The Rust Sparrow groaned under the storm's fury, its patched hull shuddering as Guild airships loomed in the sky, silent and watchful. Kael gripped the rail, the obsidian shard in his pocket heavy, pulsing in sync with the Chaos Embera in his chest. The black fire spiral had vanished from the sky, but its shadow lingered in his mind—a warning etched deep.
Lyra approached, her tattoos glowing faintly under her sleeves. "You've been staring into the storm for hours, Kael. What's wrong?"
Kael's knuckles whitened on the rail. "Ashera gave me this." He pulled out the shard, its jagged surface catching the storm's light. "She said it's tied to Chaos. To him."
"Veylan," Lyra whispered, avoiding the shard's glint. "The Guild's scared of him. And now they're scared of you."
Kael's jaw tightened. "She didn't pull me onto that skyskiff to kill me. She showed me a battlefield—ten Catalysts fighting, and Veylan watching from the flames."
Lyra frowned. "Like the temple vision?"
"Worse," Kael said. "It felt real. Like I was standing there."
A shout cut through the wind. Talli stumbled toward them, her face pale, her Echo Embera flickering wildly. "The whispers are back," she gasped. "They're louder now, screaming, 'The key is blood. The lock is bone.' Over and over."
Cragg stomped up, his stone gauntlets scraping the deck. "Enough of this ghost nonsense. Those airships aren't just sitting there. We need a plan."
Jinro, perched on a crate, signed swiftly: They're waiting. Testing him.
Kael met Jinro's steady gaze. "Testing me for what?"
Jinro's hands moved again: To see if you'll break.
Into the Depths
The temple's broken archway loomed behind them, its faint glow pulsing in time with Kael's Chaos Embera. He hadn't told the crew about the temple mirror—the scarred version of himself burning cities. He wasn't sure he could say it out loud.
"We need to find the lock," Kael said, turning to Talli. "You said it's below. Can you lead us?"
Talli nodded, though her hands trembled. "The whispers are strongest near the altar. There's a hidden path. I can feel it."
Lyra stepped forward, vines curling around her fingers. "I'll go first. My plants can sense the island's secrets. They'll find the way."
Cragg cracked his knuckles, the sound like splitting stone. "I'm with you. Anything moves down there, I'll smash it."
Jinro signed: I'll stay with the ship. The Guild won't wait forever.
Kael nodded. "Keep the Sparrow ready. If we're not back by dawn, you fly."
Jinro's eyes narrowed, but he didn't argue.
The four descended into the temple, the air growing colder with each step. The walls shimmered with faint Catalyst markings, casting eerie shadows. Talli led, her Echo Embera humming as she followed the whispers. Lyra's vines slithered ahead, probing the stone for traps or hidden paths.
The altar room was massive, its ceiling swallowed by darkness. A slab of obsidian stood at its center, carved with the same spiral as Kael's sigil. The whispers surged, a chorus that made Talli flinch.
"Here," she said, pointing to the floor. "It's underneath."
Cragg knelt, brushing dust away with his stone hands. A trapdoor appeared, sealed with a sigil matching Kael's Chaos Embera.
"It needs me," Kael said, his voice calm despite the knot in his stomach. He pressed his hand to the sigil. It glowed crimson, and the trapdoor creaked open, revealing a spiral staircase plunging into shadow.
Lyra grabbed his arm. "We don't know what's down there, Kael."
He met her gaze. "I know. But we're out of choices."
The Lock Below
The staircase led to a chamber of black stone, its walls carved with scenes of war and flame. A pedestal stood at the center, holding a skeletal hand clutching a crystal vial. Dark liquid swirled inside, alive with motion.
Talli's breath hitched. "Blood. The key is blood."
Kael stepped closer, the shard in his pocket pulsing faster, matching the rhythm of his Chaos Embera. The vial's liquid seemed to stir in response. He reached for it—
—and the world shifted.
He stood in a burning city, ash falling like snow. Veylan faced him, wreathed in black fire, his scarred face a twisted mirror of Kael's own. His eyes were cold, sharp, like blades.
"You're late," Veylan said, his voice cutting. "The lock is open. The world's ready."
Kael's throat tightened. "What do you want from me?"
Veylan's smile was sharp and cruel. "Finish what I started. Or destroy it."
The vision broke. Kael staggered, the vial now in his hand. Lyra caught him, her vines steadying his wrist.
"What did you see?" she asked, her voice sharp with worry.
"Him," Kael rasped. "Veylan. He's not just watching. He's waiting for me."
Cragg growled, hefting a stone club. "Let him come. I'll crush him."
Talli stared at the vial, eyes wide. "Kael, the whispers stopped. But... something's awake now. I can feel it."
The chamber shook, dust falling from the ceiling. A low hum rose, like the island itself was breathing.
The Guild Moves
On the Rust Sparrow, Jinro stood at the helm, his wind currents keeping the ship steady. The Guild airships hadn't moved, but their runes glowed brighter, a clear sign of action.
A lone skyskiff broke from the fleet, descending toward the island. Its hull bore Ashera's crest—a silver feather in a ring of ice.
Jinro signed to himself: She's here.
In the chamber, Kael gripped the vial, its warmth unsettling. The hum grew louder, and his Chaos Embera burned hotter, crimson light spilling from his chest. The carved flames on the walls seemed to flicker, alive.
Lyra's vines tensed. "We need to go, Kael. Now."
Cragg nodded, his gauntlets glowing faintly. "Back to the ship?"
Kael's eyes flicked to the walls. "No. We face her here."
Talli's voice wavered. "Ashera?"
Kael tightened his grip on the vial. "Her. And whatever else is coming."
Above, the skyskiff landed, its ramp hissing as it opened. Ashera Vale stepped onto the island, her silver feathers glinting in the storm's light. Guild soldiers spread out behind her, their frost-charged weapons humming.
Kael stepped forward, the vial and shard pulsing as one. His Chaos Embera flared, bathing the chamber in red light.
"Let's find out what she wants," he said, his voice steady despite the racing of his heart.
In the storm's shadow, unseen, Veylan's eyes gleamed. The spark had taken the key. The lock was turning.