The Return of the Novice

mistakable silhouette of the raven in mid-flight-its wings curled upward as though lifting the heavens. The

side her, sil

ile, neither

er her fingers came, the warmer the air grew-dense, elec

and lifting her cloak from her shoulders. The earth beneath them vibrated.

the stone beneath her feet lit up too.

, layered, resonating fr

e... Speak your true name, tha

breath

true

e her a slow nod, though hi

e had never spoken the full name aloud. Not since she found it in the book. But now, standi

ng in her chest,

ily Rave

ct was i

the door and unfurled its wings. Light erupted from every rune, every line, and with

wide, revealing a long corridor bathed in shifting

sand different ways, but nothing could have prepared her for the energy inside th

e of Dust

. "This place has been untouched fo

nds of the Shadowed Flame: women and men cloaked in dark fire, hands outstretched to stars, weaving fate and memory into g

nting gently. "Was

The question hung

and stone. A grand dais rose at the center, upon which stood a pedestal-identi

. Within it, shadows swirled-sometimes formin

roached i

rned. "Let me c

urged with light and expelled a

im, but he was already gr

ed. "But it's... it

pounding again. Something about it cal

overed above

he made

rld sh

mple v

oved in fast motion-like time was being skipped, looped, rewritten. The

ing beneath a blood-red moon. She saw Seers wielding blades forged of flame an

lack cloak flaring, her hair a cascade of

sm

the same face she h

her hand-and the

he said, her voice ech

sked, her voice caught

t of the Dreambind

ened. "No... that'

Order took you-erased your path, your power. But the blood

y's voice crac

unseal what was locked. The world trembles again, and the Order ha

blurred. "I d

rs. Gather the scattered Seer

to break apart,

mean? Twin of the f

nara wa

he vision ended. The orb dulled,

to her sid

at him, daze

she whispered

yes w

there are others like me. And

hen we need to find them. All o

gripping his h

oor. Touched the fla

greater jou

e to face the

have to fi

what "twin of the flame" truly

t only awakene

awakened