Previously in Echoes of the Immortal Flame…
Aryan, the boy with a fire that once shook the heavens, has returned—reborn, hidden, and burning with quiet rage. In the shadows of Crimson Willow Sect, he begins again, concealing his true strength and watching from behind veiled eyes.
But something ancient stirs beneath the sect—a whisper of black flame, a forgotten presence that seems to recognize him. And just as old truths begin to surface, so too do eyes that were never meant to see him again.
The past is not finished. It's only begun to remember.
---
The path twisted beneath Aryan's feet, carved through stone and shadow, leading deeper into the sect's inner valley.
No birdsong greeted him here. No breeze stirred the leaves. It was as if the air itself had paused—watching.
He stopped.
A faint pulse thrummed through the ground. Subtle. Cold. Familiar.
He knelt, pressing his palm to the stone. His Flame Seed flared in response, flickering once like a wary eye opening in the dark.
> "Someone has walked here before me," he murmured. "Someone who remembers the old flame."
He stood quickly, gaze sharpening. There was movement—just beyond the curve of the trail.
Not footsteps.
Not human.
A presence.
It was gone a moment later. But not without leaving something behind: the scent of scorched lotus and silver ash.
Aryan clenched his fist. Moonfire. It could only mean one thing.
> "Lirael…"
Her aura—so faint, so distant—lingered like a ghost echoing through the mountainside.
But why here? Why now?
Had she sensed him? Or… was someone trying to draw him out?
He narrowed his eyes.
> "No," he whispered. "This isn't her. Not yet."
Suddenly, a whisper curled into his mind—not in words, but in flame. Black flame.
You should not be here, child of fire.
Aryan turned, but the path behind him was empty.
He was being watched.
---
Author's Note:
We're diving deeper into the mystery surrounding Aryan's rebirth. What is the shadow that knows him? Could the past be reaching for him… or is something darker awakening?
Drop your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to add it to your library! The fire is just get
ting started.
Next up: Chapter 9 – "The Lotus That Burned Twice"