The figure, a woman with eyes like burning embers, emerged from the forge's heat. "I am the Forgemaster," she declared, her voice echoing.
"You have awakened the forge, now prove your worth."
Kai felt a strange familiarity, a sense of recognition he couldn't place. Isla, determined, faced the Forgemaster.
"How?" she asked.
The Forgemaster pointed to the glowing anvil. "Strike it with your true heart. Its secrets will be revealed."
Isla, her heart pounding, grasped the heavy hammer beside the anvil. It felt ancient, powerful. She raised it, her eyes fixed on the glowing metal. Doubt and fear warred within her, but a fierce determination burned brighter.
"What secrets?" Kai asked, wary.
"The secrets of your past, the strength of your future," the Forgemaster replied, her gaze intense. "Only a true heart can unlock them."
Isla took a deep breath, picturing her lost memories, the fight against Thane, the need to protect those she loved. She channeled every ounce of her resolve into the swing.
With a cry, she brought the hammer down.
The anvil rang with a deafening clang, and a shockwave pulsed through the chamber. Sparks flew, illuminating the Forgemaster's knowing smile.
The anvil's glow intensified, then subsided, revealing a shimmering, ethereal image within its surface. It was a vision, a window into another time, another life.
"Look," the Forgemaster said, her voice soft. "See what lies within."