. More of Nero's inner struggle – His body is still weak, and his fire fights against him.
.A deeper journey scene – The road ahead isn't just quiet; it feels haunted by something unseen.
. A tense encounter with the traveler – He doesn't just give vague answers—he challenges Nero.
. A more detailed description of the ruins – The city isn't just abandoned; it holds signs of an ancient battle.
.A final warning – The traveler leaves behind a cryptic message that shakes Nero to his core.
---
The silence was unnatural.
Even after leaving their resting place, Nero couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them.
The further they traveled, the more the world felt that something is wrong.
The wind didn't move the trees. The birds refused to sing. Even their own footsteps felt too loud, as if they weren't supposed to be here.
It wasn't just eerie.
It was like the world itself was holding its breath.
It was like a eye was looking at them from different angles.
---
(The Fire That Wouldn't Rest)
Hours passed and passed, but Nero's body still ached.
He's feeling the pain all over this body.
Every movement sent a pulse of fire through his limbs. His muscles were tight, his breathing slow.
The white flames he had unleashed back in the battle had left a scar very deep inside him.
And worse, his flames were unstable and dangerous.
At random moments, embers would spark from his hands, flickering violently before vanishing. He had no control over them no more.
"This is getting worse."
Angel glanced at him. "You're quiet."
Nero hesitated before answering. "It's… my fire. Something is wrong with it."
Nagel scoffed. "Yeah, we noticed. You almost exploded back there."
Angel shot him a glare. "Nagel."
Nero sighed. "He's not wrong though."
He flexed his fingers, feeling the heat rise again. It felt like his flames were… struggling against him.
Like they were trying to break free.
And then he remembered.
"You are borrowing power that does not belong to you."
"It's not your power so you can't control it.
Nero clenched his fists.
"Then whose power is it?"
I must know.
---
(Something in the Distance)
As the sun dipped lower, the road stretched into a vast, abandoned a very big landscape.
At first, it looked like endless hills.
But as they got closer, the truth became clear and clear.
Ruins.
Crumbling towers, broken stone walls, shattered statues—the remains of a once-great city.
Angel slowed. "What is this place?"
Nagel shrugged. "Beats me. It's not on any map I've seen."
But Nero could feel it.
Something here was ancient. Strong and Powerful.
And waiting.
---
(The Stranger in the Ruins)
Then, they saw him.
A figure stood in the distance, wrapped in a dark cloak, his back turned to them.
Nero's fire flared violently.
Nagel tensed. "Uh… is anyone else getting a bad feeling about this?"
Angel's hand hovered near her sword. "He hasn't attacked us yet."
The moment they stepped onto the cracked stone of the ruined city, the stranger spoke.
"I was wondering when you'd arrive, Nero."
Nero's heart stopped.
Nagel's grip tightened on his axe. "Okay. No. I don't actually like that."
Angel took a cautious step forward. "Who are you?"
"Are you the masked warrior that attacked us.
The man slowly turned.
His face was mostly hidden beneath a hood, but his voice carried a weight, like someone who had spoken across centuries.
"A traveler," he said. "One who has walked this road long before you."
His gaze settled on Nero.
"And one who knows what you are really becoming."
---
(A Fire That Isn't His)
The flames inside Nero flared in warning.
Angel's grip tightened on her sword. "What do you mean?"
The traveler took a step closer. "The fire within him is no ordinary flame."
Nero exhaled sharply. "I already know that."
The traveler's voice darkened. "No. You don't know anything about your flames"
The wind stirred.
"The Sacred Flame you wield was never meant to belong to one person."
Nagel frowned. "And what does that mean?"
The traveler looked at Nero. "Your fire is not yours. It is a power that chooses its hosts. And when it is done with them..."
He let the sentence hang in the air.
The meaning was clear.
It moves on.
A cold shiver ran through Nero's spine.
"If I can't master it… it will leave me right?"
Or worse—consume him.
---
(The Ruins of a Forgotten Battle)
The traveler turned toward the ruins. "This city was once great. Now, it is nothing but echoes of a war long forgotten."
Nero followed his gaze.
For the first time, he noticed the marks on the stones.
Not just ruins.
Scorch marks.
Burned stone.
Cracked earth.
This city had not fallen to time.
It had burned.
Nagel narrowed his eyes. "What the hell really happened here?"
The traveler's voice was soft. "What always happens when men seek power they do not actually understand?"
---
(The Final Warning)
The traveler turned back to Nero.
"You are standing at a crossroads."
Angel took a step forward. "Where does this road lead?"
The man was silent for a moment.
Then he pointed toward the ruins.
"There."
Nero followed his gaze. "What's inside?"
The traveler's voice lowered.
"The truth."
Nero met his gaze. "Why should I trust you?"
The traveler smirked.
"You shouldn't."
And then—
He vanished.
---
(The Choice)
Nagel exhaled. "I hate it when people do that."
Angel ignored him, looking at Nero. "What do we do"Nero?"
But Nero had already made his choice.
He stepped forward.
Because whatever truth lay inside those ruins…
It was waiting for him.
"I must know the true story about this famesi
---
End of Chapter 13
. Nero's fire is still unstable, and the warning lingers in his mind.
.A mysterious traveler appears, knowing too much.
.A forgotten ruin may hold the answers.
.Nero makes a choice—he must find the truth.
Next up: Chapter 14: The Forgotten City—Nero steps into the ruins, but something else is waiting for him.