Chapter 6 The Ember Watch
The fortress of Ember Watch loomed above the misted valley, jagged cliffs like teeth biting the sky. Nyra squinted through the rising fog, her Phoenix fire flickering faintly under her skin. Every instinct screamed that danger waited beyond those walls. Yet she had no choice. The seer’s warning and the Hollow King’s inevitable reach left no room for hesitation.
Aric adjusted the strap of his sword, moving close to her side. “Keep your focus,” he said, voice low. “The Hollow King’s influence can be subtle—traps, illusions, even whispers.”
Nyra swallowed hard, inhaling the sharp mountain air. “I can handle it,” she said, though her heart thudded faster than she wanted to admit.
“You’ve handled fire,” Aric replied softly, “but this is different. You’re not just facing creatures—you’re facing his will.”
She didn’t respond, focusing instead on the path Liora traced for them. The stone steps carved into the cliff were slick with moss, narrow enough that a misstep meant plummeting into the fog below. Every step she took reminded her of her fragility—and yet, her power hummed beneath her skin, warming her hands and forearms like a coiled spring.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” she asked Liora, keeping her voice low.
“Yes,” Liora replied. “It’s stronger here. The fortress itself has absorbed centuries of magic. The Hollow King left marks even in stone. One misstep, and it will feed on your fear.”
Aric glanced at Nyra again. “You’re not afraid.”
Nyra wanted to believe him. “I’m… focused.”
He didn’t challenge her. Not now.
---
The gates of Ember Watch were sealed with an intricate pattern of runes, glowing faintly with a dark violet hue. Liora studied them, her fingers tracing the carved symbols. “This is no ordinary lock,” she muttered. “It feeds on intention. Only those with the correct alignment of mind and magic can enter without triggering alarms.”
Aric stepped forward, placing his hand near the runes. Shadows flickered along his armor. “Do you want me to—”
“No,” Liora interrupted firmly. “Nyra must do this herself.”
Nyra’s pulse quickened. “Myself?”
“Yes,” Liora said, eyes fixed on her. “Your magic has begun to awaken in ways that are rare even for a Phoenixborn. Touch the runes. Guide the fire through them, and they will recognize you.”
Nyra stepped forward, palms outstretched. She felt the runes’ dark energy probing, testing, measuring. Her Phoenix fire stirred at her command, coiling like a living serpent in her hands. She whispered to it softly, her fingers tracing the runes as warmth met shadow. Slowly, the gates hummed, violet light fading to amber, before creaking open.
Aric’s eyes met hers briefly. “You did it.”
She flushed but kept walking. “We’re not inside yet. That was just the door.”
---
The courtyard beyond was eerily silent. Broken banners clung to stone towers, fluttering in the wind like tattered wings. The air smelled faintly of ash and smoke, though there had been no fire for decades. Nyra’s skin tingled; every stone and shadow seemed alive, watching, waiting.
“Stay alert,” Aric murmured. “The Hollow King doesn’t leave his fortresses unguarded.”
From the shadows, figures emerged—warriors clad in blackened steel, eyes glowing faint violet. They moved silently, circling, testing them. Nyra felt the Phoenix fire flare instinctively, a protective pulse.
Aric drew his sword, shadows dancing along the blade. “Nyra, don’t hesitate. Focus.”
She took a deep breath, letting the warmth of her magic flow outward, forming a sphere of light that pushed the guards back. They hissed and recoiled, their forms flickering, unable to penetrate the fire.
Liora moved beside her. “Control it. They will only attack what they sense as fear.”
Nyra exhaled, centering herself, letting her fire respond to her will rather than her panic. Slowly, the guards stopped advancing. The tension in the courtyard eased.
Aric sheathed his sword. “Good. That was… impressive.”
Nyra glanced at him, heart hammering not from the fight but from the closeness. “We still have to get to the inner keep.”
“Yes,” Liora said. “And it won’t be as simple as the courtyard.”
---
They moved toward the central tower, the stone steps twisting like a serpent. Shadows stretched unnaturally along the walls. Whispers slithered into their minds, illusions meant to disorient, frighten, and confuse. Nyra’s Phoenix fire flared automatically, forming a protective aura around them.
“Stay close,” Aric said, his hand brushing hers again briefly. The contact was fleeting, but enough to make her pulse stutter.
She focused, letting the fire coil tighter around her, sensing the whispers as nothing more than echoes. The stairs twisted endlessly, but eventually, they reached a massive chamber at the heart of the fortress.
The Hollow King was waiting.
He was a figure of impossible darkness, taller than any man, cloaked in shadows that flickered like dying embers. His eyes glowed a deep violet, and when he spoke, the walls themselves seemed to shudder.
“Phoenixborn,” he said, voice like rolling thunder. “You have returned.”
Nyra felt the fire in her veins roar in response, recognizing the enemy she had only glimpsed in visions.
Aric moved to stand beside her. “We’re ready.”
“Ready?” The Hollow King laughed, a sound that twisted the air. “You have no idea what you face. That fire of yours is nothing compared to what I am.”
Nyra stepped forward, letting her Phoenix fire flare visibly along her arms. “Maybe,” she said, voice steady, “but it’s mine. And I’m not afraid of you.”
For a moment, the Hollow King’s gaze lingered on her. It was not fear he saw, but defiance—and that made him pause.
Aric’s hand brushed hers again, this time deliberately, anchoring her, lending strength without words. Nyra’s fire responded, pulsing brighter, more controlled, more alive.
The Hollow King hissed, stepping forward, shadows writhing around him. “So bold… yet so young. You will burn before your fire is fully awakened.”
Nyra inhaled, letting the warmth coil within her chest. The Phoenix bloodline pulsed through every vein, every heartbeat, whispering the wisdom and courage of the queens before her. She raised her hands. Fire surged, swirling around her, forming wings of molten gold.
Aric’s eyes widened, not with fear, but awe. He had seen her grow, fight, and awaken—but this… this was beyond anything he expected.
The Hollow King’s shadows recoiled slightly at the intensity of her aura. Nyra’s fire flared higher, crackling and twisting in defiance.
Liora stepped beside her, chanting softly, guiding her power, stabilizing it. “Remember the fire, Nyra. Control it. Shape it. Make it yours.”
Nyra exhaled slowly, letting the flames sharpen, focus, and form a barrier between them and the Hollow King. The shadows hissed and twisted, but the fire held.
Aric’s hand rested lightly on her shoulder. Not a touch of possession, but support. Nyra drew strength from it, letting her magic intertwine with the reassurance he offered.
The Hollow King’s laughter echoed, fading into a low growl. “So be it, Phoenixborn. The game begins.”
Nyra’s fire pulsed brighter, reflecting her determination. She was no longer the girl who had stumbled into the forest. She was reborn, fire incar
nate, and ready to face the darkness.
And for the first time, standing beside Aric, she felt… not alone.
