The world was fire and silence.
Aelin lay motionless, her limbs heavy, her mind lost in the aftermath of what she had unleashed. The cavern was gone—reduced to rubble and ash. The air was thick with smoke, and the last embers of the Flame flickered around her, sputtering like dying stars. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps as if even the act of breathing was too much for her fractured body to endure.
Somewhere in the haze, she heard Kael's voice—distant, muffled, and trembling with urgency.
"Aelin! Stay with me!"
His hands gripped her shoulders, shaking her gently, but her eyelids refused to lift. Her senses felt far away, buried beneath the weight of exhaustion. The Flame had burned through her, leaving her empty, hollow. She could still feel it, though—like a distant heartbeat, waiting in the shadows of her soul.
I am here, Aelin. The voice of the Flame whispered softly, no longer a roar but a steady, haunting murmur. We are one now.
Her chest tightened at those words, but she couldn't bring herself to respond. It was as if something within her had changed irrevocably—something deep, something she could not yet name.
"Come on, Aelin." Kael's voice grew sharper, desperate. "Open your eyes! You're stronger than this."
Finally, a faint groan escaped her lips. Her eyelids fluttered, the dim, dust-laden light stabbing into her skull like knives. Everything hurt. Muscles, bones, even the tips of her fingers burned as if scorched by the very Flame she carried.
Kael's face hovered above her when she managed to open her eyes, his golden gaze filled with worry. His once-pristine armor was streaked with soot and grime, his face marked with a long scratch that bled faintly down his cheek. Relief washed over him when she met his gaze.
"Aelin," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank the gods."
She tried to speak, but her throat was dry, and only a strangled rasp escaped. Kael gently reached for the waterskin at his side, lifting it to her lips. The water was lukewarm but soothing, and after a few small sips, she managed to swallow the lump in her throat.
"What… happened?" she croaked, her voice barely audible.
Kael glanced around them, his expression darkening. "The Eldryn… the Flame… You shattered the entire cavern. Whatever power was inside you, Aelin, it nearly destroyed everything." He hesitated, his gaze lowering to the cracked earth beneath them. "But it's gone now. For the moment."
Aelin forced herself to sit up, wincing as her body protested the movement. Her surroundings came into sharper focus. Where once there had been an ancient cavern, now there was nothing but ruin—a field of broken stone and ash, stretching in all directions. The walls that had held the secrets of the Flame were gone, obliterated in the wake of her power. Above them, where the ceiling had once loomed, there was now only open sky, streaked with storm clouds and tinged with a faint orange glow.
"The Eldryn," she whispered, her heart pounding. "Where is it?"
Kael's jaw clenched, and he shook his head. "Gone. Destroyed, maybe. Or… escaped. When the Flame erupted, it vanished. But I don't think it's dead, Aelin. Creatures like that don't die so easily."
Aelin's shoulders sagged, the weight of his words sinking in. Of course it wouldn't be that simple. The Eldryn had spoken of the Flame like it was something ancient, something beyond control—and now she had proven them right. She had felt it, that surge of raw, untamed energy, and the terrifying truth that it was stronger than her will.
Kael helped her to her feet, steadying her as she swayed. She felt fragile, as though she might shatter like glass at the slightest touch.
"We can't stay here," Kael said, his tone firm. "The blast was powerful enough to be seen for miles. There's no telling who—or what—might come to investigate."
Aelin nodded weakly. "The others… are they safe? Did anyone—"
Kael shook his head quickly. "They're alive. I sent a signal to warn them to pull back. If they kept their distance, they should have been clear of the destruction."
Relief bloomed in her chest, but it was short-lived. She knew this wasn't over—not by a long shot. The Flame might have gone dormant again, but it was inside her now, waiting, watching. She could feel its presence like an ember buried deep within her core.
You cannot run from me, Aelin, the voice whispered again, soft and sinister. I will rise when the time is right. You will see.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the sound. Kael noticed, his brow furrowing.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said quickly, forcing her eyes open again. "Let's move. You're right—we can't stay here."
Kael didn't press her, though his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he nodded. Together, they picked their way through the rubble, the ground beneath their feet unstable and cracked. Ash swirled in the air, stinging Aelin's eyes and leaving a bitter taste on her tongue.
As they climbed the edge of the ruined cavern, the full scope of the destruction came into view. Aelin's breath caught in her throat. The explosion had obliterated not just the cavern but much of the surrounding landscape. Trees had been scorched to nothing but skeletal remains, and the earth was scarred, blackened, and smoking.
"Gods…" Kael muttered, his voice low with awe and horror. "The Flame did this."
Aelin said nothing, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Beyond the devastation, she could see the faint outline of a forest untouched by the blast, and further still, the distant spires of a city. For a moment, she wondered if they had somehow changed the world itself—altered it with the power they had awakened.
Then Kael spoke again, drawing her attention.
"Aelin… what happens now?"
The question lingered in the air between them. What did happen now? She had felt the Flame's true nature—the raw, unyielding force of it—and she knew it couldn't be contained forever. The Eldryn had been right about one thing: the Flame would rise again. It was only a matter of time.
"We find answers," Aelin said finally, her voice quiet but resolute. "The Eldryn knew more about the Flame than anyone else. If they're not destroyed, we need to find them—and learn what they haven't told us."
"And if they won't help?" Kael asked.
Aelin's jaw tightened. "Then we stop them. Whatever it takes."
Kael nodded, though his expression remained guarded. "And the Flame? It's inside you now, Aelin. Can you control it?"
She hesitated, glancing down at her hands. They looked normal—flesh and blood, streaked with dirt and ash—but she could feel the energy beneath her skin, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But I have to try."
Kael didn't argue. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip steady and reassuring. "Then we'll face it together."
Aelin managed a faint smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. The path ahead of them was uncertain, and the weight of what they had unleashed loomed over them like a shadow. But Kael was right—they couldn't turn back now. Whatever the cost, they had to see this through to the end.
Together, they descended into the charred landscape, the ruins of the past smoldering behind them. Somewhere out there, the Eldryn waited, and the Flame pulsed in the depths of Aelin's soul, whispering of a future yet to come.
And as the storm clouds gathered overhead, Aelin knew one thing for certain:
The world would never be the same again.
The smoke had begun to thin as Aelin and Kael pressed on through the charred remains of the landscape. The world around them had turned gray—ash and cinders carried on a heavy wind, the scent of scorched earth lingering like a ghost. Every step Aelin took felt like a march toward something inevitable. The Flame pulsed faintly within her, a constant reminder of the power she now carried—and the destruction it had left behind.
Kael led the way, his hand on the hilt of his sword as his sharp gaze scanned the horizon. For a long while, neither of them spoke, the silence stretching between them like a chasm. Aelin didn't mind the quiet; it gave her a chance to think, though the thoughts swirling in her mind were anything but comforting.
The Flame had awakened. The Eldryn had vanished, and the power she carried no longer felt like hers to command. It was alive—watching, waiting, and whispering.
"I will rise again," the voice had said.
And Aelin knew it was not a threat. It was a promise.
"Stop."
Kael's voice broke through her thoughts, and Aelin glanced up sharply. He had raised a fist, signaling her to halt. She froze, her instincts flaring, hand drifting instinctively toward the hilt of her sword.
"What is it?" she whispered.
Kael's eyes were narrowed, focused on the path ahead. The ash swirled in strange patterns here, disturbed not by the wind but by something more deliberate. He knelt, running his fingers across the scorched ground, and when he looked up again, his expression was grim.
"We're not alone," he murmured.
Aelin's heart began to pound as her gaze flicked to the shadows of the distant forest. Shapes moved there—small and subtle at first, but unmistakable. Figures cloaked in dark robes, slipping between the blackened trees like whispers of shadow. Her fingers tightened around her sword.
"Are they Eldryn?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
"No." Kael rose to his feet, his movements slow and deliberate. "But they're something close."
The figures drew closer, emerging into view with an eerie silence. There were six of them, each one clad in dark gray robes etched with strange symbols that pulsed faintly, as though alive. Their faces were hidden beneath deep hoods, but Aelin could feel the weight of their gazes—cold, unrelenting, and hungry.
One of the robed figures stepped forward, a tall man with a staff carved from blackened wood. When he spoke, his voice carried like the rustling of dry leaves, soft and withered.
"You are the vessel," he said, his gaze fixed on Aelin. "The Flame has chosen you."
Aelin swallowed, every muscle in her body tensing. "Who are you?"
The man tilted his head, as though amused by the question. "We are the Order of Ash—the keepers of forgotten truths." He gestured to the others around him, their robes shifting like living shadows. "And we have come to claim what is ours."
Aelin's grip tightened on her sword. "I don't belong to anyone. If you think I'll hand over the Flame, you'll be sorely disappointed."
The man let out a slow, rasping chuckle. "You misunderstand, child. The Flame is not yours to keep. It does not belong to you, nor to us. It belongs to the world—to the cycle of fire and ash." His voice grew sharper, and the shadows around him deepened. "But you are unworthy to wield it."
Kael stepped in front of Aelin, drawing his sword with a sharp ring of steel. "You'll have to get through me first."
The robed man regarded Kael with disinterest, as though he were a mere nuisance. "You are brave, warrior. But bravery will not save you."
Before Aelin could react, the man raised his staff. The air seemed to ripple, and the ground beneath them shuddered. From the shadows around them, tendrils of darkness erupted like serpents, coiling toward Aelin and Kael with terrifying speed.
"Move!" Kael shouted, shoving Aelin to the side as one of the tendrils lashed out, striking the spot where she had just stood. It shattered the earth, leaving a jagged crater behind.
Aelin rolled to her feet, her sword flashing into her hands as she faced the advancing figures. The Flame within her flickered, and for a moment, she could feel its power rising, urging her to burn.
"Let me out," it whispered. "I will end them."
Aelin gritted her teeth, shaking her head. She couldn't lose control again—not now. She had to fight on her own terms.
Kael was already in motion, his sword cutting through one of the tendrils as he charged toward the robed figures. "Aelin! I'll hold them off—find their leader!"
Aelin didn't hesitate. She sprinted forward, dodging a second strike as a tendril lashed toward her. The robed man stood at the center of the chaos, his staff raised high as shadows coiled around him. He was controlling this—commanding the darkness.
"Enough!" Aelin shouted, charging straight for him.
The man turned toward her, his staff glowing with a dark energy. He thrust it forward, and a wave of shadows surged in her direction. Aelin raised her sword, bracing herself as the energy struck her like a hammer. Pain lanced through her body, but she forced herself to keep moving, her sword slashing through the shadows as she closed the distance between them.
The man's voice echoed through the air, cold and mocking. "You cannot stop us. The Flame will consume you."
"Maybe," Aelin growled, her eyes blazing with determination. "But not today."
With a final surge of strength, she swung her sword in a wide arc. The blade struck the man's staff, shattering it with a deafening crack. The shadows around them writhed and screamed, the tendrils disintegrating into smoke as the staff splintered into pieces.
The man staggered backward, his hood falling away to reveal a gaunt, pale face etched with ancient markings. His eyes—black as midnight—widened in shock as he fell to his knees.
"No…" he rasped, his voice trembling. "This cannot be…"
Aelin loomed over him, her sword pointed at his chest. "Tell me who you are," she demanded. "What does the Flame want?"
The man coughed, dark blood staining his lips. "The Flame… will rise. You cannot stop it. You… are only the beginning."
Aelin's blood ran cold at his words, but before she could question him further, the man's body dissolved into ash, carried away by the wind.
Kael appeared at her side, breathing hard, his sword still in hand. "What happened?"
Aelin stared at the spot where the man had been, the ashes still swirling through the air. "The Order of Ash," she murmured. "They knew about the Flame… and they're not the only ones."
Kael frowned, wiping sweat from his brow. "If there are more of them, we're going to need answers—and allies."
Aelin nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "Then we find them. Whoever else knows about the Flame, we need to get to them first. Before this… before I lose control again."
Kael placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice steady. "You won't face this alone, Aelin. I promise you that."
Aelin looked at him, her heart heavy with the weight of what lay ahead. The Flame was awake, and now others knew it—others who would stop at nothing to claim its power. The echoes of what had been unleashed would spread across the world like wildfire, and she had no choice but to stand at the center of it.
But as they set off once more into the ashen wilderness, Aelin couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning—of something far greater, far darker, and far more dangerous than she could possibly imagine.
And the Flame whispered softly, its voice curling around her mind like smoke.
"Soon, Aelin. Soon."
The forest grew darker as Aelin and Kael ventured deeper into its heart. What little sunlight broke through the canopy was swallowed by the thick fog that curled around the roots of the trees. The silence was unnerving—no birds, no rustling of leaves, no sign of life. Only their footsteps echoed faintly, muffled by the damp earth.
Aelin's senses were on edge, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, knuckles white. The encounter with the Order of Ash lingered in her mind like a shadow. Their knowledge of the Flame, the way they had controlled the darkness—it had been deliberate, calculated. They knew her, or at least what she carried.
Kael moved a step ahead, his eyes scanning every shadow. His golden gaze was sharper than usual, his movements tense, a warrior ready for an ambush. Neither of them spoke, though Aelin knew Kael was thinking the same thing she was: We're being watched.
"Something's wrong," Aelin muttered under her breath.
Kael nodded, his voice a whisper. "They're tracking us."
Aelin's skin prickled. She could feel it too—eyes in the darkness, a weight pressing down on her chest that made her breath shallow. The Flame flickered faintly inside her, and with it, the whispers rose again.
"They are coming, Aelin. You are never alone."
She shuddered, forcing the voice back. But even as she tried to silence it, the weight in her chest only grew heavier.
"Kael," she said, her voice low. "We need to get out of this forest. Whatever's following us is waiting for something."
Before Kael could respond, the fog around them thickened, as if the very air had turned to stone. The temperature dropped sharply, their breaths misting in front of them. Aelin froze, her instincts screaming at her to draw her sword.
Then it came.
From the depths of the fog, a sound—soft and distant, yet impossibly close.
A whisper.
Aelin turned sharply, her gaze darting to the darkness behind them. There was nothing—only trees and shadows. But the whisper came again, curling around her like a cold wind.
"…vessel…"
Aelin's breath caught in her throat. The voice was not the Flame's, but something else. Something ancient and hollow.
Kael drew his sword, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim light. "We're not alone," he murmured, stepping closer to Aelin.
Before she could answer, the shadows began to move.
Figures emerged from the mist—silent, shrouded in darkness, their forms twisting unnaturally as though they were not entirely solid. Their faces were obscured beneath deep hoods, but their eyes burned faintly with an eerie white light.
Aelin's pulse quickened. "Not again…"
Kael stepped forward, his voice carrying through the silence. "Who are you?"
The figures did not answer. They only advanced, their movements slow but deliberate, like predators circling prey. The shadows at their feet rippled, seeping into the earth like ink spreading through water.
"Back to back," Aelin whispered, drawing her sword.
Kael obeyed without question, turning to face the other side. Together, they formed a defensive circle, the fog closing in tighter around them.
"They come for me," the Flame murmured, almost pleased. "Let them burn."
Aelin's grip on her sword faltered for a moment. The voice had never sounded so eager, so alive.
"Stay out of my head," she hissed under her breath.
But the figures came closer, undeterred by her defiance. One of them raised an arm, and the mist around it swirled into jagged tendrils of shadow. Aelin barely had time to react before the darkness lashed out at her.
She ducked, the shadow striking the tree behind her, splintering the bark with a hollow crack. Kael swung his sword, cutting through another tendril, the blade glowing faintly as it cleaved through the darkness.
"These things aren't human," he said through gritted teeth.
Aelin didn't argue. She lunged forward, her sword blazing as she struck the nearest figure. The blade hit solid flesh—cold and brittle, like striking glass. The figure let out a soundless cry, the light in its eyes flaring before its form shattered into black mist.
The others did not falter. If anything, they moved faster, their strikes more ferocious, as though Aelin's attack had only angered them.
"Let me in," the Flame whispered again, its voice like fire licking at her thoughts. "You cannot fight them alone."
Aelin gritted her teeth, swinging her sword in a wide arc to force the creatures back. She could feel the Flame pressing against her will, begging to be released, to burn these shadows to nothing. But she remembered the devastation in the cavern—the power that had nearly consumed her—and she refused to let it take control again.
"Aelin!" Kael's voice broke through her thoughts. She turned to see him struggling, three of the creatures circling him, their tendrils lashing out from every angle.
She didn't think—she moved. Racing toward him, she drove her sword through one of the figures' backs, her blade blazing brighter as the creature dissolved into smoke. Kael spun to take out another, their movements in perfect sync as they fought together.
But the creatures kept coming. For every shadow they cut down, two more seemed to emerge from the fog. Aelin's chest burned as the Flame pulsed wildly within her, its whispers growing louder, more insistent.
"You will die here unless you let me out."
"Aelin!" Kael's voice was desperate now. "We can't hold them!"
Aelin turned, her eyes wide as the figures swarmed around them. Her mind raced, her heartbeat a frantic rhythm in her chest. She couldn't let the Flame take control—but if she didn't, they wouldn't make it out alive.
"Trust me," the Flame whispered, softer this time. "You are stronger than you know."
Aelin hesitated for only a moment. Then she closed her eyes, letting the Flame rise—not to consume her, but to join her.
When she opened her eyes again, they burned gold.
The shadows froze as the air around Aelin shifted, a sudden heat rolling off her in waves. The tendrils recoiled, hissing as though they were afraid. Kael staggered back, shielding his face from the light now radiating from her.
Aelin raised her sword, and flames erupted from the blade, curling through the fog like a living inferno.
"Enough!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the forest.
The fire spread outward, sweeping across the ground in a tidal wave of heat and light. The creatures shrieked—a soundless, agonized wail—as the flames engulfed them. Their forms melted into smoke, their light extinguished as though they had never existed.
Within moments, the forest was silent again. The fog burned away, leaving only scorched earth and smoldering embers in its wake.
Aelin fell to her knees, the fire inside her dimming as the Flame receded. Her body shook with exhaustion, sweat dripping from her brow. Kael was at her side in an instant, his expression a mix of awe and concern.
"Aelin… what did you do?"
She looked up at him, her eyes duller now but still tinged with gold. "I didn't let it control me. I used it."
Kael's gaze flicked to the scorched ground around them. "And you saved us."
Aelin nodded faintly, though her heart was still heavy. She had taken a risk—and for now, it had worked. But the Flame had whispered to her, coaxing her closer to its power.
And she knew that next time, it might not be so easy to pull back.
"We need to keep moving," she said, forcing herself to stand. "The Order of Ash won't stop. And whatever that was… it's only the beginning."
Kael rose beside her, his jaw tight. "Then we keep moving. Together."
Aelin took a steadying breath, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. The forest still loomed, dark and unyielding, but the Flame inside her had been kindled.
And the shadows wouldn't stop her.
Not yet.