The wind whipped across the barren plains, carrying with it the scent of something ancient, something waiting. Ashen Wu's footsteps echoed in the emptiness as he traveled onward, the weight of his choices pressing heavily on his shoulders. The Ashen Gauntlet on his hand pulsed with energy, the gray fire within growing restless.
Liora's words still echoed in his mind, twisting like a whispering flame: "The path you walk is one of great peril, and it is not without its choices."
What was he becoming? He had already tasted the power of the Codex, but the temptation to transcend, to become something more than human, gnawed at him. Yet, every time he entertained the thought, a voice in his mind warned him of the price.
"The price…"
He clenched his fist, gray fire flickering around his fingers. No. He could not let it consume him. Not yet.
As he trudged forward, the world seemed to close in around him. The sky above was a dull gray, the sun hidden behind thick clouds that seemed to simmer with tension. Something was coming. Something powerful.
And then, he saw it—in the distance, rising above the horizon, a silhouette of darkness.
At first, it appeared as nothing more than a shadow. But as he drew closer, the shape took form—a tower, stretching impossibly high into the sky, its surface covered in strange, glowing runes. The tower was a monument of dark, twisted stone, its presence like a wound in the fabric of the world.
Ashen felt an unnatural pull toward it, as if the Ashen Codex was guiding him. Summoning him.
The Tower of Eternal Fire
Ashen approached the tower cautiously, his heart pounding. This was no ordinary structure—it was a place of immense power, a place where the Codex's influence was most concentrated. He could feel the pull in his bones, a beckoning from the flames within the tower.
As he stepped inside, the air became thick with heat, as if the very walls of the tower were burning with gray fire. The ground beneath his feet seemed to shimmer, the heat distorting everything around him.
The interior of the tower was vast, stretching up in a series of spiraling levels, each one more oppressive than the last. Strange symbols glowed on the walls, flickering like embers. Ashen's instincts screamed at him to be careful, but the desire to know—to understand what lay within—pushed him forward.
At the heart of the tower stood an altar, blackened and scorched with the residue of ancient flames. The air around it was thick with the weight of history, as though time itself had been twisted here, a place where the past and present collided.
Ashen stepped closer, the Ashen Gauntlet burning against his skin. He could feel the power within the Codex thrumming like a heartbeat. The flames inside him stirred, eager to consume whatever lay ahead.
A voice, low and heavy, echoed through the tower.
"So, you've come."
Ashen's eyes snapped toward the source of the voice. From the shadows emerged a figure, draped in tattered robes, their face obscured by a hood. The figure's presence was overwhelming, like a force of nature—familiar, yet ancient.
"I have been waiting," the figure said, their voice both calm and commanding. "You are the one who bears the Ashen Codex, are you not?"
Ashen stepped forward, his gaze hardening. "Who are you?"
The figure slowly raised their head, revealing a face that was withered, their features sharp and twisted, like the remains of something that had once been human. The eyes that stared back at him were not the eyes of a mortal—they were the eyes of something far older. Far more dangerous.
"I am known as The Keeper of Ash," the figure said, the title carrying with it an air of finality. "I have watched over the Codex for eons, waiting for one worthy enough to wield it. And you, child, have shown great potential. But you do not yet understand what you are truly dealing with."
Ashen narrowed his eyes. "I've seen what the Codex can do. And I've felt its hunger."
The Keeper tilted their head slightly, as though considering Ashen's words. "Yes, you have felt its hunger, and you have fed it. But the question remains: will you control the flames, or will they consume you as they have done to countless others?"
Ashen clenched his fist, the gauntlet's runes flaring with light. "I will control them."
The Keeper's laughter echoed through the tower, a sound that felt as though it came from the very depths of the earth. "Many have said those words, child. But few have survived long enough to prove them true."
With a wave of the Keeper's hand, the air around Ashen seemed to shift. Suddenly, the temperature in the room soared, the very walls of the tower seeming to warp under the heat. Gray fire erupted from the floor, swirling around Ashen like a vortex, threatening to devour him whole.
The Trial of the Ashen Gauntlet had begun.
The Trial of Flames
Ashen felt the flames closing in on him, their heat unbearable. But he didn't flinch. The Codex within him stirred, urging him to fight. He summoned the flames inside, but this time, he did not simply unleash them. This time, he tried to contain them.
The Ashen Gauntlet burned brightly, the flames fighting against his control, threatening to overwhelm him. His body trembled, but he gritted his teeth, pushing back against the hunger that gnawed at his soul.
"You cannot win this battle," the Keeper's voice rumbled, sounding like an ancient storm. "The fire will devour you. It always does."
But Ashen refused to let it consume him. He focused on the center of the fire, drawing the flames inward, channeling them, molding them to his will. The flames roared in defiance, but slowly, they began to settle, calming under his control.
The air around him shimmered as the flames died down, the gray fire now flowing around him like an obedient servant.
Ashen opened his eyes to see the Keeper staring at him, a strange look on their face—a mix of awe and fear.
"You… you are different," the Keeper whispered. "Perhaps you truly are the one. But remember, child, you have only begun to understand the power you hold. The Codex will take everything from you, one way or another."
Ashen took a deep breath, the weight of the Keeper's words pressing on him. He had passed the trial—but at what cost? What would the next trial demand?
The path ahead was unclear, but Ashen knew one thing for certain—he would not be consumed. Not by the fire, and not by the Codex.
The Storm Rages On
The Keeper stepped back, their form fading into the shadows. "The path is yours to walk, but beware, Ashen Wu. You are not the only one who seeks the power of the Codex. And soon, you will face those who would see you burn."
Ashen stood alone in the tower, his Ashen Gauntlet still glowing brightly. Ahead of him lay the unknown, but the fire inside him burned with determination.
No matter the cost. No matter the enemies.
He would master the Codex—or die trying.