Aelric sat beneath the torchlight, journal in hand.
The final page held more than just ink. There was a symbol beneath the script—faint, hidden in the crease of the leather: a triangle within a sunburst, surrounded by six stars.
Lyria leaned closer. "That's not just a sigil. It's a map."
Aelric nodded. "The stars mark coordinates. Look."
He traced a line with his finger across the journal's inner cover. A faint shimmer pulsed—mana-ink.
Kaelen Vaelion had left a path.
> [System Detection: Mana-Imprinted Glyph]
Map Fragment Unlocked: The Silent Glen – Western Borderlands
The journey took three days.
Through mountain trails, ancient paths, and narrow forest passes known only to the oldest rebel lines.
They reached the Silent Glen at dusk. It lived up to its name—no birds, no wind. Just stillness. At its center lay ruins half-swallowed by ivy and stone.
An old banner fluttered in the breeze: a black sun over crossed swords.
Lyria dismounted. "This was once the Flamebound Outpost."
Caelum whistled. "Didn't think it was real."
"It was," Aelric said, eyes narrowing. "And we're here to prove it."
They entered the ruin carefully.
Dust choked the corridors. Bones lay untouched in rusted armor. Old traps had long decayed—but new ones, laid by someone more recent, lined the entrance.
"Booby traps," Caelum muttered. "Somebody doesn't want visitors."
Aelric disarmed a rune trap near the central vault door. "Too late."
> [System Recognition: Vaelion Bloodline Key Activated]
Trial Initiated – The Test of Flame
Warning: Failure will result in injury or death
The vault room transformed.
The torches ignited on their own—blue flames crackling to life. The ground beneath them shimmered. A circle of runes surrounded Aelric, separating him from his allies.
And then—
A figure stepped from the flame.
Not a man.
Not quite a ghost.
A construct of memory and mana.
Kaelen Vaelion.
"Son," the echo spoke. "You've come far. But blood alone is not enough to carry the flame."
"You must earn it."
Aelric stepped forward, blade ready. "Then show me."
The echo nodded—and drew its own blade.
A perfect replica of the Oathsworn Blade.
What followed was not just a duel.
It was a test of will.
The echo knew Aelric's style—his openings, his weaknesses. Every strike was a lesson. Every parry, a memory.
Aelric gritted his teeth. "You're not real!"
The echo only smiled.
"No. But neither are excuses."
Aelric roared—and struck.
Minutes passed like hours.
And then—his blade struck true.
The echo staggered.
The room fell silent.
> [System Alert – Trial Complete]
Reward Unlocked: Ember Sigil of the Flamebound
Legacy Quest Progress: 3/7 Clues Found
New Skill Unlocked: Ashen Surge – Temporary boost to mana regeneration during battle
The echo faded, but not before whispering:
"Your strength will draw enemies. But also allies. Look for the Keeper beneath the Obsidian Spire. She remembers."
The flames died down.
Aelric stood in the quiet.
Stronger.
Wiser.
More alone than ever.
That night, by the campfire outside the ruins, Lyria handed him a sealed letter. "We found this in the outpost vault. It's addressed… to you."
Aelric opened it.
Inside, his father's handwriting:
> "If you hold this, then the world still burns. Good. Let it. But let it burn your way."
> "Trust the fire, Aelric. It remembers who we are."