The door closed behind them with a heavy thud, and Aelin's pulse quickened as the silence of Firyngrove engulfed them. It was unlike anything she had ever felt—an eerie stillness that seemed to stretch beyond the walls and into her very soul. The air smelled faintly of sulfur, ancient embers, and something else—something both intoxicating and terrifying.
Kaelor led the way through the hall, his boots echoing softly in the cavernous space. The pillars around them were etched with strange symbols, some of them familiar to Aelin from the strange illustrations in the book he had given her, but many more she could not decipher. The flames carved into the stone seemed almost alive, flickering and twisting as if caught in a dance, their shapes shifting in the dim light.
"Where do we begin?" Aelin asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't help but feel small in the presence of this place—this sanctuary that had once been home to the Pyromancers. It was as if the building itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to ignite.
Kaelor paused before a large stone archway at the far end of the hall. Above it, a mosaic of swirling flames had been carved into the ceiling, their vivid reds and oranges seeming to shimmer in the low light. Beneath the arch, an inscription ran across the floor, written in the ancient language of the Pyromancers.
"This is where the first Pyromancer ascended," Kaelor said, his voice reverberating with awe. "Where the bond between the Pyromancers and the Flame was sealed. It's the heart of Firyngrove."
Aelin stepped closer, her fingers brushing against the cool stone of the arch. The power here was palpable—she could feel it in the air, a heat that was neither too hot nor too cold but alive, thrumming like the beat of a heart. Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, she thought she could hear something—voices, perhaps, or whispers—carried by the wind that never seemed to stir.
"What happens here?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. She was acutely aware of the weight of the moment, the responsibility pressing down on her like a thousand tons of stone.
"This is where you will begin to learn," Kaelor replied, his tone serious. "You need to understand the Flame. Its essence. What it is—and what it can become if you don't master it."
Aelin frowned, her mind racing with questions. She had known she would be learning magic here, but she hadn't expected it to be so... intimate. She had assumed it would be a series of spells, rituals, formulas. But this? This was different. It felt like she was standing at the threshold of something much larger—something beyond her control.
"I don't understand," she said, stepping forward into the archway. "How can I learn something like this? I'm not a scholar. I don't know the first thing about magic."
Kaelor turned to face her, his expression softened by something that almost resembled sympathy. "You're not learning magic, Aelin. You're learning yourself. The Flame isn't a tool or a weapon. It's part of you. You need to understand it before it can ever serve you."
Aelin shook her head, still struggling to comprehend what he meant. "I don't even know where to start."
"You start with the Flame," Kaelor said, stepping aside to reveal a narrow passage beyond the arch. "Come. The Flame awaits."
Aelin hesitated but then nodded, her curiosity pushing her forward. She stepped into the passage, the narrow corridor lined with more inscriptions, all glowing faintly in the dark. The deeper they went, the more oppressive the heat became, though it was not uncomfortable—it was like the warmth of a hearth on a cold winter night, a welcome presence.
At the end of the passage, the walls opened up into a vast circular chamber. The room was bathed in the glow of hundreds of small, flickering flames that hovered above the floor, casting dancing shadows on the stone walls. In the center of the room was a large, flat altar, its surface covered in ancient runes.
"Sit," Kaelor instructed, his voice steady. "You need to center yourself before we begin."
Aelin hesitated but then lowered herself onto the stone floor, crossing her legs in front of her. The flames around her seemed to draw closer, swirling around her feet like a tempest. She could feel their warmth, their pull, but she kept her focus on Kaelor, waiting for his instructions.
He stood before her, his posture calm and assured. "The first lesson is the hardest, Aelin. It's about trust. Trust in yourself. Trust in the Flame."
Aelin swallowed, her heart thudding in her chest. "Trust in the Flame? How can I trust something that I don't even understand?"
Kaelor's gaze softened as he knelt beside her. "You are the Flame, Aelin. It's not separate from you. It's a part of you. It's inside you, waiting. All you need to do is call it."
Aelin stared at him, her mind racing. The Flame... inside her? She had always thought of it as a thing, something external to her. But now, Kaelor was saying that it was her. That it had always been a part of her.
Her breath quickened as she closed her eyes, trying to focus on the warmth she felt inside, that faint pulse of fire that had always been a distant hum beneath her skin. It had always been there, she realized. That flicker of heat, the ember in her chest—it was her.
"Breathe, Aelin," Kaelor's voice was soft but insistent. "In and out.
Aelin took a deep, steadying breath, closing her eyes as Kaelor had instructed. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the warm air of Firyngrove. For a moment, it was just the soft rustle of her breath, the beating of her heart, and the distant flicker of flames surrounding her. But then, beneath it all, she felt it.
A low hum—a flicker of warmth that began in her chest and radiated outward, like the first spark of a fire kindling in the dark. It wasn't sudden. It wasn't violent. It was a slow, steady burn, a pulse that matched the rhythm of her heart.
She exhaled, letting the warmth fill her entire being, and for a fleeting second, it was as if she had become the flame itself. The heat was gentle but undeniable, a presence that anchored her, filled her, connected her to something vast and ancient. The sensation was overwhelming, and yet strangely comforting. It was a reminder that she was not alone. That she was never alone.
Kaelor's voice broke through her focus, soft but firm. "Good. Feel it. Let it guide you. This is the Flame. It is always there, Aelin. You only need to open yourself to it."
Aelin's chest tightened as she tried to push the flame further, to reach for it, to control it. The ember within her seemed to grow, expanding with each breath. She could feel it stretching beyond her chest, licking the edges of her consciousness, threatening to consume her whole. Panic flared in her chest.
"I—I can't," she gasped, her body tensing as the flame surged. "It's too much. I can't—"
"Don't fight it!" Kaelor's voice was sharp, commanding. "You are not the one in control, Aelin. The Flame is. You must trust it. If you try to force it, it will burn you alive. Let it guide you."
Aelin took a shuddering breath, forcing herself to still. She could feel the heat. Could feel the pulse of the Flame in every fiber of her being. But she also felt something else—a strange, unfamiliar connection to the world around her. The flickering flames that hovered in the air seemed to respond to her, swirling closer, as if reaching out to her in a way that made her heart ache.
"Let go," Kaelor repeated softly. "Surrender to the Flame, Aelin. Let it show you who you really are."
It was a terrifying idea, to surrender, to give up control. Her entire life had been about holding on, about surviving, about never allowing herself to be vulnerable. But as she sat there, surrounded by the living warmth of the flame, a strange understanding began to take root inside her.
The Flame wasn't something to be controlled. It was her. It was a part of her from the very beginning—an essential part of who she was. To fight it, to deny it, was to deny herself.
Aelin's breath slowed as she allowed herself to relax, to open herself to the Flame without resistance. She focused on that steady pulse, that gentle heat, and let it grow, spread through her veins like molten lava.
And then, it happened.
The flames around her began to flicker, their once gentle dance now growing more vibrant, more alive. The air crackled with energy, and Aelin felt a sudden rush of power surge through her, rising from her chest and spreading outward like wildfire. The flames seemed to respond, swirling around her, growing in intensity.
Aelin gasped as the fire flared higher, brighter, until the room was bathed in light. She could feel the heat licking at her skin, yet it did not burn. The fire knew her. It was familiar, comforting, yet exhilarating—an untamed force awakening within her.
Kaelor's voice broke through the crackling of the flames, low and urgent. "That's it. You've found it. But don't let it consume you, Aelin. You need to focus. Direct it."
Aelin's heart pounded in her chest as she concentrated, trying to shape the fire around her. The warmth in her chest grew, and she felt an instinctual pull to guide it, to direct it with purpose. Slowly, she raised her hand, her fingers trembling as the flames around her responded, rising in a jagged arc.
Her mind whirled with the effort to maintain control, to focus the power of the Flame. It felt so wild, so alive, and yet it was fragile—like holding a tempest in her palm. Her chest tightened as she tried to shape the fire, but her focus wavered for a split second.
Suddenly, the flames roared, surging out of control. Aelin's heart skipped a beat as the fire spread faster than she could react, licking at the walls of the chamber, swallowing the air around her.
"Kaelor!" she cried, panic rising in her chest.
Kaelor was by her side in an instant, his hands raised, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "Focus, Aelin! You control the Flame, not the other way around. You are the Flame!"
She could feel his presence beside her, grounding her as the heat around them intensified. Aelin closed her eyes for a moment, blocking out the chaos. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, willing her heart to calm, her mind to clear. The fire was inside her—it was her. She couldn't let it control her. She had to become one with it.
With a deep, steadying breath, Aelin focused once more on the pulse of the Flame, now deep in her chest. She visualized it—soft, controlled, flowing like the ebb and flow of the tide. She reached for it, guided it, molded it with her will.
The flames around her slowly began to settle, their wild dance turning into a gentle flicker, curling around her like a protective embrace. The heat, while intense, no longer threatened to overwhelm her.
"Good," Kaelor said quietly, his voice filled with quiet approval. "You're learning. You're beginning to see the Flame for what it truly is. Remember, Aelin—it isn't your enemy. It's your ally. But you must respect it. Always."
Aelin's heart slowed as she lowered her hand, the flames dissipating into the air, leaving only the faintest wisp of smoke. She could still feel the power inside her, the fire still alive in her veins, but now, it was controlled. It was hers.
She opened her eyes, looking up at Kaelor. He watched her closely, his gaze thoughtful.
"You did well," he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "But this is only the beginning. The Flame is more than just power, Aelin. It is life. It is destruction and creation, a balance that must always be maintained. You will need to learn how to wield it, how to protect yourself and those you care about without burning everything to the ground."
Aelin nodded, still trembling from the experience. She didn't fully understand everything Kaelor was saying, but she could feel the truth of it in her bones. The Flame was not just a weapon—it was something deeper, something far more dangerous. She could no longer deny the power that lived inside her.
As the flames around them settled into nothing more than embers, Kaelor stepped back. "Now we begin the real training. The Order will come for you, Aelin. And when they do, you must be ready."
Aelin took another deep breath, feeling the heat within her. She was ready. Ready to face whatever came next.