The village of Emberfall sat at the edge of the Pyreheart Mountains, a quiet place surrounded by towering peaks and thick forests. The people there lived simple lives, tending to their fields, hunting in the woods, and avoiding the mysteries of the mountains. But beneath the stillness, whispers lingered—stories of dragons long gone and the Bloodmarked, the rare few who carried their essence.
Kaelen tightened his grip on the axe handle as the chill of dawn bit at his skin. The woodpile before him was almost gone, and winter's first frost was creeping closer. He hated chopping wood, but he hated the silence more. It left too much room for the visions.
Every night, Kaelen dreamed of fire. Not the comforting warmth of a hearth, but roaring infernos, golden scales, and piercing eyes that burned into his soul. He never told anyone—not his sister Lyra, not even old man Thedrick, who had raised them both after their parents disappeared.
"Kaelen!" Lyra's voice broke through his thoughts.
He turned to see her running up the hill, her red hair flying behind her. She was out of breath, her face pale.
"It's happening again," she said, clutching her side. "The glow."
Kaelen froze. He didn't need her to explain. He looked down at his hands, half-expecting to see the faint golden shimmer that had haunted him for years.
"Where?" he asked, his voice low.
Lyra pointed to the barn. "The floorboards. Just like last time."
Without another word, Kaelen dropped the axe and followed her.
Inside the barn, the air was thick with dust and the smell of hay. Lyra led him to a corner where the sunlight filtered through the wooden slats. She knelt and pulled up a loose floorboard, revealing a faint golden glow.
Kaelen crouched beside her, his heart pounding. The glow came from a strange mark carved into the dirt beneath the floor—a swirling symbol that pulsed like a heartbeat.
"We have to cover it," Lyra said, her voice trembling. "If anyone sees—"
Before she could finish, the barn door creaked open.
"Kaelen?" a voice called out.
It was Ryn, one of the village boys, his curiosity sharp as a blade. Kaelen quickly pulled the floorboard back into place, but it was too late.
"What are you two doing in here?" Ryn asked, stepping closer.
"Nothing," Kaelen said quickly. "Just fixing the floor."
Ryn's eyes narrowed. "In the middle of the barn? Seems suspicious."
Kaelen's fists clenched, but Lyra stepped in, her voice calm. "It's not your business, Ryn. Go home."
Before Ryn could argue, a distant horn sounded, echoing across the valley.
"Raiders," Lyra whispered, her face going pale.
Kaelen's stomach dropped. The village rarely saw trouble, but when it did, it came fast and brutal.
"We need to warn Thedrick," Kaelen said, grabbing Lyra's arm.
But as they ran toward the house, Kaelen felt something shift inside him—a heat rising in his chest, like the visions had followed him into the daylight.
The horn's mournful sound echoed through Emberfall, spreading panic as villagers scrambled for shelter. Smoke began to rise from the western edge of the village, signaling the raiders' approach. Kaelen and Lyra reached Thedrick's small house, the old man already standing in the doorway, gripping his hunting bow.
"The Pyrecloaks," Thedrick growled. His gray eyes scanned the horizon as he tossed Kaelen a short sword. "We don't have time. Get to the forest. Both of you."
Kaelen shook his head. "We can fight."
"No!" Thedrick barked, his voice cutting through Kaelen's defiance. "You don't understand what they're after."
"What do you mean?" Lyra asked, her voice trembling.
Thedrick hesitated, his gaze flicking to Kaelen. "They're not here for gold or grain. They're hunting the Bloodmarked."
The weight of his words hit Kaelen like a blow. His pulse quickened, heat rising again in his chest. He opened his mouth to respond, but the sound of hoofbeats drowned out his thoughts.
"They're here," Thedrick said, gripping his bow tighter. "Run. Now."
Kaelen grabbed Lyra's hand, but she resisted. "What about you?"
"I'll hold them off," Thedrick said, not waiting for an argument. "Go!"
They sprinted toward the tree line, the chaos of the village behind them. Flames licked the rooftops, and the screams of their neighbors cut through the air. Kaelen glanced back to see Thedrick loosing arrows with deadly precision, but the raiders were too many.
"We can't just leave him!" Lyra cried, her tears mixing with the soot on her face.
"We have to," Kaelen said, though his voice cracked under the weight of his own guilt. "If they catch us, it's over."
As they reached the edge of the forest, a sharp whistle split the air. An arrow struck the tree beside them, and Kaelen turned to see a raider on horseback charging toward them. The man wore dark leather armor, a red cloak billowing behind him.
Kaelen pushed Lyra behind him and drew the short sword Thedrick had given him. His hands trembled as the rider closed the distance.
The raider sneered. "Hand over the girl and come quietly, boy. No one else has to die."
Kaelen didn't answer. His chest burned, the heat intensifying until it felt like it would tear him apart. The sword shook in his grip, but he stood his ground.
The raider leaped from his horse, drawing a wickedly curved blade. He lunged, and Kaelen barely parried the strike. The impact sent him stumbling, and the raider advanced, confident and cruel.
"Pathetic," the raider spat. "You're not even worth the effort."
As the raider swung again, Kaelen's vision blurred. The burning in his chest exploded outward, and suddenly the world was bathed in golden light.
When Kaelen opened his eyes, the raider was on the ground, unconscious, his sword melted into slag. The air around Kaelen shimmered with heat, and Lyra stared at him, wide-eyed.
"What… was that?" she whispered.
Kaelen looked down at his hands, which were now faintly glowing. He didn't have an answer, but deep down, he knew: the power he had hidden for years was no longer a secret.
"We need to keep moving," he said, his voice shaking. "The raiders won't stop."
But as they disappeared into the forest, Kaelen couldn't shake the feeling that something much bigger had just begun.