**Chapter 30: Keeper’s Oath**

**Chapter 30: Keeper's Oath**

Jack stood atop the highest tower of Eldrin, the morning sun casting golden light across the once-ruined city. The fire had returned, coursing through the veins of the ancient stone, bringing life back to the long-lost halls. Below, the streets were still empty, but he could feel the pulse of energy through the air. **Eldrin was waking.**

Shadow sat beside him, his golden eyes reflecting the morning light. Jack reached down, running a hand through the wolf-dog's thick fur. "Looks like we have a lot of work to do, buddy."

The Keeper approached from behind, their presence as heavy as ever. "The city stirs, but it will not rebuild itself."

Jack turned to face them, arms crossed. "So where do we start?"

The Keeper extended a hand toward the horizon, where the mountains loomed beyond the city walls. "The fire of Eldrin is strong, but its people are gone. If the city is to live again, it must call to those who remain."

Jack frowned. "You mean… survivors?"

The Keeper nodded. "Not all who fled perished. There are those who still carry the blood of Eldrin in distant lands, unaware of what has been rekindled here."

Jack exhaled slowly. He had spent so much time fighting, surviving, pushing forward. Now, for the first time, he had to think about **building.**

"I don't even know where to start," he admitted.

The Keeper studied him for a moment before reaching into their armor and withdrawing a small, pulsing crystal. "Take this. It is the Heartstone. It will guide you to those who still carry the fire of Eldrin."

Jack took the crystal, feeling the warmth radiating from it. The moment it touched his palm, visions flickered behind his eyes—glimpses of distant places, forgotten roads, faces of people who seemed familiar and yet unknown.

Shadow let out a low whine, sensing the shift in energy. Jack clenched his fist around the Heartstone. "Alright," he said. "Where do I start?"

The Keeper gestured toward the eastern gate of the city. "The first trail lies beyond the Ashen Wastes. There, you will find the first of them."

Jack sighed. **No rest for the wicked.**

He turned back to the city, scanning the skyline. Even with its newly restored fire, it still felt **empty.** That wasn't right. It was meant to be **alive.**

As if reading his thoughts, the Keeper spoke again. "You are not just reclaiming Eldrin for yourself, Jack Frost. You are giving it back to its people."

Jack nodded. "Then let's bring them home."

He slung his sword over his back, tucking the Heartstone into his belt. Shadow fell into step beside him, ears pricked forward, tail wagging slightly.

As they walked, Jack took in the details of the city around him. The once-broken streets were lined with flickering lanterns, fueled by the very fire he had reignited. Towers that had crumbled under time's weight now stood tall, waiting for voices to fill them again. **Eldrin wasn't just waking—it was waiting.**

They passed the remains of a market square, its stone stalls worn with age. Jack could almost hear the echoes of past lives—the laughter of merchants, the clinking of coin, the hum of a city that had once been full of dreams. **And it would be again.**

Shadow paused at a well in the center of the square, sniffing the air. Jack followed, running a hand over the worn stone. Water still trickled within. He smiled faintly. "Guess some things never die."

The Keeper stopped beside him. "Eldrin is not just a place, Jack. It is the fire that burns in those who still believe. That fire must be tended, or it will fade once more."

Jack turned, gripping the Heartstone tighter. "Then we'll make sure it doesn't."

The eastern gate loomed ahead, its great doors now restored, standing open to the vast world beyond. The path before him stretched far, winding into lands he had never known. But for the first time, Jack wasn't afraid.

He glanced at Shadow. "Ready for another journey?"

The wolf-dog barked once, his tail wagging slightly. Jack grinned. "Yeah. Me too."

As they made their way through the gate, Jack took one last look at Eldrin, the city he had fought for, the city he now called home. He had spent his life searching for a place to belong.

And now, he was bringing others back to **their** home, too.

**It was more than a mission.**

**It was a promise.**

**To be continued…**