The flame in his hand flared suddenly, sending out a wave of warmth that spread through his body. He gasped as memories, some his own, some unfamiliar, flooded his mind. He saw glimpses of the past, moments of great victories and terrible losses, cycles of light and darkness that had played out over countless generations. He saw people who had carried this same flame before him, some who had wielded it as a beacon, others who had let it consume them.
The realization struck him with a force that nearly brought him to his knees. This was not just a trial. This was a burden, one that had existed long before him and would continue long after. He was simply the next to carry it.
