The Last Emberblade

n ashes and smoke. Villagers gathered in silence, wh

ood drawn low. His voice was calm, but his eyes sharp and full of

ng the figure's voice in his mind. Foun

. Instead, he turned

time you saw what I'v

ts and frozen streams, until they reached a cave half-covered by moss an

, one by one, as if the cave recognized him. At the end of the tunn

lled the

ike fire trapped in steel. Strange runes were etched along the flat of the blade, glow

Maelis said. "The

back. "I'm not

dy or not, they're coming. And you are the

ng to him-not with words, but with warmth.

ut and touch

erful. He gasped and staggered back. For a moment, the cave fl

s that?" Aric ask

g between pride and fear. "The emb

It didn't glow now, but somethi

ld the