The Origin Flame Ceremony was one of the oldest and most sacred traditions of the manor’s solstice celebrations. Held in the ancient heart-grove at the center of the estate, guests gathered around a colossal eternal flame said to have been kindled on the very night the manor first awakened centuries ago. Legend told that the first Lord of Winter had made a pact with the land itself — a forbidden union between mortal desire and immortal magic — birthing the sentient house that now watched over them all. The flames would flicker with living visions of that ancient night: glimpses of passion, betrayal, and the birth of the manor’s watchful soul. It was meant to remind every soul that secrets, no matter how buried, eventually burned into light.
Elara stood beside Lyra at the edge of the glowi
