"In the heart of every light sleeps a shadow that remembers its birth."
Lior fell through endless black. It was not like falling through air, but through memory itself. Faces and places flashed by him like dying stars, fragments of things that were never his. A woman's voice cried his name. A sword blazed in the dark. Then, nothing.
When he opened his eyes, he stood on a plain of glass that reflected the sky above. The horizon stretched forever, yet there was no sun, no wind, only a quiet glow that came from nowhere.
Kael appeared beside him, clutching his head. "I think my stomach is still falling."
Lior looked around. "We are not dead."
"Not yet," Kael said. "Though this place feels like it wants us to be."
The ground beneath their feet pulsed faintly, as if alive. Each step sent ripples through the glass, revealing shadows beneath the surface. Shapes moved there, formless but watching.
Lior's hand instinctively went to his sword. "The Veil of Shadows," he murmured. "This must be it."
Kael squinted into the distance. "I vote we find a way out before something decides we are intruders."
Before Lior could answer, the ground trembled. The ripples turned into waves, and the world shattered like fragile crystal. The two of them fell again, landing in a vast chamber lit by pillars of blue flame. The air buzzed with energy, and at the center of the room stood a mirror taller than any man.
Kael brushed dust from his cloak. "You know, one day I would like to travel somewhere that does not involve collapsing worlds or ominous relics."
Lior stepped toward the mirror. Its surface rippled like water, reflecting not his face, but another's. The reflection was older, his features sharper, his eyes glowing faintly gold.
The reflection spoke. "You are late."
Lior froze. "Who are you?"
"You already know."
Kael took a step closer. "Lior, is that supposed to be you?"
The reflection ignored him. "You think you have escaped your past, but you carry it with you. The flame within you remembers every life it has burned through."
Lior felt his chest tighten. The symbol on his hand pulsed faintly with light. "You are saying I have lived before."
"More times than you can count," the reflection said. "Each time you tried to save what was already doomed. Each time, you failed."
Kael frowned. "This is getting unsettling."
The reflection turned its gaze on Kael. "And you, shadow-blooded one, why do you follow him?"
Kael hesitated, his usual grin gone. "Because he saved me."
The reflection's expression softened. "Then pray he does not save you again."
The mirror flared with light, and a shockwave sent them both tumbling backward. When the glare faded, the mirror was gone, replaced by a staircase that descended into the dark.
Lior stood, gripping his sword. "We keep going."
Kael groaned. "You really enjoy this whole mysterious hero thing, do you?"
Lior's eyes never left the stairs. "I do not enjoy it. But if that thing was right, I cannot turn back now."
They descended in silence. The deeper they went, the warmer the air grew. The stone walls pulsed faintly, veins of crimson light running through them like blood. The sound of distant whispers echoed ahead.
At the bottom, they found a massive door carved with the same strange runes they had seen on the black gate before. It opened with a low rumble, revealing a circular chamber filled with floating shards of crystal.
In the center hovered a figure made entirely of flame. It had no face, only a faint outline of a human form. When it spoke, its voice filled the air like music and thunder combined.
"So the bearer of the forgotten flame returns."
Lior shielded his eyes from the light. "Who are you?"
The being tilted its head. "Once, I was your guardian. Now, I am your test."
Kael whispered, "Of course you are."
The flame reached out a hand, and the shards of crystal burst into motion, swirling around them like blades. Lior drew his sword, its light clashing against the red glow. Sparks filled the chamber as metal met crystal.
Kael darted between the shards, cutting down what he could, but they reformed instantly. "I hate magic puzzles!"
Lior gritted his teeth. Each strike sent pain through his arm, as if the crystals were connected to him. The flame's voice echoed in his mind. "You cannot fight what you are."
Lior shouted back, "Then I will redefine it!"
His sword blazed brighter, turning from gold to white. The shards shattered, and the light filled the room with a roar that drowned everything else.
When the brightness faded, the flame was gone. In its place floated a single ember, small and gentle, drifting toward Lior. It sank into his chest, leaving behind warmth instead of pain.
Kael watched, eyes wide. "That looked… important."
Lior nodded slowly. "A piece of what I lost."
The air shifted, and the room began to crumble. "We need to move," Kael said quickly.
They ran as the chamber fell apart behind them. When they emerged, they found themselves back outside the cliffs, the frozen lake far behind them. The night sky above was clear, stars burning bright and close.
Kael collapsed on the snow, panting. "Next time you see a glowing door, just walk away."
Lior smiled faintly. "You could always stay behind."
Kael grinned despite himself. "Not a chance."
Lior looked at his hand. The mark no longer glowed red but faintly gold. For the first time, it felt warm instead of heavy.
He whispered to himself, "If the past is a flame, then I will carry it until it becomes light."
The wind stirred, soft and calm. Somewhere beyond the horizon, something ancient stirred in response.