Chapter 20: The Scorched Vale
—Narrated by Eli Whitmore
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The Scorched Vale wasn't just a place on the map. It was a warning.
A land of ash and cracked earth, where nothing truly lived. Rumors said a fallen guardian once tried to burn away the Binder's Curse here, but instead left behind only flames that never died.
Now we were walking straight into it.
Me, Thorne, Felix, Ryker, Luna, and Drave—all of us stood at the edge of the Vale. Hot wind licked at our skin, and ash clung to our boots like ghostly snow. The sky was a pale red, and the sun looked like a blood-orange eye staring down at us.
"We shouldn't split up," Luna said, adjusting her hood.
"Agreed," Felix added, drawing a protection rune on his glove. "The land itself could be cursed."
Draven muttered, "This place doesn't want us here. I can feel it in my bones."
I turned to Thorne, who was silent beside me, his eyes scanning the horizon.
"Do you sense anything?" I asked.
"Yes," he said softly. "There's something buried here. But it's not the seal piece… it's older. Wounded magic. Twisted. We need to be ready."
We continued our journey, careful and close. But as we reached the heart of the Vale, the land itself shifted—cracks opening under our feet, and a great blaze erupting from below.
A burning circle surrounded us.
Then a voice echoed—deep, ancient, and hollow.
> "Only those who walk as one may pass. Let the Trial of Unity begin."
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The Trial of Unity
The flames rose higher around us. We were trapped in a ring of fire. But there was no monster—only the air buzzing with power.
"A trial?" Luna asked, shielding her face from the heat.
"No spells," Felix warned. "My magic's not working."
"Mine either," I said, trying a spark.
"Then what do we do?" I asked.
Thorne stepped forward. "We pass the test. Together. Whatever it is."
The ground beneath us shifted again—and suddenly, we were all separated. A thick wall of flame appeared between each of us. I could barely hear the others, but the trial had begun.
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Eli's Trial
I stood alone in a circle of white ash. The wind whispered lies in my ear.
> "You're the reason they suffer. You open gates, but you also let the darkness through."
My legs trembled. My heart beat fast.
"That's not true," I whispered, hugging my arms to my chest.
But the voice kept whispering.
> "You're not a leader. You're just a boy pretending."
Then I saw a flicker in the air—a vision of my friends, bloodied and falling.
> "They'll die for you. And it'll be your fault."
I wanted to cry. I wanted to run. But I remembered Seris's words. My aunt had told me: "Light isn't always bright. Sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it's just holding on."
I closed my eyes and whispered, "I'm still here. I'm not running."
The flame around me lowered.
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Thorne's Trial
He stood in front of a shadowy figure.
Victor Everhart.
Not real. Just an illusion. But cruelly accurate.
> "You'll end up like me," it growled. "Cold. Alone. Hated. You were made for destruction."
Thorne clenched his fists. "I'm not you."
> "You are. And the boy you follow—Eli? He'll see it too, and leave you."
Thorne shook his head. He stepped forward. "I don't destroy. I protect. Even if no one understands."
The shadow hissed—and vanished.
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Felix & Ryker's Trial
They were placed back-to-back, unable to see each other.
> "He doesn't trust you." The voice whispered in Ryker's ear.
> "He'll leave you when he finds someone stronger," it said to Felix.
Both boys started shaking.
"Felix!" Ryker called. "I don't care what this thing says. I trust you."
Felix shouted back, "Then hold my hand, idiot. We're getting through this."
The flame between them dropped instantly as their hands met.
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Luna & Draven's Trial
Luna stood before a reflection of herself. One filled with rage.
> "You couldn't save your sister. You'll fail again."
She cried. But Draven appeared beside her.
"You're stronger than the past, Luna. You lead now. I follow your light."
She wiped her tears. "Then let's burn this illusion together."
The reflection shattered.
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Unity Restored
One by one, we reappeared in the center again. The flames dropped.
The voice returned.
> "You have passed. You stand as one. Take the second seal."
Before us, from the ash, rose a glowing stone—etched with the mark of the Gate Keeper.
I stepped forward. My hand hovered over it.
And then I touched it.
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The Seal of Fire awakened
A rush of power filled me—hot, bold, alive. The second piece of the Seal was now part of me.
And I knew it clearly—this wasn't just about power. These seals were testing us. Changing us. Preparing us.
As we turned to leave the Vale, the sky above us cleared just slightly.
Thorne stood beside me. He didn't say anything. But he didn't need to.
We passed this trial.
Together.
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To be continued...