The Rise of the Second Flame

The relics trembled beneath Eryndor's hand, their light flickering dangerously as molten fire continued to pour from the widening fissure. The dragon's molten eye glared up at him from below, but there was something else another presence.

Kaelith's voice echoed from the ridge. "Eryndor! They're pushing through!"

He glanced up, watching as Kaelith fought back Elias's soldiers, her blade flashing in quick arcs. The soldiers pressed hard, but Kaelith moved faster, keeping them away from the relics.

Elias's voice cut through the clash of steel. "The king demands the relics! Surrender them!"

Eryndor's cursed arm burned, but he forced the flames higher. "If I do that, the dragon tears through the veil and none of us survive."

Elias narrowed his eyes, lowering his sword slightly. "You think holding the seal will save you? The king doesn't trust you to finish this. The veil will break regardless."

Kaelith ducked under a soldier's swing, planting a boot into his chest and sending him tumbling back. "I'm starting to like this king less and less," she growled.

Eryndor refocused on the fissure. The runes along the dragon's claw shimmered faintly as the seal tried to hold, but something else stirred beneath the flames something older.

Then he saw it.

Another pair of eyes blinked open in the darkness cold, silver, and burning with ancient light.

Kaelith noticed the shift immediately. "Eryndor, what is that?!"

Eryndor's heart sank. "It's not just the dragon. There's another flame."

The eyes narrowed, and from the molten pit, a second form began to rise.

Unlike the dragon's scaled body, this figure was wrapped in chains massive, rusted, and glowing with the same fire that coursed through Eryndor's cursed arm.

Kaelith took a step back from the ridge. "I thought the dragon was the biggest problem down there."

Eryndor's cursed arm surged violently, as if recognizing the figure.

It wasn't just another creature.

It was a Flamebearer.

Kaelith's eyes widened. "Is that…?"

Eryndor's voice was grim. "The first Flamebearer."

The chained figure rose slowly, molten fire dripping from his shackles. His gaze locked onto Eryndor, and when he spoke, his voice was heavy like it carried the weight of centuries.

"You carry the flame… but it is not yours to wield."

Kaelith gritted her teeth. "I hate when they say that."

Eryndor stepped forward, his sword blazing with blue fire. "You're bound beneath the veil. Why now? Why show yourself?"

The chained Flamebearer's molten eyes narrowed. "Because you have gathered the relics. The veil can no longer hold us both."

The ground beneath them trembled violently. Cracks splintered outward, and the relics began to dim, unable to contain the presence of two flames.

Eryndor's mind raced. The veil was never designed to bind more than one flame. His cursed arm wasn't just a burden it was a key that had unintentionally loosened the chains of something far worse.

Kaelith called out again, blocking a strike from Elias. "Eryndor, whatever you're doing do it faster!"

Eryndor clenched his sword, flames roaring to life along the blade. "There's only one way to stop this."

Kaelith's eyes narrowed. "You're not seriously thinking"

"I have to sever the second flame."

Kaelith swore under her breath, parrying another blow. "How do you even do that?"

Eryndor's cursed arm pulsed violently as he knelt by the fissure, his hand hovering over the relics. The fire that bound the first Flamebearer wasn't just part of the veil… it was part of him.

To stop it, he'd have to burn brighter.

Eryndor planted his hand on the ground, and the flames from his cursed arm poured into the relics. The light expanded rapidly, spreading across the seal and forming a circle around the fissure.

The chained Flamebearer's silver eyes flared. "You cannot hold both flames. It will destroy you."

Eryndor's grip on his sword tightened. "Then let it."

Kaelith's head snapped toward him. "Eryndor"

The flames surged violently, engulfing Eryndor's entire body. His cursed arm blazed brighter than ever, the fire spreading beyond him, pouring directly into the fissure below.

For a brief moment, the chained Flamebearer hesitated.

Eryndor's voice echoed across the valley. "The relics aren't yours. The flame isn't yours. This veil is mine to protect."

The flames shot downward, wrapping around the chained figure and pulling him back into the fissure. The relics pulsed in unison, sealing the cracks one by one as the chained Flamebearer's form began to disintegrate.

Kaelith shielded her eyes from the blinding light.

Elias and his soldiers halted, watching as the fissure slowly closed.

When the light faded, Eryndor knelt alone at the edge of the seal, steam rising from his cursed arm.

Kaelith rushed to his side, crouching beside him. "Eryndor! Say something."

He exhaled shakily, his eyes dim and distant. "It's… done."

Kaelith helped him to his feet, her gaze flicking toward the relics. They still hummed faintly, but the fire in them was subdued the veil had stabilized.

Elias lowered his sword, his soldiers falling back. "So… you sealed it?"

Eryndor met his gaze, the fire in his arm flickering faintly. "For now."

Elias studied him carefully, then nodded. "The king will hear of this. But something tells me this isn't the last time our paths will cross."

Kaelith smirked. "I'll look forward to it."

Elias turned, leading his soldiers away from the ridge.

As silence returned to the valley, Kaelith exhaled. "Well, that was dramatic."

Eryndor glanced at his cursed arm. Though the flames had dimmed, he could still feel it the faint trace of the second flame.

"It's not over," he said quietly. "But the next time the veil breaks… I'll be ready."

Kaelith nudged him playfully. "We better be. I'm not doing this alone."

As they left the valley behind, the veil held firm… but far beneath the surface, the last ember of the chained Flamebearer's fire still smoldered.