The wind above the vault was restless, swirling with the scent of fire and old secrets. Elira stepped out into the fading light, her gauntlet still glowing faintly from the power she had absorbed.
Kael was already waiting at the edge of the ruins, arms crossed, dark coat flapping with each gust. His eyes narrowed when he saw her.
"You were gone too long," he said. "We thought…"
"You thought I couldn't handle it?" Elira interrupted, her tone sharper than before. "That's cute."
Kael didn't flinch. "I thought the past might break you."
She walked past him, gaze focused on the horizon. "It didn't. It made me remember who I am."
Dante emerged behind her, brushing dust from his sleeves. "She unlocked a vault buried beneath her family's bloodline. The kind that gives people like her a reason to burn cities."
Kael looked between them, then at the faint trail of smoke behind her. "What did you find?"
Elira held up her hand. The gauntlet pulsed, now fused with glowing Ember runes and lined with gold-like veins.
"My inheritance. The first piece."
Kael's expression shifted — a mix of awe and caution.
Before anyone could speak again, the ground trembled. Birds scattered from the trees. A low rumble echoed in the distance.
"They're coming," Elira said calmly. "The Council knows I've awakened something."
Dante unsheathed his blade. "Then let's not keep them waiting."
"No," Elira said. "Not here."
She turned to them both, eyes blazing. "We're heading to Emberreach. My parents left more than just memories… They left a path. I'm going to finish it."