Chapter 2: The Hearth-Fire Revelations

Descending the stairs, Kaelen found himself in a circular chamber. In the center, a fire burned without wood or coal, suspended in mid-air above a stone basin. The flames were not orange, but a pale, luminous indigo, casting long, dancing shadows across the runic carvings on the walls.

He approached the basin, his breath catching in his throat. Suspended within the fire was a single copper cylinder, untouched by soot. He hesitated, then reached into the indigo flame. To his amazement, the fire felt cool, like autumn wind. His fingers closed around the metal cylinder.

Instantly, a rush of memories not his own flooded his mind. He saw great cities of crystal falling into ruin, dragons casting shadows over burning plains, and a voice—clear and commanding—whispering: "The seal is broken. The King of Ash returns." Kaelen stumbled backward, dropping the cylinder as the indigo fire flared brightly, casting the entire chamber into blinding white light.