Chapter 22: The Fire of Renewal
The Festival of Silence had left Eterna in a state of reflective calm, but as with all things in this city of endless narratives, change was on the horizon. Aria felt a new call, this time with the urgency of fire, leading her to the outskirts where the landscape shifted from the known to the untamed. Here, she discovered the Forge of Renewal, not to be confused with the earlier Forge of Dreams; this was a place where the old was transformed by fire into the new. The Forge was nestled in a valley where flames danced with an almost sentient grace, surrounded by volcanoes that whispered tales of creation and destruction. The Keeper of Flames, a figure whose form flickered like the fire itself, greeted her. "Aria, you've learned the power of silence. Now, understand the fire of renewal. Fire can destroy, but it also purifies, gives birth to new beginnings. Here, we shall reforge Eterna's spirit." The Forge was surrounded by artifacts, each representing a part of Eterna...