The sky darkened with smoke long before Kael saw the village.
Two days had passed since Seraphiel vanished into the clouds. Two days of walking scorched trails, avoiding scattered demonic scouts, and wrestling with the fire that now burned quietly inside him. The System had changed everything—his body, his strength, and his destiny.
But not his resolve.
He crested the final ridge, and there it was—Emberfall.
Or what remained of it.
What once must've been a peaceful farming village was now a ruin of cinder and ash. Homes were collapsed, carts overturned, and the protective ward-stones that lined the perimeter stood shattered like broken teeth. Fires still licked at timber frames, but the real horror was in the silence.
No birds. No wind. Just smoke, flame, and—
A scream.
Kael didn't hesitate. He sprinted down the slope, System interface flickering beside him.
[Zone Entered: Emberfall Village – Hostile Threat Level: Moderate]
[Quest Active: Embers of Resistance – Defend the last survivor]
He raced between crumbling houses, sword in hand, magic pulsing faintly through his fingertips. The scream came again—from the center square. He turned a corner, leapt a shattered fence—and saw her.
A girl, no older than seventeen, stood defiant before three monsters. One arm bled freely; her other hand clenched a wooden staff that glowed faintly at the tip. She stood atop a glowing ward circle etched in flame, shielding a group of unconscious villagers behind her.
The monsters were twisted. Hulking, four-armed creatures with bone masks and rotting flesh. One hissed and lunged.
Kael didn't think. He just moved.
His sword slashed out in a silver arc, catching the beast mid-leap and slicing it cleanly in two. Ash burst across the plaza.
The girl turned in shock. "Who—?"
"Later," Kael said, stepping in front of her. "You hold the ward. I'll handle the rest."
The other two monsters roared and charged. Kael's mind flashed with training—not just from the monastery, but from the System. Movements he hadn't known he could perform now flowed like instinct.
[Skill Activated: Heaven's Arc Lv.1]
[Passive: Battle Flow – +5% speed]
He weaved between the monsters' swipes, blade dancing like liquid light. One fell with a blade through its heart. The other turned to flee, but Kael hurled a bolt of arcane energy into its back, erupting it in blue fire.
Silence fell again.
[Quest Progress: Survivors Defended – Success]
[+1000 XP, +1 Ally: Arin (Flamecaller)]
Kael turned to the girl as her ward flickered and finally collapsed. She slumped to one knee, exhaustion evident in her eyes.
"Thanks," she muttered, breathless. "Thought I'd have to go out in flames."
"Name's Kael. You're… Arin?"
She gave a tired nod. "Arin Veyla. I'm… a Flamecaller."
Kael frowned. "You have the System too?"
Instead of answering, Arin lifted her staff. At the center of her palm, glowing just under her skin, was a crimson glyph—a mark not unlike Kael's own, though different in design. Hers resembled a burning eye.
[New Party Member: Arin – Class: Ember Witch (Path: Flamecaller)]
[Party Interface Unlocked]
[Sync Bonus: +5% fire resistance while near party member]
Kael helped her to her feet. "How long have you been fighting alone?"
"Three days. I've been holding them off while trying to keep the survivors alive. My brother was the one with real power, but… he didn't make it."
Kael saw the pain in her eyes. He didn't press further.
"More are coming," Arin said quietly. "They're nesting in the mines beneath the village. I've seen them drag people down there. They're… feeding on them. Or worse."
Kael's jaw clenched.
[New Objective: Cleanse the Emberfall Mines]
[Warning: Mini-Dungeon Detected – "Nest of the Hollowed" – Difficulty: High]
He looked at Arin. She wasn't a trained fighter, but the magic she'd used—raw fire laced with ancient glyphs—was powerful. Controlled. She had talent.
"We go in together," Kael said. "We clear the mines, rescue who we can. Then we burn every last one of those things out."
Arin's eyes narrowed, and a flicker of flame curled around her fingers. "Sounds like a plan."
Kael looked down at the unconscious villagers. "We'll need to set up a safe perimeter. Once we enter the mines, we may not come back up for a while."
"Then we don't die," Arin said with a faint grin. "Simple as that."
[Main Questline Progression: 11%]
Kael drew his sword again, the blade now humming faintly with the light of the Arcanoblade. He looked toward the distant mine entrance, where shadows pooled like ink and the air trembled with unnatural heat.
"You hear that?" he said.
"Hear what?" Arin asked.
Kael's eyes darkened. "The fire calling back."