The next morning, the world felt changed. The ash still drifted and the skies still boiled red, but something in Nicolette had settled. The flame pendant no longer burned her skin—it pulsed gently, like a steady heartbeat. Her own.
Kael winced as he adjusted his gear. "You sure you're alright?"
"I am," she said firmly. "But we're not alone out here. We need to move fast."
They left the ruined outpost in silence. Every hill they crossed, every crackling breath of scorched wind reminded them that this land had seen war—and remembered it.
Hours passed before they found the path again: a long, blackened trail of glassy stone that shimmered faintly in the light of the pendant. It twisted through sharp canyons and skeletal trees until it opened into a circular basin surrounded by massive stone columns, half-buried in ash.
At the center stood a figure.
Not cloaked in shadow, not a threat of darkness—but a giant. Seven feet tall, armored in golden stone, and holding a massive warhammer that radiated ancient magic.
Kael drew his blade on instinct. "What in the stars is that?"
The figure didn't move, but its voice rumbled across the basin like thunder. "Nicolette, Flamebearer. Daughter of Two Realms. You have come."
She blinked. "How do you know who I am?"
"I am the Warden of the Peaks," the figure said. "Bound by oath to guard the First Key. You were foretold."
"The First Key?" Kael asked, stepping slightly ahead.
The Warden raised a hand. "Only she may approach. Only she may prove herself worthy."
Nicolette felt the pendant pull again—this time toward the center of the basin. She took a step, then another, until she stood before the Warden.
"What do I have to do?" she asked.
The Warden's stone hand opened, revealing a fragment of burning crystal—the shape of a flame, just like her pendant. But before she could reach for it, the earth beneath them trembled.
A deep rumble echoed from the cliffs.
From the shadows, a massive creature crawled forth—twisted, black-scaled, with six glowing eyes and fangs like daggers. It shrieked, a sound that shattered the air.
"A flame wraith," the Warden growled. "It should not be here."
Kael raised his sword again. "I've fought beasts before. But that—"
"Is not just a beast," the Warden finished. "It was drawn here… by her."
The wraith lunged.
Kael leapt to intercept it, blade striking sparks off its hide. The Warden roared and brought his hammer down, smashing the ground and sending a shockwave that pushed the creature back.
But it wasn't enough.
The wraith's tendrils lashed out, grabbing Kael and slamming him into the rock wall. He fell, stunned.
Nicolette's breath caught.
"No—!"
The pendant around her neck flared blindingly. Flames erupted from the ground around her feet, forming a protective ring. Her hands moved without thinking, as if someone else guided her.
Fire obeyed her call.
She raised both arms, and a vortex of crimson flame rose around the wraith, twisting tighter, hotter—until it screamed. The creature thrashed, then fell to its knees as the fire consumed it from within.
Moments later, only ashes remained.
Silence.
Kael groaned and sat up. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
The Warden stepped forward, kneeling. "You have passed the trial of flame. The First Key is yours."
Nicolette reached forward, and as her fingers closed around the burning crystal, it merged with her pendant. A new symbol formed—two flames, intertwined.
Her power surged.
"You are the bridge between realms," the Warden said. "But your journey is far from over."
---
Later, as they camped beyond the basin, Nicolette sat by the fire, silent.
Kael watched her. "You okay?"
She nodded slowly. "I felt something back there. Like the fire wasn't just mine—it belonged to something older. Something… waiting."
"Maybe it's waking up," he said. "Like you are."
She looked at him, her eyes glowing faintly with embers. "Then I hope I'm ready for what comes next."