THE TRIAL OF FLAME
Dearest reader, by the fourth day of Pyrosanct, Solmire no longer merely celebrated, it blazed.
The Amphitheater of Cinders throbbed like the heart of a living sun. Flames leapt from the carved mouths of dragon statues; music rolled like thunder across the marble terraces. Even the sky seemed to quiver with anticipation, its edges hazed in gold.
This was the Trial of Flame, the most beloved and feared portion of the festival, where mortals dared to dance with fire itself.
Across the Sanctum Quarter, every forge roared, every tavern spilled its patrons into the streets. The cobblestones shimmered with ember-dust, and laughter rang out like sparks.
The morning opened with the Ember Run, brave souls racing barefoot through a spiraled corridor lined with fire vents, their silhouettes vanishing into smoke. The crowd roared blessings for each runner, praying Pyronox would grant them both courage and unburned skin.
