Chapter 3 Secret Beneath the Ashes

Kaela didn't stop running until she reached the village border, breath ragged, crystal clutched to her chest. The mark on her arm throbbed with heat, each pulse matching the frantic beat of her heart.

Her grandmother was waiting.

Without a word, she pulled Kaela inside, barred the door, and pulled shut the heavy drapes. Then, with surprising strength, she took the crystal from Kaela's hand and placed it on the hearth, where the firelight turned it a deeper blue.

"So it has begun," she whispered.

"You knew?" Kaela gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Her grandmother sighed, eyes heavy with centuries of unspoken truths. "I hoped it would never find you. But fate is a river you cannot dam."

She sank into her chair and began the tale.

Long ago, before the kingdoms were born, the realm of Eldara stood as a beacon of harmony between magic and mankind. Its rulers, the Crystal-bearers, wielded the heartstone of the world. But when the last queen fell in the War of Shadows, the crystal shattered, scattered across the realms to prevent the darkness from reclaiming it.

"The piece you hold," her grandmother said, "is one of seven. You are its chosen protector-the last blood of Eldara's line. The others will come for you, those who seek to restore or destroy the balance."

Kaela's hands trembled. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Gather the shards. Find the lost Guardians. And awaken the Flame of Eldwyn."

The path was set. There was no turning back now.