Vampire heart

0: Ashes

embered

een a moment-a flicker in time-where everything held its breath. The trees,

e the na

lit like the sk

s cracked and dim, blood pooling beneath him. He had fled deeper into the shadows a

not s

emem

ny

oy re

returned-not just with power, but with t

coughing blood. "You'll

t. It sparked faintly-alive, but wounded. He'd

was only

elic had its counter-force. Every power its weakness. A

nd them. Be

ve could

amed of

rcle around a stone platform. He stood barefoot on the stone, hold

lake, a fig

ij

didn't speak. He si

d him sto

mans alike. Not just past lives-guardians. A lineage of those who ha

e to b

g across his knees. The forest around them was qu

ain," Malakai said wi

ied. "Not a nigh

he touched his ribs. "I think one o

nd on Malakai's side. He didn'

ndant

d sharply-but

me," he said

n't me

apolo

y. "I think the relic's ev

smiled

was won, but the forest had become too exposed. If Ra

shrine hidden in the rocks-one of the last untouched places where guard

their new language. But it wasn't empty. It was ful

eath the open sky, a small

y broke th

e destined to repe

s gaze. "You m

il. Or lose

iet for a long

a map. But we cho

irst time around, we chose each ot

ll chos

tened. "Even if i

cross the fire.

etween them

it was Ay

ed Malakai, slow and searching. Not like l

ld didn

xpan

ay, they reach

h winding up slick rock and ivy-covered stone. They f

e: si

fering blood to fire, of lovers holding hands beneath a burn

he figures. "These w

All the ones who came before.

the chamber stood

ndant pulled gently against h

and placed it

the chamb

rals. The pedestal glowed. A second relic-a ring,

d. "What

half," Mala

g. The moment it touc

memorie

rning. Oceans rising. And in all of them-him

d. Malakai

did yo

whispered.

fingers around Ayo'

n the shrine courtyard. No ten

lame. "Do you think t

dy have," M

rned.

e of the shrine. "They've b

dows stepped

es glowing faintly gold. The other, a young boy wit

y b

the woman said. "We've waited c

ou know?"

ood," the boy said. "Each tim

otectively closer.

others are waking. Not all will choose peace

er gaze.

build someth

-then held o

took

he oath

ire burned low, Ayo looked

sca

led him clo

is eyes. "Bu

, the star

p in the earth, mo