The last thing Gautam remembered was falling.
The ground had split beneath him—fire clashing against shadow, light collapsing into darkness. The sound of the woman's voice still echoed in his mind:
"Find the Sage of Light… before the shadows consume you…"
Then, silence.
When he opened his eyes, he was lying on cold black stone beneath a ceiling that seemed to breathe. A faint blue flame flickered on a nearby pedestal, casting wavering light across the chamber's vast, ancient walls.
The air was heavy here—alive with whispers, murmurs that weren't voices but memories, seeping through the cracks of time.
Gautam pushed himself up, groaning. His palms still glowed faintly with the traces of fire, though weaker now. The flames pulsed like a dying heartbeat.
He looked around.
The chamber was enormous, circular, its walls etched with glowing runes. Symbols of flame, wings, and something darker—chains spiraling inward.
And in the center, on a throne of obsidian, sat a figure cloaked in shadow.
Two red eyes gleamed from beneath the hood.
"So," the voice rumbled, deep as thunder, smooth as poison. "The heir of flame survives the fall."
Gautam froze. "Who… are you?"
The figure leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on one clawed hand. "You may call me what your ancestors once did." A pause. "The Shadow King."
The title alone sent a chill through Gautam's spine.
He stepped back, fists clenched, his heart pounding. "You're the one who attacked her—the woman in black!"
"Ah," the king said softly. "My lost servant. Once she swore her loyalty to me. Then she betrayed me for your bloodline." His voice hardened, like steel scraping stone. "You have her to thank for your curse."
"My curse?"
The king stood. Shadows rippled around him like waves. "The fire that burns within you is not a gift, child. It is a prison—a seal that binds me here."
Gautam stared, breath caught in his throat. "You mean… the flame inside me—"
"—is the last remnant of the power that once destroyed worlds," the King interrupted. "Your ancestors stole it from me. They sealed it in their bloodline to keep me imprisoned. But you…"
He smiled. "You opened the gate."
Gautam's stomach turned cold. "I didn't mean to."
"Oh, I know," the King purred. "That is what makes you interesting."
The chamber trembled faintly, as though reacting to his mood. He stepped closer, his eyes glowing like twin suns of ruin.
"Do you feel it?" he whispered. "The power beneath your skin—the hunger of fire that wants to burn everything? That is my gift, boy. And if you wish to live, you will learn to master it."
Gautam's fists tightened. "I'd rather die than serve you."
The Shadow King laughed, a sound that made the air shatter. "Brave. Foolish. Typical of your kind."
He raised a hand—and darkness surged forward like a tidal wave, slamming into Gautam.
Pain exploded in every nerve. His vision blurred, the world spinning. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.
"Tell me, heir of flame," the King said coldly. "Do you think courage alone can save you?"
Gautam forced himself to stand. His knees trembled, but his eyes didn't waver. "I don't need courage to face you. I just need fire."
He raised his palm.
Nothing.
The flames refused to appear.
The King's grin widened. "Your fire does not obey you yet. It obeys fear. And here, fear is mine."
He extended his clawed hand. Shadows twisted around Gautam, lifting him into the air, choking the breath from his lungs.
Gautam's vision dimmed. His heartbeat slowed. The darkness pressed in.
And then—he heard it.
A whisper. Not from the King, but from deep inside him.
A woman's voice.
"The flame is not outside you… it is you."
Gautam's eyes snapped open.
His pulse ignited.
A surge of light burst from his chest, burning away the shadow's grip. He fell hard onto the stone floor, gasping—but this time, the fire didn't wait for his command. It roared to life on its own, surrounding him in golden fury.
The Shadow King's smile faded.
"You awaken too soon," he hissed.
Gautam rose slowly, flames swirling around him. His fear was gone—replaced by resolve.
"You said my ancestors sealed you?" His voice trembled, but with anger, not fear. "Then maybe it's time someone sealed you again."
The King's laughter shook the chamber. "You think you can defeat me here, in my realm?"
"I don't have to defeat you," Gautam said, fire blazing brighter. "I just have to survive."
He thrust his hands forward, unleashing a torrent of flame. The chamber lit up like a sunburst, golden and red colliding with endless black.
The explosion threw both of them backward. The ground cracked. The runes on the walls shattered, releasing wild energy that screamed through the air.
When the light faded, Gautam was lying near the edge of the chamber, coughing blood, barely conscious. His vision swam.
The Shadow King stood across from him, his cloak smoldering, half his body wreathed in smoke. For the first time, he looked… surprised.
"You—hurt me," he whispered. "Impossible."
Gautam forced a grin, weak but defiant. "Guess your realm isn't invincible after all."
The King's fury erupted. The shadows around him darkened, forming massive wings that filled the hall.
"You will learn your place!" he roared, slamming a hand into the ground.
A shockwave of black energy shot toward Gautam—but before it hit, a burst of white light cut through the darkness, forming a barrier between them.
The impact shook the room. When the smoke cleared, another figure stood before Gautam—an old man in silver robes, his staff glowing with runes of light.
The King snarled. "You…"
The old man's voice was calm but thunderous. "Enough, Shadow King. The boy is not yours to break."
Gautam stared, barely conscious. "Who… are you?"
The old man turned, his eyes gentle. "Rest, child. You've found what you were meant to."
The last thing Gautam saw before collapsing was the staff's light growing brighter—
and the furious eyes of the Shadow King fading into the dark.
---
When he woke again, he was no longer in the chamber.
He lay on a soft bed of white moss beneath a glowing canopy of crystal trees. The air was warm, filled with faint whispers of music.
He sat up slowly. His wounds were gone. His palms, however, still burned faintly with ember veins.
"Ah, you're awake."
The old man sat nearby, stirring a pot over a small silver flame. His eyes were calm, wise, but sharp enough to see through mountains.
"You saved me," Gautam said quietly.
"I saved the flame," the man replied. "The boy was simply attached to it."
Gautam frowned. "Who are you really?"
The man smiled faintly. "You may call me what she told you to find."
Realization hit Gautam like a hammer. "You're… the Sage of Light."
The man nodded once. "And you, Gautam Ardent, are the one I've waited nineteen years to meet."
Gautam's heart pounded. "Waited? For me?"
The Sage's eyes glowed faintly. "Your arrival marks the breaking of the Veil. The Shadow King's power stirs again. But it also means hope—your fire—has returned to this world."
Gautam looked down at his hands, still faintly glowing. "Then teach me. Teach me how to control it before it consumes me."
The Sage's smile faded. "Control?" He shook his head. "You don't control fire, my boy. You become it."
Before Gautam could ask what he meant, the ground beneath them pulsed—once, twice—like a heartbeat.
The Sage rose slowly, looking toward the horizon. "He's found us."
Gautam stood, every muscle tensing. "The Shadow King?"
"No," the Sage said grimly. "Something worse. His hunters."
In the distance, red streaks tore through the sky, burning like falling comets. The forest of crystal trees shuddered as the light dimmed.
Gautam clenched his fists, flame flickering in his palms again.
The Sage looked at him. "Ready yourself, Gautam. The real test begins now."
The comets struck. The ground exploded.
And from the crater, shadowed figures rose—armor gleaming, blades dripping with dark fire.
Gautam stepped forward beside the Sage, heart pounding but steady.
For the first time, he wasn't running from the shadows.
He was facing them.