Chapter 3 Embers of Awakening

Dawn crept reluctantly across the shattered plains as Kitara and Valen stood at the edge of the ruins, the wind whispering through broken stone like lingering ghosts. The world felt heavier, as though her awakening had disturbed something ancient. Kitara’s fingers tingled again with that strange warmth, pulsing faintly beneath her skin. She tried to ignore it, but the sensation pressed forward urgently, like a heartbeat out of rhythm.

“Your power reacted last night,” Valen said, studying her with an intensity she tried not to acknowledge. “That was no accident. It means something, and we can’t afford to pretend otherwise.” His voice was calm, but Kitara sensed the tension beneath it, as if even he wasn’t ready for what her magic meant.

Kitara crossed her arms, suddenly aware of the soft glow that sparked when her emotions flared. “And what, exactly, do you expect me to do with a power I don’t understand?” Her voice was steady, but unease pooled in her stomach. The ruins hummed in response to her presence, a vibration only she seemed to feel.

Valen stepped closer. “We start by finding someone who does understand.” He held her gaze for a heartbeat longer than necessary. “There’s a seer in the Emberwood who’s been waiting for a sign like you.” His tone softened as he continued. “But I need to know you’re ready. The path isn’t safe, and neither is what’s awakening inside you.”

Kitara inhaled deeply as memories flickered her grandmother’s warnings, strange dreams of fire spiraling through endless trees, a voice whispering her name in the dark. Everything pointed toward an inevitable turning point she didn’t feel prepared for. Yet she lifted her chin, refusing to show fear. “I don’t have a choice, do I? Whatever I am… it’s already begun.”

Valen nodded once, a faint trace of admiration breaking through his guarded expression. “Good. Then we leave now.” He motioned toward the forest beyond the ruins, its crimson leaves shimmering like embers under the rising light. “Stay close to me. The Emberwood doesn’t welcome outsiders.”

As they descended the rocky slope, Kitara felt Valen’s hand brush her arm light, accidental, but it sent a shiver through her that had nothing to do with magic. She said nothing, but the awareness stayed, warm and unsettling. She focused on the forest ahead, though the sensation lingered stubbornly.

The Emberwood greeted them with a low hum, branches swaying in slow, deliberate movements even without wind. The air was thicker here, charged with an ancient presence. Kitara stepped lightly, feeling the forest observing her, weighing her, perhaps even recognizing her. She swallowed hard. “Does it always feel like this?”

“No,” Valen answered quietly. “It’s reacting to you. That should worry us.” His hand rested near the hilt of his blade, not out of aggression but caution. “If the seer senses this too quickly, she may not be pleased.”

Kitara frowned. “You said she’d been waiting for me.”

“Waiting,” he repeated, “doesn’t mean willing.”

A rustle snapped through the woods, sharp and deliberate. Valen moved instantly, placing himself between Kitara and the sound. His stance was protective, steady, and somehow reassuring. She resisted the strange warmth rising in her chest, knowing now was not the time for emotions she didn’t fully understand.

A creature emerged small, foxlike, but its fur shimmered with silver light, and its eyes glowed faint blue. It studied them curiously before speaking in a language not spoken aloud but inside their minds. “The seer will see you now.” Then it turned, expecting them to follow.

Kitara blinked, stunned. “Did… that thing just”

“Yes,” Valen replied. “Don’t stare too long. Illusion foxes can overwhelm your senses if you give them attention.” But his gaze flicked toward her briefly. “Stay behind me. And don’t touch anything glowing.”

They followed the fox deeper into the Emberwood until the trees opened into a clearing bathed in golden haze. A circular stone platform sat at its center, carved with unfamiliar symbols that pulsed faintly when Kitara stepped closer. Her magic responded instinctively, flickering beneath her skin like restless flame.

A woman appeared atop the platform tall, ageless, her hair flowing like molten silver, her eyes burning with knowledge older than kingdoms. “So,” the seer said, voice echoing across the clearing, “the Emberwood’s silence breaks at last.” She studied Kitara intently. “You’ve awakened something reckless.”

Kitara straightened. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Magic rarely cares for intent,” the seer replied. She stepped down with graceful, practiced movements, each one causing the symbols beneath her to glow. “Show me your hands.”

Kitara hesitated, but Valen gave a slight nod. She lifted her palms. The faint golden light responded immediately, spiraling upward before she could contain it. The seer’s eyes widened not in fear, but recognition.

“Child of the Veil,” the seer whispered. “A descendant of the lost bloodline. You are far more dangerous than you realize.” She circled Kitara slowly, evaluating every breath, every flicker of light. “If your power continues to grow unchecked, it will consume you and everything around you.”

Kitara’s heart raced. “I don’t want any of this.”

The seer stopped directly before her. “Want has nothing to do with fate.” Then she turned to Valen. “And you—why bring her here? You know what this means.”

Valen’s jaw tightened. “Because she deserves the truth.”

The seer’s eyes narrowed. “And what of your motives, guardian? You walk too closely beside her.” Her gaze sharpened, as if seeing something Valen did not want revealed.

Kitara felt heat rise in her cheeks, but Valen didn’t look away. “My duty is to protect her.”

“Protection,” the seer murmured, “is rarely so simple.”

Kitara stepped between them. “Enough. I want answers. What am I? What’s happening to me?” The magic under her skin surged again, responding to her rising fear.

The seer exhaled. “You are the return of an ancient fire. A wielder of Veilflame magic capable of shattering or restoring entire realms. The last of your kind vanished centuries ago. Many believed the bloodline extinguished.” She touched Kitara’s glowing hand lightly. “But your awakening will draw eyes, enemies, and creatures hungry for your power.”

A chill crawled up Kitara’s spine. “So what do I do?”

“Learn,” the seer replied. “Train. And do not let your emotions control you.” Her eyes flicked to Valen again. “Especially not certain emotions.”

Kitara felt Valen’s presence behind her steady, warm, dangerously reassuring. She didn’t turn, but she sensed his gaze on her.

“Your journey begins tonight,” the seer said. “Rest while you can. The world will not remain quiet for long.”

Kitara inhaled shakily, the weight of destiny pressing on her shoulders. But when Valen placed a steadying hand on her back gentle, unspoken, grounding she didn’t pull away.

For the first time, she felt she might not face this alone.