Obsidian Memories

aped by screams frozen in time. Nothing grew. No moss, no lichen, not even the ash beetles that u

e on her right hand and a live lantern in her left. The light danc

aled memory here?"

steps behind her, nodd

the original ones. It was sealed wh

ealed...

d from the right

of sealing. And other time

lamp trembled, its flame dwindling to a thin, bluish coil. Asha felt the w

ent

heir breathing. It was as if the valley devoured any vibration. Suddenly, Asha understood

n here?" sh

ed black ash. There were hand-drawn symbols, clumsy but ancient. One of them, carved

is t

be neither part of the Empire nor part of the rebels. They believe

g. But this wasn't like before. It wasn't a single memory. It was an amalgamation, a

khar warned, "you won

removed her glove. She pl

rld sh

e still in the cavern, but her mind was being drawn to

the scre

usa

ess cause. They spoke in a broken language, but Asha understood with her body.

r of the vis

She watched the Keepers die. She didn't cry. She only

d of

hat the memory held. Not a

a ch

r's voice brought her vio

se. The veins in her left arm were tinge

ered. "But not to light it... bu

closed

saw th

s this

leaned towar

eepers believed that, to end wars, they must seal the fi

hey fa

so, they sealed themselves as well. This

ot like other times. This one didn't seek to control

I do wi

r tired eyes seemed heav

te her into your web. If you can do that, the

be con

will be neutrali

osed he

allow herself to be carried away. She listened. The voices no longer shouted. They mur

ond with words.

urrounding the stone began to crack, and a t

l wasn'

ope

ymbol remained, etched in living ash: a spir

nodded

hold the next node. But remember: every

him. She was

l have

he cavern, the

ith s

mea

were no longer silent. Th

ewhere on the continent,

t sacrifice, the web of fir