In the stillness of the night that wrapped around the cold edges of the forest, wisps of smoke curled gently from the remnants of a fire that had died moments ago. Orin, leaning against a rock bathed in moonlight, looked pale and distracted. His body had yet to fully recover from the Blood Curse that had seeped into his veins during the temple battle. Yet, there was something different in his eyes tonight. Something had changed.
The soft sound of footsteps on the grass pulled him from his thoughts. Gray appeared—his features familiar, calm—but this time, there was more caution in his stance.
Orin spoke without turning:
"Can you feel it? That fire that never rests inside me?"
Gray sat across from him, setting his sword aside, and said:
"I feel that something has broken within you... or perhaps something has awakened."
Orin did not reply. Instead, he closed his eyes. His breathing grew steadily heavier, and his body temperature rose. The dark markings left by the Blood Curse began to glow again, but this time, pain was not the dominant force—it was power.
His voice changed as he murmured:
"I can feel it... that energy I could never reach before. As if something buried deep within me has finally been unlocked."
Suddenly, a distant explosion echoed through the forest, followed by a tremor in the ground. Both Orin and Gray sprang to their feet, ready for battle.
From the shadows of the trees, a strange woman emerged, clad in a long gray cloak, her amber eyes glowing intensely. She walked forward with quiet steps and spoke in a smooth, measured tone:
"So... the flame has finally begun to burn."
Orin narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
The woman answered with a cryptic smile:
"I am Nelin, one of the Guardians of Balance. And I have come to warn you… The Blood Curse is only the beginning. The awakening that awaits you will consume everything."
Silence settled over them before she continued:
"If you do not control the fire within you, it will devour you… and all of us."
Orin stood without taking his eyes off Nelin, his gaze burning with a fierce fire. The energy seeping from his skin was undeniable proof that something within him was changing.
He spoke slowly, his voice laced with challenge:
"You say I will lose control… but what if I am the one who controls it?"
Nelin smiled with sympathy, though her concern was evident:
"Pride is the first door to ruin… I did not come to discourage you, but to show you what awaits. A force has awakened in the West, known as the 'Hand of the Balance,' seeking to tip the scales toward chaos. And what stirs within you… is deeply connected to it."
She took a step closer, and the dark markings on Orin's body flared even brighter.
Gray gasped:
"It's reacting to her! Who is she, by the gods?!"
But Orin raised a hand, signaling Gray to remain silent, then asked:
"What is it you want from me, exactly?"
Nelin spoke in a hushed tone, almost a whisper:
"I want to save you… but if you choose the wrong path, I will be the first to kill you."
Her smile faded as she pulled an ancient map from her cloak and handed it to Orin.
"Head to the ruins of Valdreim. There, you will find the first answer. But be warned… Every step you take there will bring you closer to hell."
Orin took the map and looked directly into her eyes.
"If hell is the price for understanding my truth… then I will walk it barefoot."
At that moment, a magical circle erupted beneath Nelin's feet, and she vanished in a cascade of golden sparks, leaving behind a faint scent of saffron and ash.
Gray clenched his fist and said:
"Can we trust her?"
Orin rolled up the map and replied with a faint smile:
"I don't know… but I do know that I will get there. Even if fire awaits me at every turn."
In the silence of the night, as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, the two set out on their next journey—a path paved with blood, flame, and secrets yet to be revealed.