Strong winds came through the loftiest points as the group returned from the fire beneath them. Both snow and ash stirred up together and over north, lightning struck a blackened and bruised sky. The storm had n't moved in several days. There was a feeling it stayed with me as a warning. Pointing in their direction, Elara said, “ There. ” The coming piece. You can see it during the storm. ” Riven squinted. “ A storm that does n’t shift? ” It’s not the rainfall we’re passing right now. That’s magic. ”

Snow kept falling and silence descended upon the camp. The flames of the fire had been killed by the wind; there was only the red light of the shards in Elara’s satchel, however. No one spoke. The last words of the shadow man were still ringing in their ears:

“One more piece… and the flame awakens”.

Sukanya, finally breaking the silence, was speaking in a low, edged voice. “What in all the broken worlds was that?

“A warning,” Kael said grimly. “Or a threat.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Riven muttered. “It appeared to be making a prophecy”.

Elara lowered herself onto the chair slowly and her mind was in a state of great confusion. It was not like the guardian in the temple. It was not here trying us. It knew what we were doing – and it does not want us to succeed”.

Riven looked into the darkness behind the camp. “Great. Therefore, we’ve got enemies who want us to collect the shards and those who don’t. Love the clarity.”