The battlefield lay silent in the wake of the Arbiter's departure. The golden glow had faded, leaving behind only the broken remains of the Temple of Eternal Light. The air smelled of scorched stone and divine energy, and the weight of their near-defeat hung heavy over the rebellion's forces.
Eldric staggered to his feet, still feeling the crushing pressure of the Arbiter's power in his bones. Every breath was laced with pain, every movement a reminder of how close they had come to total annihilation. His flames—once his greatest weapon—had been extinguished as if they were nothing.
Seraphine groaned from where she lay among the rubble. Blood trickled from a wound on her forehead, her usually sharp eyes clouded with exhaustion. Karis knelt beside her, pressing a cloth against the injury.
"That thing… that Arbiter…" Seraphine muttered, forcing herself to sit up. "It could have killed us all."
Karis nodded grimly. "And it didn't. Which means the gods aren't just trying to destroy us. They're trying to break us."
Eldric clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "Then we won't let them."
Karis shot him a sharp look. "You saw what happened back there. You couldn't even touch him. Your fire—your very essence—was nothing against him. How do we fight something like that?"
Eldric didn't have an answer. He had spent his whole life sharpening his flames, growing stronger, pushing past the limits of mortality. And yet, against the Arbiter, he had been powerless.
"We need more power," he finally said. "And I know where to find it."
---
The Ruins of the Fallen Pantheon
Night had fallen by the time the rebellion regrouped in their hidden camp, deep within the ruins of an ancient civilization. The crumbling stone walls told a story of forgotten gods—beings who had once ruled, only to be erased by the ones who came after.
Seraphine leaned against a moss-covered pillar, exhaustion evident in her posture. "You're thinking about the Fallen Pantheon, aren't you?"
Eldric nodded. "The gods that ruled before the current ones. They were erased from history, their names struck from the records. But their power—" He glanced at the ruins around them. "—might still be here."
Karis folded her arms. "You're suggesting we seek out the power of the gods that were defeated? That's risky. There's a reason they lost."
"There's also a reason the current gods fear them enough to erase their existence," Eldric countered. "If there's even a fragment of their power left behind, I need it. We all do."
Seraphine exhaled slowly. "If you're right, and the Fallen Pantheon's power still lingers here… how do we find it?"
Eldric turned to the ruins, his eyes flickering with the dim remnants of his flames.
"We wake them up."
---
Echoes of the Lost Gods
Eldric stood in the center of the ruins, feeling the weight of history pressing down on him. He closed his eyes, reaching deep within himself, searching for something—anything—that remained of the gods who had come before.
His flames flickered to life, casting shadows against the ancient stones. And then, he felt it—a pulse, faint and distant, like a heartbeat buried beneath centuries of silence.
They are still here.
The moment he acknowledged it, the ground trembled beneath him. The ruins groaned, ancient stone shifting as an unseen force awakened. A gust of cold wind swept through the air, carrying whispers—faint voices speaking in a language long forgotten.
Seraphine took a step back, her hand going to the hilt of her dagger. "Eldric… what did you just do?"
Before he could answer, the ruins moved.
A massive stone monolith in the center of the ruins cracked open, revealing a staircase spiraling downward into darkness. The air that rushed from below carried the scent of something old—something ancient and powerful.
Karis swore under her breath. "This feels like a bad idea."
Eldric stepped toward the staircase, his eyes burning with resolve. "It's the only idea we've got."
Without another word, he descended into the darkness.
---
The Trial of the Forgotten Gods
The underground chamber stretched far beyond what Eldric had expected. Massive statues of long-forgotten deities lined the walls, their faces worn by time, their bodies cracked and crumbling. The further they walked, the heavier the air became—like an invisible force was pressing down on them.
At the far end of the chamber stood an altar, and upon it, a single flame burned. But unlike any fire Eldric had seen before, this one was black.
Seraphine inhaled sharply. "That… that isn't natural."
Eldric approached the altar, feeling the heat from the dark flame. It wasn't oppressive like the divine fire of the gods—it was something else entirely. Something older.
A voice echoed through the chamber, low and resonant.
"Who dares disturb the slumber of the forsaken?"
The statues trembled, and a presence filled the room—something vast and unseen, watching them from the shadows.
Eldric stood his ground. "I am Eldric, of the Rebellion. I seek the power to stand against the gods."
Silence. Then, a rumbling sound—laughter, deep and knowing.
"Power to stand against the gods…? Foolish mortal. Power is not given. It is earned."
The black flame surged, expanding outward, wrapping around Eldric like living tendrils of shadow. The heat was searing, but it did not burn—it devoured.
"If you wish to wield the power of the Fallen, you must prove yourself worthy."
The chamber shifted. The statues came to life, their hollow eyes glowing with a crimson light. Weapons of stone and rusted metal gleamed in their hands.
Seraphine swore, drawing her dagger. "We should have known this wouldn't be easy."
Karis cracked her knuckles. "We fight, then."
Eldric clenched his fists, feeling the darkness swirl around him. His flames—his normal flames—felt different now. Like they were waiting for something.
This was it. The first true test.
If he survived this trial, he would emerge with the power to challenge the gods themselves.
And if he failed…
He would be forgotten, just like the gods that came before.