The Path Ahead Was Twisted With Shadows And Fog A Silent Trail That Coiled Through The Bones Of Forgotten Lands The Mountains Of Stormbreak Towered Like Sleeping Giants Their Peaks Lost In Black Clouds That Boiled And Grumbled With Distant Thunder
Kael Walked In The Front His Eyes Fixed On The Far Horizon Where The Skyreach Citadel Waited Veiled By Storm And Time The Ember Crown Was Secure Within A Satchel Pressed Close To His Side Its Heat Now Steady Like A Sleeping Heart Waiting To Awaken
Lira Moved Beside Him Her Expression Cold Focused Her Movements Precise Every Step Calculated Like A Flame Learning To Dance Through Ice Since The Binding Of The Ash Wyrm Her Presence Had Changed She Was Still Lira But There Was A New Stillness In Her Like A Volcano Beneath A Frozen Lake
Behind Them Veren Followed His Staff Emitting A Faint Glow That Lit The Jagged Rocks Ahead He Whispered Old Words Under His Breath Ancient Wards To Keep The Creatures Of The Cursed Peaks At Bay
The Stormbreak Pass Was Not Just A Physical Trial It Was A Place Of Lost Memories Echoes Of The Past Lingered In The Stones And Wind Kael Could Feel Them Like Whispers Just Out Of Reach Voices That Called To Him In The Language Of The Dead
Do You Hear Them Too Kael Asked Lira Quietly
She Nodded Without Looking At Him Yes They Speak In The Tongue Of Fire They Remember What Was Taken From Them
What Do They Want
To Be Avenged She Replied Simply To Be Freed
Thunder Shook The Mountain A Bolt Of Black Lightning Split The Sky And For A Moment The World Lit Up Revealing Cracked Spires Twisted Trees And Bones Half Buried In Ice
We Shouldn't Stop Veren Said Keep Moving The Mountain Hunts Us Now
The Trail Grew Steeper As They Climbed And The Wind Howled Like A Dying Beast It Carried With It Flecks Of Ice And Whispers That Crawled Into Their Skulls
By Nightfall They Found Shelter Beneath A Hollowed Out Ridge A Natural Cave Hidden Behind A Curtain Of Vines And Rock Inside It Was Damp Cold But Dry Enough To Rest
Kael Lit A Small Fire With A Thought The Ember Crown Pulsed Silently From Within Its Wraps As If Watching Them Waiting
Lira Sat Opposite Him Staring Into The Flames Her Eyes Reflecting Their Dance
You're Quiet He Said
She Glanced At Him The Fire Within Her Flickering I Can Feel It Growing Stronger Every Day The Ash Wyrm It Watches Me Sometimes It Speaks In Dreams
What Does It Say
It Shows Me Things Burning Cities Screaming Skies A Throne Of Bone And Flame With Me Sitting Upon It
Kael Swallowed Hard That's Not Going To Happen
Isn't It She Whispered What If That's What I'm Becoming A Vessel For Destruction
You're Stronger Than It He Said Firmly I've Seen You Fight It And Win You're Still You
For Now
Veren Entered The Cave His Beard Frosted His Eyes Weary I've Cast The Wards But We Won't Be Alone Much Longer The Storm Is Moving This Way Fast Too Fast Something Rides It
Kael Stood Looking Toward The Cave's Entrance Then Let It Come We're Done Running
They Took Watch In Turns Kael Slept First But His Dreams Were Not Peaceful He Saw The Ember Crown Melting Into His Skin Saw Flames Consuming Lira Until She Was Nothing But Ash Saw The Skyreach Citadel Crumble Beneath A Dragon Of Pure Fire
When He Awoke The Storm Had Arrived
Winds Screamed Through The Cracks In The Cave Walls Snow Fell Like Daggers And In The Distance Something Moved A Shape Tall Slender Its Form Cloaked In Lightning Its Eyes Like Frozen Suns
Stormwalker Veren Whispered The Ancient One A Guardian Of The Pass
It Shouldn't Be Here Kael Said Thought You Said The Stormbreak Was Empty
It Was Veren Replied Grimly Until We Brought The Crown Through Here
The Stormwalker Approached Slowly Step By Step The Wind Parting For It Lightning Cracked Across Its Body As If The Sky Itself Served It
We Must Fight Kael Said
No Lira Said Standing This One Is Not An Enemy Not Yet
She Stepped Outside Into The Storm The Wind Snatched At Her Hair Her Cloak The Fire Inside Her Glowed Bright Enough To Challenge The Lightning
The Stormwalker Stopped Just Before Her And Spoke Its Voice A Chorus Of Thunder And Echo
You Carry The Flame That Should Never Rise Again It Said
I Carry It To Seal The Fire That Seeks To Devour All She Replied I Am Not Your Enemy
You Are The Spark That Will Ignite The End
Then Test Me She Said Her Voice Like Steel Wrapped In Fire I Am No Servant To Destruction
There Was A Long Pause Then The Stormwalker Reached Out Its Hand And From Its Palm Formed A Small Crystal Shaped Like A Raindrop It Floated Toward Her And Settled In Her Palm
A Tear Of The Storm The Guardian Said A Gift Or A Warning Only Time Will Tell
Then It Turned And Vanished Into The Storm As Quickly As It Had Come
Back In The Cave Veren Examined The Crystal Closely It's A Key Of Some Kind Old Magic Elemental Might Be Able To Use It At The Citadel
Kael Looked At Lira Her Face Pale From The Encounter But Her Eyes Stronger Than Ever
We're Getting Close He Said Too Close To Turn Back Now
Then We Don't Lira Said We Finish This No Matter The Cost
They Left At Dawn The Storm Behind Them The Citadel Rising In The Distance Like A Fortress Of Sky And Stone The Final Path Was Before Them
And Destiny Waited At The Summit