The ancient doorway groaned as it opened, revealing a narrow staircase descending into the earth. Cold air rushed up to meet them, tinged with the faint scent of ash and something older—something forgotten.
Raian hesitated at the entrance. "Are you sure we should go down there?"
Mayan glanced at the talisman in her hand. It was glowing softly, pulsing in rhythm with her heartbeat. "We don't have a choice. The answers we need… they're down there."
They stepped into the darkness together. The staircase was steep and narrow, lit only by the soft, flickering light of the Eternal Flame that followed behind them like a silent guardian. As they descended deeper, the world above faded away, replaced by echoes—whispers in a language neither of them fully understood.
At the base of the stairs lay a vast chamber carved from obsidian rock. Strange symbols shimmered along the walls, and in the center stood a stone pedestal. Resting on it was a scroll, sealed with fire—actual fire, yet it didn't consume the parchment.
Mayan stepped forward. As she reached for the scroll, a voice echoed through the chamber.
"Only the worthy may uncover the truth. Only the brave may carry its weight."
Raian looked around, alarmed. "Who said that?"
But Mayan's eyes were locked on the flame-sealed scroll. She raised the talisman slowly. The moment it neared the fire, the flames bent toward it, as if recognizing an old friend. The seal broke open with a whisper of wind and light.
The scroll unrolled itself, revealing ancient script. As the words glowed, visions filled the chamber—projections of the past.
They saw the Eternal Flame being born from the sacrifice of a forgotten queen, a guardian of balance who gave her life to protect the world from consuming darkness. They saw betrayal—an old friend turned enemy, who sought to harness the flame for power, triggering the great war that destroyed the kingdom of Elyria.
Raian whispered, "This... this is our history."
Mayan's voice trembled. "And that war never ended. It was buried... and now it's awakening."
Suddenly, the chamber shook. The visions vanished. The flame on the scroll flickered violently.
"He knows you're here," the voice warned. "The Shadow King has awakened."
Raian grabbed Mayan's arm. "We need to get out. Now!"
But Mayan stood firm. "No. We've seen the truth. Now we must prepare. The flame chose us—for a reason."
As they fled the collapsing chamber, the talisman burned brighter than ever before, casting a defiant light against the rising darkness.
The war for the Eternal Flame had begun anew.