The Vale of Echoes lay to the east, nestled between jagged peaks that seemed to claw at the sky. It was a place spoken of in whispers, a realm where the boundary between the living and the dead grew thin. The air there was said to hum with forgotten voices, and travelers who ventured too close often returned haunted—or not at all.
Kael and Nyxar approached cautiously, the rescued boy perched on the dragon's back. The child, who had introduced himself as Taren, clung tightly to Nyxar's scales, his small frame trembling despite Kael's reassurances. The horrors he had witnessed weighed heavily on all of them, but Taren's mention of the Vale had given their mission a sharper focus.
Nyxar slowed his flight as the terrain grew more treacherous. Below, the land transitioned from rolling hills to barren stone, the vegetation thinning until only patches of stubborn moss remained. The air grew colder, carrying a strange stillness that made Kael's skin prickle.
"We're close," Nyxar said, his voice low. "Do you feel it, Kael? The Flame reacts to this place."
Kael nodded, his chest tightening. The Flame within him flickered uneasily, its usual warmth laced with a strange, chilling undertone. It was as though the very air fought against its presence.
Taren's voice broke the tension. "Is it true what they said?" he asked hesitantly, his small hands gripping the ridges of Nyxar's neck. "That the Shadowborn were going to make me one of them?"
Kael glanced at the boy, his expression softening. "They might have tried, but it wouldn't have worked. The Shadowborn thrive on fear and despair. You're stronger than they think."
Taren didn't look convinced, but he nodded, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
As they neared the Vale, the landscape grew more foreboding. The jagged cliffs on either side seemed to lean inward, casting long shadows over the narrow pass that led into the heart of the vale. Strange carvings marked the stone, their angular patterns glowing faintly in the dim light.
Kael dismounted as they reached the entrance, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The weapon seemed to hum faintly, resonating with the energy of the place. "Nyxar," he said, his voice quiet. "What do you know about this place?"
The dragon folded his wings, his molten eyes scanning the cliffs. "Not much. The Vale was once a sanctuary for the old magi, those who sought to understand the deeper mysteries of the Flame. But something happened here—something dark. The magi were destroyed, and the Vale became a nexus for shadowed power."
Kael frowned. "And the Shadowborn?"
"They're drawn to places like this," Nyxar replied. "The Flame's power lingers here, twisted and corrupted. It strengthens them."
Kael tightened his grip on his blade. "Then it's the perfect place for them to hide. Let's move."
The pass opened into a wide valley shrouded in mist. The air here was heavy, each breath filling Kael's lungs with an unnatural chill. The ground was littered with shards of blackened stone, their edges sharp enough to cut. Strange, spectral lights flickered in the distance, their movements erratic and hypnotic.
Taren whimpered, pressing closer to Nyxar's side. "I don't like this place," he whispered.
"Neither do I," Kael admitted. "Stay close to Nyxar, and don't touch anything."
They ventured deeper into the vale, the silence pressing down on them like a physical weight. Kael's every step felt heavier, the Flame within him burning hotter as if to ward off the encroaching shadows. He could feel the presence of the Shadowborn, their dark energy woven into the very fabric of the place.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the mist, faint and disembodied. "Kael…"
He froze, his heart pounding. The voice was familiar, achingly so. "Mother?" he whispered, his throat tightening.
Nyxar growled low in his throat. "It's a trick. Keep moving."
But Kael couldn't tear his gaze away from the swirling mist ahead. A figure was taking shape—a woman with kind eyes and a warm smile, her arms outstretched as if to embrace him. "Kael, my son. You've come back to me."
His grip on his blade faltered, the Flame within him flickering uncertainly. "How… how are you here?" he asked, his voice breaking.
"She isn't," Nyxar snapped, stepping between Kael and the figure. The dragon's eyes blazed. "It's an illusion, Kael. A shadow meant to deceive you."
The woman's expression darkened, her smile twisting into a sneer. "You've grown strong," she said, her voice morphing into a guttural snarl. "But strength alone won't save you."
The figure dissolved into the mist, and the shadows around them surged, coalescing into humanoid forms. The Shadowborn emerged, their ember-like eyes glowing with malice.
Kael snapped out of his trance, his blade leaping to his hand. "Taren, stay back!" he shouted.
Nyxar roared, unleashing a torrent of fire that lit up the valley, driving back the nearest Shadowborn. Kael charged forward, his blade cutting through the air with a fiery brilliance. The Flame surged within him, its light banishing the lingering doubt from his heart.
The battle was fierce, the Shadowborn relentless in their assault. They moved with an unnatural grace, their blades striking with precision and malice. But Kael fought with renewed strength, his bond with the Flame giving him the edge he needed. Each swing of his blade sent pulses of energy rippling through the air, the runes glowing brighter with every strike.
Nyxar was a force of nature, his claws and teeth tearing through the Shadowborn with brutal efficiency. Taren watched from a safe distance, his eyes wide with a mixture of awe and terror.
As the last of the Shadowborn fell, the valley grew quiet once more. Kael stood over their fallen forms, his chest heaving. The Flame within him burned brightly, its light pushing back the encroaching darkness.
Nyxar approached, his scales blackened in places but his gaze steady. "This was just a taste," he said. "The true danger lies ahead."
Kael nodded, his grip on his blade tightening. "Then we keep going. The answers we need are here, and I won't leave without them."
Taren stepped forward hesitantly, his voice small. "Kael… do you think my parents might be here? Like… like that woman?"
Kael's heart ached at the boy's question. He knelt down, placing a hand on Taren's shoulder. "If they are, we'll find them. And if the Shadowborn have hurt them… they'll pay for it."
The boy nodded, his eyes shining with determination. Together, they pressed deeper into the Vale, the mist swallowing them as they moved toward the heart of the shadows.