The chamber fell silent as the Herald stepped forward, its form shifting between light and shadow. Rynze tightened his grip on the Nameless Flame, its heat searing through his gloves.
"You are the vessel," the Herald repeated, its voice resonating like a chorus. "But are you the master?"
Seris moved to Rynze's side, her weapon raised. "We don't have time for riddles," she said, her voice steady despite the tension in her stance.
The Herald tilted its head, as if amused. "Time is an illusion here," it said. "But choice is not."
In the Ordo chamber, Srakar Ilmen's golden eyes narrowed as he watched the scene unfold through the scrying pool. The Herald's presence was more commanding than he had anticipated.
"The gate has chosen its emissary," he murmured, his fingers tracing the glowing runes on the ancient tome. "But will they accept the burden?"
He turned to the acolytes gathered around him. "Prepare the binding ritual," he ordered. "If the vessel falters, we must act."
Back in the chamber, the ground trembled as the fissures widened, spewing molten light. The shadowed figures remained kneeling, their forms flickering like dying flames.
"Rynze," Seris said, her voice low. "Whatever this thing is, it's not here to help us."
Rynze nodded, his storm-grey eyes locked on the Herald. "I know," he said. "But it's not here to destroy us either."
The Herald extended a hand, its fingers elongating into tendrils of light. "The Nameless Flame is not a weapon," it said. "It is a key. Will you use it to unlock the truth, or will you let it consume you?"
Rynze hesitated, the weight of the flame pressing down on him. He could feel its power, its hunger, its promise.
"Rynze!" Seris's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Don't listen to it!"
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I'm not afraid of the truth," he said, stepping forward. "But I won't let it control me."
The Herald's form shimmered, its light intensifying. "Then prove it," it said. "Show me that you are worthy of the flame."
The chamber erupted in light and shadow as the Herald unleashed its power. Rynze raised the Nameless Flame, its light clashing with the Herald's. Seris fought to keep the shadowed figures at bay, her movements a blur of precision and strength.
In the midst of the chaos, Rynze felt a strange calm wash over him. The flame in his hand seemed to pulse in harmony with his heartbeat, its light steady and unwavering.
"I am the master," he said, his voice firm. "And I will not be consumed."
The Herald paused, its form flickering. "Then the gate is yours to command," it said, its voice tinged with something akin to respect.
As the light dimmed, the chamber fell silent once more. The shadowed figures vanished, leaving only Rynze, Seris, and the Herald.
"This is only the beginning," the Herald said, its form dissolving into the air. "The flame will test you, vessel. Be ready."
Rynze lowered the Nameless Flame, his grip steady. "I will be," he said, his storm-grey eyes filled with determination.
Seris stepped beside him, her frozen-sky eyes meeting his. "We will be," she said.
Together, they turned to face the gate, its fiery glow illuminating the path ahead.