At dawn, the cliffs of Drenhaal trembled—not from quakes or storms, but from marching feet.
Valrik's army had arrived.
Thousands of warriors, cloaked in blackened steel and war-torn leathers, moved like a tide of smoke and bone. Some rode beasts with flaming eyes. Others bore weapons forged in cursed forges. These were the Forsaken—soldiers exiled from every kingdom, mages who had defied the Circle, rebels, outcasts, and flame-touched.
Kael stood at the front of the ridge and watched them gather below.
"You trust them?" he asked Valrik.
Valrik grinned. "No. But they hate the king more than they hate me. That'll do."
Before the march began, Arien stood before the army.
She raised her hand—and summoned fire.
Not normal fire. Not even godfire.
This was something older.
The flame twisted into wings behind her, illuminating the mountain in golden light.
"I am not your queen," she said. "I am not your goddess. But I carry her fire—and I march on a king who's forgotten his soul."
She let the fire dim.
"Follow me, and I'll lead you to truth or to ashes. No lies between."
The army roared back: "To truth or ashes!"
The march began.
Three days across broken stone valleys and poisoned rivers.
Three skirmishes with the king's shadow-blades—each one more vicious than the last.
In one, Kael was wounded, but Arien burned through enemy lines to reach him.
"You're reckless," he groaned as she helped him up.
"I've seen your future," she replied, smirking. "You don't die yet."
He stared at her, breath caught. "What else did you see?"
Arien didn't answer.
That night, around the warfires, Maev stared at the stars.
She whispered to Arien, "You're changing."
"I know," Arien said softly. "She's getting stronger. The goddess inside me."
"Are you afraid?"
Arien looked toward the horizon. Toward the palace.
"I'm afraid I won't be me when we get there."
Back at the capital, the king stood before his shadow-altar, where a creature of smoke and red eyes waited.
> "She marches," the king said.
The shadow n
odded.
> "Then we must prepare your vessel."
And the king knelt before it.