The desert changed as they journeyed north.
What began as endless dunes soon hardened into black stone plains, scarred by fissures that glowed faintly from beneath — the veins of the earth itself. The sky never turned blue here; it was a constant shade of copper, with the wind carrying whispers that sounded almost human.
Adi and Siegel traveled mostly at dusk, following the silver pull of the moon. The vial of moonwater guided them — glowing softly whenever they strayed from the right path.
"Erdriel said this land was cursed after the first kings tried to steal the fire," Siegel murmured as they passed a valley filled with stone faces, frozen mid-scream.
Adi looked at them with quiet awe. "And yet, this is where the Lumen Key lies."
"Maybe the gods hid it here," she said. "Someplace where only those desperate enough would ever come."
He gave a faint, tired smile. "Then we're exactly where we should be."
---
Three nights later, they reached the Gates of Valun — two colossal statues of armored guardians carved into the cliffs, their eyes made of ruby. The gates themselves were sealed shut, covered in strange symbols that shimmered when the moonlight touched them.
Adi stepped closer, tracing the carvings. "It's old — older than the kingdom. I can feel the power in it."
Siegel uncorked the moonwater and let a single drop fall onto the stone. The symbols flared bright white, then dissolved like mist. Slowly, the massive doors began to open, releasing a breath of cold air that smelled of dust and forgotten prayers.
They exchanged a glance.
"Ready?" she asked.
"No," Adi admitted. "But we go anyway."
---
Inside the temple was darkness — but not an ordinary one. It felt alive, as if the shadows themselves were watching. The walls were lined with murals depicting kings of old — men crowned with fire, their eyes hollow and filled with sorrow.
As they walked deeper, Siegel noticed the ground began to slope downward. "This place goes on forever," she whispered.
Adi nodded. "Maybe the key lies at its heart."
Then the whispers began.
At first, faint — like the sighing of wind. But soon, words took shape.
> "Turn back, blood of fire."
"The sins of the father burn the soul of the son."
Adi froze. "Did you hear that?"
Siegel gripped his arm. "Keep walking. Don't listen."
The corridor widened into a great hall. In the center stood an altar, and above it hovered a sphere of blue light — the Lumen Key. It shimmered like the heart of a star, suspended in the air by pure energy.
Adi took a step forward — but the shadows shifted.
From the far end of the hall rose a figure clad in ancient armor, its body formed of smoke and stone. Its eyes blazed with white fire.
> "Who seeks the light of Valun?" the guardian thundered.
Adi steadied his voice. "I am Adi, son of King Heidra. I seek the key to end the fire that consumes the world."
The guardian's gaze sharpened. "Son of Heidra. Then you are the heir of the curse."
"I am not my father."
"Every son bears the weight of his father's flame."
The ground trembled as the guardian drew its sword — a blade of molten glass. "Prove your words, or perish beneath them."
---
The hall erupted into chaos. The guardian swung its sword, sending waves of heat across the chamber. Adi barely rolled aside, his cloak catching fire at the edges.
Siegel uncorked the moonwater and threw a handful toward the flames. The water hissed and turned into silver mist, shielding them for a heartbeat.
"Adi!" she shouted. "The light — it weakens when you face it directly!"
He turned, noticing how the Lumen Key flickered each time he stood between it and the guardian.
"It draws strength from shadows," he realized. "Then I'll take away its darkness."
He drew his father's sword — the same blade that had once led armies. The steel glowed faintly, resisting the fire. As the guardian charged again, Adi struck the ground, scattering sparks that lit the ancient carvings on the floor.
The runes blazed to life, flooding the hall with golden light. The guardian faltered, its form flickering.
Siegel raised the vial high, letting the moonwater's light join the glow.
Together, they shone brighter than the fire.
The guardian roared, dropping to one knee. "The blood of Heidra… tempered by the light. You may yet redeem the flame."
It lowered its sword, planting it into the ground. The blade turned to stone, and the guardian's body began to crumble into dust.
> "Take the key, son of fire. May you burn only for the light."
And with that, it was gone.
---
Adi approached the altar, the air around it warm and pure. He reached out slowly, and the Lumen Key descended into his hands.
It was not heavy, but it pulsed like a heartbeat — bright, steady, alive.
Siegel stepped beside him, her eyes wide. "It's beautiful."
"It's hope," Adi said quietly. "And my father will never allow it to live."
As if to confirm his words, the earth shook. The light flickered, and from above came the rumble of collapsing stone.
"Go!" Siegel cried.
They sprinted back through the corridors, the walls cracking around them. Statues toppled, and ancient dust filled the air. When they finally burst through the gates, the temple behind them caved in — a mountain of rubble and light.
They stood gasping beneath the open sky, the Lumen Key glowing faintly in Adi's hand.
"Now what?" Siegel asked between breaths.
Adi looked north — toward the line of black peaks where his father's citadel waited.
"Now," he said, "we bring light to the fire."
---
Far away, in the Citadel of Ash, Heidra's eyes snapped open.
He felt the pulse of the Key — a single beat of light that reached even through stone and fire.
He rose slowly from his throne, fury burning in his veins. "He found it," he growled.
Morzeal entered, pale with fear. "The prince lives?"
Heidra's voice became a snarl. "He carries the one thing that can unmake me. Send Marley and Axtin. Do not return without him."
As Morzeal bowed and left, the flames around the Citadel flared higher, licking the walls like hungry beasts.
Heidra closed his eyes and whispered to the fire.
> "My son… if you walk toward the light, then I will teach you what it means to burn."