The trial had ended, but its echo still clung to their skin like cinders.
The four warriors stood at the summit, the Emberstone Temple smoldering behind them — not from fire, but from the weight of their resolve. The flames of the past, the burdens they had carried, had been transformed into something sharper: purpose.
Lunir walked ahead silently, the faint shimmer of moonlight catching on the silver edges of his armor. His face was calm, but his eyes darted between Nael and Rayyan. Zafir walked close behind, the soft thud of his staff grounding the group.
> Zafir (quietly):
"The trial was not just a test of flame. It burned the parts of us that couldn't come forward."
Rayyan didn't speak. He glanced at Nael. His younger brother looked… heavier. Stronger. The glow in Nael's left eye flickered like a controlled storm.
They descended through the narrow path of ash-coated trees, making their way back toward the town of Eldreth — the town that had welcomed them like strangers, now ready to greet them like returning flames.
---
Eldreth Town – Duskfall
The town gates opened without question. Villagers lined the streets, whispering behind shawls and shoulders. No one knew exactly what had happened in the mountains, but they felt the shift in the wind. Children peeked from behind doors; a few elders nodded with quiet reverence.
> Old Woman:
"The fire in the sky was not destruction... it was awakening."
> Nael (to Rayyan, murmuring):
"We did something up there. It's not just us who changed… the land knows it."
---
Inside the town square, the group was welcomed by the village council, with Elyas, the chief elder, stepping forward.
> Elyas:
"The flames speak… but not in destruction. You have survived the Emberstone Trial. That means you have earned the right to ascend through the ranks."
He raised a silver-edged seal, etched with ancient Jinn markings. The emblem glowed white briefly, responding to the embers still within Rayyan.
> Elyas (to Rayyan):
"Rayyan, bearer of the Inner Flame…
You are hereby ranked: Guardian."
The crowd stirred.
> Elyas (turning to the others):
"Nael, brother of flame — Initiate, awakened with potential.
Lunir, keeper of old winds — Elite, for your silent strength.
Zafir, anchor of the spirit — Elite, for your heart burns with more than fire."
Rayyan placed his hand on Nael's shoulder.
> Rayyan:
"We're rising… together."
---
Nightfall – A Stranger in the Alley
Later that evening, as they moved through the quiet markets of Eldreth, a strange laugh echoed down a stone alleyway.
A boy, wild-eyed and talking to himself, sat beside a fruit stall, drawing circles in ash.
> Boy:
"Stars scream when the white fire speaks... ha-ha… white suns and red lies, all tangled."
Nael stepped forward, frowning.
> Nael:
"Something's wrong with him..."
Rayyan narrowed his eyes. A strange light reflected in his irises — his reflection power gently activated.
The boy froze.
And in that moment, something shattered in the air — like broken glass in the mind. The boy gasped.
> Boy (calm now):
"I… where… what is this place? Who are you?"
> Rayyan:
"You're safe. What's your name?"
> Boy:
"I… I think it's Iriq. I remember darkness… and fire. But it wasn't mine. It wasn't mine..."
He looked at Rayyan with a strange awe.
> Iriq (quietly):
"Your flame doesn't burn. It… heals."
---
A New Goal – Relic of the Past
That same night, Lunir revealed an old parchment he had retrieved from the Emberstone ruins. It mentioned a Relic connected to the Ancient Flame, but more importantly…
> Lunir:
"There's a name mentioned. Someone once connected to your bloodline… Rayyan. Nael."
> Zafir:
"It might lead us to the truth. About your mother. Your father."
Rayyan clenched the parchment, eyes burning not with anger — but longing.
> Rayyan:
"Then that's our next path. We find the relic. We find the truth."