The morning light broke over the horizon like liquid gold, yet even the gentle caress of dawn could not fully dispel the lingering shadows that clung to the land. The heirs—Liam, Elena, Arion, Finn, and Kaelin—had emerged from the otherworldly embrace of the Source with hearts ablaze and minds heavy with the weight of their newfound covenant. The Emberheart now pulsed with the combined light of both ancient magic and the Source's wisdom, its glow steady as a promise amidst the gathering darkness.
Their journey back toward the battered city was shrouded in an uneasy calm. The air was still, as though the world held its breath in anticipation of what might come next. Though the Source had rekindled hope within their souls, the road home was lined with uncertain omens. Whispers on the wind spoke of an emerging threat: the Ashborn, though battered in defeat, were stirring in the fringes, their ambitions rekindled like embers in a dying fire.
