Free Book - Prequel of The Chronicles of Canes Venatici

Pryia Planet 3 (Part 3.1)

Part 3.1 – The Ember Vault

The air shifts as you step closer to the entrance of the Ember Vault, and the intensity of Pyrya's heat is palpable—almost alive. The door, an ancient slab of iron alloy, is etched with the markings of forgotten Flamespeakers, those who first discovered and guarded the mysteries of the Vault. You can feel the pulse of the molten core, its rhythm growing stronger the nearer you approach. The temperature spikes, but this is no ordinary heat. It wraps around you, almost clinging to your skin as if the planet itself recognizes your presence.

You place a hand on the door, feeling the hum of energy beneath the surface. It's as though the door is connected to the very heart of Pyrya, responding to your intent. Slowly, it begins to open, revealing the depths of the Vault beyond. The heat intensifies further, filling the air with the smell of sulfur and ash, and the roar of distant lava flows echoes through the chamber.

The Ember Vault is unlike anything you've encountered. It is not just a place of storage or knowledge—it is alive, humming with the energy of the Eternal Flame. The walls are carved smooth by the passage of time, shaped by the unrelenting force of molten rock that once flowed freely through this sacred space. You step cautiously inside, your eyes adjusting to the glow of the Ember Core at the heart of the chamber.

It is suspended, impossibly, in midair—an enormous sphere of molten fire, held aloft by invisible forces. Its light bathes the chamber in a flickering, orange-red glow, casting long shadows that dance across the intricate carvings along the walls. The carvings tell the story of Pyrya itself, a history shaped by fire and lava, where the Flamespeakers learned to command the raw power of the planet's core.

As you move closer to the Ember Core, you feel the pull of its energy, like a magnetic force drawing you in. The heat here is unbearable, yet something deeper calls to you—an ancient power, something far older than the Flamespeakers who carved this Vault. You've been taught that the Vault holds the knowledge of Pyrya's past, but standing here now, you realize it is much more than that. The Vault is a place of awakening, a conduit for the forces that shape the very world around you.

The Ember Core pulses, and with each pulse, you feel the ground tremble beneath your feet. It's subtle, but unmistakable. The Vault is reacting to your presence, responding to something within you. You've been warned that the Vault has a will of its own, that it only reveals its secrets to those it deems worthy. But you can't shake the feeling that this place is watching you, testing you.

You take another step forward, the heat pressing against you like a weight, and suddenly, the carvings along the walls begin to shift. The flames depicted in the stone start to move, flowing like molten rock, transforming into new shapes and symbols before your eyes. It's as if the Vault itself is alive, communicating with you in a language you don't fully understand.

Your heart races as the air around you hums with power. The Vault is no longer just a chamber of molten rock and ancient carvings—it is a living, breathing entity, connected to the very essence of Pyrya. The Ember Core burns brighter, and the light intensifies, casting strange, distorted shadows that flicker like flames on the verge of breaking free.

The room grows hotter, and you realize that the Vault is not merely reacting to your presence—it is awakening.

Future Glimpse:
The molten core hums with power, its light growing brighter and more intense as the Vault stirs. The carvings on the walls shift and transform, revealing images long hidden beneath the surface. The heat grows unbearable, and the ground trembles beneath your feet as the Vault begins to awaken, its secrets unraveling before your eyes. The forces at play here are far older than you had imagined, and they are watching, waiting for the moment when they will reveal themselves fully.

Olav J.'s Insight:
"The Ember Vault is not simply a relic of the past. It is alive, pulsing with the energy of Pyrya's core, waiting for the right moment to reveal its secrets. The Flamespeakers believed they understood the Vault, but they only ever glimpsed the surface. The truth is buried deeper, within the molten rock itself—a truth that could reshape everything they thought they knew. The Vault awakens, not to give answers, but to challenge those who enter it to become something more than what they were."