Chapter 43

The Ashen Peaks loomed ahead, their jagged silhouettes cutting through the bruised sky like the teeth of some ancient beast. Smoke curled from their summits, and the air carried the acrid scent of sulfur, a constant reminder of the volatile land they now traversed. Aria shifted Rollan in her arms, his small weight a steady comfort against her chest as she picked her way across the uneven terrain. The group was weary—muscles aching, spirits frayed—but they pressed on, driven by the knowledge that the cultists were still out there, hunting them.

Caden led the way, his broad shoulders hunched against the wind that whipped through the narrow mountain pass. His sword hung heavy at his side, and his sharp eyes scanned the path ahead, ever vigilant. He hadn’t spoken much since their escape from the Silent Sea, the weight of their mission—and Kael’s sacrifice—pressing down on him like the oppressive heat of the volcanic region.

Aria caught up to him, her breath clouding in the chill air. “You’re quiet,” she said softly, her voice barely audible over the distant rumble of the mountains.

Caden glanced at her, his storm-gray eyes softening for a moment before hardening again. “We’re walking into the unknown, Aria. Every step feels like we’re being herded into a trap.” He gestured to the peaks. “This place—it’s alive, and it doesn’t want us here.”

She nodded, her gaze flicking to Rollan, who gurgled contentedly in her arms. “But we don’t have a choice. The next fragment is here, somewhere in these mountains. If we don’t find it, the cult will.”

Caden’s jaw tightened, his hand brushing hers in a fleeting touch. “I know. I just… I can’t lose you. Or him.” His voice cracked, the raw edge of fear slipping through his stoic facade.

Aria’s heart ached at the vulnerability in his words. She reached out, her fingers curling around his. “We’ll protect each other. Like we always have.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Always.”

Behind them, Elara and Torren followed, their steps careful on the loose shale. Elara cradled the Orb of Destiny, its golden light pulsing faintly, while Torren kept a wary eye on their surroundings, his daggers at the ready. The group’s dynamic had shifted since Kael’s death—tighter, more guarded, each of them carrying the weight of his sacrifice.

Elara’s voice broke the silence, her tone thoughtful. “The orb’s reacting to something. Its light—it’s brighter here, like it’s sensing the fragment’s presence.” She turned the orb in her hands, studying its shifting glow. “We’re close.”

Torren snorted, his dark eyes narrowing as he glanced at the smoldering peaks. “Close to what? A fiery death? These mountains are cursed—everyone knows it.”

“Superstition,” Elara countered, though her voice lacked conviction. “The fragment’s here. The prophecy led us to it.”

Aria’s gaze drifted to Rollan, his tiny hand clutching her tunic. His mark—the crescent etched into his skin—glowed faintly in sync with the orb. “He’s the key,” she murmured, more to herself than to the others. “His blood, his connection to the prophecy… it’s what they want.”

Caden’s hand tightened around hers. “They won’t touch him. I swear it.”

A sudden tremor shook the ground beneath their feet, sending loose stones skittering down the slope. The air grew hotter, thick with the scent of ash, and a low rumble echoed through the pass. Aria’s pulse quickened. “We need to keep moving.”

They pressed on, the path narrowing as it wound higher into the mountains. The air shimmered with heat, and the ground cracked beneath their boots, revealing veins of molten rock pulsing like veins beneath the earth’s skin. Sweat beaded on Aria’s brow, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the oppressive warmth sapped her strength.

Elara paused, her eyes widening as she studied the orb. “It’s guiding us—this way.” She pointed to a narrow crevice in the rock face, barely wide enough for a person to slip through.

Torren eyed it skeptically. “That looks like a one-way trip to a lava bath.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Caden said, his voice firm. “Lead on, Elara.”

They squeezed through the crevice, the walls scraping against their packs, the heat intensifying with each step. The tunnel opened into a vast cavern, its ceiling lost in shadow, its floor a mosaic of cracked stone and glowing fissures. At the center stood a pedestal, upon which rested a jagged fragment of crystal, its surface pulsing with a fiery red light.

“The second fragment,” Elara breathed, awe and trepidation mingling in her voice.

But as they approached, the ground trembled violently, and a deafening roar filled the cavern. From the fissures erupted streams of molten rock, coalescing into a towering figure—a golem of lava and stone, its eyes burning like coals. It let out a guttural bellow, the sound reverberating through the chamber.

Caden drew his sword, his stance shifting to guard. “It’s the guardian.”

Torren’s daggers flashed in his hands. “How do we fight a walking volcano?”

Elara’s hands crackled with arcane energy. “We don’t. We outsmart it. The fragment’s tied to the prophecy—maybe the orb can weaken it.”

Aria’s mind raced, her gaze flicking to Rollan. *His connection to the prophecy.* She turned to Elara. “Use the orb and the fragment together. Channel their power through Rollan’s mark.”

Elara’s eyes widened, but she nodded. “It might work. Aria, bring him closer.”

The golem advanced, its footsteps shaking the ground. Caden and Torren moved to intercept, their weapons striking against its molten hide with little effect. Aria knelt beside Elara, holding Rollan’s tiny hand against the orb. His mark flared, and the orb’s light surged, merging with the fragment’s fiery glow.

A pulse of energy erupted, slamming into the golem. It staggered, its form flickering, but it wasn’t enough. The creature roared, raising a fist to strike.

“Again!” Elara shouted, her voice strained.

Aria pressed Rollan’s hand harder against the orb, willing the power to flow. The light blazed brighter, and this time, the energy wave shattered the golem’s core. It let out a final, agonized bellow before collapsing into a heap of cooling rock.

Silence fell, broken only by the group’s ragged breaths. Aria scooped Rollan into her arms, her tears falling onto his face as he blinked up at her, unharmed. “We did it,” she whispered, her voice choked with relief.

Caden sheathed his sword, his expression grim but relieved. “Two fragments down. One to go.”

But as they turned to leave, a chilling laugh echoed through the cavern. From the shadows emerged a figure cloaked in black, his eyes gleaming with malice. “You’ve done well,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “But the final fragment is mine.”

Aria’s blood ran cold. The cult’s master.

He raised a hand, and the air shimmered, a portal opening behind him. “The prophecy’s endgame begins now.”

With a flick of his wrist, he vanished, leaving the group frozen in the cavern’s oppressive heat. The path ahead was clear, but the true test loomed larger than ever.