Chapter 1: The Prophecy
The city of Lotardale shimmered under the fading sunlight, its streets pulsing with activity. Merchants bartered, children ran through narrow alleys, and lanterns flickered to life as the day neared its end. But beneath the ordinary rhythm of city life, a quiet tension hung in the air, unnoticed by most.
Inside the towering Cathedral of the Church of Elements, the atmosphere was thick with urgency. In a dimly lit chamber, six elders sat around a heavy wooden table, the surface littered with scrolls and ancient tomes. Shadows from countless candles danced along the stone walls, illuminating the heavy furrowed brows of men deep in thought.
A stern-faced elder with a thick gray beard cleared his throat.
"The prophecy speaks of four children. Yet we have only found three, one here, two in Azurdale."
A murmur spread across the room. A woman, her thin fingers tapping against the table, leaned forward.
"And the last one?" she asked, her voice cool. "The one we are still missing?"
Silence. No one wanted to say it outright.
An elder, a man with deep-set eyes and a hollow voice, exhaled sharply.
"You all know what that means."
Another elder shifted uncomfortably.
"It is not confirmed yet," he muttered, as if hoping fate itself would change.
The gray-bearded man's expression darkened. "Confirmed or not, we must be prepared. If the Fourth Child is found… we must act accordingly."
No one spoke.
Then, the highest-ranking elder, his voice measured and devoid of emotion, broke the tension.
"My people are overseeing the Orb Examinations. If the final heir reveals themselves… we will know soon enough."
The others nodded.
But in the dim candlelight, their expressions were heavy.
None of them said the word.
But they all knew.
The Fire Heir.
The streets of Arindale stretched ahead in winding, uneven paths, bathed in the amber glow of street lanterns. The city was far quieter than Lotardale, lacking its towering spires and noble estates, yet its people carried the same restless energy. They worked, they toiled, they survived.
Among them, Alex walked alone.
He kept his head down, kicking a stray pebble along the path as he made his way home, the weight of the Orb Examination still clinging to him like an unseen chain.
Every child had taken turns placing their hand upon the blackened sphere, waiting for something, anything to happen.
Nothing ever did.
But for him, there had been something.
The orb had remained dark, no flash of light, no glow. But the moment his fingers brushed against its surface, an unmistakable warmth had surged up his arm, spreading through his palm like embers in dry wood.
He had pulled away immediately, but no one else seemed to react.
He glanced at the other children; none of them noticed, none of them whispered.
"It was nothing. It had to be nothing."
He had forced himself to believe it.
But even now, hours later, his fingers still tingled.
Upon arriving home, Alex discovered his parents had yet to return from work. As they served the Great Minister of Arindale directly, their duties often kept them occupied, leaving Alex to fend for himself.
He ventured into the kitchen, preparing his solitary dinner. In his hands, he clutched his cherished grimoire, containing his favorite spell: Sparks. Even at such a young age, Alex had mastered its execution, much to the astonishment of his parents.
With confidence, he opened the grimoire and directed his gaze toward the fireplace, where dry wood had been stacked. Focusing his energy, he extended his hand and, with a flourish, cast the spell. A cascade of golden sparks erupted, dancing through the air before igniting the wood. The warmth and gentle crackle of the fire filled the silent home as Alex continued his nightly routine.
Later that evening, while sitting alone in his room, engrossed in his homework, Alex found himself lost in thought.
His short, tousled black hair fell slightly over his eyes as he stared at the pages before him, his deep brown gaze unfocused. He had always felt an innate sense of difference, something that had set him apart from his peers since childhood.
He had tried to ignore it, had told himself that everyone felt out of place sometimes. But deep down, he knew it wasn't just that.
There was something in him that others didn't have.
And maybe they sensed it, too.
Because no matter how much he tried, he had never truly belonged.
The absence of close friendships weighed on him, but he had grown used to it. It was easier this way.
Then came the knock.
A sudden, firm rap at the door made Alex's heart pound.
He sat upright, pulse quickening.
His parents? No, it was too early for them to be home.
Frowning, he rose from his bed and walked toward the door. The moment he opened it, his breath caught in his throat.
Standing before him was a woman he had seen before.
She had been at the Orb Examination earlier that day. Watching. Studying.
Now, she was at his doorstep.
Tall and strikingly composed, she wore a long, flowing black cloak over a simple yet elegant white tunic. Her golden hair cascaded in waves down her back, framing a face that was both sharp and regal.
But what struck Alex the most was her eyes.
A deep, piercing green, filled with something beyond mere curiosity. Determination. Strength.
She was young, perhaps in her mid-twenties, but carried herself with the poise of someone far older. Everything about her, from her presence to the way she stood, exuded an undeniable air of power and authority.
It made Alex instinctively tense.
"Hello, Alex," she greeted, her voice calm yet firm. "My name is Olana. I work for the Church."
The moment the word "Church" left her lips, his stomach tightened.
He tried to keep his expression neutral, though every nerve in his body told him to shut the door.
Olana didn't react to his hesitation. She simply continued, as if his response had already been calculated.
"I've been sent to find you."
Alex forced himself to stay still.
"Why?" he asked carefully.
"Today, during the Orb Examination, something happened," Olana said, her gaze never leaving his. "The orb reacted only when you touched it. That means you are one of the children mentioned in the prophecy."
Alex's heart raced.
He searched her face for answers, waiting for some hint that she might be lying, but there was nothing, just calm certainty.
Feeling trapped, Alex decided to play along.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, keeping his voice steady. "I'm just a normal boy."
Olana arched an eyebrow.
"Are you sure about that?" she asked, gesturing toward his grimoire, still resting on the bookshelf.
Alex's stomach sank.
This woman wasn't going to leave.
He knew he couldn't trust her, but he didn't know what to do. His mind raced for a way out—a way to turn this conversation in his favor.
Instead, his voice came out smaller than he wanted.
"Please," he said, his fingers curling at his sides. "What do you want?"
The moment she mentioned the Church, a shiver ran down his spine.
He had heard stories, whispers of their ruthless pursuit of power.
The Church of Elements spoke of unity, of balance, but Alex had heard other things. Darker things.
Things that made him want nothing to do with them.
Olana's expression softened slightly, but not with kindness—more like patience.
"I understand your fears, Alex, but I'm not here to harm you," she assured him. "I'm here to help you."
Alex narrowed his eyes.
"How do I know I can trust you?"
Olana sighed.
"Trust isn't easily given, especially to strangers. But please, hear me out."
She took a step closer, lowering her voice slightly.
"You have a gift, Alex. A rare and powerful gift. And we can help you learn to control it."
The words sent a chill through him.
"Why me?" he asked, swallowing hard. "And what gift?"
Olana leaned in, her green eyes intense, unwavering.
"Because, Alex, you are one of the Four. The ones spoken of in the prophecy."
"You," she continued after a brief pause, "are the Fire Elemental Heir."
The world seemed to tilt beneath his feet.
Alex's chest tightened, his breath catching.
The Fire Elemental Heir.
The prophecy.
He had heard whispers of it before, but he had never believed it mattered.
And yet here she was.
"What does that mean?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Olana straightened, her expression unreadable.
"It means that you have a destiny, Alex."
Her tone was quiet, but the weight behind it was suffocating.
"A destiny that could change the course of history."
She held his gaze, her presence unyielding.
"But you can't do it alone."
"You need the others."
Alex felt a surge of conflicting emotions, fear, uncertainty… and something else.
A flicker of something he didn't want to name.
Excitement.
He had never imagined that he could be part of something so important.
But even now, he didn't trust Olana.
And he certainly didn't trust the Church.