Beneath the scorched plains of Tyrgath, where the earth cracked and steam hissed from molten fissures, lay the Emberforge Depths. Once a thriving dwarven stronghold, it had been abandoned after the Great Collapse, its forges silenced and its halls swallowed by darkness.
Kael and Mira stood at the edge of a massive chasm, the entrance to the depths yawning before them. The air was thick with heat, and the distant rumble of shifting stone echoed from below.
"This is the place," Kael said, his voice steady. "The fourth chain lies within."
Mira nodded, adjusting her gear. "Then let's not waste time."
They descended into the depths, the path illuminated by the glow of molten rivers that snaked through the caverns. The walls were lined with ancient machinery, their gears frozen in time, and the remnants of once-great forges stood as silent sentinels.
As they ventured deeper, the temperature rose, and the air grew heavy with the scent of sulfur. Suddenly, a tremor shook the ground, and a section of the path collapsed behind them, cutting off their retreat.
"No turning back now," Mira remarked, drawing her weapon.
At the heart of the depths, they found a grand chamber, its ceiling lost in shadows. In the center stood a massive anvil, upon which rested the fourth chain, glowing with a fiery hue.
As Kael approached, a figure emerged from the shadows—a towering being of molten rock and flame, its eyes burning with ancient fury.
"To claim the chain," it intoned, "you must answer: What is forged in the crucible of adversity?"
Kael met its gaze. "Strength tempered by experience, and resolve unbroken by trials."
The being studied him for a moment before stepping aside. "Then the chain is yours."
Kael grasped the chain, feeling its heat sear into his palm. As he lifted it, the chamber trembled, and the being dissolved into a cascade of embers.
With the fourth chain secured, Kael and Mira retraced their steps, finding an alternate path that led them back to the surface.
"Four chains claimed," Kael said, gazing at the horizon. "Four remain."