The night sky stretched wide above them as Rondan and Leina emerged from the cavern. The air outside was cold, yet it carried the faint stench of smoke and sulfur—the aftertaste of the battle that had nearly consumed them.
Behind them, the mountain still rumbled faintly, as if the earth itself mourned the breaking of the second chain.
Rondan paused, resting his hand on the hilt of his blade. His crimson eyes scanned the horizon. Villages dotted the plains below, their fires flickering like fragile stars. For a fleeting moment, he wondered how long those lights would survive if the Forgotten Flame awoke.
Leina pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, her silver eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"They'll send more," she murmured. "The Warden was never the end—it was only a test."
Rondan's jaw tightened. "Then let them come. I'll cut them down the same way."
But Leina shook her head.
"No. You don't understand. Every fight… every death… it doesn't weaken them. It strengthens the chain's unraveling. That's what makes this war dangerous. Victory and defeat—they both feed the same fire."
Her words hung in the air like a curse.
Suddenly, the wind shifted. A faint hum drifted across the plains, carried on the night air. It was low at first, almost like the sound of distant bells. Then it grew louder, sharper—chanting.
Rondan's hand moved instinctively to his sword.
"They're here."
From the treeline below, figures emerged one by one. Dozens. No—hundreds. Cloaked silhouettes bearing torches, their crimson runes glowing in the dark like a sea of eyes. Their chanting rolled like thunder, words in a language Rondan did not recognize, but his flame stirred uneasily in response.
At their head rode a man clad in dark steel, a banner of burning chains raised high in his hand. His voice cut through the night:
> "The second chain falls! The vessel walks among us! All hail the path to fire!"
The army raised their torches, and the sky seemed to burn.
Rondan's crimson eyes narrowed. His blade ignited, fire roaring along its edge.
"Looks like the dance isn't over."
Leina drew her dagger, her stance steady though her voice was grim.
"No. This is only the beginning."
Together, they stepped forward as the tide of enemies closed in, the night about to erupt into chaos once more.