice from the shadows.
Alyssia whirled around, her hand instantly going to her sword. Her eyes scanned the darkness until they fell on a figure standing at the edge of the firelight—Darian.
His face was drawn and weary, the scholar-turned-warrior looking more ragged than when she had last seen him. He wasn't holding a weapon, but the tension between them was palpable.
"You've been following me," Alyssia said, narrowing her eyes. She didn't draw her sword, but she kept her hand on the hilt.
"I had to," Darian replied, his voice calm but insistent. "You're about to make a terrible mistake, Alyssia."
Her grip tightened on her sword, though she didn't pull it free. "This again? You think you can stop me from fulfilling my mission with words? You're a fool, Darian."
Darian shook his head slowly, stepping a little closer but staying out of her reach. "It's not about stopping you. It's about making you understand. Aegis isn't the enemy, Alyssia. None of the creatures you've been hunting were."
Alyssia's jaw clenched, her heart pounding in her chest. "The creatures were responsible for the Great Collapse. They are the reason humanity nearly fell. The empire's mission is to protect the future—"
"The empire's mission is built on lies," Darian interrupted, his voice cutting through the night air like a blade. "You've seen it yourself. Nyx, Gaia—none of them were mindless beasts. They were protectors, guardians of balance. You're killing them, and with every one that falls, you're tearing apart the very fabric of this world."
Alyssia's breath quickened. She wanted to refute him, to silence him with a single strike, but she couldn't. His words fed into the doubts already festering within her. The things she had seen, the things Gaia had said in her final moments—it all pointed to something much darker than she was willing to admit.
"You don't know what you're talking about," Alyssia said, though her voice lacked the conviction it once had. "The empire wouldn't—"
"The empire serves The Abyss," Darian said, his tone quiet but unyielding. "They've twisted history to suit their needs. They've turned you into a weapon to destroy the very thing that's keeping this world from falling into darkness."
Alyssia's hand fell from her sword, and for the first time, she met Darian's eyes without the veil of a soldier's discipline. "If what you're saying is true… why should I believe you? You could be lying to me, just like they did."
Darian took a deep breath, stepping closer until he was only a few feet from her. "I'm not asking you to believe me. I'm asking you to trust what you already know. You've seen the truth with your own eyes. You know there's something wrong."
For a long moment, Alyssia said nothing. The wind howled around them, carrying with it the weight of all the things left unsaid. She could feel the eyes of her soldiers watching from the camp, though none of them dared to approach.
"I can't turn my back on the empire," Alyssia said finally, though her voice was barely more than a whisper. "It's all I've ever known."
Darian nodded, his expression softening. "I understand. But you don't have to fight for them anymore. You can choose a different path."
Alyssia closed her eyes for a moment, letting the words sink in. She had spent her entire life following orders, believing in a cause she thought was just. But now… now everything felt hollow. The empire's praise, their missions, their promises—it all seemed to crumble in the face of what she had learned.
When she opened her eyes again, Darian was still there, watching her with quiet determination.
"I can't promise anything," Alyssia said, her voice steadying. "But I'll listen."
Darian gave a small nod. "That's all I ask."
With that, he disappeared back into the shadows, leaving Alyssia alone in the darkness. She stood there for a long time, staring out into the valley, the weight of her sword heavier than it had ever been.
The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the flames of doubt had been ignited, and they would not be easily extinguished.