Kael sat by the fire, Eira beside him, both lost in silence.
"I saw the truth," he finally said. "I led a rebellion. I failed. I was betrayed… by one I trusted most."
Eira didn't press. Her eyes watched the flames as they flickered. "But you returned."
He nodded. "The world needs the Flamebound again."
Suddenly, from the darkness, a wolf stepped into the firelight. Not a normal beast—its fur shimmered like coal, and fire licked its paws. It didn't growl. It bowed.
Kael reached out, recognizing it. "Ashenfang…"
The old companion, reborn in fire, had found its master once more.