Chapter 21: The Depths of the Trial

Victor's breath still came in shallow bursts, his body aching from the intensity of the battle. The **Eternal Flame Ember** in his palm pulsed, its flickering light casting long shadows in the still, smoke-scented air. The flames had consumed the creature, leaving nothing but a smoldering outline of what had once been a powerful beast. Yet, the ember's light had not dimmed—it had only grown brighter, and with it, a strange, unshakable feeling gnawed at the pit of his stomach.

Seris's words echoed in his mind: *The next trial is closer than you think.*

He glanced around the charred clearing, every tree and stone marked by the fire's passage. The forest seemed quieter now, more oppressive. The wind that had once whispered softly through the trees had stilled, and an unsettling sense of being watched lingered in the air.

Victor clenched his fists, the ember crackling in his hand, and began to walk forward. His steps were steady, though his mind raced, trying to make sense of everything that had just transpired. The **Eternal Flame Ember** had granted him power, but at what cost? The battle had been fierce, but the creature he had fought was only a reflection of what was to come. He could feel it—this was only the beginning.

As he moved deeper into the forest, the path grew darker, the canopy above thickening and blocking out the sunlight. The air turned colder, and a mist began to creep along the ground, swirling around his feet in ghostly tendrils. The ember's light flickered once, then stabilized, its warmth keeping the encroaching chill at bay. Yet, Victor could not shake the feeling that he was being drawn into something far darker than he had anticipated.

A low growl echoed through the mist, so faint that it was almost imperceptible. Victor froze, his senses on high alert. His hand instinctively tightened around the ember, drawing on its power, ready for whatever danger lurked in the shadows.

The growl came again, this time louder, more distinct.

From the mist, a pair of glowing eyes appeared, followed by another, and then another. The creatures that had been hidden within the fog now emerged, their bodies cloaked in shadow, their shapes barely discernible in the dim light. They were like nothing Victor had ever seen—tall, lean, with elongated limbs that moved unnaturally fast. Their skin was pale, almost translucent, and their eyes gleamed with an eerie, unnatural light.

Victor's pulse quickened. These were not mere beasts. These were *wraiths*—creatures born of darkness, forged from the very fears that lingered in the heart of the world. He had heard of them, though their existence was said to be nothing more than myth.

But here they were, and they were closing in.

The first wraith lunged at him with a speed that took Victor by surprise. Its claws slashed through the air, and he barely managed to duck in time, feeling the rush of wind as they grazed his cheek. The ember flared in his hand, and he swung it in a wide arc, sending a blast of flame toward the creature. But the wraith dodged with unnatural grace, its form shifting like smoke in the wind.

Victor's eyes narrowed. These wraiths were not like the beast he had fought before. They were agile, elusive—more like shadows than solid creatures. They thrived in darkness, moving in ways that defied logic.

Another wraith darted at him, and this time, he was ready. He hurled a bolt of fire at it, but the wraith melted into the mist just before the flame could make contact. A scream tore through the air, the wraith's voice a high-pitched, haunting wail that echoed in his ears, making his skin crawl.

Victor gritted his teeth. He couldn't let them overwhelm him—not now. He needed to focus, to use the ember in a way that was more than just raw power. These wraiths thrived on fear and darkness, but he had the flame—the light. The **Eternal Flame Ember** was a force of creation, not destruction. He needed to command it as Seris had said. *Control*.

With a deep breath, Victor closed his eyes and steadied his mind. He focused, calling on the power of the flame within him. The ember burned brighter, its heat radiating from his body in a golden aura that spread out in all directions. As the mist recoiled from the heat, the wraiths hissed and retreated into the shadows.

Victor took a step forward, his confidence growing as the ember responded to his will. The wraiths were creatures of darkness, but light was their weakness. The flame in his hand flared, sending a wave of radiant energy rippling through the mist. The wraiths screeched, their forms flickering as the light touched them.

"You can't hide from me," Victor muttered, his voice low and filled with determination. The ember pulsed with his resolve, and with a final burst of concentrated light, he released a wave of fire that swept through the mist like a cleansing storm.

The wraiths shrieked as the light consumed them, their forms disintegrating in the heat, leaving nothing but ash in their wake. One by one, they fell, their cries fading into the wind. But even as the last of them disappeared, Victor could feel the air shift—the silence that followed was not peaceful but laden with something darker.

The ember in his hand sputtered, and he gritted his teeth, trying to steady the power within him. It was still growing, becoming more unstable the longer he wielded it. The air around him crackled with residual heat, and he could feel the strain on his body as if the flame were eating away at him, trying to burn through his very soul.

Seris had warned him. The **Eternal Flame Ember** would test him. It would not bend to his will until he proved himself worthy.

Victor turned away from the charred remains of the wraiths, the ember still glowing fiercely in his grasp. Ahead, the path stretched on, darker than before, as if the forest itself were rejecting him.

But he would not back down. Not now. Not after everything he had already overcome.

The next trial awaited him, and this time, it would not be shadows he faced—but something far worse.