Chapter 36: Vault of the First Flame
The path back to the Iron Depths was silent.
The weight of the Mercy Fragment pulsed in Kael's chest —heavier than power,softer than regret.
But it was time.
Time to open what had been sealed the day he was born in fire.
Time to remember who Kael Valen really was —before he became a villain,before he became human.
The Threshold
Eshra stood before the vault door.It was not made of metal — but of frozen flame,held together by oaths forgotten by gods.
She placed Kael's hand against the seal.
"You reclaimed one piece," she whispered."Now take back your beginning."
The flame reacted.Light poured outward.And the door split open…
Inside the Vault
Dust danced on air that hadn't been breathed in centuries.
At the center of the vault lay a coffin of black obsidian, and upon it:
A sword.Bound in chains.Wrapped in prayer cloth.And humming with ancient grief.
When Kael touched it —his vision fractured.
Memory Flashback: Before the Mirror
He saw himself…but not as Kael.
He was something higher —Elarion,a celestial being called the Flamebringer,judge of souls in the age before time.
His flame burned not to destroy —but to separate the worthy from the wicked.
And one day…he judged too harshly.
The gods feared him.And so they did not kill him —they broke him.
They shattered his soul across time,locking pieces into mortal bodies.
[Kael is the Reincarnation of Elarion, the Flamebringer]
The villain body was a shell.
The Soul Mirror wasn't just technology — it was a celestial cage.
Zerath once served him… before betraying him.
The Weapon: Ashendawn
The sword awakened in his grip.
It ignited in both fire and memory —and Kael could feel it:
Every soul it touched,every life it judged,still echoed within its hilt.
And the sword whispered:
"Welcome back, Flamebringer."
[Ashendawn Unlocked]
Can burn through illusions, lies, and memory seals.
Only usable by Kael with 2+ fragments reclaimed.
Passive ability: Reveals a person's true self when pointed.
Epilogue Scene
Kael stood at the edge of the vault.
Ashendawn on his back.
The flame within him now split between Kael the man…and Elarion, the judge.
Vaenira asked, "Do you remember who you are now?"
He looked at her.
Not with warmth.
But with clarity.
"I'm not here to rule.""I'm here to finish what they feared I'd begin."