Where The Flame Cannot Reach

Prologue

The Flame. The world was burning. He could smell it before he saw it. Ash drifted through the air like snow, settling upon his armor, his hair, his skin. The great towers that had once reached toward the heavens stood broken in the distance, their windows glowing orange through curtains of smoke. He did not stop.
He could not. His boots struck stone as he ran through the ruins, each step carrying him farther into the fire. Somewhere beyond the smoke, she was waiting for him. She had to be. She always waited. His breath tore through his chest.

"Elyra!"

Nothing. He ran faster. His sword dragged behind him, its edge scraping against the stones. He barely noticed the sound. Blood had dried beneath his gauntlets. Some of it was his. Most of it was not.

"Elyra!"

Still nothing. He rounded the remains of a crumbling archway and stumbled to a halt. There. A figure lay among the ash. White cloth. Dark hair. A delicate hand resting against the blackened earth. His heart stopped.

"No."

The word barely escaped him. He approached slowly. For the first time since the flames had begun, he was afraid. Not of the fire. Not of the gods. Not of what waited beyond the ruined gates.

Her.

He dropped his sword. It struck the ground with a dull clang. He fell to his knees beside her.

"Elyra."

His hands hovered above her as though he were afraid to touch her. Afraid that if he did, whatever remained of the world would finally become real. There was blood in her hair. He stared at it.

"No."

His voice broke.He reached for her face. His gauntleted fingers trembled as he brushed the strands away from her cheek. She was so still. Too still.

"Please." He swallowed.

"You always tell me I worry too much."

Nothing. A bitter laugh escaped him, broken and breathless.

"You're supposed to tell me I'm being dramatic."

His thumb brushed across her cheek. Cold. His eyes closed.

"Come on, Elyra."

The fire roared somewhere behind him. He didn't hear it. The world had narrowed to the woman beneath his hands.

"I came back."

His voice cracked.

"I came back for you."

He leaned closer until his forehead rested against hers. The smell of smoke filled his lungs. He could barely breathe.

"I told you I would."

His fingers curled against the fabric at her shoulder.

"I told you I'd come back."

Something fell from the sky. A burning ember landed against his armor and disappeared. He didn't move. He couldn't.

Then-

A flicker.

So faint he almost missed it. Her fingers moved. His eyes snapped open.

"Elyra?"

Silence. He stared at her hand. His breath caught. Then her fingers twitched again. He laughed. A sound so full of relief it almost sounded like a sob.

"Gods..."

He gathered her carefully into his arms.

"You're here."

Her head fell against his chest. He pressed his face into her hair.

"I'm here."

For one fragile moment, the flames seemed to retreat. And then something changed. The air grew hot. Far too hot. The fire behind him surged upward, turning the sky crimson.
He lifted his head. Three distant points of light appeared through the smoke. Watching. Waiting. His expression changed. The relief vanished.

"No."

The word was quiet. Terrified. He looked down at the woman in his arms. Then toward the flames. Then back to her. And somewhere beneath the ruined earth, something ancient began to awaken. A whisper moved through the burning air. A promise. A temptation. A voice telling him that there was still a way. That nothing had to end here. That he could have her back. That he could burn the world itself if that was the price. His arms tightened around her. His eyes filled with tears.

"Tell me what you want."

The flames answered. And the man who had once dreamed of becoming a lord- listened.