The Ascending Road carried them high above the clouds—through golden sky, past drifting islands of ancient stone, and over cities long swallowed by time.
Then… the path began to fade.
Not break. Not vanish.But fade, as if retreating into silence.
Ahead was a great descent into a valley shrouded in violet mist and trembling wind.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"The Vales of Voices," he whispered."This is where even truth forgets itself."
What Are the Vales of Voices?
Once a garden of heavenly thought, the Vale was corrupted when the Great Veil first cracked. Now it is a sentient echo chamber, alive with memory, doubt, and illusion.
Those who enter will hear voices from:
Their past,
Their deepest fears,
And from the Veil itself—twisting truth into shadow.
The Flamebearers must walk through it separately, each experiencing their own haunting journey.
They are forbidden to speak. If they do, the voices grow louder. The only way through… is within.
Glimpses of Their Trials: 🔸 Seren hears her younger brother's voice, calling to her from the flames of their destroyed village.
He says, "You left me. You survived because you ran."She kneels in the smoke—but doesn't speak.Tears fall silently as she steps through the mirage.
🔹 Kael sees a hundred versions of himself, all speaking lies dressed as prophecy.
One says, "Elarion chose wrong."Another says, "You're the Veil's voice and you know it."He places his hand over his heart. One heartbeat. One truth. He walks on.
Vaelrix walks through fire—literal fire—and sees dragons bowing to him in fear.
He sees himself standing beside the Great Veil, wings wide and dark.But when he looks again… his wings are light.
"I'm not him," he growls. "I won't become that."
And the flames split, allowing him to pass.
Aurelith Appears… But Says Nothing
As each emerges from the Vale, Aurelith stands at the other side—silent, radiant, unmoving.
She does not offer comfort.She only watches… and nods.
They made it through.But each left something behind.