Episode 7: The ember peaks
1315 Words
A cold wind swept through the cave as dawn broke over the Ember Peaks.
The fire Rowan had lit during the night had burned down to glowing embers. Outside, the mountains stretched endlessly beneath a crimson sunrise. Smoke drifted from cracks in the earth, and rivers of lava glowed like molten gold between the black cliffs.
Aurelia stepped outside the cave and took a deep breath.
“This place feels… different.”
Rowan joined her, leaning on his staff.
“It should.”
“The Ember Peaks were once home to the first Fire Guardians.”
He looked toward the tallest mountain.
“That is Mount Ignis.”
“The Third Heart lies somewhere beneath it.”
Kael emerged from the cave, now wearing a fresh bandage over his shoulder.
“We shouldn’t stay here long.”
“The king’s scouts know we’re heading this way.”
⸻
Before they could continue, a loud cry echoed through the valley.
It wasn’t human.
It wasn’t an animal either.
The sound shook the mountains.
A flock of black birds burst into the sky.
Aurelia instinctively reached for her dagger.
“What was that?”
Rowan’s expression grew serious.
“Not what…”
“Who.”
⸻
They followed the sound until they reached the edge of a cliff.
Far below lay a mining village surrounded by wooden walls.
Smoke rose into the air.
Buildings burned.
People screamed as armored soldiers forced villagers from their homes.
Children cried while elderly men and women were dragged into the streets.
Aurelia’s fists clenched.
“They’re attacking innocent people.”
Kael narrowed his eyes.
“They’re not ordinary soldiers.”
He pointed toward the banners flying above the village.
Instead of Malachar’s black phoenix, they carried the symbol of a crimson wolf.
“The Iron Fang Mercenaries.”
“The king hires them to do the work his soldiers won’t.”
⸻
An elderly man collapsed in the middle of the square.
One of the mercenaries kicked him aside.
“Move!”
“We don’t have all day.”
A young girl ran toward her grandfather.
“Please!”
“Don’t hurt him!”
The mercenary raised his sword.
Aurelia stepped forward.
“We have to help them.”
Kael grabbed her wrist.
“If we charge in now, we’ll all die.”
She looked at him.
“And if we don’t?”
He remained silent.
⸻
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then Rowan smiled.
“I believe our princess already knows the answer.”
Aurelia turned to Kael.
“We’re helping them.”
Kael sighed.
“I knew you were going to say that.”
For the first time…
He smiled before drawing his sword.
“Fine.”
“But we’re doing it my way.”
⸻
Within minutes, they had a plan.
Rowan would sneak into the village and free the prisoners.
Aurelia would guide the villagers to safety through an abandoned tunnel beneath the mines.
Kael…
Would keep every mercenary occupied.
“You call that a plan?”
Aurelia asked.
Kael rested his massive sword on his shoulder.
“I’ve handled worse.”
⸻
He walked openly through the village gate.
Every mercenary turned toward him.
Their captain laughed.
“Well, look who finally crawled out of hiding.”
Kael stopped.
“I’ll give you one chance.”
“Leave.”
The captain burst into laughter.
“Or what?”
Kael answered by drawing his sword.
The laughter stopped.
⸻
The first mercenary charged.
Kael sidestepped effortlessly.
One strike.
The man’s sword shattered into dozens of pieces.
A second attacker rushed in.
Kael knocked him unconscious with the flat of his blade.
A third…
A fourth…
None could even touch him.
Watching from a rooftop, Aurelia couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“He isn’t trying to kill them.”
Rowan nodded proudly.
“Kael never kills unless he has no other choice.”
“Even after everything they’ve done?”
“He believes every life has value.”
Aurelia smiled to herself.
Maybe…
She had been right about him from the beginning.
⸻
Meanwhile, Rowan unlocked the prisoners’ cages using the Memory Key.
The crystal key glowed softly before every lock clicked open.
“Quickly.”
“This way.”
Families hurried through the hidden passage beneath the mines.
Aurelia helped children and elderly villagers through the narrow tunnel.
Just as the last family escaped…
A frightened little boy stopped.
“My mother…”
Aurelia’s heart sank.
“Where is she?”
“The mines.”
“They took her underground.”
Without hesitation, Aurelia turned back.
Kael saw her running toward the mines.
“No…”
He muttered.
“Don’t do this.”
⸻
Deep beneath the mountain, the air grew unbearably hot.
The walls glowed with veins of molten crystal.
Aurelia searched desperately until she heard coughing.
She found several prisoners trapped behind a collapsed support beam.
Among them was the boy’s mother.
“We’re getting you out.”
She pushed against the beam.
It didn’t move.
Again.
Nothing.
The ceiling suddenly cracked.
Dust rained down.
The mine was collapsing.
⸻
Outside, Kael heard the rumbling.
His eyes widened.
“Aurelia.”
Without thinking, he sprinted toward the entrance.
Rowan tried to stop him.
“It’s collapsing!”
“I know.”
Kael disappeared inside.
⸻
The tunnels shook violently.
Rocks crashed around Aurelia as she struggled to free the trapped villagers.
Then she heard footsteps.
“You really don’t know when to quit.”
She turned.
“Kael!”
He looked at the trapped beam.
“You push.”
“I’ll lift.”
Together they strained against the massive support.
For a moment…
Nothing happened.
Then…
The beam slowly rose.
The prisoners crawled free one by one.
“Hurry!”
Kael shouted.
The ceiling gave way.
They ran.
The tunnel collapsed behind them just as they leaped outside.
The entire mountainside crumbled, sealing the mine forever.
⸻
The rescued villagers surrounded Aurelia.
Some cried.
Others knelt before her.
“You saved us.”
Aurelia quickly shook her head.
“Please don’t kneel.”
“I’m no queen.”
An elderly woman smiled gently.
“No…”
“You’re exactly what a queen should be.”
Kael quietly looked away, hiding a small smile.
⸻
As night fell, the grateful villagers prepared a feast in honor of their rescuers.
Children laughed around the bonfire.
For the first time in years, the village felt alive again.
Aurelia noticed Kael sitting alone on a cliff overlooking the valley.
She carried two cups of warm tea and sat beside him.
“You always sit alone.”
He shrugged.
“It’s quieter.”
She handed him a cup.
After a moment, he accepted it.
“You didn’t have to come after me.”
Kael looked at the stars.
“I know.”
“Then why did you?”
He was silent for several seconds.
Finally, he answered.
“Because…”
“I couldn’t lose someone else.”
Aurelia looked at him.
There was pain in his eyes.
A pain much older than the fall of the kingdom.
Before she could ask what he meant, the mountain beneath them trembled.
A deafening roar echoed across the Ember Peaks.
The ground split open.
From the burning crater of Mount Ignis rose an enormous creature covered in black stone and rivers of molten lava.
Its eyes burned like twin suns.
Rowan’s face turned pale.
“The Guardian of the Third Heart…”
“It has awakened.”
The giant opened its mouth and spoke in a voice that shook the heavens.
“WHO DARES SEEK THE HEART OF STRENGTH?”
The villagers fled in terror.
Aurelia stepped forward despite the fear gripping her heart.
She looked up at the towering guardian.
“I do.”
The giant’s fiery eyes locked onto hers.
For the first time in centuries…
It smiled
- Writer
