The night was colder now, the air sharp and brittle with the scent of the earth and the distant smoke of a fire long extinguished. Kael moved swiftly through the forest, the sense of urgency still gnawing at him, though Lysandra's cryptic words echoed in his mind.
She had disappeared as quickly as she had come, her presence vanishing into the forest's depths like smoke in the wind. But her message had been clear: time was running out. The Ashen Covenant was hunting him, and he needed to reach the Mountain of Fire before they did.
The Mountain of Fire. Kael's mind repeated the words like a mantra. The place where dragons were said to be bound, where the truth about the Flame awaited him. It was a mountain he had only heard of in legends, a place of fire and destruction, surrounded by myth and the whispers of long-forgotten powers.
Now, it felt more like a destination he could no longer avoid.
The next day dawned gray and bleak, the sky shrouded with dark clouds that hung low over the horizon. Kael pressed on, the mountain looming closer with each passing hour. The forest had thinned out, giving way to jagged rocks and barren hills, the landscape growing more inhospitable the further he traveled.
By midday, the path had all but disappeared, replaced by rocky outcrops and craggy ravines. Kael's boots slipped on the wet stones as he carefully made his way up the incline, his breath coming in short bursts from the exertion. The orb pulsed in his pack, as if urging him on, and Kael could feel a deep, resonant heat growing within him. He didn't know if it was the orb's influence or the proximity to the mountain, but something inside him was beginning to stir—something ancient and primal.
Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet trembled.
Kael froze, his hand instinctively going to the dagger at his side. The tremor lasted only a moment but was enough to send a ripple of dread through him. He scanned the horizon, his eyes searching the bleak landscape for any sign of movement.
The world around him felt strangely still, as though it was holding its breath.
And then he heard it.
A deep, rumbling growl echoed from somewhere below, a sound that vibrated through the very earth beneath his feet. Kael's heart skipped a beat. He wasn't alone. He wasn't even sure what the growl meant, but its tone was unmistakable—predatory and ancient, like the call of something old and hungry.
His instincts screamed at him to move, but the growl came again, closer this time, followed by the sharp crack of rocks shifting.
Kael turned and saw a shadow moving toward him, swift and fluid, despite the rugged terrain. The figure was large, its form partially obscured by the rocks and the mist that began to roll in from the base of the mountain.
For a moment, Kael thought it might be another guardian—a creature from the forest—but as the figure came into focus, he saw something different. The being before him was humanoid but massive, its skin a shade of deep red, like charred stone, and its eyes gleamed with a molten gold hue, burning with an otherworldly light.
It was a creature of fire.
"Who are you?" Kael demanded, his voice shaking despite his best efforts to sound confident.
The creature stopped a few paces away, its gaze locking onto Kael with an intensity that made his blood run cold.
"I am Nyxar," the creature rumbled, its voice like the cracking of earth and flame. "Guardian of the Mountain of Fire."
The words struck Kael like a blow. The guardian of the mountain. He had come to the right place, but he wasn't prepared for this. His mind scrambled for answers, for explanations, but his voice failed him.
"Why do you seek the mountain?" Nyxar asked, his gaze narrowing. "Only those of the Flame may enter. What is your purpose, human?"
Kael's throat was dry, but he forced the words out. "I… I carry the Flame. I must reach the heart of the mountain."
Nyxar's molten eyes flickered with a hint of recognition. He took a step forward, his massive form casting a shadow over Kael.
"The Flame," Nyxar repeated, his tone contemplative. "You are the one. The last of the bondkeepers, the one who will either reignite the Flame or extinguish it forever. The question is… which will you do?"
Kael's heart raced as the weight of the creature's words settled over him. This was no longer a quest of mere discovery. The very fate of the dragons—and the world—now rested on his shoulders.
"I… I don't know," Kael admitted, the uncertainty in his voice betraying the fear that had taken root within him. "But I have to try."
Nyxar regarded him for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, with a slow nod, he spoke again.
"Then prove it. To pass, you must show you are worthy. Show that you are more than just the bearer of the Flame. You must prove your will, your heart, and your strength. The Flame will not awaken for the weak or the unworthy."
Kael swallowed hard, his pulse hammering in his ears. "How?"
The creature raised a hand, and the earth shook again. A rumbling sound filled the air, as if the very mountain was awakening from its slumber.
"Survive," Nyxar said. "The trial begins now."
Before Kael could react, the ground beneath him cracked open with a deafening roar. The earth split, and from the gaping chasm emerged massive stone golems, their bodies made of jagged rock and smoldering embers. Their eyes burned with molten fire, and their massive fists clenched as they began to advance.
Kael's heart thundered in his chest. He had faced one guardian, but this—this was something far worse. These golems were no mere beasts; they were forged from the mountain itself, ancient and unstoppable.
With no time to think, Kael drew his dagger and faced the first golem that loomed before him. It swung a massive fist, its stone arm crackling with power as it aimed for Kael. He ducked and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow that could have crushed him in an instant. The ground shook with each step the golem took, the very air vibrating with the power behind its movements.
Kael's breath came in sharp gasps. His dagger was barely enough to defend himself against the sheer force of the creature, but he had no other choice but to fight. His heart raced as he darted to the side, narrowly avoiding another strike, and he realized that survival wasn't about strength alone—it was about wit, agility, and the will to fight.
He could feel the orb pulsing again, its warmth flooding him with newfound energy. The Flame within him seemed to awaken, responding to the danger, but Kael knew he couldn't rely on it completely—not yet. Not until he understood what it truly meant to wield such power.
With a roar, Kael launched himself at the golem, his dagger raised. The creature's massive fist came down again, but Kael was faster this time. He leaped to the side, using the momentum of his movement to strike at the golem's exposed side. His dagger sank deep into the creature's rocky flesh, and the golem staggered back, its fiery eyes dimming for just a moment.
Kael didn't pause to celebrate his small victory. He knew there was no time to waste. More golems were emerging from the chasm, their eyes glowing with deadly intent.
The trial had begun.