CHAPTER 22: Whispers Beyond the Firelight

"When the spirit is shaken, the heart reveals what the eyes cannot see."

They were in Maelin's hut, the hut was quiet again, save for the crackle of fire and the faint hum of night winds brushing against the wooden walls. Ashix lay wrapped in blankets, his breath shallow but steady, the warmth of healing herbs wafting from the cloth placed across his forehead. Beside him, Elira sat cross-legged, arms folded, her gaze fixed on his pained face, while Marini busied herself grinding more of the crimson-root balm in a clay bowl near the hearth.

Ashix's body bore marks that no physical battle had given. Bruises, gashes, a deep purple burn on his ribs—all from the dream encounter with Kael Thorne. Yet they looked as real and fresh as if he had been torn apart by blades and fire.

"He keeps groaning... It's like he's still fighting," Elira muttered, brushing sweat-soaked hair from his brow.

"Whatever Kael did in that vision—it's not just a dream. It's deeper. Connected to his soul," Marini said with a frown. "This isn't something herbs alone can heal."

Naru, the white-furred beast curled protectively at Ashix's feet, let out a low hum in Elira's mind.

"His spirit crossed a threshold. Kael touched the boundary between the waking and the unseen. I fear this was no ordinary dream."

Elira closed her eyes to respond silently. What should we do, Naru? Will he wake?

"He will. But his path has twisted. That scar on his soul… it now echoes with Kael's mark."

Suddenly, Ashix jolted upright with a gasp, his hands instinctively reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. Eyes wide, breath ragged.

"Where is he?" he barked.

Marini dropped the pestle, rushing to his side. "You're safe! Ashix, it's okay. You were dreaming—no, more than that. We know."

Ashix's head spun, the dream still burning in his thoughts. His muscles ached as if they'd been torn from their sockets. "Kael… he was there. I fought him. Gods—he was so strong. I couldn't—" he paused, voice cracking. "He let me live."

"What?" Elira blinked. "Let you live?"

Ashix nodded slowly, jaw clenched. "He said... he still needs my light. Something about a seal. He wants to use me to open it."

They all grew quiet.

"That's how he'll find the gate," Marini said softly. "The one from the ancient scrolls. The one that was locked beyond the nine rivers."

Ashix's shoulders slumped. "He doesn't want to kill me yet. He wants me to break the path open for him first."

"Then we can't let him," Elira said, rising to her feet. "We have to find that seal before he does."

"And destroy it," Ashix agreed, though the weariness in his voice betrayed his doubt. "But we have no map. No direction."

"Maybe not," said a new voice from the doorway.

They turned sharply. It was Faye, standing there in a flowing shawl that shimmered faintly under the moonlight. Her eyes, still lined with weariness from the temple escape, held a new kind of resolve.

"I've seen glimpses," she continued. "As a Moon Seer, I dream too—but differently. Fragments, signs. I know the seal Kael seeks."

Ashix and the girls exchanged glances. Marini motioned her inside. "How long have you known?"

"Since last night. When the temple fell and the sigils lit up," Faye said, stepping closer. "The seal lies far beyond the burning fields of Kalinor. A forgotten shrine buried under the Red Dunes. A place where stars don't shine and time bends."

Elira sighed. "Great. Another cursed desert."

Faye smiled faintly. "It's worse than a desert."

Ashix's breath steadied. The pain still lingered, but the fire in his chest slowly reignited. "Then that's where we go."

"Not immediately," Faye warned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're still weak. Your body may be moving, but your spirit hasn't fully returned. Kael left a mark—something that could weaken or even control you if you're not careful."

Ashix nodded. "I understand. But we can't stay here for long. Kael's influence is spreading. This village could be in danger if we remain."

Maelin entered behind Faye, leaning heavily on her cane. "The lad's right," she croaked. "The winds have changed. I can feel the darkness stirring again."

Marini looked at Maelin with fresh appreciation. "We owe you more than we can say. Your wisdom kept us safe, even when we didn't know it."

Maelin grunted. "Flattery won't get you extra stew."

They chuckled, the tension easing for the first time in hours. Naru rolled onto his back, tail flicking contentedly as the energy in the hut warmed once again.

Elira sat beside Ashix, nudging his arm. "Next time you decide to dream-fight a dark lord, maybe give us a heads-up first?"

Ashix chuckled weakly. "Yeah, I'll send a pigeon."

Marini joined in the laughter, and even Maelin let out a short, scratchy laugh that made the others pause in pleasant surprise.

It was a strange moment—light-hearted, surrounded by lingering dread—but it felt right.

Outside, the sky was beginning to grey, hints of dawn blooming along the horizon.

Ashix stood slowly, with help from Elira and Marini. "Let's prepare. We rest one more day, then head to Kalinor. If Kael's planning to open the seal, we'll beat him there."

Naru padded over to Faye, bumping his head against her leg in approval.

"You are part of this now," he said in her mind.

Faye smiled sadly. "I always was."

Together, they looked to the east—toward Kalinor, the Red Dunes, and the ancient gate that could decide the fate of their world.

The firelight behind them flickered low, but the dawn ahead blazed bright.