Read Emberheart: The Fire That Defies the Veil :: Chapter 7 – The Veil’s Hunger

The black sands glowed with the heat of Kael’s last attack, the Great Veil’s ghostly faces writhing, their hollow eyes burning with hunger. The star pierced its edge, but the Veil’s whispers were louder: More… give us more… Kael’s embered veins pulsed, his phoenix flames begging to burn, his tattered red scarf soaked with sweat, the phoenix scar on his chest searing. He stood, his orange eyes defiant, but his legs trembled.

Elara knelt nearby, her green eyes fixed on the shattered relic’s spot, her leather coat torn, blood drying on her brow. Her journal showed the phoenix sketch, its wings glowing. “Your flames are a key to the Veil’s origin,” she said, her voice shaky, fear mixing with awe. “But if we’re not careful, you’ll be the end.” Kael’s grin flickered, Mira’s hollow eyes flashing in his mind. “I don’t care what I am—I’m not interested in living a thousand years. It’s enough for me if I can live through today with all I’ve got!” he rasped, his voice fierce with determination.

The whispers grew louder: Burn… break… become ours… Kael’s vision blurred, the phoenix scar searing, and he stumbled, a fiery wing sparking. “Kael!” Elara shouted, grabbing his arm, her green eyes fierce with anger. “You’re feeding it! Stop!” The ground trembled, the Living Veil Sea surging, a low hum like a heartbeat echoing. The sands parted, revealing a chasm glowing blue-white, shadows writhing within—a dozen smaller Veilspawn, their red ember eyes glinting.

“They’re drawn to you!” Elara hissed, her voice cracking with betrayal. “The Veil’s using your flames—I trusted you to stop! Look at me! There’s nothing in my heart! I don’t even feel pain anymore!” Kael’s guilt flashed, but his flames surged, his arm blazing. “I can’t—I’m not fighting because I think I can win—I’m fighting because I have to!” he roared, his voice raw with desperation. He charged, a torrent of flames slamming into a Veilspawn, its shrieks echoing, but the others grew larger, feeding on the heat.

Elara grabbed a shard of obsidian from the chasm’s edge, its runes glowing, and hurled it—blue-white light flashed, dissolving two Veilspawn, but more emerged, their whispers joining the Veil’s: Burn… break… Kael stumbled, his flames dimming, sadness washing over him as he thought of Mira. “I can’t lose her too…” he murmured, his voice heavy with grief. Elara grabbed his scarf, her voice firm but tinged with hope: “We can’t fight them all! Jump!” They leaped into the chasm, the Veilspawn’s shrieks fading, but the Veil’s hunger followed, a cold weight in Kael’s chest.