The glow from the gauntlet faded as Kaen and his group stepped out of the fiery labyrinth, the air cooler but heavy with the scent of smoke and memories long buried. The landscape before them was scarred—blackened trees, shattered ruins, and faint trails of smoke rising like ghosts from the ground.
Mira's voice broke the silence. "This place... it's like the heart of Ashen Reach's destruction."
Kaen nodded, eyes scanning the remnants of what had once been a thriving settlement. "The echoes we saw in the orb… those betrayals—they weren't just stories. They were real. And they tore this place apart."
A sudden movement caught their attention—an old figure, cloaked and worn, stepped from the shadows. His eyes, sharp and tired, locked onto Kaen with a mix of recognition and sorrow.
"You carry the flame," the man said softly. "But do you understand what that means?"
Kaen's grip tightened on the gauntlet. "I'm here to learn. To set things right."
The old man nodded slowly. "Then come with me. There are truths you must face—truths about your past, this land, and the fire that binds them all."
As they followed the stranger deeper into the ruins, Kaen felt the weight of history pressing down—but also a flicker of hope that from these ashes, something new could rise.