The Road of Ash and Iron stretched endlessly before Kael, winding between jagged black cliffs and rivers of molten silver. The dagger in his hand pulsed softly, its glow a heartbeat in sync with his own. The fight with the Collectors still echoed in his mind, a reminder that every choice carried weight.
Seryth led him through a narrow pass where the wind carried whispers louder than ever, voices of the Forge itself. "The Road of Ash tests more than strength," she said, her staff tapping the stone. "It tests judgment, courage, and heart. Only those who endure all three may approach the Eternal Forge."
Kael's stomach knotted. "Judgment? Heart? I barely survived the last test."
Seryth didn't answer. Instead, she stopped before a chasm where the path ended in jagged stone. Across the divide lay a narrow bridge of glowing metal, suspended above a river of fire that roared like the voice of the Forge itself.
"This bridge will only hold if your intent is pure," she said. "It feeds on your resolve. Doubt it, and it will collapse."
Kael swallowed. He stepped onto the metal. It wavered slightly beneath his boots, as though alive, sensing his hesitation. The whispers pressed in, murmuring fears he hadn't known he carried: failure, regret, the weight of destruction he might cause.
He clenched his jaw, focusing on the Forge's pulse in his palm. The dagger vibrated, humming in encouragement. Step by step, Kael advanced, trusting his instincts, trusting the spark of the Forge within him.
Halfway across, a shadow erupted from the fiery river below — a Construct unlike the others, taller, wreathed in flame, its eyes burning deep crimson. It leaped toward him, claws extended. Kael swung the dagger instinctively. The blade pulsed, stretching light like a whip. It struck the Construct, but instead of shattering, it absorbed the strike and hurled a wave of heat toward Kael.
He stumbled, nearly falling into the molten river. The bridge flexed dangerously. Seryth's voice rang out: "Focus, Kael! Your intent is your anchor!"
Kael closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath. He let the pulse of the Forge guide him. With a single motion, he thrust the dagger forward, not at the Construct's body, but at the river beneath it. Blue light erupted, shaping the molten flow into a temporary channel that swept the Construct aside, hurling it into the far cliffside.
When Kael opened his eyes, the bridge beneath him was steady. He had made it. His heart pounded, not just from exertion, but from the realization that the Forge did not merely give power — it mirrored the clarity of his will.
Seryth approached. "The Ember Path reveals not just what you can destroy, but what you can create. You have passed the first true trial, Kael Draveren. But the path ahead will demand more: trust, sacrifice, and a choice that may redefine your soul."
Kael looked ahead, the road twisting further into shadow and flame. The whispers now spoke in harmony, not chaos:
—Forge your will. Shape your destiny. Strike with purpose.—
He gripped the dagger tightly. "Then let's see what the Forge wants me to become."