The night air was sharp against Aelin's face as she stumbled from the Temple of Embers, the weight of everything she had endured pressing against her shoulders like a lead cloak. Kael was there in an instant, his hands firm as they gripped her arms to steady her.
"You're hurt," he said, his golden eyes sweeping over her.
"I'm fine," Aelin replied, her voice hoarse. Her limbs felt like they were made of stone, but there were no visible wounds. The real damage, she knew, was deeper—etched into her very soul.
Kael wasn't convinced. "What happened in there?"
Aelin hesitated, her mind replaying the battle with her shadow-self—the whispers, the fire, and the shattering silence when it was done. She could still feel the Flame within her, coiled and waiting, its presence no longer as chaotic but no less dangerous.
"It tested me," she said finally, her voice low. "It showed me… myself."
Kael's gaze sharpened. "And?"
"And I didn't let it win." She met his eyes, the words more for herself than for him. "I won't let it consume me."
Kael studied her for a moment before nodding. "Good." He stepped back but didn't lower his guard. "The Seer said this was your first step. Does it feel like that's true?"
Aelin frowned, looking back at the dark silhouette of the Temple. "I don't know. The Flame accepted me—at least, I think it did. But I still don't understand what it wants from me."
The Seer chose that moment to step from the shadows, her crimson cloak trailing behind her like a stream of blood. Her golden eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
"You survived," the Seer said, her voice soft and reverent, though her expression was unreadable. "Few ever do."
Aelin's jaw tightened. "Then what now? You said the Temple would give me answers. All it gave me was a fight I nearly lost."
The Seer tilted her head. "You underestimate what you've been given." She stepped closer, her gaze fixated on Aelin's hands. "Look."
Aelin frowned and lifted her palms instinctively. At first, she saw nothing, just her dirt-streaked skin. Then, faintly, the glow began to appear—thin lines of ember-red fire tracing across her skin like molten veins, etching symbols into her flesh. The markings mirrored the runes on the Temple doors, ancient and beautiful.
"What… is this?" Aelin breathed, her heart pounding.
"The Mark of Fire," the Seer said, almost reverently. "It is proof that the Flame has chosen you. You carry its power now, not just as a force within, but as a part of your very being."
Aelin stared at her hands, the marks fading to a dull glow before disappearing entirely. She could still feel them, like a heartbeat beneath her skin. "I didn't ask for this."
"Power rarely waits for permission," the Seer replied calmly. "But it has marked you for a reason. You are not yet what you must become, but the Flame has taken its first step in shaping you."
Kael's voice was sharp with suspicion. "And what exactly is she supposed to become?"
The Seer's golden eyes flicked to him. "A weapon. A salvation. A reckoning. Perhaps all three."
Aelin's fists clenched at her sides. "That's not an answer."
"It is all I can give you," the Seer said. "The rest will be for you to decide."
Aelin opened her mouth to argue, but Kael stepped in, his hand on her arm. "Enough. She's exhausted. We're leaving."
The Seer said nothing as Kael guided Aelin away from the Temple, her footsteps heavy as they crossed the clearing and reentered the darkened forest. Aelin glanced back only once, catching a glimpse of the Seer watching them, her form half-hidden by the shadows.
They walked in silence for what felt like hours, the forest a quiet labyrinth around them. Kael kept close, his presence a steadying force as Aelin tried to process what had happened. She could still feel the Flame, its heat burning quietly beneath her skin. The marks might not be visible now, but she knew they were there—woven into her like threads of fire.
Kael's voice broke the silence. "What are you thinking?"
Aelin hesitated, staring at the ground as they walked. "I'm thinking I don't know who I am anymore."
Kael was silent for a moment. Then, softly, he said, "You're still you, Aelin. The Flame doesn't change that."
"Doesn't it?" She looked at him, her expression raw. "It's inside me now, Kael. That shadow in the Temple—it wasn't some monster pretending to be me. It was me. The part of me that wants the Flame's power. The part of me that would burn the world if I let it."
Kael stopped, turning to face her. "Then don't let it. You said you wouldn't, and I believe you."
Aelin shook her head, her voice breaking. "What if I can't stop it? What if the Flame doesn't give me a choice?"
Kael's hand landed on her shoulder, steady and firm. "You always have a choice. You're stronger than this thing, Aelin. You've proven that already."
She looked at him, the weight of his words sinking into her. For a moment, the ache in her chest eased.
"Come on," he said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We need to find a place to rest. You've been through enough for one night."
Aelin nodded, and together they pressed on, the forest slowly giving way to softer, more familiar terrain.
They camped that night beneath the boughs of an ancient oak, its gnarled branches reaching like arms to shield them from the star-flecked sky. Kael built a fire while Aelin sat quietly, staring into the flames as though they might speak to her.
"You should sleep," Kael said as he dropped onto the ground opposite her, the firelight casting his face in sharp relief.
Aelin shook her head. "I don't think I can."
Kael leaned back against the trunk of the tree, watching her closely. "Then talk to me."
Aelin glanced at him, startled. "About what?"
"Anything." He gave her a faint smile. "Something other than the Flame."
Aelin hesitated, her mind sifting through memories long buried. "When I was little," she said slowly, "my father used to tell me stories about the Firebird."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "The Firebird?"
She nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "It was an old legend. A creature of flame and light, born in the heart of a dying star. My father said it would come to those in their darkest hour and light their way home."
Kael was quiet for a moment. "Do you think he believed it?"
Aelin's gaze dropped to the fire, her voice soft. "I think he wanted to. Sometimes I do too."
Kael watched her for a long moment before speaking. "Maybe you don't need the Firebird, Aelin. Maybe you're the one lighting the way for the rest of us."
Aelin looked up sharply, her breath catching. The fire crackled between them, but neither said anything more.
When Kael finally leaned back and closed his eyes, Aelin stared into the flames, the whisper of the Flame flickering faintly in the back of her mind.
"A weapon. A salvation. A reckoning…"
She didn't know which she would become.
But whatever the Flame had marked her for, she would face it.
The sun had barely risen the next morning when Aelin awoke, her body stiff from the restless sleep that had consumed her the night before. Her mind was still tangled in the threads of the Flame, the echoes of its voice lingering like the aftertaste of a bitter drink. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes and casting a glance toward Kael, who was already awake, his back resting against the tree, eyes scanning the horizon.
"Morning," Aelin murmured, though her voice was rough from lack of rest.
Kael glanced at her, offering a faint smile. "Morning. You didn't sleep much."
Aelin didn't respond at first. Instead, she reached for the canteen beside her and took a long sip of water, feeling the coolness steady her. Her thoughts were still clouded, but there was something deeper in her chest now, a feeling she couldn't shake.
"Are you alright?" Kael's voice was softer now, like he could sense the weight she carried.
Aelin sighed and set the canteen down. She wasn't sure what "alright" meant anymore. But she would lie if she said she felt anything like it.
"I don't know," she admitted finally. "The Flame is... different now. I feel its power, but it's like a shadow always following me. I can hear its whispers sometimes, even when I'm awake."
Kael's brow furrowed, but he didn't interrupt her.
"I thought I could control it," Aelin continued, her voice low, almost as if she were speaking to herself. "But now… I'm not sure. I've always fought to be in control of my own destiny, but the Flame…" She swallowed, looking away. "It doesn't care about what I want."
"You're stronger than you think," Kael said quietly. "This isn't just about control, Aelin. It's about understanding it. Accepting that you can change what you become, but only if you're willing to face it head-on."
She looked at him, her heart thudding in her chest. "You make it sound easy."
Kael smiled, but there was something in his eyes—something that betrayed the weight he carried himself. "No, it's not easy. But I believe in you."
The words warmed her, more than she expected. They were simple, but they cut through the doubt swirling in her mind like a knife through fog. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, a distant sound interrupted—something moving through the forest.
Aelin's instincts flared.
"Stay close," she murmured, reaching for her sword.
Kael did the same, his hand resting on the hilt of his own blade. "What do you think it is?"
Aelin shook her head, her senses sharpening as she scanned the surrounding trees. "I'm not sure. But it's not normal."
The sound grew louder—rustling, snapping, then the unmistakable thud of heavy footsteps. The hair on the back of Aelin's neck prickled.
"Whatever it is, we don't want to find out the hard way," Kael said.
Aelin nodded. "Agreed."
They moved quickly, taking cover behind the thick trunks of trees, their eyes tracking the noise. Whatever it was, it was drawing closer.
The rustling continued, and then—a figure emerged from the trees.
Aelin's breath caught in her throat.
It wasn't human.
The creature was tall and imposing, its body a twisted amalgamation of shadow and flame. Its limbs were like tendrils of smoke, moving with an unnatural grace, but its eyes—its eyes burned with a fiery intensity, molten gold swirling within them. It stepped forward, each movement leaving scorch marks on the ground beneath its feet.
Aelin's grip tightened on her sword. "What in the name of the gods is that?"
The creature's gaze flickered toward them, and for a moment, time seemed to slow. The air crackled with energy, the temperature rising, suffocating. Aelin could feel the pressure of its gaze, as though it were looking directly into her soul.
Then, it spoke—its voice a low, guttural growl that seemed to come from all directions at once.
"You carry the Flame."
Aelin's heart skipped a beat.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice steady, though her instincts screamed for her to run.
The creature's smile was not a smile at all—it was the barest hint of a snarl, the fire in its eyes intensifying.
"I am the keeper of the Flame's judgment," it said, its voice echoing in her bones. "And you—Aelin—are the one chosen to wield its power."
Aelin's stomach dropped. "Chosen? I never asked for this!"
The creature's laugh was deep, echoing through the trees. "The Flame does not care for your desires, little one. It is a force beyond control, a force that shapes all in its path. You will burn brighter than any before you. But first, you must learn the cost of the power you carry."
Kael took a step forward, his sword drawn. "Get away from her."
The creature's gaze shifted to him, its expression darkening. "You are insignificant in this matter, warrior. The Flame's path is not yours to walk."
Aelin stepped forward, her sword still gripped tightly in her hand. "You speak as if the Flame owns me. But it doesn't. I won't let it control me."
The creature's eyes flared. "You have no choice in the matter. You will serve it, whether you will it or not. It is your fate."
"No one decides my fate but me!" Aelin shouted, raising her sword. "I am not a servant to this power!"
The creature's expression hardened. "Then you will burn, just like all those who defy the Flame."
With a roar, the creature lunged at her, its limbs stretching unnaturally, becoming tendrils of flame that writhed through the air. Aelin barely had time to react as the first strike came, the heat of it searing her skin as she raised her sword to block.
The force of the attack sent her stumbling back, the ground beneath her feet cracking with the impact. She gritted her teeth, pain shooting through her body as she tried to regain her footing.
Kael was beside her in an instant, his blade clashing with the creature's fiery tendrils. The air shimmered with heat as the two forces collided, fire and steel clashing in a brilliant display of sparks.
Aelin's breath was heavy, her chest tight with the exertion of the fight. She could feel the Flame inside her, whispering—pushing her to call on its power. But she resisted, fighting with everything she had, her sword swinging in precise arcs to keep the creature at bay.
The creature snarled in frustration. "You cannot fight it, Aelin. The Flame will consume you, whether you accept it or not."
Aelin's heart thundered in her chest. "I will fight it," she growled, her sword sweeping out in a fluid motion, cutting through the tendrils of fire that came at her. "And I will win."
With a fierce cry, she charged, her sword flashing as she struck at the creature's center. For a moment, there was nothing but the crackle of fire and the ringing clash of steel.
And then—the creature howled.
It crumbled into a heap of smoke and ash, its form dissolving into nothingness as the fire flickered out.
Aelin stood panting, her sword still raised. The world around her was quiet again, save for the crackling of the fire from earlier.
Kael stepped up beside her, breathing heavily. "What the hell was that?"
Aelin's voice was quiet, though the fire inside her still burned bright. "I don't know. But I think the Flame just sent us a warning."
The weight of the creature's words lingered in the air.
"You will burn."
Aelin clenched her jaw, determination flaring. She wouldn't let the Flame destroy her. She would control it—or she would die trying.
"Let's keep moving," she said, her voice low and steady. "We're not done yet."