Amina had barely steadied her breath when the temple walls shuddered again—this time more violently.
The sacred flames that danced calmly atop the Pyre moments ago now lashed out like serpents, swirling wildly as if agitated by an unseen presence.
Aric gripped the hilt of his blade, glancing toward the entrance. "They're coming."
"Who exactly?" Amina asked, her voice hoarse but steady.
The Ember Wraith's usually calm face had grown tense. "The Order of the Black Flame."
Ashar stiffened. "That's a myth."
"No," the Wraith said. "They were erased from history because they nearly consumed it. They were the first to wield the Pyre's fire. But where others sought guidance, they sought dominion."
Amina's heartbeat quickened. "And they're back?"
"They never left," the Wraith said. "They waited—for the flame to awaken in one strong enough to unlock the Gate of Origins."
Aric's jaw clenched. "You think they're after Amina."
"No," said the Wraith grimly. "They're after what's inside her."
A deafening boom echoed as the front gates of the Flame Temple split apart.
A gust of black wind swept through the hall, snuffing out every lantern in its path. The shadows that entered weren't just darkness—they were alive. They slithered, coiled, whispered.
And then… a figure emerged.
He wore robes as dark as void, embroidered with ember-red sigils. His face was veiled by a jagged mask made from scorched bone.
The Ember Wraith stepped forward. "Vaelor…"
Amina turned sharply. "You know him?"
The Wraith nodded. "He was once my brother. A former Guardian of the Flame. Until the fire consumed his heart and turned him into something else."
Vaelor's voice sliced through the silence.
"I see the Pyre still chooses children. How disappointing."
Amina stepped up beside the Wraith. "You came for me?"
He chuckled low. "No, child. I came for the seed."
A gust of icy dread swept through Amina's core.
"The seed?" Aric asked, sword drawn.
"The seed of the First Flame," Vaelor replied. "Buried in her soul. Dormant. Until today."
Ashar's lips parted in shock. "That's impossible. The First Flame was extinguished in the Age of Collapse."
Vaelor took another step forward. Shadows recoiled and shifted as though clearing a path for him.
"Not extinguished," he said. "Merely reborn. And now, she carries its heart."
The Ember Wraith raised his staff. Flames blazed around it, forming a dome of light.
"You'll not touch her," he warned.
Vaelor raised his hand lazily.
The shadows surged forward, crashing against the barrier. The room erupted into chaos—embers and shadow clashing in a war of wills. Amina could feel it—the raw hunger of the dark. It called to her. Whispered sweet promises of belonging.
"Don't listen to it," Ashar shouted, struggling to form a circle of protection.
But it was already inside her mind.
Amina… we are not your enemy. We are the fire that burns clean. Let us in. Together, we will purge the world of weakness.
She clutched her head, sinking to her knees. Fire erupted from her palms—wild and crimson.
Aric rushed to her side. "Fight it, Amina! You're stronger than this!"
But the fire... it welcomed the darkness. It recognized it.
"No!" she screamed, slamming her fists against the floor. A wave of flame burst out, pushing back the encroaching shadow.
Vaelor's gaze narrowed. "You still resist?"
Amina stood slowly, face pale but her eyes burning brighter than ever.
"I am not your vessel," she said. "I am not your torch."
The flames around her shifted hue—golden white, with streaks of silver.
The Ember Wraith gasped. "She's… transcending."
Vaelor sneered. "Then she must be broken."
He flung out both hands.
The shadows around him coalesced into a monstrous beast—a wolf made of smoke and fire, eyes glowing like dying stars.
With a guttural snarl, it lunged.
Amina raised both hands, and for a moment—just a breath of a second—the world stood still.
And then—
A flash.
Not flame.
Not shadow.
But light.
Pure. Blinding. Celestial.
It tore through the temple, slicing the beast in half. Vaelor stumbled backward, his mask cracked.
Everyone stood frozen.
Even the shadows retreated.
"You… You touched the Sacred Light," he hissed.
Amina's hair floated gently above her shoulders, her aura radiant.
"I chose balance," she said. "I chose myself."
Vaelor turned sharply, cloak billowing. "Then you've chosen war."
He vanished into the collapsing shadows.
The temple was quiet once more—burnt, cracked, but standing.
Aric turned to her. "What just happened?"
The Ember Wraith stepped forward, kneeling before her.
"The girl is gone," he said.
Ashar frowned. "What do you mean?"
"She is no longer merely Amina of the Scorched Vale…"
He looked up, eyes filled with reverence.
"She is the Lightbearer."