The chamber was unlike anything Kael had ever seen. Its walls glimmered with a faint, crimson light that seemed to pulse in time with the beat of his heart. Strange carvings adorned the surfaces, depicting figures kneeling before an orb that radiated power.
"What is this place?" Kael asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Marlen dusted off his cloak and smirked. "A sanctuary. One of the few left in the Emberwood. It's been hidden for centuries, built by those who once served the Heart."
Varyn ran his fingers along one of the carvings, frowning. "What do these mean? They're... worshiping the fragments?"
Marlen shrugged. "Not exactly. The people who built this weren't worshipers—they were protectors. They understood the Heart's power and knew that if it fell into the wrong hands, it could destroy everything. These sanctuaries were designed to shield the fragments and those who sought to guard them."
Kael felt the Heart within his chest respond, its rhythm quickening. "Is there a fragment here?"
Marlen shook his head. "No. But there is something just as important: knowledge."
He moved to the center of the chamber, where a pedestal stood. On it rested a stone tablet covered in ancient script. Marlen ran his fingers over the markings, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
"This tablet contains the location of another fragment," he said. "If we can decipher it, we'll have our next destination."
Kael stepped closer, studying the carvings. The language was unfamiliar, but something about it felt... right.
"I can read it," he said suddenly, the words slipping from his mouth before he could think.
Marlen and Varyn turned to him, surprise etched on their faces.
"You can?" Varyn asked.
Kael nodded, his eyes fixed on the tablet. "It's like the Heart is guiding me. The words aren't clear, but I can feel their meaning."
Marlen stepped back, motioning for Kael to take his place. "Then by all means, let's see what it says."
---
Kael placed his hands on the tablet, his mind flooding with images and sensations. The carvings seemed to glow faintly as he spoke, the ancient words translating themselves into his mind.
"'Beyond the forest's crimson veil lies the Shard of Dominion,'" Kael recited. "'In the depths of the Ashen Peaks, it rests, guarded by the flames of eternity.'"
Varyn raised an eyebrow. "Ashen Peaks? That's half a continent away."
Marlen grinned. "Good. The farther the fragment, the less likely the Hunters have reached it yet. If we leave now, we might get there before they do."
Kael pulled back from the tablet, his head spinning. "It won't be easy. The Peaks are treacherous, and if the Emberborn were guarding this sanctuary, who knows what's protecting the Shard?"
Marlen clapped him on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. Let's get moving."
---
They left the sanctuary as the first light of dawn filtered through the Emberwood's canopy. The forest seemed calmer now, as if the Heart's influence had temporarily subdued its rage.
But Kael couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.