. Flowers bloomed where ash once lay, and magic flo

ins-the same place the curse was broken. The fla

tly. "You've been ou

fire," she whispered. "A

"What kind

t the sorceress. It's older. Deeper. It said, *T

the curse was onl

ling a vision-an eye, reptilian a

t racing. "It's not over. A

her shoulder. "Then

rippled with golden

en stood before the old mountain-a place even Caeloth's oldest maps had forgotten. T

Forgotten Gate. No one's op

up, and the door responded with

mured. "It feels... lik

idn't come from Caeloth-it came from beyond it.

, and the door slowly opened. A gust of an

rlds... the bala

ircase spiraled into

we go down there, ther

l smile. "Then

he Gate-and the door s

with liquid fire suspended in midair. In its ce

he mark on her wrist bu

n," she whispered. "Th

neither man nor beast, but pure

re not

word. "Then ma

nd memory. She saw a thousand histories flash thro

a woman with her fac

lla gasped. "I've seal

ed,"* the

her hand-and the mark became a ring of fire

nemy," she said.

aling a glowing orb-t

e her. "Take it.

forward, h

the cavern shook as the

last flicker, a

. The true kin

-

cracked the realm in two. From the abyss between

yes like dying stars, the king raised hi

e First Flame now within her. The powe

" she said,

armor glowing faintly. "And

ut words-his voice f

. only a rehearsal. Bow, child of

rward, fire dan

to cowards who h

old, endless sound t

daughter of

. Shadow and

wind howled with voices of the forgotten. At the ancient fortress of Tharwen, Ella and B

la said. The gr

owering, cloaked in black flame. The darkness twisted aro

eer. This world i

The mark on her hand blazed, joined by anothe

she said. "This realm does

tered. Ben fought beside her, his sword burning with

the battle, Ella faced

power," he said.

from the First Flame and e

ream that cra

ecame

d the skies without thunder. Birds st

watching as cracks formed across the

tal, flames still flickering in Ella's eye

pened?" E

breathless. "He's here. The

ible. The Shadow King was

never destroyed. Just... sealed. By

n cold. "So I b

untains, devouring everything in its path. From the center of it, a

me chose you to break the cu

dy. "Then I'll finish what

s over Caeloth turned black. Not ni

ing emerged: armored in obsidian, his

realm. Behind them, Caeloth's armies gathered-mages,

aid. "He's ancient. Older than

me was sealed," Ella replied.

ff, a wave of shadow swept across

ite flame-brighter than ever. Ben drew his bla

l war ha

Light and dark

hadow King spoke-not alo

er chosen... y

ies not just of her past lives, but of

her. "What d

Ella and Ben returned through the Forgotten Gate. Somethi

s were closed.

he Council stood frozen,

e," Ella

adows behind the throne, a tall figure emerged-cloaked

rns... with the Fl

nt of her. "You're

licked to him-ancie

. The curse was never the threat

castle groaned as shad

e given me

pain. The flame inside

from my powe

to contain me, not awaken me. But now you

ade. "Then you'

w King vanish

ot just the key to ending hi

"What kind

t the sorceress. It's older. Deeper. It said, *T

the curse was o

up, and the door responded with

mured. "It feels... lik

idn't come from Caeloth-it came from beyond it.

, and the door slowly opened. A gust of an

rlds... the bala

ircase spiraled into

we go down there, ther

l smile. "Then

he Gate-and the door s

with liquid fire suspended in midair. In its ce

he mark on her wrist bu

n," she whispered. "Th

neither man nor beast, but pure

re not

word. "Then ma

nd memory. She saw a thousand histories flash thro

a woman with her fac

lla gasped. "I've seal

ed,"* the

her hand-and the mark became a ring of fire

nemy," she said.

aling a glowing orb-t

e her. "Take it.

forward, h

cavern shook as the magic bo

last flicker, a

th turned black as thunder cracked the realm in two. From the a

yes like dying stars, the king raised hi

e First Flame now within her. The powe

" she said,

armor glowing faintly. "And

ut words-his voice f

. only a rehearsal. Bow, child of

rward, fire dan

to cowards who h

old, endless sound t

daughter of

. Shadow and

inal batt

voices of the forgotten. At the ancient fortress of Tharwen, Ella and Ben stood

la said. The gr

owering, cloaked in black flame. The darkness twisted aro

eer. This world i

The mark on her hand blazed, joined by anothe

she said. "This realm does

tered. Ben fought beside her, his sword burning with

the battle, Ella faced

power," he said.

from the First Flame and e

ream that cra

ecame

d the skies without thunder. Birds st

watching as cracks formed across the

tal, flames still flickering in Ella's eye

pened?" E

breathless. "He's here. The

ible. The Shadow King was

never destroyed. Just... sealed. By

n cold. "So I b

untains, devouring everything in its path. From the center of it, a

me chose you to break the cu

dy. "Then I'll finish what

battle h

ned black. Not night-somet

ing emerged: armored in obsidian, his

realm. Behind them, Caeloth's armies gathered-mages,

aid. "He's ancient. Older than

me was sealed," Ella replied.

ff, a wave of shadow swept across

ite flame-brighter than ever. Ben drew his bla

l war ha

Light and dark

hadow King spoke-not alo

er chosen... y

ies not just of her past lives, but of

arkened as Ella and Ben returned through the Forgotten Gate. So

s were closed.

he Council stood frozen,

e," Ella

adows behind the throne, a tall figure emerged-cloaked

rns... with the Fl

nt of her. "You're

licked to him-ancie

. The curse was never the threat

castle groaned as shad

e given me

pain. The flame inside

from my powe

to contain me, not awaken me. But now you

th.Ella's voice was low. "I'm not just the

. Flowers bloomed where ash once lay, and magic flo

ins-the same place the curse was broken. The fla

tly. "You've been ou

fire," she whispered. "A

"What kind

t the sorceress. It's older. Deeper. It said, *T

the curse was onl

ling a vision-an eye, reptilian a

t racing. "It's not over. A

her shoulder. "Then

rippled with golden

een depths of Caeloth, s

oth's oldest maps had forgotten. The stone door carved into

Forgotten Gate. No one's op

up, and the door responded with

mured. "It feels... lik

idn't come from Caeloth-it came from beyond it.

, and the door slowly opened. A gust of an

rlds... the bala

ircase spiraled into

we go down there, ther

l smile. "Then