THE AWAKENING
Arin was taken to the elder's hut, where scrolls of ancient lore confirmed the mark of the Phoenix King. "You are no ordinary boy," the elder said, unrolling a prophecy: When flame returns to flesh, the shadows will rise.
Over the next days, Arin began training - learning to control fire, speak to birds, and awaken his dormant abilities. He struggled at first, unsure of himself, mocked even more now for pretending to be "chosen."
But every night, the feather would glow at his bedside, whispering secrets of the past: of fallen kings, burning skies, and a great evil that once ruled the realm.
Arin wasn't ready - but time was running out.
Dark clouds gathered beyond the mountains. The Shadow Queen had awakened… and she was hunting the flame