Chapter 1: The Ashes of Emberrest

Raye Blazeborne is the eldest son of King Tharion Blazeborne and the future ruler of the Fire Kingdom. From a young age, Raye was raised to lead, trained in both royal duties and the art of battle. He walks a path shaped by honour, discipline, and a deep sense of justice. Rules are not just laws to him — they are the foundation of peace, and he follows them with unwavering belief.

Though born into power, Raye has never relied on his title. Instead, he worked hard to earn the respect of his people and the soldiers who fight for the kingdom. Many see him not only as a prince but as a warrior who would gladly stand on the front lines if needed.

Raye is bold, often facing danger head-on without fear. His presence commands attention — not because he shouts the loudest, but because of the calm strength in his voice and the fire in his eyes. He speaks with clarity and moves with purpose, every step guided by his belief in what is right.

He is one of the most skilled swordsmen in the entire kingdom, having mastered the Flameblade style — a technique passed down through the royal bloodline. His blade dances like fire itself: fast and deadly. Many say he fights not just with strength, but with heart.

While Raye is respected, he is not always easy to approach. His focus on duty can make him seem distant or strict. But those who know him well understand that he carries the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, and behind his serious eyes is a man who truly cares.

Though loyal to tradition, Raye sometimes questions whether the old ways are enough to guide the kingdom into the future. His heart pushes him to protect the weak and challenge injustice, even when it means standing against powerful enemies — or even the crown itself.

For the past few weeks, trouble had been brewing along the borders of the Fire Kingdom. Small villages and quiet towns were attacked without warning. Homes were torn apart, crops stolen, and people — innocent families — were left to burn in the fires that followed. The land, once warm and proud, now smelled of ash and blood.

King Tharion acted quickly. He sent trained soldiers to investigate, hoping to stop the violence before it spread further. But days passed… then weeks. No word came back. The soldiers were gone — vanished like smoke in the wind. Whispers spread across the kingdom. Some said the soldiers had been ambushed. Others believed something darker was behind it.

The king could not ignore it any longer. This was no simple bandit trouble. It was something more dangerous — something that threatened the kingdom’s very peace.

So, he summoned his son.

Raye stood tall in the great flame-lit hall of the royal palace, the fire banners hanging above him, swaying gently in the heat. The air was heavy — not just from the flames burning in the wall torches, but from the tension that filled the chamber.

King Tharion, seated on the Ember Throne, looked older than usual. His crown, carved from molten gold and iron, weighed heavily on his brow. He raised his eyes to meet Raye’s.

“It’s time,” the king said, his voice low but firm. “Our people are dying, and the enemy walks freely across our borders. I’ve lost good men… loyal soldiers. I cannot lose a son too. But I know there is no one better for this task.”

Raye didn’t speak right away. He simply nodded, eyes sharp, jaw tight. He felt the fire within him stir — not out of anger, but duty. These were his people too. This was his kingdom to protect.

“I will find out who’s behind this,” Raye said. “And I will stop them.”

Tharion leaned back, relief and worry mixing on his face. “Take only those you trust. Move quietly. Whoever is behind this… they are clever, and they are dangerous.”

The flames crackled beside them, casting long shadows on the stone walls.

Raye bowed once. “Then I leave at dawn.”

The sun had just started to rise when the gates of the palace opened. The air was cool, but the sky glowed orange — like the flames that gave the kingdom its name. Raye stood tall beside his horse, dressed in light battle armour marked with the royal crest. His red cloak moved gently in the morning breeze.

Around him, a small group of skilled soldiers prepared their gear — tightening straps, checking blades, and whispering to each other. These were not ordinary guards. Each one had been handpicked — loyal, trained, and trusted.

Beside Raye stood Kael Virelan, the vice-captain of the Fire Kingdom’s elite knights, known as the Ember Guard. Kael had been Raye’s closest friend since their training days. Where Raye was calm and sharp, Kael brought energy and a clever sense of humour — though today, even he wore a serious look.

With the sound of hooves striking stone, the group rode out of the palace gates. Their mission was clear: find the truth behind the border attacks and bring justice to those responsible.

As they crossed the main road heading east, Raye turned slightly in his saddle to speak.

“Kael,” he said, keeping his voice steady, “we’ll start with the fallen village. Which one was the most recent to be hit? And where were the soldiers last seen before they vanished?”

Kael didn’t need to think long.

“To the northeast,” he replied, pointing beyond the rising hills. “A village called Emberrest. It was attacked just four nights ago. That was the same direction the first group of soldiers was sent to investigate. None returned.”

Raye nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the distant mountains.

“Then Emberrest will be our first destination.”

There was a brief silence as the team adjusted their course, turning toward the path that would lead them to the edge of the kingdom. The dirt road ahead twisted through dry forests and quiet hills, now carrying an edge of danger.

Kael rode up beside Raye. “You think we’ll find something there?”

“Not our enemies,” Raye said quietly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. “However, we might find a clue to whatever happened to those villages… and our men.”

The horses picked up speed, their hooves pounding across the dry ground, echoing through the hills. The land grew quieter as they neared Emberrest. Birds no longer sang. Trees stood still, as if holding their breath.

Then the smell hit them — burned wood, ash, and something far worse… the scent of death. Smoke still clung to the air, like the village itself refused to forget.

They slowed as they reached the entrance of Emberrest. What was once a peaceful town now stood in ruins. Houses were blackened and broken, carts overturned, and belongings scattered across the road — as if the people had tried to escape but never made it far.

Raye stepped down from his horse. Kael followed without a word.

“Investigate the area,” Raye ordered. “Search everything. Stay in pairs — no one alone.”

The soldiers nodded and began moving through the village in twos, checking houses, alleys, and broken carts.

Raye and Kael walked toward the centre of the village, where most of the damage seemed focused. Several bodies lay on the ground — villagers, burned beyond recognition. Raye knelt beside one, carefully turning it over. His eyes narrowed.

There, on the upper chest — burned into the flesh — was a strange mark.

An emblem.

“This emblem…” Raye muttered, voice low and focused. “It belongs to that tribe.”

Kael leaned in, eyes widening slightly. “Wait — weren’t they disbanded? Disappeared after we exterminated them years ago?”

Raye’s brows furrowed. “Yeah. But this… this tells a different story.”

He stood up, lost in thought, eyes scanning the distant woods as if hoping the wind might bring answers. “Something serious is happening,” he murmured.

Before he could say more, a soldier called out from the far side of the village.

“My Lord! Please, come here!”

Raye and Kael moved quickly to the soldier’s side. What they found made Raye's stomach turn.

Bodies. Burned, stripped of armour. But they were not villagers.

They were soldiers — soldiers of the Fire Kingdom.

Their armour was gone. Their swords, missing. But Raye knew how to tell. Every knight of the Fire Kingdom carried a mark on their uniform or body — small, hidden, but always there. He checked the fallen man in front of him and found it.

The same mark.

His jaw tightened. “Tch.” He clicked his tongue and stood up; eyes full of fire.

“Let us honour our people,” he said. “The brave soldiers… and the innocent lives lost here.”

His hands curled into fists. Every part of him wanted to give them a proper burial — to kneel, to mourn, to burn incense and lay them to rest.

But time was slipping away.

Another village could already be burning.

Raye stood at a crossroads, the flames of duty and sorrow clashing inside him. He looked at Kael.

“I want to bury them all… but if we stay here too long, more lives could be lost. We may not have that luxury.”

“I understand, my lord,” Kael replied firmly, his voice steady with trust.

Raye looked back at the burned village, eyes heavy but voice full of strength. “We’ll return here. We will give them the burial they deserve… once this is over. And we will win.”