The forest beyond the estate was nothing like the one Aria remembered as a child. The trees here were older — ancient, with bark that shimmered faintly in moonlight and roots that seemed to pulse with quiet power. Each step she took felt guided, though no path was visible.
The sigil on her palm — the three stars — now glowed softly whenever danger lurked nearby. It was her compass, her shield, and perhaps, her key to what lay beyond.
On the second day of travel, the forest grew colder. The air shifted. The birdsong stopped.
Then, she saw it — a wall of mist, towering high into the treetops, stretching endlessly to the left and right. A silver veil.
Aria hesitated. Something stirred in her chest — not fear, but familiarity. She reached out, pressing her hand into the mist.
The veil parted.
She stepped through.
---
What lay beyond the veil was a realm unlike any she had imagined.
The sky here was a blend of violet and gold, with twin suns casting overlapping shadows. Floating stones hovered above waterfalls that cascaded into the air rather than down. Enormous creatures with wings of crystal soared overhead, humming softly, unbothered by her presence.
A city of glass and root rose in the distance, built into the side of a living mountain. And standing at the base of it all was a figure in a long dark cloak.
"Aria Elira Vey," the figure said, without turning.
She froze. "How do you know my name?"
The figure turned. It was a young man — not much older than her — with one eye made of polished stone, and the other glowing blue.
"I am Kael," he said. "Guardian of the Broken Gate. Your arrival was foretold."
"Foretold by who?"
"By the Flamekeepers," he replied, gesturing to the city behind him. "They've waited generations for someone to awaken the mark. And now... it burns in you."
Aria showed her palm. The three stars were now glowing brightly, as if reacting to Kael's presence.
"But I'm no hero," she said, quietly. "I didn't even know this world existed until a few nights ago."
Kael tilted his head. "Neither did the first firebearer. But the flame chose you."
---
That night, she was brought into the city — Aethralune, Kael called it — a sanctuary of ancient magic and living memory. Trees whispered when she passed. Crystals lit up in her presence. Children stared, not in fear, but in wonder.
The Flamekeepers — elders wrapped in robes woven with light — gathered in a circular chamber. At the center stood a pool of water that showed images when Aria approached: her past, her brothers, the curse, and now… shadows growing across a map she did not recognize.
"The curse you broke," said the eldest keeper, "was only a fragment. A test. The true darkness lies deeper — sealed long ago beneath the roots of this world."
Aria's voice trembled. "What am I supposed to do?"
"You must find the other flames," he said. "Three beacons scattered across the realms. With them, you can restore the balance… or watch everything collapse."
She stared into the water, her reflection changing — her eyes glowing faintly, her outline surrounded by light.
She was no longer just a girl who had freed her brothers.
She was a bearer of ancient fire.
And her journey had just begun.