Kael woke to the smell of smoke.
For a moment, he thought he was still dreaming. Then he heard it—the faint crackling of flames outside his window.
He rushed from his bed and looked toward the village square.
The sacred fire was burning.
But something was wrong.
The flames were moving against the wind.
They twisted and danced like figures performing an ancient ritual. Then, for one terrifying second, two glowing eyes appeared inside the fire.
Kael froze.
A voice whispered his name.
“Kael…”
He stepped backward.
The fire suddenly exploded upward, forming the shape of a giant hand before collapsing into darkness.
Outside, people began screaming.
Kael grabbed his sword and ran toward the square, unaware that beneath the ancient temple, something had just awakened.