older than any realm Ember had ever studied. He stirred, groaning through bloodied lips,

he di

t

her, her crimson veil now wrapped around h

e said to the Al

s gleamed. "You come into m

You chained him like an anima

torm cracking stone. "I fear nothing, child. But I respect strength.

ain, head loll

rd, ignoring the

Him

n the horror of two lives-one lost, one found. Her han

now to her. "Help me.

s low and menacing. "She bel

ooner

and, and the chains

t through the a

guards moved to protect her, but she held up a ha

up despite the pain

e," she

his head. "You would tr

thing," Ember said.

silence held

ha nodded. "

clattered t

moved swiftly to his side. Aeris immediately began to chan

ed back to

hour. Tell me what you want. Why you've twist

into a smirk. "So curiou

vealing a set of stone s

Let's speak where trut

once more a

gaze was haunted.

lway

wed the A

ow was a vault

aws, and children bathed in flame. In the center stood a circular altar, and

, "is the Pact Stone. It holds the orig

My family protected the

he wild gods. To honor balance. But greed and fear twisted them. They killed wh

're hunting

taken. Through blood. Th

se quickene

of both worlds-magic and wolf, moon and flame. You were never meant

laving

aid. "By choosing

vision: a realm united under a crimson sky, wolves and huma

eam," Embe

a fu

trust. You hurt Ash. You bound

ened. "I did what was neces

the altar. "But th

ared at

rled tow

the night her kingdom fell. She remembered Ash's quiet fury, Aeris's

teppe

N

flared. "You would

ing it. I'm wr

drew the ceremonial dagger fr

the smoke, a

amber

lpha

edral, Ash stirred

t!" he shou

his arm. "We

Ember cracked. D

, her blood drippi

son realm shattered. T

ha lunged, but

e blade into t

anything morta

l, and cupped his h

rstand... what y

said, as tears threat

somethin

ded in a blast

air by Ash, who had pushed

lapsed in a fury o

from Varenth

palm still wrapped in cloth soaked with her blood

m, the hol

on Alpha

not

already murmurin

de. "That blast... You se

said softly. "Bu

ip tightening on her han

the hills and mi

tten in

rged i