The forest grew darker as Haruki and Ayame made their way down the narrow path. Tall trees blocked out most of the fading sunlight, and only small beams broke through the leaves above. The air felt heavy and still, as if the woods themselves were listening.
"Are you sure he lives out here?" Haruki asked, stepping over a thick root.
Ayame nodded. "He doesn't like visitors. But if anyone knows about the Ashen Circle, it's him."
They didn't talk much after that. The silence felt sacred. Haruki could still feel the warmth in his chest from the flame earlier, like something inside him had changed and wasn't ready to settle down.
Eventually, they reached a clearing. A small, wooden house sat at the edge of a quiet pond. Vines wrapped around the roof, and strange wooden charms hung from the trees nearby. It looked ancient—like it had been standing there for centuries.
Ayame knocked twice on the wooden door. No answer.
She knocked again, then pushed it open.
Inside, the house was packed with books, scrolls, and old tools. Dust floated in the light coming through a narrow window. A low fire burned in a clay pot in the corner. The smell of herbs hung in the air.
An old man sat cross-legged by the fire. His long grey hair was tied back, and his eyes were half-closed, like he'd been waiting.
"I felt your flame," he said without looking up. "Come in."
Haruki hesitated, then stepped inside.
The man finally looked at him. His eyes were sharp, almost glowing in the dim light. "So… the Ember awakens again."
"You know what it is?" Haruki asked.
The old man smiled faintly. "I know what it once was. And what it can become."
Ayame sat down beside him. "Master Rin, he needs to know. About the Ashen Circle. About his father."
Rin's smile faded. He turned to Haruki. "The Ashen Circle was once part of us. A brotherhood of guardians. But they strayed from the path. They wanted to control the Ember, not protect it."
Haruki sat down slowly. "My father… he was one of you?"
Rin nodded. "One of our strongest. He vanished years ago after learning something the Ashen Circle wanted to keep buried."
Haruki's hands clenched. "Do you know where he went?"
"No," Rin said quietly. "But I believe he's still alive. And I believe they're hunting you now for the same reason they hunted him."
Haruki looked down. "Why me?"
"Because the Ember runs in your blood," Rin said. "You were born with it, just like your father. But unlike him, your flame is still young. They want to control it before you understand what it truly is."
He reached into a nearby box and pulled out a small scroll. "This was left by your father."
Haruki unrolled it slowly. The paper was old, but the symbol drawn in red ink was clear—the same one he'd seen in the dream, on the stone disk, and in the mysterious envelope.
"He knew they would come for you one day," Rin said. "And he hoped this would lead you here."
As Haruki stared at the symbol, something strange happened.
His vision blurred. For a moment, the room faded away.
He saw flashes—a man standing in a burning field, holding the same symbol in his hand. Shadows closing in around him. A bright flame bursting from his chest.
Then it was gone.
Haruki gasped and nearly dropped the scroll.
Ayame grabbed his arm. "Are you okay?"
"I saw something," he said. "It felt real."
Rin's eyes narrowed. "The Ember is showing you pieces of the past. It's not just power—it's memory. Emotion. Legacy."
Before Haruki could speak, a loud crack echoed from outside.
All three of them froze.
Rin stood slowly and moved to the window. "We're not alone."
Ayame pulled out a small blade from her coat. "They found us."
Haruki stood too, his heart pounding. The warmth in his chest flickered again.
"Stay close," Rin said. "If they've come this far, they won't leave without a fight."
---
Next Chapter Teaser – Chapter 13: Shadows at the Door
With the Ashen Circle at their doorstep, Haruki must defend what little he's learned and choose whether to flee or fight. The first true test of the Ember is about to begin.