Shadows of the eternal flame (completed)

Episode 5

Scene 1: A Dangerous Pact

The episode opens in the aftermath of the battle in the temple. Ruhaan and Tara, still shaken by the confrontation with Kaavish, stand at the edge of the forest. The sky is a dull gray, heavy with the weight of the coming storm. The demon prince knows that Kaavish will stop at nothing to ignite the Eternal Flame, and the only way to prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled on Kaavish’s terms is to find the Flame first.

“We can’t delay any longer,” Ruhaan says, his voice low and urgent. “Kaavish knows how to manipulate the shadows, and if he reaches the Eternal Flame before us, he’ll use it to enslave both our worlds.”

Tara nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. She has come to accept that her life will never return to the way it was before. The world she knew—the safety of the palace, the familiar routines of her duties as a princess—feels distant, like a fading memory. Her future now lies alongside Ruhaan, in a realm of shadows and danger.

“There’s something we need to do first,” Ruhaan says, his eyes darkening. “The shadow realm is not like this world. It’s dangerous, full of creatures and forces that even I cannot control. If we’re going to survive, we’ll need help.”

Tara frowns. “What kind of help?”

“There is an ancient being,” Ruhaan explains, “one who has the power to guide us through the shadow realm safely. But her price for help is steep.”

Tara’s heart tightens. “Who is she?”

Ruhaan’s gaze hardens. “Her name is Nimue, a sorceress older than time itself. She rules over the crossroads between the realms and guards the pathways that lead to the Eternal Flame. But her loyalty is to no one. She serves only herself.”

Tara can sense Ruhaan’s unease, but there is no other choice. If they are to stand any chance against Kaavish, they must find Nimue and secure her assistance.

Together, they make their way deeper into the forest, toward a place where the boundary between their world and the shadow realm begins to blur.

Scene 2: The Crossroads of Realms

As they journey through the forest, the trees become twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching toward the sky like skeletal hands. The air grows colder, and an unnatural mist rises from the ground, swirling around their feet. The light of the sun dims, though the sun is still high in the sky, and the shadows begin to lengthen unnaturally.

“We’re close,” Ruhaan says, his voice barely a whisper.

They arrive at the edge of a dark, swirling portal. The air around it hums with magic, and the mist thickens, turning an eerie shade of silver. Tara feels a chill crawl down her spine. This is no ordinary place—it’s a gateway, a threshold between their world and something far darker.

Ruhaan steps forward and calls out, his voice echoing through the mist. “Nimue! Sorceress of the crossroads, I call upon you!”

For a long moment, there is silence. Then, the mist shifts, and from the depths of the swirling shadows emerges a figure. Nimue is tall and willowy, her silver hair cascading down her back like liquid moonlight. Her skin is pale, almost translucent, and her eyes glow with a cold, ancient power. She moves with an eerie grace, her bare feet not touching the ground, as though she hovers just above it.

“You dare summon me, Ruhaan of the Shadows?” Nimue’s voice is soft but dangerous, like the hiss of a snake. Her glowing eyes flicker to Tara, and a slow, unsettling smile spreads across her lips. “And you bring a human with you. How… interesting.”

Ruhaan’s expression remains stern. “We seek passage through the shadow realm, Nimue. We need your help.”

Nimue’s laughter is soft and melodic, but there’s something sinister beneath it. “And why should I help you? What do you have to offer me?”