Aeris had barely processed the twisting sensation when the world around her shifted once more. The dense trees, the looming creatures, and the oppressive silence of the forest dissolved in an instant, replaced by a vast expanse of stone and ancient pillars.
They were in a place unlike any Aeris had ever seen—an underground temple, half-buried in the earth, its stone walls etched with long-forgotten runes. The air was thick with the scent of old magic, a power that hummed beneath her skin. Light flickered around the chamber, casting strange shadows across the ornate carvings and the worn statues of forgotten gods.
Aeris staggered, disoriented, her legs threatening to buckle under her. The girl in her arms whimpered slightly but remained silent, her wide, haunted eyes never leaving the glow that surrounded them.
Kael's grip on her wrist tightened, steadying her, though he didn't seem to be out of breath or affected by the journey they'd just made. His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable as he surveyed the space around them.
"We're safe," Kael said, his voice a quiet promise. "For now."
Aeris shook her head, trying to clear the fog of disorientation. "Safe? Where are we? What was that back there? And why is my chest burning like—"
"Because you're starting to awaken," Kael interrupted, his gaze narrowing on the pulsating mark on her back. "That flame you feel? It's the power inside you. It's the reason they're after you."
Aeris' breath caught in her throat. "I didn't ask for this."
Kael didn't look at her, his gaze now focused on the far wall of the chamber. There was something in his eyes—something distant and sorrowful, but determined. "No one ever does. But it's not a choice. The prophecy has already begun. And with it, the power that can either save or destroy the world."
Aeris felt the weight of his words settle over her like a suffocating cloud. The prophecy. The mark. The Flame. It was all too much to absorb in one breath.
"What prophecy? What Flame?" she demanded, taking a step back, still clutching the girl to her chest. "And why do you keep calling me the 'chosen one'?"
Kael's face softened, just a fraction, but the moment passed as quickly as it came. "The Flame is an ancient force that has existed long before this world was ever born. It is tied to the gods, to the elements, to the very fabric of the universe. It is both creation and destruction, light and dark. And it was foretold that one day, the Flame would be reborn in the form of a mortal—someone with the power to either save or destroy all life as we know it."
Aeris' chest tightened, her fingers twitching with the urge to strike him down. "That doesn't sound like something I want to be a part of."
"It's not about what you want," Kael said, his voice low but firm. "The Flame is a part of you now, whether you accept it or not. And there's no running from it. You need to learn how to control it before it consumes you, before it consumes everything."
Aeris didn't speak for a moment, the weight of his words settling like a stone in her stomach. She wanted to scream at him, tell him she didn't care about prophecies or the world's fate. She didn't care about the Flame. She just wanted to survive.
But in the end, she knew—she had no choice.
Kael was right.
And worse—she could feel it. The Flame wasn't just a symbol of some prophecy. It was alive within her, pulsing with an ancient power she couldn't ignore.
The girl in her arms shifted, interrupting her thoughts. Her small voice was hoarse, but there was a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes.
"Are you the one with the mark?" the girl whispered, her words heavy with something older than her years. "The one who can make the fire burn brighter?"
Aeris stiffened, her grip on the child tightening. "I don't know what you mean."
The girl looked at Kael. "The Flame needs to be awakened. It's the only way to fight them."
Aeris glanced between them, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "Them? Who?"
Kael's expression hardened. "The Voryn. Creatures of darkness, servants of the Void. They are the ones who will stop at nothing to claim the Flame. They don't just want to kill you. They want to control you. To turn you into a weapon."
Aeris felt the familiar burn on her back again, the heat intensifying with every passing moment. It was like a fire rising inside her, waiting for her command.
The girl spoke again, her voice trembling. "I saw you in the vision. You're the one who will light the way."
The words hit Aeris like a physical blow. She dropped to her knees, the weight of the child in her arms and the unrelenting power inside her too much to bear. "I don't understand," she murmured. "How am I supposed to do this?"
Kael crouched beside her, his golden eyes locking with hers. "You're not alone. I will help you, but only if you're willing to learn. Only if you're willing to trust me."
Aeris stared at him, her pulse racing. The Flame burned within her, and with it, a gnawing sense of duty. A sense of something bigger than herself.
"I don't trust anyone," she said quietly, but the words were hollow, lacking the conviction they once had.
Kael didn't flinch. "That's fine. Trust is earned. But the truth is, you need me, Aeris. Whether you like it or not. And I need you."
Aeris clenched her fists. The fire within her surged, as if reacting to his words, to the tension building between them.
A beat of silence passed, before Kael spoke again. "The Voryn are relentless, and they will stop at nothing to drag you back to the darkness. We have no time to waste. Will you fight?"
Aeris stood, the girl still in her arms, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't know if I can fight," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "But I'll do whatever it takes to survive."
Kael's eyes flashed with something unreadable, but a small flicker of approval passed through them. "Then you will learn. And we will fight, together."
Aeris took a deep breath, the weight of the prophecy heavy on her shoulders. The Flame was awake now, and with it, everything had changed.
The war had only just begun.